Wanted: volunteer for school board
September 19, 2008
As expected, Issaquah School Board Member Mike Winkler officially resigned his position Sept. 11.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to be on the board and to work with all the key players that make up the Issaquah School District,” Winkler said. “It has all been about the kids and my really strong belief in public education. I made this decision because of a difficult family circumstance. It is the right decision.”
Before leaving, Winkler called a variety of school district officials and community leaders to the floor to thank them for their service and dedication to the district. He also gave each a box of chocolates as a parting gift.
Winkler announced his intent to resign from the board June 25. He then cited new work related responsibilities and the desire to spend more time with his family.
School custodians seek mediation in contract dispute
September 19, 2008
Union representatives for the district’s custodial and grounds maintenance workers and district officials filed for mediation after being unable to come to a resolution on contract issues Sept. 9.
The district and the union have decided to pursue mediation because they are at an impasse on all major issues and therefore would like a third party to facilitate resolution, according to school district bargaining officials.
Issaquah Salmon Days wins three Silver Pinnacle Awards
September 19, 2008
The 2007 Issaquah Salmon Days Festival — with the theme 007, Spawn, Just Spawn — received
Spring challenging Anderson for state’s 5th District seat
September 19, 2008
Glenn Anderson Read more
Public opinion wanted about pool
September 19, 2008
As part of an ongoing feasibility study to determine what to do about the outmoded
Beaver Lake’s Buddy is back in class
September 19, 2008
It took more than 150 parent signatures and a lot of effort, but Patrick Ford, an industrial science teacher at Beaver Lake Middle School, has his buddy back — and so do his students.
Buddy 2.0 made her first appearance at school Sept. 11.
“It went really smoothly,” said Josh Almy, the school’s principal. “When I walked into class yesterday, Thursday, the first day Patrick had gotten all the signatures, the kids were just so excited.”
Buddy was temporarily exiled from the school she spent 15 years in, due to a new no-animal policy, which was approved by Issaquah School District officials for the start of the school year.
The policy was adopted to protect each school’s educational environment and students with health allergies, different cultural views, fears of animals or other medical issues, according to district officials.
“It is just so nice, because we have to be one of the only schools that has a bulldog for its mascot and a real one wandering the halls,” said Caroline Brown, co-president of the PTSA for the school. “When you do a blanket ban like this, it is nice when you look at the exceptions.”
The change was quite unexpected for many students, staff and administrators when they returned to school from summer break, especially at Beaver Lake.
Buddy, the school’s mascot, has roamed the halls of the school since 1994, when it opened. The first Buddy reigned from 1994-2005, when he died. Buddy 2.0 picked up the duty in 2005.
The policy affects every district facility — 24 schools and five administrative facilities. It prohibits any animals from being on campus, not just dogs.
“I understand and support the district’s policy first and foremost,” Almy said. “The policy was written to keep kids safe, even though it does affect Beaver Lake and something that is near and dear to our hearts.”
The policy allows animals on campuses if:
- They serve as an aid for an individual with special needs or accommodations.
- They support classroom instruction for curriculum outlined by the district.
- They support law enforcement or other emergency service activity.
Other exceptions can be made with clearance from district officials.
Pine Lake’s library would have been one of the school’s affected by the ban, but because Librarian Donna Bartholomew changed her policies regarding the two gerbils in the library, she was allowed to keep them.
“Our library is so student friendly, and one of the things that makes it so friendly is that it is high interest with those little guys running around in their cage,” Assistant Principal Michelle Caponigro said.
“It gets them into the library, which gets them to check out books and gets them reading,” she said, regarding students.
However, they are no longer able to handle, feed or clean the cage, she said.
To get Buddy 2.0 back, Ford had to send a permission slip to every parent in his class granting him permission to have her in his classroom. In asking, he had to identify Buddy 2.0’s usefulness to classroom curriculum and agree to accept any and all liability that stems from the dog being in class.
“There are policies in life that we have to follow and sometimes there is work to get it done, but it is definitely worth the work once it is done,” Almy said. “The neat part was to see how all the kids in his class really rallied around the cause for something that was really important to Patrick.”
To allow Buddy 2.0 to freely roam the school’s corridors again, the standard is even higher — getting every parent of every student in the school to sign a permission slip.
Ford and Buddy 2.0 were about 250 signatures short of that goal, according to district officials.
“I had to get 100 percent and I knew that I was never going to get that,” Ford said. “But I don’t think that 3 percent of the population should determine policy for 97 percent of the others.”
Reach Reporter Chantelle Lusebrink at 392-6434, ext. 241, or clusebrink@isspress.com.
Conversion of freshman campus will be in 2010
September 19, 2008
Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus will remain a freshman campus until fall 2010, leaving middle schools overcrowded one extra year. Once converted, PCFC will become a middle school.
Issaquah School District Superintendent Steve Rasmussen announced the delay Sept. 11 citing several factors including permit, construction and site delays.
Construction projects at Issaquah and Skyline high schools need large phases to be completed before the freshman class can be accommodated. Both are nearly seven weeks behind schedule after several summer delays.
Community points out flaws in hatchery plans
September 19, 2008
A roomful of concerned community members left with more questions than answers Sept. 11 after representatives from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife tried to explain their plans for altering operations at the Tokul Creek Hatchery in Fall City.
In an effort to bolster the wild steelhead population in the Snoqualmie River, department officials want to essentially sequester the hatchery-raised steelhead away to the Skykomish River.
The crowd of more than 100 community members at the Issaquah Salmon Hatchery were nearly in total agreement this was a bad idea that has not been thoroughly thought out, even those who agreed the wild steelhead population did need to be replenished.
Press Editorial
September 19, 2008
Best plan is for dual swimming pools Read more
To The Editor
September 19, 2008
Traffic
City needs to take steps to avoid a disaster at busy intersection
Traffic southbound on East Lake Sammamish Parkway at 56th Southeast is a disaster waiting to happen. With two lanes merging into one almost immediately, there are many confrontations.
The second lane should be made a right-turn only. This would allow the one lane to continue at the 40 mph limit instead of the 20 mph (or 0 mph when the left turn lane at Southeast 58th overflows).
A new 40 mph speed limit sign would also help, because most people are going only 35, if that (when there is little traffic).
Bob Johnson
Issaquah Read more
