Issaquah Schools Foundation

News from the Issaquah Schools Foundation

 

Alumni Directory

A 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 Future

Liberty 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."

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VOICE Mentors Celebrate at Year-End Reception

Kris Jarvis, VOICE MentorVOICE 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.

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.

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Please Join Us in Thanking Our 2008-2009 VOICE Mentors

Cascade Ridge Elementary
Lisa Petersen*
Wendie Rosenberg**

Challenger Elementary
Harriet Anderberg
Janice Batchelder*
Therese Brogan
Kathy Buckholt
Joann Irving
Kate Nuernberger* **
Barbara Olson
Marie Roberts
Jeri Rootjes*
AnnaMaria Zimmerman

Clark Elementary
Lindsay Baringer*
Jaci Belur
Robin Bryan**
Judith Co*
Sharon Davis
Glenn Hall
Roy Inui* **
Denise Jarvis***
Serena Lerthkantesum*
Madeline Misner*
Brooke Moore
Jamie Rappaport*
Vernon Rogers* **

Discovery Elementary     
Cathy Bell**
Deborah Kay Flynn
Ann Garrison
Dave Lowery*
Tammie Lowery*
Bill Magee*
Randy Nevin**
Matt Sherman*
Stan Silverman* **
Lynn Stevens* **

Endeavor Elementary
Will Hess***
Jeannette Kilpatrick***
Nonie Skoog***

Grand Ridge Elementary
Carol Ann Browne*
Sue Han*

Issaquah Valley Elementary
Chris Baynes
Jennifer Biller
Loretta Borowski*
Ann Browning*
Robin Bryan**
Mariann Crane**
Lacey Franz*
Shelly Frey
Susan Gierke***
Susan Griffin*
Nancy Harvey
Beverly Keefer*
Shan Kerouac*
Sue Maybee
Margaret Moore**
Ken Neville***
Martha Neville***
Sarah Pommer***
Cari Schutzler***
Cindy Schwinden

Sunny Hills Elementary
Alexis Anderson*
Paige Haas*
Alex Rapp*
Laurie Vonsovic*
Melinda Wang*

Sunset Elementary
Julie Boller*
Phyllis Courrier*
Karen Fowler*
Kathleen Henderson*
Oneyda Rijhwani*
Hayley Vickers*

Beaver Lake Middle
Buck McCrone**

Pine Lake Middle
Michelle Cunningham*
Nabil Manji*
Buck McCrone**
Warren Moskowitz**
Jeff Richards*
Matt Sherman* **
Kory Srock* **
Ann Voigt

Issaquah Middle
Susie Cohen
Paul Dillon***
Katie Hirshberg
Bernie Lucking
Jaime McDonald
Ginny Meacham*
Nancy Peterson*
Bruce Pflaumer*
Katja Sauer***
Tom Sessions***
Marge Wang*

Maywood Middle
Brenda Farrington
Camie Goodman
Cynthia Jordan
Angela Morrison
Doris Yepez**

Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus
Lisa Bialek*
Paula Cockerham
Will Eggers*
Christina Fisher*
Kathie Goddard**
Kris Jarvis*
James Keefer*
John Knopp* **
Pat McGrath
Blythe Meigs*
Katja Peterson**

Issaquah High
Lesley Austin** ***
Claude Nesis*
Ruth Gardner*
Warren Moskowitz** ***
Mary Scott*
Bob Sundin* **
Gail Worthington

Skyline High School
Kathie Goddard**

 

*  New Mentor this year
** More than one student
***  Five year VOICE Mentor

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Go Cougar Compadres!

Cougar Compadres KidsCougar 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.

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."

"I come to Cougar Compadres because it is fun and I really like it."

Please join ISF in congratulating the Issaquah Valley Elementary Cougar Compadres!

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 More

When 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...

Inspiring is the response I hear most from grant judges. They are moved by the passion of teachers who are seeking new and creative ways to energize their classrooms and inspire their students. 

I look forward to the unique twists that teachers bring to their presentations. We've had a cooking class prepare and serve food to the judges and a robot demonstration. These touches really bring the grants to life.  In the end however, the committee asks, what is the benefit to students? How will this project help students learn something new or better?

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. 

Click Here to view a complete list of Kateri Brow finalists & Classroom Enrichment Grant winners. 

Donate Today to help fund Kateri Brow Big Idea/Biggest Need Grants.

I.H.S. Robotics Club – Your Dollars Make a Difference

Dear ISF,

Great News! The IHS Robotics team placed first at the Oregon regional last weekend. This year we won based on our robot's performance. Because we won first place in Portland we are invited to attend the World Championship in Atlanta again this year. Thanks for all your support!

Sincerely,
John Place 

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

* October 2009 Issue

* August 2009 Issue

* April 2009 Issue

* March 2009 Issue

* February 2009 Issue (Did You Know?...Project GLAD & ED Search Updates)

* January 2009 Issue

* December 2008 Issue

* November 2008 (Thanksgiving) Issue

* October 2008 (Nourish Every Mind) Issue

* June 2008 Issue

* Special Calling for Kids Issue

* February/March 2008 Issue

Last updated:December 4, 2009

Copyright 2010
Issaquah Schools Foundation

P.O. Box 835, Issaquah, WA 98027
(425) 416-2045
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