News from the Issaquah Schools FoundationAlumni DirectoryA new alumni directory is on its way! The Issaquah School District and Issaquah Schools Foundation have teamed with Harris Connect, located in Virginia, to compile a comprehensive alumni directory that will help us connect with generations of Issaquah School District graduates across the nation and world. Please be aware that all graduates will likely be contacted by Harris Connect in the next week or two to determine whether they would like to be included in the directory, to confirm their information is correct and if they would like to purchase a directory. If you are an alumnus and would like to proactively confirm your preference and information, you can call the Issaquah School District line at Harris Connect in Virginia: 800-366-6249. If you do not wish to be included in the directory you must notify Harris Connect either via the phone or in writing. To be added to the Harris Connect Do Not Call List, please call 888-201-1301. Thank you for your help! ISF Helps Liberty Green the FutureLiberty High School science teacher Mark Buchli is showing his physical science and physics students a greener way to energize. In March, Buchli received a grant from Puget Sound Energy's Solar for Schools program to install a 1.5 kilowatt photovoltaic solar panel at the high school. There was just one problem...how to mount the panel to capitalize on its capabilities? ISF came to the rescue. Buchli applied for and received a $9,500 Kateri Brow Big Idea Grant to purchase a 12-foot mounting pole, a tracking device and power conditioning unit. With the full complement of equipment, Liberty students will be able to track the sun, analyze how weather impacts energy generation and become versed in renewable energy options, technologies and concerns. Buchli is confident that the solar panel will increase student interest in the sciences and the topic of conservation. Says Buchli "The direct benefit to our high school students is that of knowledge gained--both through classroom experiences and by seeing this important technology in action right outside their door. They can SEE how much energy is generated even on a cloudy day; LEARN how this technology works, COMMUNICATE to others why this is important; and WORK towards expanding the uses of this technology through their lifestyle and career choices." VOICE Mentors Celebrate at Year-End Reception
Anne Edmonds relayed an unusual request that she received from a teacher. The teacher couldn't get one of her 2nd graders to talk during class. After meeting with the student for a few weeks, Anne realized that he was enthralled by unique pictures of animals. With this in mind, she went to the library to check out the Eric Carle picture book, Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do you See, to use during her mentoring sessions. It provided just the opening she needed. Anne reported that her student is now speaking in class and that his teacher discovered he had great reading skills for a second grader. During the 2008-2009 year, 127 community members used tenacity, caring, dedication and insight to mentor 159 students at 16 ISD schools. Their backgrounds were as varied as the students they served but all expressed that time they spent with their mentee was a living embodiment of the phrase, "To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you are the world." The demand for VOICE Mentors continues to outweigh supply. To learn how you can change a life through the VOICE Mentor Program, please contact Susan Gierke, VOICE@issaquah.wednet.edu. ISF thanks the Issaquah School District and Wells Fargo Foundation whose generous partnerships make the VOICE Mentor Program possible. Please Join Us in Thanking Our 2008-2009 VOICE Mentors
* New Mentor this year Go Cougar Compadres!
Funded in part by a Kateri Brow Big Idea Grant, Cougar Compadres is an afterschool program for ELL students. Its mission is to extend and enrich ELL students' daily school experiences through small group lessons and interactions. In addition, the program strives to create 'unity through community' by encouraging students who may feel marginalized because of language and skills barriers to become proud of themselves and their culture. Cougar Compadres has experienced remarkable success. Some students have moved from silent classroom observers to active and eager participants. Attendance by Cougar Compadres parents and families at school events has increased over 500%--a powerful statistic as studies show that parent participation plays a critical role in student achievement. Participants, however, best sum up the program's impact... "Cougar Compadres helps you learn to speak English and you learn to read for school and the teachers help you do your homework." If you would like to see this, or other ISF funded programs in action, please contact Lynn Juniel at Issaquah Schools Foundation, ljuniel@issaquahschoolsfoundation.org. Grant Committee to Teachers…Tell Us MoreWhen faced with an abundance of compelling grant proposals, how do you select the most promising? You invite the authors to showcase their ideas. That's what will happen from 6 - 9 pm on Thursday, March 26th when 11 Kateri Brow Big Idea/Biggest Need finalists make their case for funding to the Issaquah Schools Foundation Grant Committee. Teachers have 15 minutes each to dazzle the committee with details of their proposal and prove how their project will improve student learning. Says ISF Grant Co-Chair Randy Nevin of the process...
After all teachers have had the opportunity to advocate for their proposal, committee members huddle to compare notes, calculate final scores and vote for the winners. This year, up to $60,000 will be distributed to award recipients. If you would like to attend the Kateri Brow Grant Presentations, please call the ISF office at 425-416-2045 so we may reserve a seat for you.
I.H.S. Robotics Club – Your Dollars Make a Difference
ISF donors have contributed to the Robotics Club success by enabling the Foundation to make a $6,000 grant to the organization. This $6,000 underwrote the Club's 2008 registration fee for the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) National Competition. FIRST's goal is to inspire students to study math and science and then apply their knowledge to design, build and program a 120 pound, semi-autonomous robot. The Robotics Club at Issaquah High works year-round to build excitement about math, science and technology. Club members spread the word about the joys and daily applicability of these subjects through visits at elementary and middle schools. The Club has also helped to establish Robotics Clubs at Issaquah Middle School and Skyline High School. You can see the Robotics Club, and your dollars, in action at the Microsoft Seattle Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, March 26, 27 & 28 at Key Arena. To learn more visit the Club's website at www.issaquahrobotics.org. Spotlight on Success - Newsletter Archives* February 2009 Issue (Did You Know?...Project GLAD & ED Search Updates) * November 2008 (Thanksgiving) Issue * October 2008 (Nourish Every Mind) Issue * Special Calling for Kids Issue Last updated:December 4, 2009 |
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VOICE Director Susan Gierke celebrated the volunteers who make the highly touted mentor/tutor program a success at a May 11th reception at the Issaquah School District Administration Building. The highlight was hearing mentors share stories of the connections that had been formed with their mentees. Kris Jarvis, pictured at left, told of her high school student who blossomed from a reluctant participant who boldly stated, "I don't like you," at their first meeting to a young woman who spelled "I missed you," during a game of hangman after Kris had to reschedule one of their meetings. 
Cougar Compadres, the brainchild of Issaquah Valley Elementary teachers Julie Ann Enyeart, Helen Cheney and Elizabeth Zyana, has been honored with the 2009 Washington Education Association's Human and Civil Rights Award in the 'Student Involvement' category. 
