Puget Sound Educational Service District

The YouTube show "Capacito Cultural" provides an opportunity for conversation in the professional learning community, in a space where culture meets leadership for meaningful conversation that inspires action.

Hosted by founder Dr. Rosa Maria Bell, the most recent episode, "When Funding Fades, Leadership Is Revealed: A Call to Act for Multilingual Learners" (https://youtu.be/UVwntVbEZVE) features a timely discussion between Bell and PSESD Superintendent Dr. Gustavo Balderas that emphasized how educational leadership isn't measured by resources, but by the vision, courage, and commitment they demonstrate in service to their students and communities.

When Funding Fades, Leadership Is Revealed: A Call to Act for Multilingual Learners This Leadership Brief is more than an agenda. It is an invitation t...

If you haven't already registered to attend the 2026 Virtual STEM+ Summit, what are you waiting for? Join us online August 12-13 as we empower and inspire teachers and educational leaders to promote and advance STEM education!

Register today at: https://www.ncesd.org/stemsummit

It's time for Juneteenth! Officially known as Juneteenth National Independence Day, Juneteenth is a federal U.S. holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States while celebrating the resilience and strength of the Black community across the years.

Here's your opportunity to celebrate from June 17 through June 21, with our specially assembled calendar that spotlights the rich array of Juneteenth celebrations you can attend throughout Puget Sound.

https://bit.ly/4xzZJHW

Juneteenth 2026 Celebrations Across Puget Sound It's time for Juneteenth! Officially known as Juneteenth National Independence Day, Juneteenth is a federal U.S. holiday that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States while celebrating the resilience and strength of the Black community across the years. Here's your opportunity to celebra...

Auburn School District #408 is excited to share a wonderful opportunity for its children attending Pioneer Elementary School. Beginning in the 2026–27 school year, Pioneer Elementary will offer a Spanish English Dual Language Program for students enrolling in Kindergarten and First Grade.

This program is designed to help students become bilingual and biliterate while building strong academic skills in both languages—all in a supportive and engaging learning environment.

To learn more about the program and how to enroll, please visit Pioneer’s Dual Language Program page, at https://bit.ly/4xOUFzV.

Happy King Kamehameha Day! Each year on June 11, this day celebrates the accomplishments of “King Kamehameha the Great,” who united the Hawaiian Islands in 1810.

A statue of the King was cast in Europe and stands in Honolulu, with four other statues standing in Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, and Washington, D.C. Each year, celebrations in Honolulu and across the Hawai’ian islands include ceremonies that adorn the king's statues with flower leis, luau feasts, and the Annual King Kamehameha Celebration Floral Parade in Waikiki.

This year’s 2026 theme is “E kū, e hoʻololi,” which means “Stand upright and change unpleasant conditions.” The theme is both a call to stay strong in adversity as well as a tribute to the enduring values of “leadership, resilience, and service” that are so integral to communities across Hawaiʻi.

Learn more about King Kamehameha Day, its history, and 2026 celebration activities at https://bit.ly/4e16sDg.

Two principals in Seattle Public Schools (SPS) were recently awarded the 2026 Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence by The Alliance for Education, with each receiving a $25,000 award grant for their schools.

Principal Carrie Wheeler at Viewlands Elementary School and Principal Mary McDaniel at Highland Park Elementary School each received the grant for their dedication and leadership.

The Foster Award recognizes and honors two outstanding SPS principals who have demonstrated success in advancing educational justice and racial equity in their school community. Given out since 1999, the endowed award commemorates Thomas B. Foster, a prominent Seattle attorney who displayed a strong personal commitment to public education.

Learn more about the awards and recipients at https://bit.ly/3QyRHP1.

Two Seattle Schools Each Awarded $25,000 for Growth in Student Academics & Equity Celebrate this year’s Thomas B. Foster Award for Excellence recipients: Principal Carrie Wheeler at Viewlands Elementary and Principal Mary McDaniel at Highland Park Elementary.

Northshore School District has been honored by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Child Nutrition Services as a recipient of the Rooted in Excellence Culturally Inclusive Meals award!

The award highlights the creativity, dedication, and impact of school nutrition teams across Washington state, and celebrates schools that honor and reflect their students' diverse cultural backgrounds through menu offerings that are inclusive and representative.

This year, Northshore introduced five new delicious and culturally inclusive dishes representing cuisines from Brazil, Vietnam, Jamaica, and Indigenous America, which join many other inclusive dishes developed over the years, representing cuisines from India, Korea, Mexico, China, and the Mediterranean. All are a tasty way to spotlight cultural diversity and healthy eating habits for students!

Are you in the mood for a tune? June is Black Music (or African American Music) Appreciation Month! First launched by President Jimmy Carter in 1979 as National Black Music Month and signed as official proclamation as African American Music Appreciation Month by President Barack Obama in 2009, this month celebrates the rich and incredibly diverse array of the Black musical influences and contributions that make up such an important and beautiful part of our nation’s cultural landscape.

The importance of African American music to American and global culture cannot be overemphasized. It is music with deep roots in history and tradition, in stories and tragic remembrances of slavery and racism, as well as moments of celebration, joy, faith, and love.

With an entire month to immerse yourself in their accomplishments, June is a great time to explore the work of African American musicians, composers, singers, and songwriters, as well as the nearly endless assortment of musical styles they created and inspired—from jazz (like the music of the legendary Louis Armstrong, seen here), to rhythm and blues, sacred music, and gospel, to hip-hop, barbershop, swing, rap, and more.

Learn more at https://buff.ly/6vztaQH.

Congratulations to ReLife graduates Lilliana Mackey, Jaydin Scott, and Toryn Wininger!

"The journey that each of these three students took to get here was very similar but couldn’t have been more different," said Reginald S. Reid, the Principal at ReLife School. "They all needed different supports, took their own individual paths, but still ended up at the same destination. This celebration shows us that when we all come together for a common goal, there is truly nothing that is not possible."

Pictured (left to right): ReLife graduates Lilliana Mackey, Jaydin Scott, and Toryn Wininger

Join us June 25-27 at ESD 123 for the Early Learning Summit—a three-day experience designed for the people doing the real work with young children and families every day.
👶 Birth-3 to K-3
🧠 Practical strategies you can use right away
🤝 Connect with educators, providers & partners across the region

From early intervention and inclusive practices to kindergarten transitions and family-centered support - you’ll leave with ideas, tools, and connections that matter.

Kick things off Thursday evening with networking and idea sharing!

$125 (3 days) | $50/day option available

Click the following link to register today! https://www.pdenroller.org/esd123/catalog/event/203830

Single-day registration, presenter access & ESD employee discounts: contact Mariza at [email protected]

Come learn, connect, and make an impact.