The end of summer break doesn’t have to be a bad thing
September 7, 2010
Alex Tucker Issaquah High School
It is that time of year again. Parents and students alike are gearing up for the school year ahead, and as hard as it is to admit, summer break is officially over.
Just thinking that can put a damper on anyone’s mood, but it is important to remember the positives of starting a new year. During the year, there are a ton of activities to look forward to. We have Friday night football and Homecoming approaching, not to mention the opportunity to see friends every day. And, of course, look out for The Issaquah Press teen page, The Beat, this fall!
Everyone should find something to appreciate about the new school year. For example, IHS students, look around! We have a beautiful new school. And seniors, it is your last year! Don’t waste it away by counting the days ‘til graduation. Enjoy every moment of the high school experience, because you only get it once. Read more
Maywood Middle School evacuated after power outage, smoke
September 3, 2010
NEW — 11:05 a.m. Sept. 3, 2010
Maywood Middle School students had an unexpected evacuation Friday morning.
At about 9 a.m., the school’s power went out. Shortly after, students and staff members reported smelling smoke and immediately evacuated the building, according to an e-mail Principal Jason Morse sent to parents.
King County Fire District 25 responded to the emergency call and found a faulty motor in the heating and cooling system had burned out because of the power outage. Firefighters evaluated the motor and allowed students and staff members to re-enter the building at about 10 a.m.
Teachers take the initiative in learning program
August 31, 2010
Dr. Duane Baker presents to about 900 Issaquah School District teachers at Skyline High School, telling the teachers about improving instruction through observing other teachers’ classrooms. By Laura Geggel
Teachers are a valuable resource, especially for one another. Read more
School district reminds drivers to not forget bus safety
August 31, 2010
Jo Porter (left), director of transportation, with supervisors and coordinators Connie McCoy, Lucy Anderson, Gayle Morgan and Laurie Mulvihill, stand beside the high-backed seats in one of the school district's new buses. By Greg Farrar
With school back in session, Issaquah’s drivers are once more sharing the road with buses carrying students to and from school.
Some drivers are more patient than others when driving behind buses. Understanding bus safety rules would help everyone on the road, Issaquah School District Transportation Director Jo Porter said. Read more
Parents face choice after Issaquah Valley Elementary School falls short
August 27, 2010
UPDATED — 3:40 p.m. Aug. 27, 2010
Issaquah Valley Elementary School fell just shy of meeting standards set by the No Child Left Behind Act and is being sanctioned for not meeting standards in low-income reading.
This is Issaquah Valley’s second year in a row of not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress standards in low-income reading.
If a subgroup of students fails in reading or math, then the school or district does not meet AYP. Schools that do not meet AYP in a subgroup for two consecutive years face sanctions if they receive federal Title I dollars.
In the sanctions leveled against Issaquah Valley, the school will have to notify parents, give families the opportunity to send their children to another elementary school and pay for that transportation.
Volunteers sought for VOICE mentor program
August 24, 2010
Paula Cockerham earned Cs and Ds in her high school classes until her biology teacher pulled her aside and said, “You’re smarter than this.”
Cockerham began spending more time on homework and studying harder, transforming herself into an A student. Now, she works at The Boeing Co. as an environmental chemist.
“It just took having someone tell you, ‘You can do this’, and ‘I believe you can do this,’” she said.
In 2006, Cockerham decided to return the favor to Issaquah’s students. She registered with Volunteers Of Issaquah Changing Education — more commonly known as VOICE — and began mentoring high school students in physical science.
Cockerham is one of VOICE’s 155 mentors, and Director Susan Gierke said she hopes to raise membership to 200 volunteers this year. Read more
St. Louise schoolhouse ready for students
August 24, 2010
Issaquah students have been attending Bellevue’s St. Louise Parish School and Faith Formation Center for nearly 50 years. Contributed
Issaquah’s 7-year-old Amelia Aitken has finished her back-to-school shopping. She has a new uniform, new school supplies and a new school building, the St. Louise School and Faith Formation Center.
For nearly 50 years, the private Catholic school, near Crossroads in Bellevue, has provided a learning place for students in kindergarten through eighth grades from Seattle and the greater Eastside, including Issaquah. This year, 454 students will attend St. Louise — 46 of them from Issaquah.
Creekside Elementary welcomes students with natural setting, high-tech touches
August 17, 2010
Robin Earl, Creekside Elementary School principal, stands in a balcony hallway overlooking the library core. Large windows bring the outdoor beauty inside. By Christopher Huber
To the tune of hammering and buzzing saws on a hot day at the end of July, Principal Robin Earl walked through the crowded hallways of her new school.
Enroll elementary students now for head count
August 10, 2010
Do you have an elementary school child who will attend an Issaquah School District school this year?
If so, district officials would like you to return the lime green enrollment postcard they sent to homes in mid-July.
The postcards help give the district an idea of how many students they can expect the first day of school to ensure they have enough teachers, and seats, at every grade level.
The first day of school is Aug. 31.
High school students get new chemistry curriculum
July 27, 2010
Issaquah School District high schoolers will come back to their science laboratories this fall with a new chemistry book.
Issaquah School Board members unanimously voted to adopt the textbook “Chemistry 2008,” by Prentice Hall, at their July 14 meeting.
The new curriculum cost about $120,000 and was paid for with money donated to the district by the Issaquah Schools Foundation.
The curriculum replaces one the district has used for more than 14 years. While the science of chemistry hasn’t changed in that time, the best methods for teaching it has, district spokeswoman Sara Niegowski said.
The new books are more hands-on, she said, with more inquiry, deep-thinking problems and new laboratory experiments for students to do.
