April 2010
In this issue….
New School Rebuild Volunteers Needed!
Issaquah Schools Foundation (ISF)
If you were at the bargaining table…. (results)
For Senior Girls – “Prom Dreams”
Please join us for our
next IH PTSA meeting Friday, April 9, 9:30 AM, room C-5 (Career Center). Jess
Hasken, “Stand for Children” Organizer, will speak to our group at 11:00 AM,
following the meeting.
The Issaquah High PTSA
is now 1,065 members strong - our goal is to reach 100% membership.
Please help us reach this goal. If you haven’t already joined, please
consider joining with the other 1,065 members who support the work of our PTSA,
which is to support our great school! If only one parent has joined and
the other parent would like to join, the cost is only $8. (Click here for
membership form). Additionally, community members, grandparents and other IHS supporters
can join the IH PTSA as a Supporter Member (Click here for
Supporter Membership Form).
For more information,
please contact Karen Knitter at mindydog3@comcast.net
The Issaquah High Site
Council is comprised of staff, parents, students, and community representatives
who meet to address issues that impact student learning. Areas in which we are
focusing our efforts this year include monitoring progress of the Optimal High
School Experience task force, the School construction project, preparing for
transition into the new buildings and the return of freshman to our campus. The
next meeting is scheduled for May 19. Karin Allen is the PTSA liaison. Please contact her at kallen@allenmarketing.com
if you have any issues you'd like her to raise on behalf of the PTSA community.
Top three legislative
session outcomes:
Race to the Top (SB 6696) – State lawmakers took a step in the
direction of bold education reform by passing SB 6696 in the final hours of the
regular legislative session. The bill has several key reforms that will
accelerate student learning, teacher and principal performance and advance
Washington’s “Race to the Top” application, including: authorizing State
intervention in low-performing schools; developing new evaluation criteria for
teachers and principals, and establishing new criteria for teacher and
principal evaluation; and authorizing the adoption of common core
standards. With the passage of SB 6696, Washington advances to the
starting line in the $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” grant competition.
Basic Education Reform (HB 2776) – In a late night vote just hours before
the end of the regular session the House and Senate passed HB 2776 –
basic education finance reform. Under the compromise, the State must
begin funding K-3 enhancements, MSOC (maintenance, supplies, operating costs)
and transportation in the 2013 biennium and complete funding in the 2017
biennium.
Early Learning (HB 2731) - This bill passed the House and Senate in
the same late night series of votes on the final day of session. This bill
establishes a voluntary early learning program for three and four-year-olds in
September 2011, calling for the program to be phased in over several years
before eventually becoming an entitlement for all eligible children. This bill
falls short of including early learning in the State definition of basic
education. There was much resistance to that idea given that the State is
already billions of dollars short on funding the existing definition of basic
education.
Issaquah High PTSA 2.6.45
Nominating Committee Report
March 22, 2010
In compliance with
Washington State PTA Bylaws, the following report is issued to the membership
of the Issaquah High PTSA 2.6.45 allowing 15 or more days notice prior to the
election. The election will take place
on April 9, 2010, during the 9:30 am IH PTSA meeting. An opportunity to make nominations from the floor will be
provided.
The 2010 IH PTSA
Nominating Committee places the following names in nomination:
For the office of Co-President: Karin Allen
For the office of Co-President: Lisa Gaan
For the office of Co-VP Fundraising: Vicki Hahn
For the office of Co-VP Fundraising: Dianne Bugge
For the office of VP Membership: Karen Knitter
For the office of VP Volunteers: Pat Batt
For the office of Secretary: Debbie Sexton
For the office of Treasurer: Blair Baumer
Respectfully Submitted,
Anne Moore, Nominating
Committee Member
Blair Baumer, Nominating
Committee Member
Pat Batt, Nominating
Committee Member
New School Rebuild Volunteers
Needed!
Have you seen the
progress on the new school? Truly amazing!
Many hands will be
needed to prepare for the move into the new facilities later this spring and
into the summer. We need you and your students. This is a great way
to get community service hours and be among the first to roam the halls.
Please sign up to accept
NO Obligation emails as volunteer
opportunities arise. The two ways to sign up are: Email Lisa Gaan
at lisagaan@comcast.net
or go to issaquahhighptsa.org and check the
“School Rebuild” box on the volunteer form.
Please don’t hesitate to
contact me with questions,
Lisa Gaan
Thank you again to all
of the students who participated in this year’s Reflections Program. The
work we received was amazing… you
should all be very proud. We sure hope that we get many of you back again
next year!
The next two themes for
Reflections are:
2010-2011: “Together We Can”
and
2011-2012: “Diversity Means”
Thank you,
Wendy Logan
Reflections Chair
Each year our PTSA gives
Golden Acorn Awards to people who
have given exemplary volunteer service to children and youth in our school
community. The Golden Acorn Award is very special and is given for continued
and dedicated service. This is an excellent way to honor PTSA members for their
contributions to this association.
Congratulations to this year’s IH
PTSA Golden Acorn Recipients - Vicki Hahn, Debbie Sexton, and Lori VanDeMark.
The Outstanding Advocate Award is to recognize and honor individuals for
continued and dedicated service to ALL children and a demonstrated commitment
to helping create strong policies relating to the health, welfare, safety, and
education of children and youth. The award-winner could be a PTA grassroots
advocate, teacher, assistant, administrator or community member. Not only does
this award allow the PTSA to recognize individuals for their advocacy work on
issues concerning children and youth, but also supports financial grants for
students pursuing post secondary education. Congratulations to this year’s IH PTSA Outstanding Advocate, Jody Mull.
The Issaquah High PTSA
is now accepting nominations for the
Outstanding Educator Award, created by PTSAs to recognize individuals who
have provided outstanding educational opportunities for children and youth that
are beyond the normal scope of their jobs. An educator can be but is not
limited to being a teacher, and can include specialists, support staff,
administrators or community members.
Please send completed forms,
found at issaquahhighptsa.org
under “awards”, to gbwestover@comcast.net by the end
of April.
Please help us honor our
teachers and support staff this year during Staff Appreciation Week, May 3rd -
7th. We need help with the Staff Breakfast on Wednesday, May 5th (food and
volunteers to set up, serve and clean up) and Lunch on Friday, May 7th, (food
and volunteers). We'll send out a list with specific food items and volunteer
times later. Thank you for helping us make these events special for the entire
staff.
Sally Brunette
206-321-9743
The Issaquah Schools Foundation’s 12th Annual
Benefit Luncheon is coming on Thursday,
May 13, 11am to 1pm. We would love for you to join us in
representing Issaquah High School at this year’s Luncheon. Why would I want to
do that you may ask? Here’s your answer:
The mission of this
Benefit Luncheon is to raise funds to help all students achieve the promise of
their academic potential. Contrary to belief, the Issaquah School District
is not wealthy. While Washington ranks 43rd out of 50 states in per pupil
funding, the Issaquah School District is within the lowest 5% (271st out of 295
State school districts) in per pupil funding. The Issaquah Schools
Foundation is the only organization that can bridge the gap between the dollars
the State allots for basic education and the funds our schools need to provide
students with a high-quality education that will prepare them for success in
school and life. By supporting the foundation, you really can make a
difference in your child’s education!
Can’t make the Luncheon but want to support the Foundation?
Consider making a donation to the silent auction. We are in need of items both large and small…. things
like airline tickets, timeshare stays, tickets to sporting events, spa
services, gift certificates to restaurants, and even gift cards for any amount
will go a long way to furthering our goal. For more information on
sitting at the IHS table or donating items to the silent auction, please
contact Debbie Rossman at todayathome@comcast.net
Surprise!
This year, winners of
Issaquah Schools Foundation Academic Enrichment Grant awards were notified not
by email or phone call, but with banners. On the mornings of March 18 and 24,
winning teachers arrived at their schools to find congratulatory banners hung
on their school buildings and in their classrooms. The Foundation thanks the
principals—who helped pull off the surprise –and Krista Mui (IMS
and PCFC PTSA’s) for coordinating the banner campaign. You can find the
complete list of 2010 Academic Enrichment Grant winners at http://www.issaquahschoolsfoundation.org/grants/.
Why Pay a Tutor?
Remind your student to
use the Foundation’s FREE After-School Homework Clubs and Labs at middle and
high schools. Both offer teacher assisted tutoring. Contact your school for its
After-School Homework Club/Lab schedule.
Can You Spare an Hour a Week to Change a Life?
Then the VOICE Mentor Program needs you. VOICE,
a mentoring/tutoring program funded by the Foundation and the District, matches
students in need with caring adults or high school students who can provide
one-to-one academic and social support. Please contact Susie Gierke, VOICE
Director at 425.837.7139 or voice@issaquah.wednet.edu to apply.
Here are just two of the
Parent Education seminars available in April…
“Resisting Raising Children Who Feel Entitled” by
Jan Faull
Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 7-8:30 pm, Beaver
Lake Middle School Commons
and
“Understanding Your Child’s Use of Technology,
such as Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Sexting,” an Internet Safety Seminar by Andrew Phillips
Thursday, April 29, 2010, 7-8:30 pm, Pine
Lake Middle School
For more information on
these and other Parent Ed opportunities, go to http://www.issaquahptsa.org/parented/index.htm
The following
information is from ASB:
Students of the Month - February:
Creativity
Seniors: Chris Schapp, Alex Fairhart & Gretchen Allen
Juniors: Max Ferrin, Ava Youseffi, Aubrey Chu & Sarah
Janssen
Sophomores: Kaileen Dougherty, Ryan Stevens
GSA Day of Silence: Friday, April 16th
Earth Week: April 19 – 23
· Ride
Your Bike to School Day: April 21
· Earth
Awareness – All Week!
All District Bonding
Event at the Family Fun Center:
Tuesday, April 27th - $15.00 · Entry
fee grants access to all activities and rides
Issaquah High School
Blood Drive: April 30th
Emily Carl
Activities
Director
Issaquah High
School
425-837-6110
If you were at the bargaining
table…. (results)
Earlier this month, the
Issaquah PTSA Council was given the opportunity to present input collected from
the parent community to the team of teachers and administrators who will be
negotiating the new teacher contract. The current contract expires at the end
of August. The input was gathered over the last several months from a
combination of open-ended feedback from PTSA members across our district and
over 1,000 parent and student responses to a “Zoomerang” survey. You can read
the paper that was presented to the bargaining team on the PTSA Council
website. The paper presents four main community values that
we hope the bargaining team will keep at the center of their discussions.
For Senior Girls – “Prom
Dreams”
Prom Dreams is a group
of mother-daughter teams whose daughters are currently seniors at Liberty High
School. The group was formed in early 2009 because the girls expressed
concern about how the economy was affecting friends and community families.
The girls and their moms brainstormed on ways to help and the result was
"Prom Dreams.... Pass It On", a plan that would provide affordable
prom dresses to local high school senior girls. The past year
has been spent acquiring high quality dresses from a variety of
sources and now the dresses are freshly dry cleaned and ready for sale to
girls on a tight budget. No one is making a penny on this
program.
Prom Dress Sales Events
will be held at Stella's Vintage Boutique on April 12, 15 & 19, between
5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. In addition to dresses, there will be a limited
selection of shoes, wraps and evening purses. Dresses are priced between
$20 and $30. A consultant will also be on hand to offer suggestions for hairstyles and
make-up colors that will compliment your dress. Three prizes will be
given away at each sales event and treats will be provided. This program
is only available for high school seniors and ASB cards must be
presented. All sales will be for cash. For more information, please
contact Karen Odegard at kpodegard@msn.com or Vanessa
McDonald at vanessa@pawnxchange.com
or Martha Flittie at Stella's Vintage at (425-444-8857).