• Milton Ellis was hired as Director of Employee Relations, and he begins on July 20. Milton has more than two decades of experience in labor relations, most recently as Director of Employee Relations in the Bellevue School District. He will oversee the bargaining process for the district’s eight labor contracts, including the teachers’ contract, which is up for renewal next year.

 

• Reminder: The Washington State Board of Health requires students entering preschool, kindergarten, and 6th grade in school year 2006-07 to document immunity to chickenpox. Students can meet this requirement by:
  • Showing the month, day, and year the student received one dose of varicella vaccine. The vaccine must have been given on or after the student's first birthday.
  • Documenting the approximate date or age at which the student had chickenpox.
  • Submitting a report of blood test showing immunity to varicella.
  • Requesting an exemption to this requirement for philosophical, religious, or medical reasons.

More information about immunizations required at each grade level is at the state Department of Health’s Web page and district health page.

 

• If voters just passed a transportation levy, why is the district trimming bus routes? Because the transportation levy can only pay for new buses. It cannot pay to run buses—those dollars come directly from the operating fund, the same pool of money that funds classrooms and teacher salaries. By law, only a very limited amount of local levy dollars can contribute to the operations fund. Because Issaquah ranks 268^th out of 296 state districts in per pupil funding and the price of gas and employee salaries and benefits continue to rise—the district needs to save as much money as possible in transportation costs to make sure classrooms do not sacrifice. More information is available on the district homepage and funding page.

 

• The pre-registration period for the August WASL retake has closed, but students in the class of 2008 may still be able to register for the reading, writing, or math test by calling the district assessment office at 837-7007 by July 28. Re-takes are recommended for students who were absent during the spring test or for students who did not meet standard on one or more tests.
  • Students who take the August WASL at Issaquah High must arrive by 8 a.m. on their test day, and bring picture identification, a registration confirmation, and a sack lunch if desired.
  • Find more information, including the testing schedule, on the district Web site.

 

• Parents who want to know more about Section 504 Plans are invited to an informational presentation by Dr. John McCook, author of The Administrator’s Guide to Discipline in IDEA and Section 504, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 30, at the district administration building, 565 N.W. Holly St. Section 504 is a national civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities and ensures that a child with a disability has equal access to an education.

 

• Volunteers are needed to expand the successful V.O.I.C.E. mentor program.

 

• Please be aware that the Issaquah High Soccer Team is not selling magazine subscriptions door to door.  Several community members have reported being solicited at their homes.

 

• Ready, set … draw! The eighth-annual Chalk Art Fest is noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 25, at the Issaquah Community Center, 301 Rainier Blvd. S. Children of all ages and families are welcome. Each participant is assigned a piece of sidewalk space, and chalk, water, and prizes are supplied free of charge by the Issaquah Arts Commission. Prizes will be awarded at 6 p.m. in primary, elementary, middle school, teen, adult, and family categories. A Concert on the Green, featuring Tony LaStella & the Goombah’s, will follow.

 

 

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