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Issaquah High PTSA
March 2009
Contents
Calendar

February

26 PTA Focus Day - Olympia

26 Quarterly Student Honors Breakfast

March

3 IHS PTSA Meeting

7 Mock PSAT

9 Parent Ed Presentation: What Teens are Really Doing Today

18 IHS Site Council Meeting


April

18 PTSA Senior Merit Scholarship applications due


Upcoming Meeting Dates

The next meeting of the IHS PTSA is Friday, March 3rd at 9:30 AM in the  Career and Counseling Center, C-4.  Please join us!

The IHS Site Council is comprised of staff, parents, and community representatives and addresses issues that impact student learning. We are focusing on three major issues this year: The school remodel, defining the optimal high school experience and the reintegration of freshman for the 2010-2011 school year. Karin Allen is the PTSA liaison. Please contact her at kallen@allen-marketing.com if you have any issues you'd like her to raise at the next meeting, scheduled for March 18 at 2:45.

Parent Education

New Date!

Parent Education Committee is putting on the following presentation:

"What Teens are Really
Doing Today"

Can you honestly say you know for sure? And do you fully understand the extent of the legal consequences - to them and to you - of their exposure to alcohol, drugs, and teenage driving?

All three high school PTSAs have teamed with their local police officers for three evening
discussions. Middle school parents are encouraged to attend, too. This panel discussion is based on the booklet, “Parents, Teens and the Law” which is available here.

March 9-Issaquah HS
Time: 7:00- 8:30 PM
 
Following the presentation to "What are Teens Really Doing Today?" will be short presentation  on the following:

Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don't be a party to teenage drinking

Many well-meaning parents think that it is enough to take away car keys at their teen's parties so the teens can't drink and drive. Parents provide the alcohol or allow alcohol to be consumed based on the false belief that it's a rite of passage, especially at prom and graduation parties.

The "Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don't be a party to teenage drinking" public awareness campaign was developed by Drug-Free Action Alliance in 2000 to educate parents about the health and safety risks of serving alcohol at teen parties and to increase awareness of and compliance with the Ohio Underage Drinking Laws.  Issaquah, Skyline and Liberty PTSA's are jointly sponsoring an awareness campaign which will kick off in February.  For more information about this initiative go to http://www.drugfreeactionalliance.org/pwh.php or contact Jody Mull at jodymull@comcast.net and Deed Chase at deedchase@comcast.net.

Membership Update

The Issaquah High PTSA is now 1150 members strong although our goal is to reach 100% membership which means we need to reach at least 1263 members.  One benefit of membership is receiving one student directory per membership.  Directories are still available if you would like to join, click here for our membership form.  Fill it out and mail it in as soon as possible.  If you would like to receive a National PTA membership card please contact Anne Moore annemoore5@comcast.net.

This time last year we had 1319 members and had already achieved 100% membership, meaning we had over one member for every student at our school.  It’s a goal of our PTSA to achieve 100% membership again this year.  Please help us reach this goal.  If you haven’t already joined please consider joining with the other 1150 members that 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 $7.  Additionally community members, grandparents and other IHS supporters can join the IH PTSA as a Supporter Member (Click here for Supporter Membership Form).

Fundraising Update

By now you should have received a second mailing of Pass the Hat.  Remember, this is Issaquah High School’s only major fundraiser.  Any contributions are appreciated and they are tax deductible.

Also, please continue to use your Albertson’s shopping card when shopping there.  This is an easy way to get some additional money for our school. 


Volunteer Opportunities

Interested in being called on an “as needed” basis for volunteer needs at IHS? 

Please contact Camie Callahan at camiekanga@comcast.net or Jane Lee at janeandalvin@comcast.net with your interest.
 President's Letter

"March"

Spring is almost here!  A few more weeks of chilly weather and then warm days ahead. Hooray!  I’m really looking forward to the change that the month of March promises.  We’ve been hearing a lot about change recently.  Change can happen – but everyone has to be willing to honestly want change.  As winter changes to spring, expectations for our children change too.  As parents we expect more of our students halfway through the year than we did at the beginning of the year.  They have the first semester under their belts and know more now than they did in September.  Change will be taking place on campus as IHS moves toward construction of our beautiful new high school.  As with any change, patience must go hand in hand with realistic expectations.  Building a huge new facility while maintaining an excellent academic environment is an opportunity we all need to be positive about.

Many changes are happening around us too.  Budget cuts at the District level, lack of funding from the State continues to devastate the educational opportunities for our kids and unfunded mandates from the Federal government continue to deplete what limited funds are available.  What we all need to do is remember to put education first.  We owe it to our children and everyone who works to educate them.

February was a month of working for change at the state level.  You were all encouraged to contact your legislators about supporting basic education.  By sending e-mails, letters and driving to Olympia for Focus Day you all helped to remind our local government how much we demand of them.  They need to do their jobs, so we can do ours – raise well-educated children.

Thank you for all of your support and remember change is good.

Sincerely,
Jody Mull and Deed Chase
Co-Presidents, Issaquah High School

Your PTSA At Work

The second Quarterly Student Honors breakfast is being planned for February 26th.

The mid-year Financial Review Committee has been completed for records dating July 1-December 31.  Thanks to Karen Starcevich, Jan West and Anne Moore for volunteering for their hard work on this!

A nominating committee has been selected and is seeking nominations for next year’s IHS PTSA officers.  Interested in helping next year or know of someone you would like to see lead?  Please contact nominating committee members: Blythe Meigs and Lise Place.

Graduating Seniors:  PTSA Senior Merit Scholarship applications are now available on the PTSA Website. If you’re planning to continue your education upon graduation, you may be eligible to receive one of six $500 scholarships from PTSA.  Deadline for completed applications is April 18,2009.  A few hard copies are also available in the IHS Main Office.  Questions?  Contact the PTSA Scholarship Chair

Sophomores:  It's not too late to sign up for the Mock PSAT exam scheduled for March 7.  Forms available on the website
Legislation

Washington State PTA’s Member’s New Focus Day in Olympia
February 26, 2009
Rally at Noon


Basic Education Funding

In this year’s Legislative Session a long-time WSPTA top priority, Basic Education Funding, has been center stage of discussion and work.  Over the past year the Legislative Task Force for Basic Education Funding worked to redefine what constitutes Basic Education and make recommendations for changes.  WSPTA enthusiastically endorsed those recommendations and testified in support of legislation to implement them.  Education associations also made recommendations for changes and supported legislation that implemented their recommendations.  In an effort to move legislation forward, legislators replaced the opposing bills with a bill of intent (SB 6048) and are working with stakeholders, including WSPTA, to find points of agreement so meaningful legislation can be passed this session.    

Major areas of consensus among most stakeholders include:
  • Adopting a prototype schools allocation system for more transparency
  • Including a non-partisan commission to recommend changes going forward
  • Teacher compensation is inadequate
  • The crux of the problem is that education is underfunded
  • Levies would continue to be part of the picture, and there must be some degree of equalization
  • Need for a new definition of basic education
  • Need for clear articulation of the state’s responsibility versus what districts are expected/able to do from local funds
  • Need for a “robust” data system for accountability purposes
Marianne Kersten
IHS PTSA Legislation Chair 2008-09
mkers10@comcast.net
 
Issaquah Schools Foundation
 
ISSAQUAH SCHOOLS FOUNDATION THANKS ISSAQUAH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

One-hundred seventeen Issaquah High School students manned the phones on February 11th during the Issaquah Schools Foundation phone-a-thon to raise money for the continuation and expansion of Project GLAD.

Their efforts, combined with that of students from Skyline and Liberty High Schools, raised over $70,000.

Project GLAD is a professional development program that equips teachers to reach students of all learning styles and help them excel. The program has been so effective in our elementary schools that it has spurred demand for growth. Funds from the effort will enable the District to extend Project GLAD's reach into our middle and high schools.

ISF sends an enthusiastic ‘Thank You’ to the great students from the following IHS student clubs and organizations: ASB, LINK, DECA, Sophomore Class Council, Gay Straight Alliance, Roots & Shoots, Lacrosse & ROTC.
 
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