LMS Newsletter
November 2026
Message from the Principal
Dear Lakeridge Families,
We have just wrapped up an excellent first quarter at Lakeridge Middle School. In addition to a strong nine weeks of academics, we also had a record number of Hawks taking part in our after school activities. Looking at the numbers: we had nearly 200 student athletes participate in our fall sports season and high daily turnout for our various after school clubs offerings. We also had over 350 students at our fall dance where students were hanging out in the commons, showing off their dance moves, playing games in the gym, and enjoying time with friends. We are really proud of our students’ school spirit and active participation in the Lakeridge Middle School community. We are looking forward to further student involvement in our winter athletics, clubs and activities this next quarter.
As we press forward into the second half of the first semester, please take a moment with your child to review grades and connect with teachers if you have any concerns. First quarter grades, which act as a formal progress check, will be available online by Friday, November 6th, and printed copies will be available at Parent-Teacher Conferences on November 10th.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support in making Lakeridge Middle School a place where every student feels known, valued and supported through high quality academic, social, and emotional learning experiences every day. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Go Hawks!
Sincerely,
Toby Udager
Principal
Upcoming Dates
Parent Conferences
Tuesday, Nov. 10 • 11:30am - 6:30pm
Please join us for Lakeridge Middle School’s arena-style Parent Conferences on Tuesday, November 10 from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm. This is an Early Release day and students will be dismissed at 10:25 am to allow for conferences to begin at noon.
These conferences are designed for parents to meet with each teacher for up to 5 minutes to discuss your child’s academic progress, classroom performance and address any quick questions you may have. If more in depth conversation is needed, we can schedule a secondary conference with a teacher at a later date.
You do not need to sign up to attend conferences, however, we ask that families arrive at a specified time in order to reduce potential long lines.
Please see the attached Conference Info sheet for recommended times and frequently asked questions.
Student Life
Community Big Give
DEADLINE: Requests must be submitted by Sunday, November 15
Community Big Give provides Thanksgiving meals to individuals and families experiencing need within the Sumner-Bonney Lake, Dieringer and White RIver school district communities. Meals will be delivered directly to your homes by Community Big Give volunteers on Saturday, Nov 21 between 9:30 am and 1:00 pm.
To sign up, go to https://communitybiggive.com/meal/
- MEAL REQUESTS CLOSE AT 11:59PM ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15
- MEALS DELIVERED SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21
District STEM Fair & Art Show Poster Contest
DEADLINE: Tues., November 24 2026
It’s time for the annual SBLSD STEM Fair & Art Show poster contest!
Who can enter: All SBLSD students, grades K-12
What to submit: A poster design that promotes the STEM Fair & Art Show (more details in the linked file below).
Recognition: The winning design will appear in STEM Fair & Art Show promotional materials, and the winning student will receive special recognition at the event.
Judging: All entries will be judged using the same criteria, regardless of age or grade.
How to submit: Forward any electronic entries to Jeremy_martin@sumnersd.org. Paper copies should be collected at each school and then sent through district mail to Central Office, Attn: Jeremy Martin
Deadline: Entries must be received at Central Office by Tuesday, November 24th 2026.
Attendance
Reporting Student Absences
If your student is going to be absent please contact Lakeridge via ParentSquare or by emailing or calling your child's attendance office. If prior notice is not possible, you may send a message through ParentSquare, email or phone call upon the student's return to school. When contacting the school, please include your child’s name, the name and contact information for the person providing the excuse and their relationship to the student, the reason for the absence and the date(s) of absence.
Please remember these important details:
Parents/Guardians must contact the school to excuse the absence(s).
If the absence meets one of the criteria in the WAC 392.401A-020, the absence will be excused.
The school principal (or designee) does have the authority to determine if an absence meets the criteria for an excused absence.
If your student misses a substantial number of days, the school may require qualified 3rd party documentation to excuse all future absences and early dismissals.
Definition of a qualified 3rd party documentation would be: a note from a doctor, dentist, therapist, etc. which includes the specific dates of absence(s) to be excused.
Attendance Secretary: Kristy Schwendeman
kristy_schwendeman@sumnersd.org
(253) 891-5110