Dear Lakeside,
On the first day of school last year, students were informed of three radical changes: an updated absence policy, assigned assembly seating, and a campus-wide phone ban. To call it a shock would be an understatement. But, as always, you adapted. You became experts at timing snack runs to the WCC and Vassar cafe, dashing back to class with drinks and giant cookies just before your teacher marked you tardy. You grew closer to your advisories: both mentally, between intense rounds of Imposter and heartfelt discussions, and physically, squeezed together in the bleachers watching guest speakers and Lunar New Year skits. You zipped up phones in backpacks, and instead, struck up conversations with fellow classmates. The campus came together during the time it needed to the most — a year rife with political tensions, administration changes, and more.
Among these challenges, Tatler asked you to be journalists alongside us — and were thrilled when so many of you answered the call. From submitting op-eds regarding the death of Charlie Kirk, commenting on the war in Iran, or even leading a Seattle-wide ICE protest as featured on Tatler’s front page, your voices and insights were the backbone of our reporting last year.
This year, we’ll be opening up even more opportunities for you to share your voice — and hear ours. As you scroll through Instagram, we’ll brighten your feed with street interviews and behind-the-scenes content. At school, we’ll give you advance notice on any schedule changes and highlight student achievements through the Weekly, Tatler’s newsletter. During your morning commute, we’ll keep you company through our podcasts on Spotify and Coffee Break installations on Youtube. If our school experiences a major event, our Editorial Board will step up to give our unfiltered response. And don’t worry — we’ll still be keeping you apprised of current events, school news, and the latest trends through our monthly and special issues.
Tatler’s goals are ambitious as well, to say the least, and don’t end with what’s listed above. We’re committed to more photojournalism across our platforms. We’re planning on revamping our website. We’re working towards signing onto the Private School Journalism Association’s (PSJA) Affirmation of Student Free Expression Rights, a multi-year journey started by Editor-in-Chiefs of the past. And as we expand, we ask you to follow along. We need you to keep reading, filling out our polls, sending in tips, and most of all, to write to us. Submit your article ideas in the guest proposal form, or send your opinions and concerns directly to us to be published as a letter to the editor. This school year isn’t shaping up to be any easier than the last — with midterm elections, Allen-Gates renovation, and a new Head of School, expanding our purview and capturing your stories is how we’ll fulfill our promise to keep bringing you hardhitting, relevant journalism. We know from experience that sticking together works. This year, we ask that you stick with us too.
Until next time,
Aicha S-K. ’27 and Caileen W. ’27
Editors-in-Chief, Lakeside Tatler
2026-2027
