FOCUS Newsletter - Spring 2025

When students feel included, they are more likely to thrive in school and beyond. During this year’s school visits, I made a point to observe many aspects of the student experience, especially how inclusive practices create welcoming environments. I’m proud to say we are making progress. 

I know there is more work to be done, but I’ve seen teachers thoughtfully embedding accommodations, students actively engaged in learning and staff working together. Thank you to our educators for your creativity and dedication to building a culture of belonging that will have a lasting impact for our students. 

Fiscal responsibility and transparency are not only expected by our community — it’s a commitment we take seriously. Our financial outlook remains stable, but we must continue strengthening controls and refining systems as part of our ongoing improvement efforts. I’m happy to share our district has implemented a Capital Projects Oversight Committee and is finalizing our equity-based budgeting model. 

Looking ahead, we’re taking a conservative approach to next year’s budget due to state and federal uncertainty. As shared during School Board meetings, building the new high school approved by voters in 2016 and 2022 to address overcrowding will not affect this approach. Stay tuned, as community input on programming will begin soon. 

As we wrap up the year, let’s finish strong and stay grounded in our shared purpose. I’m thankful for our school board, staff, students and families who bring energy and confidence to our schools. Thank you to our volunteers, parent groups and community partners for your support. To our retirees, we honor your service and lasting contributions. 

Wishing everyone a safe and joyful spring and summer! 

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.

  

Community
Our staff of 2,679 employees, with help from almost 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. 
 

District Partners with Students, Staff, Community to Support, Uplift Students 

For as long as she can remember, Sharon Roy knew she wanted to help students learn. What she could not have imagined was how many young lives she would one day influence.

“I always wanted to be a teacher,” recalls Roy, now one of the district’s two Equity and Family Partnership Specialists. “My dad was a teacher, principal and professor, and our family has always been very service-oriented.” 

Inspired by her older brother, who is deaf, Roy majored in special education and began her career teaching both special and general education in the Northshore School District.

After marrying, having children and moving to the Issaquah area, her neighbor and then-teacher Tia Kleinkopf encouraged her to apply for a position in the Issaquah School District. Kleinkopf, now principal at Briarwood Elementary, describes Roy as “a passionate advocate” for students, families and staff.

“Her dedication to equity strengthens our district and ensures that every child feels seen, supported and valued. She works every day to break down barriers and open doors for kids and families, and our whole district is better because of her heart and her leadership,” Kleinkopf said.

Building a Career Rooted in Equity 

The Issaquah School District hired Roy as a teacher, then dean. She later earned her endorsement for teaching multilingual learners and supported students across seven schools. 

“As a special education teacher, classroom teacher, ML teacher and Equity TOSA, (Roy) has built her career around helping those from marginalized groups and our most vulnerable populations,” said Sunny Hills teacher Tori Sylvers. “She does all this while helping students meet their physical and emotional needs. She works with community groups, foundations, and buildings to make a difference in our students' lives.”

Eventually the district hired Roy in her current role on the Equity team. 

“My team is all student-first, child-first. We’re all ‘doers.’ We see an issue and we try to brainstorm: what's within our capacity, what’s in our lane, and what can we do to help?” Roy says. “We know a lot of people as a team. We can connect people with different resources and come up with other ideas. I have the best team. It is fabulous, which is the only way I can continue and sustain doing the work.”

The Power of Representation

Roy says her own children, and all students in the district, are central to her purpose. Often, students approach her and say, “You look like my auntie. You look like my mom.”

“Because I’m ethnically ambiguous, lots of people think I look like someone in their family. I have heard ‘Spanish from Spain,’ or Portuguese, or they think I’m from Mexico, and when I’m in Hawaii, people think I’m a local,” says Roy, whose mom is Filipino and dad is white. Her husband is half Black and half white, and their three daughters are multiracial.

That’s one piece of why she believes so strongly in the district’s work to retain and recruit educators of color, and that representation is critical to a student’s sense of belonging at school. About 60% of students across the district are students of color. About 10% of certificated staff are people of color, and about 30% of classified staff are people of color.

When the district engaged the community to co-create its Strategic Plan three years ago, focus groups said equity WAS a priority. Today, Roy supports student and staff groups such as Black Student Unions, Building Equity Leads, and regional affinity groups including the district’s LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group and the Educators of Color Leadership Community.

“Kids have to try so hard — not just here, but all over — to assimilate to the dominant culture,” Roy said. “It’s nice for the kids and the adults to be in an affinity space where they can just breathe and let their true selves shine.” 

Inclusionary Practices Maintain Rigor, Provide Support 

Sunlight streams into an Issaquah High School classroom as students work on solving algebraic systems through graphing. It’s one of many classrooms across the district where inclusionary practices are strengthening the learning experience for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

In simple terms, it’s high school students learning algebra with the support of two teachers working side by side in the same classroom. 

“The kids have said they love being with their peers,” said Maywood Middle School teacher Andrea VanHorn. “That’s huge for me. I hear, ‘I’m happy because I’m with my peers. I don’t feel isolated.’”

“On the first day of implementation, we saw excitement and smiles as students walked out the front doors of Apollo, and we overheard one of our students say to their Special Education teacher, ‘Can we do this every day?’” 
- Principal Julie Rojo, Apollo ElementaryVanHorn, a special education English language arts teacher, recently co-taught a lesson with fellow Maywood teacher Kevin Comfort. The pair led students through identifying “tough questions” asked by fictional characters and what those questions made students reflect on. VanHorn then read aloud while students followed along.

A Systemwide Commitment to Inclusion

At the heart of inclusionary practices is the belief that all students—regardless of ability—belong in a caring, supportive classroom. This approach is rooted in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which requires that students with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment alongside their peers.

Research supports these practices. A report by Dr. Thomas Hehir and colleagues, A Summary of the Evidence on Inclusive Education, found inclusive education improves academic and social outcomes for students with disabilities. The same report shows that students without disabilities also benefit academically and socially when educated in inclusive settings.

In Washington, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has encouraged districts to expand inclusionary practices, supporting increased access to core instruction and general education settings.

 

Inclusive Practices in Action

At Apollo Elementary, Principal Julie Rojo and her team examined how equity and inclusion could be integrated into schoolwide practices. 
“One change that we implemented this year was to ensure that all of our students were having lunch and recess with their grade-level cohorts,” Rojo said. “Our students not only have an opportunity to get to know one another in the classroom, but they also have the opportunity now to sit together during lunch, run around together at recess and play games, building friendships and social skills.”

The school also changed its drop-off and pick-up systems so all students enter and leave through the same area.

“On the first day of implementation, we saw excitement and smiles as students walked out the front doors of Apollo, and we overheard one of our students say to their special education teacher, ‘Can we do this every day?’”

Inclusion in the classroom requires strong collaboration between general education and special education teachers. Together, they deliver the same rigorous content, modifying instruction and materials as needed.

In the algebra class, for example, the co-teachers demonstrated problems visually on a projector while explaining them aloud. Students worked in pairs to solve problems on whiteboards while teachers circulated to assist students who needed support. The class includes students with and without IEPs and 504 plans.

To read the full article, visit the Issaquah Schools Foundation website and view Cultural Bridges, Issue 29.

Spending Money Where It Is Needed Most 

In the Issaquah School District, every child’s success matters. That means making sure each school has the people, programs and resources to meet the unique needs and strengths of its students — academically, socially and emotionally. 

To better serve today’s students, ISD is moving to an equity-based budgeting model. Unlike traditional budgeting methods that rely mostly on enrollment, this new approach uses student data to direct funding where it can make the greatest impact. 

“We are transitioning to an equity-based budgeting approach to ensure that our resources are aligned with the diverse needs of our students,” said Martin Turney, chief of finance and operations. “This model allows us to proactively allocate funding where it can have the greatest impact, supporting our commitment to closing opportunity gaps and promoting success for all learners.” 

What is Equity-Based Budgeting? 

Equity-based budgeting is not about giving some schools more and others less. It’s about making data-driven investments, so every student gets the right support. That may include: 

• Academic support and tutoring 
• Mental health and emotional services 
• Language access for multilingual learners 
• Family outreach 
• Staff training in inclusive instructional practices

This approach is grounded in ISD’s Strategic Plan and helps improve student outcomes while maximizing the impact of taxpayer dollars. 

Connecting Instruction and Investment 

Equity-based budgeting supports recent shifts in how instruction is delivered. This year, ISD began districtwide implementation of inclusionary practices that will be strengthened through our research-based frameworks: Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). 

The MTSS work helps staff match the right level of support to each student’s needs, starting with strong classroom instruction and adding interventions when needed; UDL empowers teachers to design flexible lessons from the start so that all students can access, engage with and succeed in grade-level learning. 

“Equity-based budgeting is not a one-time shift — it’s an ongoing process,” said Moriah Banasick, CPA, executive director of finance and budget. “We will continuously use data to better understand student needs and adjust our resource allocation to support schools where the need is greatest.” 

What To Expect Across Our Schools 

As equity-based budgeting rolls out fully in the 2025–26 school year, families and the community may notice: 

• More classroom support where it’s needed most 
• Better access to technology and updated learning materials 
• Improved delivery of MTSS, UDL, inclusion, special education and language supports 
• Greater access to counselors, nurses and mental health staff 

Families and community members are encouraged to stay informed and learn more about how this smarter budgeting approach supports every student’s success. 

 

Partnership with Bellevue College Aids Nurse Shortage, Connects with Students

“Look for the helpers,” Fred Rogers often told children during challenging times. In the Issaquah School District, one group of dedicated helpers are our school nurses.

“Being able to be that ‘helper’ myself is incredibly rewarding,” said Cassie Kuver, RN, who serves students, families and staff at Cedar Trails Elementary.

This school year, Kuver and her colleagues are mentoring 25 nursing students from Bellevue College, part of a growing partnership to support workforce development amid a national nurse shortage. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the U.S. will need 200,000 more nurses over the next decade to meet demand.

Now in its second year, the partnership pairs Bellevue College students with school nurses for hands-on job shadowing. Students gain real-world exposure to the diverse role of school nurses.

“There is a vast diversity of perceptions about school nursing,” Kuver said. “It is so much more than bandages.”

"These job shadows open the eyes of our students about the important work nurses do in schools.” 
- Minnat Hamada, Bellevue College Nursing ChairThe Next Generation of Nurses

The collaboration is aligned with Issaquah School District’s Strategic Plan, which prioritizes developing powerful partnerships that benefit students, families and staff.
Minnat Hamada, MSN, RN, chair of Bellevue College’s Associate Degree in Nursing program, understands the importance of school nursing firsthand.

“I was never taught about school nursing when I was studying to be an RN,” Hamada said. “These job shadows open the eyes of our students about the important work nurses do in schools.”

During the fall session, college students helped with vision and hearing screenings, a crucial component of school health.
“Children need to see and hear to fully access their education,” said Laura Carmichael, RN, ARNP, MBA, the district’s director of health services. Early identification
leads to earlier support.

School nurses also manage chronic conditions like asthma and diabetes, respond to emergencies and offer one-on-one care for students with complex needs.
“It was eye opening to learn some students require individual nursing care,” said Grace Huang, a Bellevue College student. “This kind of support doesn’t exist everywhere in the world.”

A Reflection of Our Community

The partnership also offers representation in health rooms that reflect the district’s diverse student population.
“The diversity of Bellevue College mirrors our district’s enrollment,” Carmichael said. “Our students want to see reflections of themselves in the health room as well as in our community.”

While nurses treat the daily bumps and bruises of active children, they also play a vital role in public health, coordinating with the Department of Health to respond to diseases like chickenpox or measles.

Thanks to voter-approved Educational Programs and Operations levies, each school in the district has a registered nurse and a health room specialist. These investments make the district’s health care model possible.

“School nursing is not easy,” said Belinda Bunham, a nursing student who shadowed at Maywood Middle School. “It is nursing in general, just in a small room!”

 

District Adjusts New High School Plan to Increase Options, Ease Overcrowding

The Issaquah School District is moving ahead with a plan to build a smaller, cost-effective portion of the original high school design. The project will use approximately

$146 million in available funds from past voter-approved measures in 2016 and 2022, as well as other sources such as state School Assistance Program funds and interest earnings.

How We Got Here 

In 2016, voters approved a bond to purchase land for a fourth comprehensive high school. Legal challenges and land-use appeals delayed the project for years, during which time the cost to build a new high school rose significantly. By the time the district acquired the property in 2020, projected costs had grown from $120 million to nearly $200 million.   

The district attempted to pass bonds in 2024 and 2025 to fund and offset rising project costs that now reached $292 million. Both measures fell short of the 60 percent supermajority required by state law. 

A Plan with Future Flexibility 

Rather than seek another bond or risk future replacement levies 2026, the district is using available funds to build a smaller high school that will reduce current and projected overcrowding. This scaled-down project still meets previously approved land-use and permit requirements approved by the City of Issaquah. 

District staff proposed a construction plan that will help relieve overcrowding at Issaquah and Skyline high schools, while keeping future expansion options open. The current design includes: 

• A 74,000-square-foot west wing with 23 classrooms 
• Capacity for about 650 students 
• A parking garage and multi-purpose athletic field with lights and a track 
• Road improvements along 228th Avenue Southeast and internal roads 
• Existing buffers, utilities and stormwater systems preserved 
• Continued accommodations for the neighboring Providence Point community 

The Issaquah School Board approved this plan in April 2025. Board members emphasized that the school should reflect the evolving needs of students and the workforce, with flexible learning spaces and opportunities to serve students and families into the future. The field and school facilities will also be available for community use by the cities of Issaquah, Sammamish and nearby municipalities. 

What’s Next 

Construction is expected to begin in March 2026 and the school is expected to be ready for students in the Fall of 2027. The district has submitted a permit extension request to the City of Issaquah, and will begin a community engagement process to help shape academic programs and offerings for the new school. 

Community input will continue to play a key role in shaping the vision for this campus and the students it will serve. More engagement opportunities will be shared soon.