September 2023

Dear Thoreau School Community,

Welcome back to school and the new beginnings of the 2023-24 school year! This is my third year as principal of Thoreau Elementary and my 8^th year as a school administrator. Because relationships are at the core of our work, I look forward to getting to know each new member of our school and continue building relationships with our returning families. I am truly honored to lead alongside our teachers, students, and families as we work collaboratively to build on our strengths as individuals and as a school community.

I bring with me an unwavering belief that all students can succeed. We, as educators, make that happen by providing supports, extensions, and scaffolds for all students to reach their potential every day. This coming school year will be my 15^th year in education. I have experience teaching in private and public schools, including The Bush School in Seattle and Panther Lake Elementary in Kent School District, among others. After seven years of teaching, I obtained a full-time year-long administrative internship and then moved into an Assistant Principal role in Kent where I served for two years before becoming an Associate Principal at Dickinson Elementary in the Lake Washington School District. I earned my B.A. in Elementary Education with a minor in Early Education from Central Washington University and I graduated in 2017 with my M.A. in Educational Leadership from Seattle Pacific University. Personally, I love to learn, grow, and take on challenges.

Outside of work life, I have a fun and active family, including five beautiful children. My oldest child graduated from UW last spring and is now a UX design engineer for Washington Health Benefit Exchange. My second child is and Airman and serving our country in the US Air Force. I also have a daughter who is a senior in high school this year, an 8^th grade son, and my youngest daughter is entering third grade this fall. I have a love for hiking, reading, and running. My favorite mountains with amazing views are Mt. Tenerife and Mailbox Peak. We are so fortunate to live in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

I am sincerely humbled to have the opportunity to lead in a school with a rich tradition of educational excellence. Please stop by to say hello and share how your summer went; I am excited to connect with you and your student(s) this year!

 

In partnership,

Heidi Lindquist-Lane (Ms. Lane)