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PSESD Board of Directors Recognizes Classified Teacher of the Year Julie Herdt
An image of Julie Herdt with the PSESD Board

Classified Teacher of the Year Julie Herdt was recently recognized at the February 19, 2025 PSESD Board of Directors meeting!

Her honor as Classified Teacher of the Year in June 2024 capped Julie’s seventeen-plus years of working in the educational field, where she continues to dedicate herself to removing barriers to education for students who are experiencing homelessness, foster care, or economic difficulty, and where she works to assist all families with basic needs (housing, food, clothing) and other resources so that the students can concentrate on academic success.

Julie is an advocate for all students and families, and she has partnered with many organizations, including School House Washington, Road Map Project for Family Engagement, and Building Changes, where she has been asked to speak at many trainings to help fellow school districts on McKinney-Vento data practices and on the importance of building community relationships to help families and students. She is also a City of Tukwila Human Services Advisory Board member. Julie feels very fortunate to be able to follow her passion for helping others through her job, and will continue to work to support students and families going forward.

Congratulations again to Julie!

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That approach was on full display earlier this month at Educare Seattle's first STEAM Night, which took place on March 26th, 2026. STEAM learning stands for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics, and is designed to foster creativity and problem-solving skills in young learners.

Read More about Educare Seattle's STEAM Night Brings Families Together Around Learning
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They have now announced those schools that are being recognized by the Washington School Recognition Program for performance during the 2024-2025 school year, and this year, 163 schools in the PSESD school districts were recognized, out of a total of 379 public schools recognized in 150 school districts across the state of Washington. 

Read More about PSESD Celebrates 28 School Districts Recognized for Growth by Washington State!
A visual group of student art pieces including a painted portrait, an abstract, a textile dress with flowers, and a surreal painting

Here at PSESD, we're excited to celebrate the incredible talent of our young artists participating in the 2026 Regional Superintendent High School Art Show!

Each year, this show reminds us of the depth and power of student creativity. Through both their artwork and their personal reflections, these students share stories filled with emotion, insight, and courage.

As the 2026 Art Show unfolds, we invite you to recognize and honor these remarkable students for generously sharing their creativity and vision with us.
 

Read More about Announcing the Winners of the 2026 Regional Superintendent High School Art Show!
A smiling woman with flowers stands among a smiling group.

The PSESD Board of Directors was delighted to meet Maryan Abdow, the 2025 Classified School Employee of the Year, who visited the Board on April 22, 2026. Maryan was introduced to the Board by Amber McCulloch, the Senior Director of Learning, Teaching, and Family Support at PSESD, and who runs the Teacher of the Year and Classified School Employee of the Year programs.
 

Read More about Maryan Abdow Honored by PSESD Board of Directors
Smiling schoolchildren next to a school bus

When districts need to understand their financial health but can’t afford expensive data visualization tools, they’re at a disadvantage. Joli Valentino, PSESD’s executive director of business and operations, envisioned a fiscal dashboard that would serve all districts. Under her leadership and the direction of Justin Lanting, director of school finance, a team spanning four educational service districts — PSESD, ESD 113, ESD 114, and ESD 171 — built a free, interactive fiscal dashboard using data from OSPI.

Read More about Making School Finance Data Work for Everyone
A smiling woman holds flowers in the middle of three people posing for an award photo.

Puyallup School District has announced their 2026 Celebrating Excellence Award recipients.

Now in its fourth year, the Celebrating Excellence awards program honors and recognizes staff, volunteers, and community partners for their outstanding work and unwavering commitment to excellence in supporting the success of students and schools within the Puyallup School District. This annual program serves as a testament to the remarkable dedication and contributions of those who go above and beyond in fostering a thriving educational community.

Read More about Puyallup School District Announces the 2026 Celebrating Excellence Award Recipients