School Board Meeting Recap: May 26, 2022

The Issaquah School Board held a regular meeting Thursday, May 26, at the Issaquah School District Administration Building. The meeting was open to the public, broadcasted live on the ISD YouTube channel, and a recording of the meeting is available.     

Following is a summary of a few of the topics the board and district staff discussed and action the board took at the meeting. It is not an official record or meeting minutes. To review official minutes from all board meetings, please visit our board meeting archive webpage.     

 

Superintendent's Contract 

President Anne Moore shared about her work in negotiating a contract with our next superintendent, Ms. Heather Tow-Yick, who is currently deputy superintendent in the Mukilteo School District. The contract, which is in alignment with neighboring districts, is set to begin on July 1, and lasts three years. After the contract was approved with a 4-1 vote, Tow-Yick thanked the board and community for the words of confidence and excitement about her upcoming superintendentship.  

To watch the discussion/approval of Superintendent Tow-Yick's contract, visit our YouTube channel.  

 

PUBLIC HEARING - Director District Boundary Review Redistricting Director District Map  

All school districts are legally required to review and realign, if necessary, director district boundaries when updated census data is received. Director district boundaries are not the same as the boundaries for which students attend which schools. The purpose of the review is to assure a balanced representation on the local School Board, based on where the community’s population lives throughout the district. Essentially, there should be approximately the same number of residents living in each portion of the director district map.  

With the use of an outside demographer, Sammamish Data Systems, it was determined that some slight director district boundary adjustments are needed based on studying the information from the census and reviewing existing boundaries. A public hearing must be held prior to board action on the recommendation to change the boundaries. Action is anticipated during the June 8 board meeting. 

To watch the Public Hearing of Director District Boundary Review, watch our YouTube channel.  

 

Monitoring Report E-4 Life Management and Personal Awareness 

Superintendent Ron Thiele shared how Monitoring Report E-4, Life Management and Personal Awareness celebrates student success through not just coursework, but also through extracurricular activities, athletics and other interests. When reviewing the components of E-4 the report reflects on the well-being of our students physically, social/emotionally, an understanding of risk, as well as a student understanding their own interests and being adaptable to change.  

Director Dr. Harlan Gallinger brought attention to the data from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), along with a few other items. Gallinger pointed out that when compared on a tiered scale the SDQ numbers, which are a result of student responses, indicate a higher social/emotional risk at Gibson Ek High School than our other high schools. Thiele shared that as a result, additional Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and parent/home contacts are conducted at Gibson Ek. After board discussion, E-4 was unanimously approved.  

To watch E-4, Life Management and Personal Awareness, visit our YouTube channel.  

 

Selection of Student Representatives for the 2022-23 School Year 

For the past several months, the School Board has been evaluating and restructuring the role of Student Representatives to the School Board. After the updated positions were advertised, 27 students applied. The applicants were narrowed down to up to four potential students per high school, who were recently interviewed. After that process, eight students who will serve as Student Representatives for the 2022-23 school year, were selected as finalists and unanimously approved by the board. The Student Representatives include:  

• Gibson Ek High School: Riley Callan, grade 12

• Issaquah High School: Maansi Bhargava, grade 10; Paige Bryan, grade 12

• Liberty High School: Sofia Kovalenko, grade 12; Jack O’Connell, grade 10; Mia Williamson, grade 11

• Skyline High School: Tarang Dalela, grade 12; Nathan Scherer, grade 12

Board Director Sydne Mullings noted that the applicants were excellent and will be invited to stay involved in other ways, such as an advisory group. The School Board approved revisions to GP-12 on April 7. 

To view the full discussion about Selection of Student Representatives, watch our YouTube channel.  

 

Capital Projects Update 

Director of Capital Projects Tom Mullins shared updates on several projects:  

• High School #4 site permit was recently approved, with no appeal to our site development plan. Capital Projects continues to work with the City of Issaquah to get permits issued and hopes to get our first permit this July. Save the date for a potential groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, June 23, 2022!  

• Cougar Mountain Middle School’s sports field is taking shape and finishing its buildout.  

• Issaquah High School Stadium’s demolition and reconstruction will begin June 1 and should be complete by the end of August for an opening before the 2022-23 school year.  

• Holly Street Early learning Center should receive its Temporary Certificate of Occupancy any day.  

For the full Capital Projects Update, watch our YouTube channel.