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The Issaquah School Board held a regular meeting on Thursday, Oct. 24, at the Issaquah School District Administration Building. The meeting was open to the public, and was broadcast live on the district’s YouTube channel, where a recording of the meeting is available.     

Today we’re sharing a summary of a few of the topics the board and district staff discussed and actions 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. Or, for other board information such as upcoming meeting dates, times and agendas, and more, visit our School Board page. 

Proclamation: Substance Abuse Prevention Month 

Student representatives of Influence the Choice and Executive Director Marnie Maraldo (who is also a School Board member) and Influence the Choice Vice Chair Laurelle Graves shared a proclamation for Substance Abuse Prevention Month

“We encourage all families, students, administrators, teachers and staff to join us in promoting healthy choices by youth and to take part in preventing substance use among young people,” the proclamation states. 

To listen to the proclamation, visit our YouTube Channel

 

Works in progress 

Superintendent Heather Tow-Yick highlighted recent information and updates from throughout the district, including: 

  • October is Disability Awareness Month, Superintendent Tow-Yick noted. 
    • Our Special Services team is hosting engagement opportunities including an Oct. 26 Fall Family Engagement and Parent Training event related to our youngest learners. On Oct. 29, the team will host a Student Advisory meeting. On Oct. 30, they will host a presentation for families of students who receive special services, about financial strategies and estate planning. On November 1, they will host “Donuts with Directors.” On November 14, the Family and Community Partnership Committee will meet to continue work on a handbook that will help support families. 
       
  • The Issaquah Schools Foundation and the district invite community members to "Impact in Action” on November 7. The event is from 6-7 p.m. at the district office and will help share how donations are used to support our students.  

For the full report of works in progress, visit our YouTube Channel

 

Bond Update 

Superintendent Tow-Yick noted that the district has published videos about each of the four types of investments in the bond package. Chief of Finance and Operations Martin Turney offered the board an update about 2024 School Modernization and Construction Bond, which is on the Nov. 5 General Election ballot. Turney shared: 

  • The district hosted an information session about the bond measure on October 21 at Issaquah Middle School. 
     
  • As of Thursday, October 24, Turney checked the King County Elections statistics about ballots returned, and noted that about 11,400 ballots had been returned (or about 15% of registered voters in the district). 
     
  • The King County Assessor’s Office has launched a tool for property owners to be able to see the projected amount that their individual taxes would increase if any given measure is approved by voters. To use the tool, visit the assessor’s office website

To listen to the bond update, visit our YouTube Channel

 

Capital Projects Update 

Director of Capital Projects Tom Mullins presented a Capital Projects Update including highlights and updates about construction, renovation and repairs from throughout the district. The updates included: 

  • Teams are continuing work on projects funded by the 2018 Levy. 
  • 2022 Capital Levy projects, including: 
    • District staff are continuing to look for land for an early learning center in the South End and land for Transportation.  
    • Planning work for the vestibules at the three comprehensive high schools is coming along nicely, Mullins said.  
    • Fire alarm system updates for six sites are in process. 
  • Work continues on repairs from the pipes that froze and burst last winter.  

Tow-Yick said she appreciates the monthly updates, which show the district’s commitment to accountability with taxpayer dollars. 

For the full update about Capital Projects, visit our YouTube Channel

 

Monitoring Report: Operational Expectation 13, Facilities 

Turney introduced the monitoring report for OE-13, and shared highlights from the report. 

Board members asked several questions and shared reflections about the monitoring report. 

Student Representatives to the School Board Aditi Marehalli and Havah Alcorn shared feedback from fellow students at Liberty High School and Gibson Ek High School, respectively, about OE-13 and related topics. All of the Student Representatives to the School Board also collectively participated in offering a student advisory vote to the board as well. 

The board members voted to accept the monitoring report. 

To listen to the presentation, the report from Student Representatives to the School Board, and discussion about the monitoring report for OE-13, visit our YouTube Channel

 

Monitoring Report: Operational Expectation 15, Technology 

Tow-Yick and Executive Director of Teaching and Learning Services Rich Mellish introduced the monitoring report. Capital Levy technology funds provide the opportunity for 1:1 laptops for secondary students. Mellish thanked the community for the levy resources that provide for computers on a refresh cycle and accompanying systems and support that allow for 1:1, and elements of our technology implementation across the district.

Student Representative to the School Board Naomi Wu shared feedback from students at Issaquah High School; the feedback included information about the new cell phone policy at I.H.S. 

School Board members asked several questions about topics such as AI, the district’s Technology Advisory Committee, the use of assistive technology, technology paired with Universal Design for Learning, tools to increase and improve accessibility; and the quality, processing speed, battery life and weight of the laptops provided by the district for student use. 

Student Representatives to the School Board offered a collective student advisory vote. 

Board members voted to accept the monitoring report. 

For the full presentation and discussion about the monitoring report for OE-15, visit our YouTube Channel

 

Board Policy Update: Operational Expectation 14, Instructional Program 

A number of people offered public comment about the proposed OE. Board members had also hosted a listening session at Skyline High School earlier in the week to hear from students, staff, families and community members about the IB program and the potential of adding AP classes. 

Board members had a lengthy discussion about what they have heard from public comments in recent meetings, the listening session, and emails; and what they think are the overarching ideas of what the policy should include. Then, they worked to adjust the wording of the proposed policy, in particular OE-14.3a and OE-14.3b. 

After making a number of adjustments, the board moved the new proposed language to a fourth reading at a future meeting. 

To watch the full agenda item including public comment and conversation about OE-14, visit our YouTube Channel

 

School Year Calendars  

The School Board discussed draft calendars for the 2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29 school years, considering each school year’s calendar in turn. 

For the full conversation about calendars, visit our YouTube Channel

  • Bond
  • Capital Projects
  • Construction
  • Educational Technology
  • School Board
  • Superintendent

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