FOCUS Newsletter - Fall 2024

There are two key points for this edition of FOCUS: real-world learning and maximizing learning opportunities.

This fall, we asked voters to consider a School Construction & Modernization Bond, which was approved by about half of voters but didn't meet the required 60% supermajority to pass. Our board and staff members are already working on our next steps to provide safe, exceptional facilities for all of our students. Our facilities need to be designed and built so we can ease high school capacity and add more learning experiences that connect to workforce and career preparation. 

We already have a strong foundation with access to early learning opportunities and a priority of diverse talent that reflects student demographics. In addition, we are further maximizing learning opportunities for students with disabilities to learn side by side with their peers. This effort, known as inclusionary practices, is supported by research and is evidence-based. And, at its best, inclusion is achieved in a way that creates classroom communities where all students feel a sense of belonging and can thrive.

At Sunny Hills Elementary, I learned that their team began the school year with the presumption that all students would start in their general education classrooms. The IEP (Individualized Education Program) team then determines if any additional or different supports are needed to enable the student to be successful. At Maywood Middle School, I had the chance to see grade-level electives that their team expanded this year for students with disabilities to increase the time for students of all abilities to learn alongside their peers.

In partnership, 

Heather Tow-Yick
Superintendent

Vision
All students thrive as they engage in meaningful learning that unlocks their passion and potential to positively impact the world.

Mission
Our students will be prepared for and eager to accept the academic, occupational, personal and practical challenges of life in a dynamic global environment.

Sites
We have 33 sites that include 27 schools, an Academy for Community Transition, an early learning center, two transportation sites and district administration.  

Community
Our staff of 2,616 employees, with help from more than 7,000 volunteers, serves students and families with about 90 preferred languages and dialects, 
across a region that spans 110 square miles of different terrain and microclimates. 
 

Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce: A Commitment to Representation in Our Schools

Growing up in South Carolina, Tiffany Bahall’s teachers looked like her—a gift she realizes not all students experience. “It showed me that people like me could achieve anything,” she recalls. Now, as a Beaver Lake Middle School math teacher, Bahall offers visibility and encouragement to students who might not always see themselves reflected in their educators.  

Part of the district’s Strategic Plan centers around recruiting staff to more closely mirror our student population, which is about 58% students of color.  

“Representation matters. Students thrive when they see themselves in their teachers,” says Donna Hood, assistant superintendent of Human Resources. The district has doubled its recruitment events and strengthened partnerships with programs supporting diverse educators, Hood says. “Retention is equally important.”

For Bahall, who joined the district in 2006 after working as a software analyst and stay-at-home mom, building connections with her students is about more than teaching math. She’s committed to authenticity and breaking down stereotypes through honest conversations. Bahall remembers a student once guessing her favorite music based on appearance. “I asked if that guess was based on how I looked. It was a powerful teaching moment about looking beyond stereotypes.”  

Bahall fosters cultural understanding and mutual respect by encouraging students to be themselves, challenge assumptions, and “to look at people as individuals, not as stereotypes.” She credits the support of her family and many teachers along her journey with helping her build a strong self-belief. In turn, students can see their potential through observing Bahall embrace and celebrate her own identity. 

An Issaquah High School senior echoes the impact teachers like Bahall have on students.  

“When we have similarities, our connections are even stronger. I can sit down and have a conversation, and we can relate to each other,” the student says. Having teachers who represent diverse backgrounds doesn’t just help students who share those backgrounds, but enriches the entire school. 

Susana Mercer, a kindergarten teacher at Sunny Hills Elementary, brings her own diverse background to the classroom. Moving to the U.S. in fourth grade from El Salvador, Mercer wasn’t yet fluent in English. “I remember feeling like something was wrong with me because I couldn’t understand anyone,” she recalls. Now, she dedicates her work to making every child feel welcome, regardless of language or background. Mercer’s presence as a bilingual teacher helps her Spanish-speaking families feel supported in a system that can be hard to navigate. 

Sharon Roy, Equity and Family Partnership Specialist, adds that these efforts are essential for bridging demographic gaps, noting that a disconnect can lead to cultural misunderstandings. “We need educators of color who understand what it’s like to come to school where there aren’t many people who look like you.”  

In addition to efforts to recruit a more diverse staff, the district has introduced mentor options, so newly hired staff can select a mentor of color or a job-alike mentor; and also affinity groups for both students and staff to help create a space for growth and belonging. 

The district is working to build a workforce that inspires students through intentional recruitment, a commitment to retention, and initiatives that foster a sense of belonging. For teachers like Bahall and Mercer, it’s about helping each student envision a future where they feel seen and understood. As Bahall says, “We all have greatness in us. I want my students to know that every day they walk into my classroom.”  

How Real-World Learning Experiences Prepare Students for the Future

Hands-on learning is a powerful approach for engaging students and fostering a deep understanding of complex concepts. When students actively participate, whether through dissections in middle school Zoology or circuit-building in high school Mechatronics, hands-on learning helps them build critical thinking skills and boosts re-tention of information. 

At Issaquah Middle School, students can select Zoology as an elective. The class offers a comprehensive look into the animal kingdom, anatomy, physiology, behavior and classification, from sponges to complex mammals. Dissections, simulations, and model-building strengthen students’ comprehension of biological systems while also developing practical skills like teamwork.  

“Students love the two dissections that we do: worms and squid. Being able to interact with the specimen in person allows them to see internal and external structures up close to help them understand how these adaptations help the organism survive,” explains Zoology teacher Hayley Beck. “Students are curious and want to get their hands on things to understand them. They want to learn by doing, not just by reading or listening to lectures.” 

In the Mechatronics course at Skyline High School, students dive into digital electronics, robotics and computer-integrated manufacturing, providing an immersive introduction to the fields that power modern technology.  

“Engineering careers are a popular choice among students in the Issaquah School District,” teacher Scott Newton explains.  “The Mechatronics program prepares students for both higher education and careers in engineering by providing exposure to various engineering disciplines. Students interested in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Mechanical Engineering gain valuable experience in these fields while exploring career opportunities within Mechatronics, which integrates all three areas,” explains Newton. Additionally, Mechatronics students earn an OSHA-10 industry-recognized credential, which enhances their resumes. 

For students, projects like building a four-bit circuit are both challenging and rewarding, providing a hands-on understanding of digital electronics principles. "The connection made by creating a physical implementation of rigorous theoretical concepts is a great way to reinforce students’ learning,” Newton shares, noting that building circuits by hand helps students understand the concept from multiple viewpoints, and they will be better engineers as a result. 

“We have fun, and what we are learning is applicable in real life,” junior Emily Kong says, noting that “the integration of hands-on projects keeps people more focused and allows us to use our creativity and problem-solving skills.”  

Senior Mikayla Mirador said she appreciates how the course fosters skills she’ll need in a future STEM or architecture career. “I like learning by doing, so hands-on activities stick with me,” Mirador adds.  

Newton notes that the collaborative, project-based nature of Mechatronics teaches students teamwork skills essential in any field. “In the workplace, students often collaborate on projects in teams, making Mechatronics an excellent course for practicing interpersonal skills,” he explains. Whether dissecting a squid or building a functioning circuit, these experiences bring learning to life. By incorporating a hands-on approach, these courses equip students with the curiosity, confidence, and knowledge they’ll need to thrive in future careers.

Student Ambassadors Help Craft New Policy

Issaquah School District has long been committed to practices that are sustainable and good for the environment. Now, the principles behind the work that students, staff and families have been doing for decades may be written into district policy.
Students worked together to propose a new policy idea called “Operational Expectation (OE) 17, Sustainability.” Unlike other district policies, this one is the product of a student-led process. 

Matthew Fischer, an Issaquah High School senior and one of a group of student sustainability ambassadors, who asked the district to consider a regulation about sustainability for all areas of operations to provide a sense of accountability. “Our advocacy started with a petition encouraging the district to implement a specific sustainability policy, which received over 300 student signatures,” Fischer said, noting that they then reached out to the city councils of Issaquah, Sammamish, Newcastle, Renton and Bellevue to request support. 

Fischer and Gibson Ek High School seniors Zoe Dearing and Siena Gould worked with two former School Board members to create a draft of Operational Expectation 17 regarding sustainability, which the current board reviewed at the October 10 meeting. The School Board and district staff are reviewing the proposed Operational Expectation and will bring it back for discussion at a future board meeting. “I really believe that this is a cohesive sustainability Operational Expectation.”  Fischer said during the board meeting.  

The draft includes nine points, including a resource management plan, sus-tainability education for students and a robust waste management program, ensuring that both construction and renovations meet sustainable building practices and more. 

Giving the community access to information about the district’s ongoing sustainability work is important to the student ambassadors, according to Gould. A new section of the website focused on sustainability is in the works.  

Dearing thanked the board members for working with  the student sustainability ambassadors. “We have this general goal of trying to make the future of our planet healthy and sustainable,” she said. “We especially wanted to make sure we are including students in the conversation, because they are the future. We are the future.” 
She also said the students hope that the proposed OE will set the district up to be flexible and responsive to develop new practices as innovation occurs in the future. 

Superintendent Heather Tow-Yick thanked the students for their work. “It’s been incredible and inspiring to see the progress and process that you’ve gone through ... We’re really excited to take this on as a next step.”

'Transition to Kindergarten' Shows Great Outcomes for Students

In Kathy Noblat’s Transition to Kindergarten classroom at Newcastle Elementary, students are busily engaged at eight different stations, some quietly, others talking and even humming as they play and learn together and individually. During “choice time,” the students get to pick what they’d like to do, and can move from one activity to the next.

Transition to Kindergarten (TK) is a free pre-kindergarten program that focuses on social-emotional skills and foundational academics to help students be successful in kindergarten and beyond, said Lori Shimizu, the district’s teacher on special assignment for elementary special programs. Transition to Kindergarten was introduced in January of 2021, and because it has proven to help early learners achieve significant social-emotional and academic growth, the district has continued to invest in TK. 

“The evidence is tremendous that the students are entering TK as learners and entering kindergarten as leaders,” said Dr. Dana Bailey, the district’s Chief Academic and Student Success Officer. "They’re learning preschool-appropriate curriculum, and their growth in both academics and social skills is clear.”  

As part of her role assessing student learning, Bailey said she has been studying the program's measurable results. While the students show growth and learning in all areas, one of the most obvious improvements is in math.  

“I am sold that it is a strong program, with great outcomes for kids,” Bailey said. “Without a doubt, this investment shows results in changing the trajectory of early learning and beyond. Being ready for kindergarten sets you up for a more successful kindergarten experience and everything that comes after.”  

After piloting a TK class at Issaquah Valley Elementary, the district expanded the program to Newcastle, Discovery, and Clark elementary schools. This year, it added classes at Apollo and Briarwood.

Curriculum and lessons focus on literacy and letter recognition; math and counting; communicating needs and “wants;” gross motor play such as standing, hopping and skipping; fine motor skills and more. Students in TK also have recess, lunch in the lunchroom, library, P.E. and music. We talked with several parents of current and former TK students, to hear what they valued most about the program. Parents highlighted that TK helped their children become familiar with the alphabet, counting and beginning to learn to read. It boosted confidence and helped them foster a love of learning, they said. 

As choice time ends, Noblat and paraprofessional Connie Ahrens remind the class there are five minutes left. They then ask students to work together to clean up and get ready for the next activity. Gathering on the carpet at the front of the room, Noblat leads them in a song about a rocket ship, with matching motions. “Zoom, zoom, zoom! We’re going to the moon!” At the end, the students ask to repeat the song.  

“You want to do it again? I do, too!” she exclaims. The class “blasts off” for a second round of the song, then take some calming breaths to get ready to go to lunch.
“Our teachers are incredible,” Shimizu said, noting that the students’ progress reflects the dedication of the teachers and staff in the program. “They have the heart and passion for early learners. They collaborate and have a problem-solving mindset. They meet kids where they’re at, celebrate their strengths and continuously support them in meeting new goals.”