February 21, 2025

Haring Center & Lake Stevens School District: A growing partnership for inclusion

Haring Center PD: Dr. Ariane Gauvreau, Senior Director of the Professional Development and Training Team at the Haring Center for Inclusive Education; Christina Nowak, Inclusion Specialist; Lara Francisco, Education Specialist

Lake Stevens School District: Dr. Miriam Tencate, Executive Director of Student Services, Keri Joseph, Director of Special Services, and Julie Sewald, Special Services/TOSA

In July 2024, the Haring Center for Inclusive Education in the College of Education at the University of Washington partnered with the Lake Stevens School District to help schools implement more inclusive practices and systems. This collaboration focuses on transforming the district through a series of interactive, individualized professional development, with a focus on building the systems and structures to support inclusionary practices.

The collaboration stemmed from the Lake Stevens leadership team’s dedication to improving inclusivity. Dr. Miriam Tencate, executive director of Student Services, and Keri Joseph, director of Special Services, were inspired after visiting other districts as part of OSPI’s Inclusionary Practices Project. During these Demonstration Site visits (https://ippdemosites.org/), they formed a productive working relationship with Christina Nowak, inclusion specialist, and the Haring Center team, and the success of these demonstrations of inclusive practices motivated Lake Stevens to implement similar strategies in their own district. To ensure these practices aligned with their culture and needs, Lake Stevens turned to the Haring Center for guidance. Dr. Tencate shared that the Haring Center has been instrumental in listening to their needs and brainstorming ideas tailored to their district’s culture, helping them move forward with strategies that build upon their current practices and reflect their future goals.

One of the main goals for Lake Stevens was to better support and align co-teaching practices across the district. While co-teaching was already in place, stronger alignment would ensure that students have a more consistent experience and smoother transitions between levels. The Haring Center helped provide the training needed to better align these practices with the district’s goals. Julie Sewald says, “We partnered with the Haring Center to figure out how to make sure we were aligning our co-teaching practices to best meet the needs of all students.”

At the heart of this work is a belief that change needs to include the whole educational community. Joseph says, “They really have come to us with a growth mindset. We’ve never felt “less than” because we’re not implementing something in an ideal way.” This attitude has allowed for open conversations where district leaders and staff feel comfortable trying new ideas without fear of judgment.

The district’s approach to inclusion is thoughtful and student-focused. Dr. Tencate shares, “We start by considering General Education as the first option for every child, then build from there to meet their unique needs.” Rather than rushing to make wholesale changes, the district carefully considers each student’s needs to ensure that all children get the support they require.

Lara Francisco, education specialist at the Haring Center, emphasizes the importance of collaboration in creating sustainable change. She points out, “The Haring Center’s partnership with Lake Stevens has highlighted the need to involve all stakeholders. You can’t make sustainable change by addressing Special Education without General Education, or by working with teachers but not administrators.” She also praises the leadership team at Lake Stevens, noting that Miriam, Keri, and Julie understand the need for inclusive practices and have been intentional about including all stakeholders. Lara acknowledges the support of Dr. Mary Templeton, the Superintendent, who has joined training workshops whenever possible, and concludes that the leadership team’s focus on supporting teachers, systems, and structures makes their work a model for sustainable inclusion.

Looking ahead, Lake Stevens is committed to continuing its growth in inclusive practices. Sewald says, “We’re questioning the status quo and asking, ‘How can we do better for our students?’ This mindset is driving meaningful change.”

Dr. Tencate adds, “This work is about meeting every child where they are and ensuring they feel valued in every space.”