Hannah Ljunggren (She/Her)
Associate Director of Sustainability and Resource Conservation
Lake Washington School District
hljunggren@lwsd.org
425-936-1482
- Slides
- Food Services Sustainability Roadmap
- Detailed Summary with graphics (same info as below but in PDF form)
On February 19th, the LWPTSA hosted a Lunch & Learn on Sustainability & Stewardship with the district’s Associated Director of Sustainability & Resource Conservation, Hannah Ljunggren as guest speaker. The session highlighted the district’s deep commitment to its core values of Sustainability & Stewardship and the strategic goal of Integrated Sustainability. The district’s efforts are guided by Policy OE-9, which focuses on four major goals:
- Impact Reduce and or/mitigate the environmental impact of District operations.
- Resiliency Enhance the resiliency of the district towards future environmental impacts,
- Student Readiness: Prepare students to graduate ready for a future where they are equipped to understand and address the complex and challenging interrelationships between human & the environment, and
- Staff Support: Equip staff to appropriately support District efforts related to this policy.
The Roadmap to Success
In partnership with GreenLink Education—a minority and women-owned LLC—the district is finalizing Phase 1 of the Sustainability and Resource Conservation Action Plan and are now transitioning into Phase 2, which focuses on a comprehensive Sustainability Roadmap to guide our long-term implementation
Student Engagement & Staff Support:
The district is working to:
- Standardize Green Teams across schools
- Catalog Green Team projects
- Invite student speakers to the Sustainability Advisory Committee (SAC)
- Provide checklists and guidance to ensure every school receives appropriate support
Future plans include:
- Hosting Green Career Fairs
- Expanding support for student-led sustainability projects and programs.
Nutrition Services: A Greener Plate
LWSD is transforming our cafeterias through the Food Services Sustainability Roadmap (FSSR) with Our goals that include:
- More Plant-Based Options: Increasing offerings from 20% to 30% .
- Support Local: Boosting local purchasing from 12% up to 25%.
- Student Voice: Hosting at least six feedback and tasting events annually to develop culturally appropriate recipes.
- Waste Reduction: Continuing to support school share tables and working with vendors to reduce processed packaging.
Clean Buildings & Smart Construction
LWSD facilities are becoming models of efficiency. Since 2008, the district has achieved $23.1M in utility savings and a 28% reduction in energy use per square foot.
- Innovative Standards: New projects now include geothermal loops, solar-ready roofs, and electric vehicle charging stations.
- Compliance: We are on track for the June 1, 2026, deadline for our largest buildings to meet the Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS) – Washington State Department of Commerce
Transportation
LWSD received $1.7 million in federal grants to introduce electric school buses and charging stations which were deployed at the beginning of this school year.
- Routes: These quieter, emission-free buses serve Frost, Muir, and Redmond Elementary.
- Collaboration with Cities: Participants suggested more collaboration with the city to offset some of the cost involved with maintenance of electric buses.
- Collaboration with Community Partners: Ongoing collaboration with Sustainability Ambassadors for their carbon commute challenge & City of Redmond in their SchoolPool program.
💬 Highlights from our “Lunch & Learn”
Valuable feedbacks shared by our community members:
- Compost bin linings for easy clean up for school custodial staff.
- Exploring alternative options for snack shops to reduce waste production from single use plastics.
- Encouraging groups like the PTSA to align with district’s goals by reducing food waste at events and staff appreciations, district wide policies on waste reduction.
- While schools remain the priority for compost collection, the district is developing a training plan to expand these services to the Resource Center.
- Introduce opportunities for Outdoor education like Youth Ecology Education through Restoration (YEER)
- Collaborate with Safe Route to School to bring road safety and biking education for middle schools.
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Stay engaged with our ongoing sustainability initiatives and committee meetings:
| Date | Event | Topic / Details |
| March 3, 2026 | LWPTSA Sustainability Meeting | Garden & Share Tables (Virtual, 10–11:30 AM) |
| March 4, 2026 | Future Chefs Cook-Off | Live competition at Juanita High School |
| March 12, 2026 | Sustainability Advisory Committee | Strategic progress and recommendations |
| April 7, 2026 | LWPTSA Sustainability Meeting | Transportation (Sammamish Room, 10–11:30 AM) |
| April 23, 2026 | Sustainability Advisory Committee | Ongoing project feedback |
| May 5, 2026 | LWPTSA Sustainability Meeting | Planning for the next school year (Virtual) |
| June 1, 2026 | CBPS Deadline | Compliance deadline for Tier 1.A buildings |
| June 11, 2026 | Sustainability Advisory Committee | Year-end review |
Want to get involved in your school PTA’s Sustainability journey? Reach out to
Chayanika Das, sustainability@lwptsa.net