Good News June 10, 2025

Let’s give a round of applause to our amazing third through fifth grade scholars who participated in the 25^th district-wide Battle of the Books competition!

Scholars worked in teams to answer questions from a list of 12 books, demonstrating collaboration, critical thinking, and a love of reading.

Congratulations to this year’s top-placing teams:

Congratulations again to our new champions, and to all of this year’s teams for showing what’s possible when we read, prepare, and grow together!

Let’s recognize Decatur High School’s Athletic Director, Terry Jenks, for earning the Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) designation through the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association.

This nationally recognized certification reflects a high level of expertise in managing school athletic programs and demonstrates Terry’s strong commitment to professional excellence. It also speaks to our district’s investment in developing leaders who make a lasting impact on students and school communities.

Congratulations, Terry, on this outstanding achievement!

Please join me in recognizing Thomas Jefferson High School scholar, Sebastian, who has successfully completed Phase One of the Washington Aerospace Scholars program!

Washington Aerospace Scholars is a highly competitive program that connects high school juniors with hands-on STEM learning, career exploration, and mentorship from industry professionals. Sebastian successfully completed the five-month online curriculum designed by NASA and the University of Washington. Because of his strong performance, he has also been invited to the competitive Summer Residency, where he will work with peers and aerospace professionals to design a human mission plan to Mars.

Congratulations, Sebastian, on this incredible accomplishment in STEM!

We are thrilled to announce that seven schools in Federal Way Public Schools have been honored by the Washington State Board of Education for their exceptional achievements in Closing Gaps, Growth, and Achievement from the 2023-24 school year. 

Congratulations to the following schools:

•               Camelot Elementary

•               Federal Way Public Academy

•               Lake Dolloff Elementary

•               Lake Grove Elementary

•               Open Doors at Truman

•               Panther Lake Elementary

•               Wildwood Elementary

This acknowledgment is part of the Washington School Recognition Program, a collaborative initiative by the State Board of Education (SBE), the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), and the Educational Opportunity Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee (EOGOAC). 

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the students, staff, and families of these schools.

Congratulations to seven outstanding scholars from Thomas Jefferson and Federal Way high schools who advanced to the 2025 WIAA 3A Boys and Girls Tennis State Championships!

Scholars and staff, if you’re here today, please come forward to be recognized.

We want to give a special shout-out to Avery from Thomas Jefferson High School, who placed 7th in singles, and to Vincent and Jason from Thomas Jefferson, who earned 9th place in doubles.

Congratulations, scholars, on your impressive accomplishments and for representing FWPS with pride and sportsmanship!

We would like to recognize five FWPS scholars from Thomas Jefferson, Federal Way, and Decatur high schools who advanced to the 2025 WIAA 3A Boys and Girls Golf State Championships!

These athletes showcased discipline, focus, and skill throughout the season. We’re proud of your hard work and how you represented your schools on the course.

Congratulations on this achievement! 

We’re also excited to recognize an incredible 42 scholars from all four of our comprehensive high schools who advanced to the 2025 WIAA 3A Boys and Girls Track and Field State Championships!

A few highlights from this year’s competition:

The Federal Way High School 4x100 meter relay team placed 2nd overall and Federal Way High School’s Geron became a state champion in not just one, but two events: the triple jump and the high jump. He also placed 3rd in the long jump.

Your hard work, athleticism, and commitment to excellence are truly inspiring. Congratulations to all of you!

Let’s give a big round of applause to the Decatur High School Baseball team for advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2025 WIAA 3A State Championships!

This is the team’s first time making it to state since 2015, and it reflects a season of incredible dedication and teamwork. We are so proud of your success and how you’ve represented Decatur and the district.

Congratulations on making school history! 

Congratulations to the final overall champions of the 2025 FWPS Attendance Cup Challenge. This challenge showcased the dedication of our scholars and educators in achieving attendance excellence. We proudly honor the hard work and perseverance demonstrated over the 8-week challenge.

Our schools were grouped into seven cluster groups for the challenge, and each group has two categories of winners: those with the highest overall attendance rate, and those who showed the most improvement in attendance.

Let’s start with our Overall Attendance Rate Champions:

These schools had the highest average attendance in their cluster group.

• Group A: Federal Way High School
• Group B: Sacajawea Middle School
• Group C: Lakeland Elementary
• Group D: Twin Lakes Elementary
• Group E: Woodmont K-8
• Group F: Sunnycrest Elementary
• Group G: Federal Way Public Academy

Your exceptional attendance sets a remarkable example for our district. Congratulations!

Now, for our Overall Most Improved Attendance Champions:

These schools made the biggest strides in improving attendance over the course of the challenge.

• Group A: Federal Way High School
• Group B: Illahee Middle School
• Group C: Panther Lake Elementary
• Group D: Twin Lakes Elementary
• Group E: Nautilus K-8 School
• Group F: Lake Dolloff Elementary
• Group G: Employment Transition Program

Your significant progress in attendance is truly inspiring. Well done!

Thank you to all schools, scholars, and staff for prioritizing attendance and supporting our strategic plan Goal 2, focused on the whole child. Your commitment ensures every student is present, engaged, and ready to learn each day. Congratulations!