Board Meeting Recaps

The Issaquah School Board held a regular meeting on Thursday, March 28, at the Issaquah School District Administration Building. The meeting was open to the public, broadcast live on the district’s YouTube channel, and a recording of the meeting is available on YouTube.                    

Today we’re sharing 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. Or, for other board information such as upcoming meeting dates, times and agendas, and more, visit our School Board page.       

Prior to the regularly scheduled board meeting, select seniors from Gibson Ek High School, Issaquah High School, Liberty High School and Skyline High School shared about their high school experiences, post-graduation plans and invited the board members to their school’s graduation ceremony.  

 

Works in Progress 

Superintendent Heather Tow-Yick shared highlights and some thoughts with the board:  

• Tow-Yick began by addressing student well-being, and asked that we collectively consider whether there are unmet needs. She shared about the supports that the district offers to our students and families, including the screener SAEBRS (Social Academic Emotional Behavioral Risk Screener) and our new service, Care Solace.  
• Earlier this month, Tow-Yick and other leaders met with a group of Jewish professionals, who represent several organizations and temples. 
• Our district was recently inducted into the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools.   
• The Issaquah Schools Foundation’s annual Nourish Every Mind event was a great success!   

For the full presentation and discussion about Works in Progress, visit our YouTube channel.  

 

Bond Planning Update / Work Study Recap 

Superintendent Heather Tow-Yick shared an update about the progress of the Bond Advisory Committee and then welcomed Director of Capital Projects Tom Mullins and Chief of Finance and Operations Martin Turney, to answer questions from board members.  

For the full discussion about Bond Planning, visit our YouTube channel.  

 

Capital Projects Update  

Director of Capital Projects Tom Mullins began by sharing the 2018 Critical Repair Levy Projects Significant Project Updates:  

• Challenger Elementary School Exterior Painting − Colors are being chosen and work is scheduled to be completed over the summer.  
• Transportation Center Shops AC − The design nearing completion and work is expected to occur this summer.  
• Beaver Lake Middle & Maple Hills Elementary Schools Fire Alarm Replacements − Bids received, contractor chosen and construction to begin soon.  
• Maple Hills Elementary School DAS Installation − Construction/installation underway. 

He continued with 2022 Critical Repair Levy Projects Significant Project Updates:  

• Liberty High School Portable Classroom Installation − Project nearing completion with only the exterior paint pending − Classrooms are occupied and in use  
• Clean Buildings Act – Investment Grade Audit − Includes contract for the Investment Grade Audit (IGA) for the three high schools. − Final report for the Investment Grade Audit for 3 high schools is expected to be ready in late April 2024 

The Critical Repairs project tracking document and 1-pagers have been updated and posted to the Capital Projects Department page. 

Other ongoing projects include:  

Water Heater Replacement Projects 

• Endeavour Elementary School: Project out to bid 
• Skyline High School: Project in design 
• Issaquah High School: Project in design 
• Liberty High School: Project in design  

Projects to Repair Water Damage from January Freeze  

• Newcastle Elementary School: Project in design 
• Cedar Trails Elementary School: Project in design 
• Briarwood Elementary School: Project in design  

Scoreboard Replacement 

• Skyline High School: Project in design 

For the full Capital Projects update, visit our YouTube channel.  

 

Online Learning Update   

Online Learning Coordinator Stephanie Grayson and Chief Academic and Student Success Officer Dana Bailey shared about our Online Learning program, including information about the program's courses:  

• High School Level Coursework; Grades 7-12 
• Coursework online; no live streaming; self-directed* 
• Module unit and final tests in person 
• Required live Zoom student orientation 
• Courses on Canvas 
• OSPI approved provider: Accelerate Education 
• WA State certified teacher 
• ISD certified teacher mentor 

*Students move through the coursework sequentially, rather than having the ability to jump ahead in the content. 

Adult support for the program includes:  

• Accelerate teachers answer content course questions, grade and provide feedback on assignments, and are available to set up Zoom support sessions.  
• ISD teacher mentors build relationships with students, support students in course(s), include weekly check-ins and monthly progress reviews and documentation and compliance.  
• Other positions include ISD Teacher Test Proctors, a Coordinator and a Registrar.  

Our learning options include the High School Alternative Learning Experience (ALE). This program is within the school day, includes weekly check-ins, monthly progress reviews, state funded at no cost to students and assigned an ISD Mentor. The other option is our high school or middle school family pay offered outside of the school day, including a course fee (scholarships available) and students are assigned an ISD Mentor. After a 22% decrease in enrollment during the 2018-19 school year, the program has grown by 68.9% in the past five years.  

Some highlights of the program include the program growth, a new provider called Accelerate Education, Canvas Integration, middle and elementary level coursework, successful overall passing rate of 98%, in person testing and cost efficiency. 

For the full Online Learning update, visit our YouTube channel.  

 

Middle School Athletics Task Force Report 

District Athletics & Activities Director Jordan Frost and Pine Lake Middle School Assistant Principal Mike Deletis shared a report about the work of the task force, which was formed with a focus on an increase of access, equity and opportunity at the middle school level. Title IX findings showed inequitable athletic opportunities and the district had been experiencing significant community outreach requesting the addition of boys soccer. The task force also tackled the district's challenges with recruiting/retaining coaches that lead to fewer opportunities for kids with many students trying out for programs and not being able to participate.  

The process reviewed current middle school programming, sports offered, the number of students participating, and budgets, evaluating options for the addition of sports, reviewing Title IX interest survey results, reviewing participation numbers across current programs and researching middle school sports programming in neighboring districts. 

Final recommendations include: 

• Add boys soccer; remove slow-pitch (has been a co-ed sport offered in the fall at the middle school level). 
  • In our most recent Title IX interest survey, 967 boys selected soccer as a sport they are interested in playing at school. This was the highest number of respondents out of all sports. 
  • In the survey, 25 boys selected slow-pitch. 
  • Administrators and students shared continuous feedback from students and families requesting boys soccer as a middle school sport. 
• Enhance coaching development 
  • Review coaching pay rates and consider a coach's pay scale that honors years of experience and continued education in coaching. 
  • Fund workshops and coaching development opportunities to further support coaches' growth. 
  • Offer a “Coaching 101” program to help support parents and community members to feel confident to take on middle school coaching roles. 
• Explore intramural sports expansion 
  • Consider intramural seasons between competitive sport seasons, to offer students more opportunities to participate.  
  • Coaches may be more open to leading an intramural program with a shorter schedule and fewer competitions. 
  • Needs more exploration to understand impact to other programs and possible formats for scheduling. 

Next steps include:  

• Consult with district departments to assess budget, facilities, staffing, and regulatory impacts/needs. 
• Establish a timeline for team formation, including recruitment of coaches and notification to families. 
• Identify partners in professional coaching development. 
• Gather a small work group to continue exploring intramural program expansion. 

For the full presentation and discussion about the work of the Middle School Athletics Task Force, visit our YouTube channel.  

 

Monitoring Report Executive Limitation 2 (EL-2) Treatment of People   

Superintendent Heather Tow-Yick introduced the topic and was then joined by Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Donna Hood and Chief Academic and Student Success Officer Dana Bailey. 

Bailey shared an overview of the work of EL-2, and Student Representative to the School Board Havah Alcorn offered feedback from Gibson Ek students. Board Directors discussed the Monitoring Report for EL-2, and then unanimously approved the report.    

For the full presentation and discussion about EL-2, visit our YouTube channel.