7-10-2026 6:49pm

LFP Elementary Get's New Principal, Maria Elena Serka

Chris Clasen Editor

With former LFP Elementary principal Aimee Miner taking a new position, we reached out to her replacement, Maria Elena Serka, to get her take on the upcoming school year.

What do you view as your biggest challenge to pivoting from a middle school vice principal to an elementary principal?

I think that the biggest challenge will be shifting my leadership lens from the developmental, social-emotional, and academic needs of adolescents to those of young children. That said, with more than 18 years' experience at the secondary level, I have a strong understanding of what students need to be prepared for success in middle and high school. Elementary schools require a deep understanding of early childhood development and foundational literacy and math skills, and I am committed to grounding my instructional leadership in the science behind how young children grow and learn. I look forward to collaborating with our incredible staff and community to continue building a strong foundation that puts every student on a trajectory for success on their educational journey.

In the sense that "the good of the many outweighs the good of the few", are you planning on implementing any innovative approaches to address chronic classroom disrupters?

Every student deserves to feel safe at school and have full access to their learning, and that includes both the student who is struggling and the classmates whose learning may be affected. I don't see those as competing goals; my job as a leader is to build systems that serve both.

That starts with getting to know our students, staff, and families so I understand the specific needs of our school community. I believe in listening first, rather than making rapid changes to systems that are already in place. And when improvements are needed, I want to build them together with the people closest to the work.

Concretely, I plan to continue strengthening the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) that LFP piloted last year and emphasizes clear expectations, positive behavior instruction, consistent classroom practices, and early intervention, with a strong Tier 1 foundation so we're proactive rather than reactive. This is collaborative work: teachers, our dean of students, school specialists, and families all play a role in understanding what's driving a student's behavior and getting them the right support. And when a student's behavior continues to disrupt learning or compromise safety, we will consider the appropriate district-supported interventions to protect the classroom environment for everyone.

My goal is simple: students who need extra support get it, and every student's right to learn in a safe, focused classroom is protected. Those two things go hand in hand — not one at the expense of the other.

Maria Elena Serka
Lake Forest Park Elementary Principal

Announcement From Shoreline Schools:

Jun 12 2026

Maria Serka has been selected to serve as principal at Lake Forest Park Elementary School beginning in the 2026-27 school year, pending School Board approval, Superintendent Susana Reyes announced. She will join Lake Forest Park from Einstein Middle School, where she currently serves as an assistant principal.

Originally from Ecuador, Maria grew up primarily in Washington State and has called Shoreline home for the past 15 years. She holds a bachelor's degree, a master's in teaching, and her Residency Principal Certification all from the University of Washington's Danforth Educational Leadership Program. She began her career in the Edmonds School District, teaching Spanish for 15 years at Meadowdale High School, including developing and teaching a Spanish for Heritage Speakers course that celebrated students' Latinx roots and equipped them with bilingual seals on their high school diplomas.

At Einstein, Maria has supported teachers and paraprofessionals, overseen LIFE Skills special education classrooms, led professional development in Universal Design for Learning, and been a driving force behind culturally affirming community events, including the annual Día de los Muertos celebration and La Chispa, a leadership workshop for Latinx middle and high school students. She has also served as Athletic Director and has collaborated across Shoreline schools to create the Latinx graduation ceremony.

"Maria's experience with and commitment to equity and inclusion align with the values and vision of our district,” shared Superintendent Reyes. “She has consistently demonstrated her ability to bring together students, families, staff, and community around a shared vision of belonging and high expectations. We are thrilled to welcome her to the Lake Forest Park Elementary School community."