Points of Pride

May 2008	YEEEHAAAWW!! Six Issaquah Bus Drivers cleaned up on the Regional Road-eo course (no bull!). --more-->
May 2008	Hard work pays! Two Liberty High students are Washington Scholars, earning a paid tuition at any state public college or university. --more-->
May 2008	District teams tape, bind, and test their way to sports medicine victories. --more-->
May 2008	Liberty High School’s Patriot Press is one of the best student newspapers in the state! --more-->
April 2008	Who says learning isn't fun? Discovery fifth-graders have qualified for a national toy challenge! --more-->
April 2008	What's for dinner? Wow your family and friends with these top-secret, award-winning recipes from Liberty's culinary students. --more-->
April 2008	Happy Earth Day! Schools are showing their love for our planet. --more-->
January 2008	Skyline High School team takes second place at 41st Annual Washington State Team Chess Tournament. --more-->
January 2008	Issaquah High’s Rachel Chin had an epiphany while walking through a mall on Veteran’s Day a few years ago. She captured that experience in an essay that has won the state VFW’s Voice of Democracy contest. --more-->
January 2008	Four Issaquah High School juniors have been selected at Washington Aerospace Scholars for 2007-08 --more-->
January 2008	Thanks to the Issaquah Schools Foundation, you will find colorful school calendars on most school family refrigerators, walls, and in offices. --more-->
October 2007	Congratulations to Beaver Lake science teacher Kathy Stroud who has been honored with a KCTS Golden Apple Award! --more-->
October 2007	Hooray! The Issaquah Schools Foundation raised a record-setting $356,000 to directly benefit students at its Nourish Every Mind luncheon in October. --more-->
October 2007	State Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson honored Lorna Gilmour, science teacher at Issaquah Middle School, as Teacher of the Year for the Puget Sound region on October 19. --more-->
October 2007	Skyline teacher and rap star Brendan Hyland is this week’s Prep Zone teacher of the week. (have patience ...video loads slowly) --more-->
October 2007	Skyline psychology teacher wows International Baccalaureate evaluators. --more-->
September 2007	Fourteen seniors in the Issaquah School District were recognized this week as semifinalists in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program. --more-->
July 2007	Liberty alumni strikes Broadway gold: Catch her starring in "Mamma Mia" across the U.S. --more-->
July 2007	Issaquah High physics students turn a shower into a conservation tool ... and a money-making machine. --more-->
June 2007	It was up to CSI Skyline High to unmask the Skyline Phantom, who has been committing unsavory crimes at the school for years. --more-->
June 2007	District Accountant receives prestigious award being a "wise steward of state funds" and teaching others do to the same. --more-->
June 2007	Doing the "Science Lab Bugaloo," and more: Our science teachers are inspiring their colleagues across the state. --more-->
June 2007	Issaquah has the best parents in the world–here's proof … --more-->
June 2007	Hear ye, hear ye: Cougar Ridge fifth-graders have voted to revolt to win their independence! --more-->
May 2007	Issaquah High students "took the field" in their own unique competition recently to prove they are among the best high school sports medicine practitioners in the country. --more-->
May 2007	Supporting our schools and our nation: The District welcomes Facilities Supervisor Brian Hunt back from Iraq! --more-->
May 2007	Issaquah High senior is a Presidential Scholar semifinalist. --more-->
May 2007	Seventh-grader Stephanie Schott from Issaquah Middle School took first-place—with a $250 prize—for her essay "I Want to Make a Difference because I Can!" --more-->
April 2007	Students take top honors at the 24th annual Washington State Japanese Language Speech and Skit Contest. --more-->
April 2007	How does Skyline High “Iron Chef”? With two teams of special-needs students competing to create the best pasta dishes and a chance to be on national TV! --more-->
April 2007	Bus driver Jan Willson recently hung up her keys after 35 years of superb service—the District needs high-quality drivers to carry on her legacy! --more-->
April 2007	Beaver Lake's first BINGO event was a huge success for the community! --more-->
April 2007	Beaver Lake and Pine Lake middle schools fight injustices around the world. --more-->
April 2007	Cougar Ridge Elementary's "Art on a Budget" is truly newsworthy. --more-->
March 2007	Skyline student and Cascade Ridge teacher honored during "Oscars of Sammamish." --more-->
March 2007	Life's a stage, and Skyline theater students are stealing the spotlight. --more-->
March 2007	Liberty students have LifeSmarts. Do you? --more-->
March 2007	New elementary tennis program will help prevent kids from becoming 'couch potatoes while they're still small fries.' --more-->
February 2007	Issaquah High sophomore aces the ACT college-admission exam and eight seniors Districtwide are National Merit Scholarship finalists. --more-->
February 2007	Our flexible students, staff, and parents have worked together to make the cancelled-midwinter break make-up week a success. --more-->
February 2007	Liberty freshman receives Arab-American youth leadership award. --more-->
February 2007	Three Issaquah High seniors awarded scholarships for achievement in the Running Start program. --more-->
January 2007	Two eager readers at Apollo Elementary won bicycles for their literary endeavors. --more-->
December 2006	Endeavour Elementary's Malia Greening recently proved her "metal" in an Ironman competition. --more-->
December 2006	Pine Lake students treat parents to a gourmet "Date Night." --more-->
November 2006	Thanksgiving came early at Tiger Mountain Community High School. --more-->
November 2006	Don't be surprised if you bump into Paul Revere and John Adams in Discovery Elementary classrooms—and watch out for flying tea! A recently awarded theater grant is bringing history to life for fifth-graders. --more-->
November 2006	Our teachers excel in and out of the classroom: Echo Glen's Susan Nieswander recently represented the U.S. at the international Latin dance championships in Helsinki. --more-->
November 2006	117 Thanksgiving pies provide help for one local family in need, thanks to Liberty High School culinary students. --more-->
October 2006
While acts of school violence have recently made national headlines, the Issaquah School District focuses on safety every day. --more-->
October 2006
What's the best way to eat a live, juicy, wriggly worm? Ask Maple Hills staff member Chris Valeri.--more-->
September 2006
Issaquah School District counselors receive gift to recognize National Attention Deficit Disorder Awareness Day--more-->
September 2006
Issaquah Middle School creates a social WEB to catch incoming sixth-graders. --more-->

Previous Points of Pride

During the Issaquah School District’s professional development day on August 30, middle and high-school science teachers focused on safety—by lighting the Liberty High parking lot on fire!
--more-->

All in a day's work: The Capital Projects team keeps the district's newest elementary on track for opening this September—and rescues rare wildlife.--more-->

Navigating jobs, sports, activities, vacations, and the all-important need to sleep in, Skyline High School advanced-math students volunteered hours of time in August to help their peers prepare for the WASL retake.--more-->

Issaquah High teacher Bryan Robles selected for summer school program at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. --more-->

Liberty High School senior Adrian Howowed transportation workers with his Web design … now if only he could fix the I-5 gridlock. --more-->

Dr. Seuss never looked so good! Liberty’s Patriot Players won three awards at the “high school Tony awards” for their musical production of Seussical, and Issaquah High and Skyline also shined --more-->

Maywood Middle School is the 2006 Top New Fundraising School for the local chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society --more-->

Liberty High School has more students bound for service academies than any other school in the Eighth Congressional District --more-->

Oh, say can you see-a proud group of Sunny Hills students singing the praises of the Star Spangled Banner? --more-->

Sen. Luke Esser visited Sunset Elementary to talk about goals and leadership and left with a new appreciation for the future of a pro-monkey platform.--more-->

DECA marketing students are the number experts, so here are some impressive figures from Skyline High School’s chapter: 46, 14,000, 7. That’s, respectively, the number of Skyline students who qualified for the recent international competition—more than any other school in the country; the number of student competitors at the event; and the number of Skyline students who won top-10 awards. --more-->

Endeavour Elementary students offer a wild welcome to next year's newcomers. --more-->

On a recent Saturday in May, nearly sixty 5th through 8th grade students from six Eastside schools competed in Washington State's Math Olympiad at Issaquah Middle School.
--more-->

Issaquah High rocks! The men's vocal ensemble crooned all the way to a state championship... --more-->

Celebrate National Teacher Day today, May 9. Superintendent Janet Barry highlights the immense collection of talent and dedication in the District in her letter of thanks to teachers and staff. --more-->

In the next decade, who’s destined to take care of Tiger Woods’ bad case of golfer’s elbow? Don’t be surprised if it’s an Issaquah graduate. Our high school students excelled in the state’s annual sports medicine competition on April 28 and 29. --more-->

Endeavour Elementary fifth-grader earns state literature and writing award --more-->

Tom Tivnan of the district's Science/Tech Magnet program at Sunny Hills will be among a select group of classroom teachers from around the country immersed in math and science with world renown MIT experts for a time in June. --more-->

Issaquah High School's physics teacher Tom Haff has been selected to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology's intensive Science and Engineering Program for Teachers. --more-->

Newcastle Elementary is a Green School, and Newcastle's custodian Dave Holbrook is one of King County's Earth Heroes at School. --more-->

Liberty High School Culinary Arts team takes top honors. --more-->

Liberty High School senior Stephanie Collin has received a volunteer student award from the 2006 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. --more-->

Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus and Liberty High School students won trophies at the 23rd annual Washington State Japanese Language Speech and Skit Contest last week
--more-->

Jim Valley, news anchor for KIRO News Radio recently hosted Skyline High School sophomore Jay Farber's job shadow experience... --more-->

The entire state now knows that Issaquah High School’s Career Center is a great place for students to research career and education possibilities... --more-->

Skyline High School student Ben Coté takes second in English-Speaking Union's National Shakespeare Competition --more-->

Pacific Cascade ASB Executive Officer Kate Londgren is the latest student to be honored by Pay it Forward --more-->

Beaver Lake Middle School students left for the February break armed with new insights into internet safety! --more-->

Liberty and Issaquah High School football players Corey Marek and Matt Glenn are two of only eight finalists to the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame. --more-->

Math counts at Pine Lake Middle School! That was proven during the February 4 regional MathCounts competition held at Redmond High School. --more-->

Skyline High School presents environmental science lectures --more-->

Team spirit takes on a special meaning at Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus where 9th graders who attend classes together during the day compete against each other in the afternoons. --more-->

Skyline High School science teacher Steve Vernon was recently selected to mark International Baccalaureate (IB) biology exams. --more-->

Kids Quest Museum opened on December 11 in Factoria Mall; it's the newest children's museum in the Seattle area. --more-->

Issaquah student teaches principal to be "almost a football fan" --more-->

Issaquah School District's Director of Assessment is national expert --more-->

Students in Challenger Elementary School's Comet Club spend their time in activities and learning that support classroom activities and help foster leadership and citizenship.
--more-->

In November, Issaquah High students who launched the school's Students Opposing Suicide (SOS) program were honored for their efforts.
--more-->

Beaver Lake Middle School's students had an idea that has grown into a reality with the help of the school's PTSA and local businesses.
--more-->

Two Liberty High School students earned prestigious scholarships at Washington State.
--more-->

In October, Liberty High School’s Marching Band will perform for an audience of more than one million. --more-->

Chelan Simonds of Maywood Middle School unveiled her art work for the school board on September 28.
--more-->

Maywood Middle School’s Amanda Moody and Skyline High School’s Lindsay Millett are the latest student artists to have work added to the Kateri Brow Memorial Art Collection.
--more-->

Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus students earned praise and thanks from a bus driver last week. --more-->

In August District classrooms and conference rooms began filling with groups of teachers starting their work year before students arrive --more-->

Issaquah High School graduate Joey Acquino’s four photographs are the latest addition to the Kateri Brow Memorial Art display. --more-->

Alexander King, a “just-graduated” senior from Liberty High School, recently represented Washington State at the AAA Travel High School Challenge at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. --more-->

Issaquah High School graduate earns Graduate Fellowship for biotech research --more-->

Theatre production companies from three Issaquah high schools competed in the annual 5th Avenue Theatre Musical Theatre Awards this spring. --more-->

Student-led efforts at Issaquah High School have earned IHS an award --more-->

Issaquah High School’s Lauren Dascenzo is the Eastside’s top female prep athlete of the year! --more-->

Skyline’s American Sign Language (ASL) students take their finals on the stage! --more-->

Liberty High School's May technology showcase was more than a chance to see the extraordinary work of the school's technology students. --more-->

On May 11, the Issaquah Youth Advisory Board honored four teachers for the positive influence they have on students. --more-->

For four years, Cougar Ridge Elementary lunch ladies Laurie Salyer and Carol Paschal have been nurturing more than students’ lunch time appetites. --more-->

Staff applications for work in Issaquah School District are received from all over the United States and from overseas. --more-->

Pine Lake Middle School's Max Sugarman is smart and persistent! In 2002 and 2003, he made it all the way to the state competition in the National Geographic Bee --more-->

Issaquah Valley’s lead custodian Dusty Duke and PTA parent Susan Meyer have both been selected as a King County 2005 Earth Hero at School by County Executive Ron Sims. --more-->

Thanks to generous donors, almost $3,000 is now available to buy student art work for the Kateri Brow Memorial Art gallery. --more-->

“What if you had the chance to build a rocket that flies a mile high and collects data to be analyzed back on the ground. Today we have that chance, thanks to NASA!” Those are the words of a six member team of Skyline advanced physics students – --more-->

Skyline High School's DECA students continue to win honors. --more-->

Four seniors from Issaquah High School and two from Liberty High have advanced to finalist standings in the competition for Merit Scholarship awards to be offered in 2005. --more-->

Sunset Elementary is home to students who have clocked more than a million minutes of reading since last fall. --more-->

Maple Hills 1st grade teacher Karen Works is one of three teachers chosen by the Seattle Chinese School (SCS) to spend 15 days this summer in China. --more-->

Liberty High School Seniors Patrick Sweeney Easter and Joshua Munoz have passed industry certification tests in computer hardware and operating systems. --more-->

Ryan Fleisher, Issaquah High School’s Girls’ Gymnastics Coach, was recently selected by the National Federation of State High School Associations --more-->

In March, Pine Lake Middle School students will again be visited by celebrity chefs. --more-->

That Issaquah parents care about all students is obvious when one sees the volunteer hours and generosity of those parents in schools. --more-->

Reading is Where it’s HAT! – across America, and specifically at Liberty High School on March 2. --more-->

Beaver Lake Middle School students make healthy choices. --more-->

Understanding that school safety makes it possible for students, parents, and staff to focus their energies on learning, Cougar Ridge Elementary staff have worked strategically --more-->

On Sunday, February 13, Skyline High School theatre teacher Jim Henderson accompanied senior Zane Johnston to the Seattle branch contest of the English Speaking Union (ESU) for the local 2005 Shakespeare Competition. --more-->

Ask any Maple Hills first grader how many milk cartons it takes to build an igloo. --more-->

The voices and instruments of students at all plateau area schools will merge in a choral festival on Thursday, March 10. --more-->

Skyline's American Sign Language (ASL) students will be signing for theater audiences in California and Seattle, interpreting a musical and a drama, --more-->

Issaquah High School NJROTC cadets recently competed in a Drill Meet at Washington High School in Tacoma. --more-->

Issaquah and Liberty High schools competed on the football field in November and joined efforts at the same time to donate clothing and household items to be distributed by the Big Brothers and Big Sisters. --more-->

Issaquah High students are committed to the giving spirit this season... --more-->

For nine years, Beaver Lake Middle School math teacher Mark Coté has encouraged his students to share holiday gifts with children in third world countries.
--more-->

Issaquah Valley Elementary kindergarten students in Peggy McNees’ class learn to “debate” at an early age!
--more-->

In Issaquah, school nurses tend to physical ailments and they help mend broken spirits, too.
--more-->

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards announced in November that four Issaquah teachers are among the class of 2004 to earn the prestigious and hard-won honor of “National Professional Certification.” --more-->

Some may be surprised to learn that public school special education programs are responsible for the special education needs of developmentally disabled students from the time of birth through the age of 21. --more-->

Annual Special Education reviews highlight program successes and give sound direction for strengthening education for special needs students. --more-->

Issaquah School District business practices serve as the model for other school districts in the state. --more-->

Learning to give is a community service lesson at Liberty High School. --more-->

At their November staff meeting district administrative staff watched Operations Executive Director Craig Christensen and First Aid Instructor Marcene McGowan demonstrate the defibrillator’s ease of use and value as a life-saver. --more-->

Every month students at Briarwood are recognized for one of six Student Learning Goals. One of these goals is Community Contributor. --more-->

Merging physical education and math ADDS UP at Endeavour Elementary. --more-->

The kindergarten students at Discovery were enthusiastic about Trick or Treating as a way to help others --more-->

Liberty High School is a great place to be, according to the majority of students who responded to survey questions about the school’s culture and climate. --more-->

Five Issaquah students graduating in 2005 earn $57,000 in scholarships to Washington State University; with successful grades, their total could reach $63,000. --more-->

Inter-agency networking is an important part of the school board’s job. --more-->

PTSA presidents and school principals work and learn together—to advocate for students and to learn “rules of the road.” --more-->

Community partnerships make major contributions to schools in Issaquah. --more-->

Students count in the eyes of the school board! --more-->

Curious about the weather? Real time conditions for Sammamish area residents are just a click away at www.shs.issaquah.wednet.edu. --more-->

Partnerships are alive and well in Issaquah. One of those partnerships has its own permanent link on the District website. --more-->

Title V grants help make Issaquah teachers among the most proficient users of technology in the state. --more-->

Issaquah school buses drive more than a million and a half miles each year carrying students to and from school safely. --more-->

Getting off to a solid start in all ways, Newcastle Elementary students on their first day will pass under the flagpole courtyard paved with memorial bricks. --more-->

SECURE training helps school staff ensure student safety—and the safety of other adults. --more-->

"Back to school" calls for extra attention to details–everything from shining up the floors to making sure all the light bulbs work. --more-->

School instructional teams spent four straight days in August working together to peel away the mysteries of student assessment data and use this new knowledge to build ways to help all students meet the state and federal learning requirements. --more-->

Issaquah school classrooms will have approximately 100 new teachers on September 8 — many of whom began work in the last weeks of summer to set up their classrooms, review the textbooks and teaching expectations, meet other school staff, and become familiar with Issaquah. --more-->

More than 800 kindergartners and their parent “guests” responded to the Transportation Department’s invitation to a free bus ride in August.
--more-->

Skyline High School theater students were nominated in four categories in the annual 5th Avenue High School Musical Theatre Awards presented on June 8 at the theatre in Seattle.
--more-->

On Saturday, May 22, Team Endeavour was awarded “The Heart of Issaquah” award as their team most inspired those responsible for planning the event. --more-->

Throughout the year, Maple Hills students, staff, and community members have helped make the world a better place through donations of time, energy, and money. --more-->

Their preparation of Caribbean fare earned Liberty High School's culinary team of Jeff Anderson, Jennifer Blakeslee, Michaela Connaway, and Tina Whitney a third place at a Renton Technical College competition in early May. --more-->

Liberty High School juniors Joe Volk, Courtney Anaya and Kate Fotheringill won first place in the General Feature Division of the Greater Northwest Student Journalism Awards contest. There were 873 entries (in different divisions) from 58 schools in three states. --more-->

Skyline High School DECA continues to excel — at competitions and in energetic and generous fundraising to help others --more-->

At the late April State Solo/Ensemble competition in Ellensburg, Skyline High School students did exceedingly well. Each of the contest’s Ensemble and Solo categories featured just 22 musicians. --more-->

"Salmon in the Classroom," is a salmon life cycle program brought to two Cascade Ridge Elementary classrooms by teachers Ilene DeRemer and Dana Shawver. --more-->

Keeping eggs safe has earned top honors for Skyline High School's physics club, AND a chance to compete nationally. --more-->

Skyline High School Sports Medicine students are in top 1/3 of the state! Debuting at 2004 Washington Vocational Sports Medicine Association Competition and Symposium in Yakima, WA, Skyline students placed 10th among the 30 teams vying for top honors April 16th and 17th. --more-->

On the evening of April 8, MERLIN teacher Ruth Roy, Apollo secretary Janet Randall, and Issaquah Middle Humanities teacher Barb Galler brought home the three-foot-tall traveling trophy as co-champions of the second annual Issaquah Community Spelling Bee. --more-->

“The difference in a ninth-grader’s first day of school has gone from getting booed to receiving cheers of welcome. Harassment and hazing are virtually nonexistent.” Those are the words of Issaquah High Dean of Students Paula Phelps in praise of LINK Crew. "I believe our freshmen feel welcome and included in the high school community." --more-->

Several teams of Issaquah School District students competed in Destination Imagination's (DI) annual regional tournament on March 6 at Beaver Lake Middle School. Nearly 45 elementary, middle, and high school teams from around the region participated in the contest.--more-->

Maple Hills students totally “added up” top numbers when they showed up at the Math is Cool competition on March 12 with the second highest level of participation of any school in Western Washington in the largest regional Math is Cool competition ever held. --more-->

Skyline High School Humanities teacher, Marion Makin, was awarded a "Sammi Award" for Learning Promotion.--more-->

Each year, Reflections, the National PTA and Washington State PTA program, challenges students to create art that supports a specific theme. Issaquah School District's 2003-2004 Reflections winners are:--more-->

Skyline High School's one-act play, "The Laramie Project," recently won "Superior Production" honors at the Lenaea Festival, the renowned drama festival held for the past 45 years at California State University Sacramento.
--more-->

Two teams from Liberty's NJROTC program competed against many other fine teams at the state Junior Olympic Air Rifle Championships in Olympia recently.--more-->

On three different occasions earlier this year, before preliminary site work began on Issaquah School District's ninth grade campus property, 245 citizens attended special King County Native Plant Salvage Programs.--more-->

Culinary Arts students from Liberty High School demonstrated their skills recently at the Hospitality Invitational, a statewide competition at the Art Institute of Seattle and Bell Harbor Conference Center.--more-->

Students from Skyline High School's Environmental Systems classes planted over 1,000 conifers at Hazel Wolf Wetlands Preserve near the Skyline campus in late February.--more-->

Students from Issaquah, Liberty, and Skyline High Schools impressed judges at the Eastshore League Instrumental Solo and Ensemble competition held on February 7.--more-->

In January, 96 students in Skyline High School's DECA chapter qualified to go to the state competition, surpassing their previous year's record of 82.--more-->

Endeavour Elementary students are already cheering for the USA's women's crew team-even though the Olympics is many months away. --more-->

The November Issaquah Schools Foundation luncheon generated more than $140,000 in donations, and the more than 700 people who attended were inspired by lunchtime stories of classroom success. --more-->

January 13 was opening day of the much-anticipated “L Café,” a student-run food emporium at Liberty High School that not only feeds the school hungry, but prepares students in Liberty’s first ever ProStart Culinary Arts program for management careers in the food industry.--more-->

The air around Issaquah School District buses is going to be much cleaner, thanks to a 2003 Legislative bill promoted by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.--more-->

What do you call a “mobile” that doesn’t move? A “stabile,” of course! If you think that sounds “fishy,” you can see for yourself in the library at Briarwood Elementary.--more-->

Taylor Lundeen, an eighth grade student at Pine Lake Middle School, won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee on January 8 and a chance at a $25,000 college scholarship.--more-->

PTSA's from Issaquah School District's Skyline High School and Lake Washington School District's Eastlake High School presented a parent-information forum on raising today's adolescents and how living in a high tech world often results in family "disconnects."--more-->

The August 2003 issue of FOCUS featured national and state awards earned by Issaquah school PTA's in the 2002-2003 school year.--more-->

Issaquah High School graduate Kim Ellett (Doughty) was selected as one of 100 national recipients of the annual Milken Family Foundation's National Educator Awards.--more-->

Cougar Ridge Elementary students are a jump ahead of the giving season this year—all in an effort to help children and families unable to afford vital medical care at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle.--more-->

School staff, students, and families celebrated Briarwood Elementary's 40th birthday recently.--more-->

Five years ago Maywood Middle School launched a Writing Assessment Program because two out of three (64.7%) Maywood 7th graders at that time were unable to write well enough to meet the state standards for 7th graders. In just five years of partnership with teachers and trained parents and volunteers, almost eight out of ten (79.7%) 7th graders meet or exceed those same standards.--more-->

"Student safety" is more than a two-word phrase to Issaquah School District bus driver Angela McSwain.--more-->