Ideas sprout at ‘green’ schools
August 17, 2010
For many students heading back to school this year, green is the new black.
From the clothes and appliances they buy to the way they conserve energy and recycle waste, green students are infusing their lives with an environmental perspective.
But even students with the greenest of intentions need guidance, and many got it from King County’s Green Schools program. Out of Issaquah’s 25 schools, 10 have participated in the program: Cascade Ridge, Challenger, Clark, Discovery, Endeavour and Newcastle elementary schools, Beaver Lake, Maywood and Pine Lake middle schools and Liberty High School.
Jack Sansing (left) and Katie and Noah Springborn directed their classmates to use the correct bins after lunch as members of Cascade Ridge Elementary's 2009 Green Team. By Christopher Huber
King County Green School began as a pilot program in 2002 and opened to K-12 public and private schools in 2003, Project Manager Dale Alekel said.
Powered by gravity, steered by fun
July 20, 2010
More than 50 special-needs children suit up for 13th annual Rotary challenge race
By Greg Farrar Mary Hartung (left), co-driver, waves at the crowds and Caitlin Gaylord, driver, prepares to pilot their gravity car
By Greg Farrar Mary Hartung (left), co-driver, waves at the crowds and Caitlin Gaylord, driver, prepares to pilot their gravity car
On July 17, Second Avenue Southeast was transformed into a racetrack as soapbox cars full of grinning children whooshed down the hill in lieu of the usual streams of weekend traffic.
The road was closed off for the 13th annual Issaquah Rotary Challenge Gravity Car Race.
More than 50 special-needs children of all ages came to participate in the race as co-drivers. Each was accompanied by a driver, one- or two-dozen children ages 11-13 who were trained to operate the cars earlier in the day. Read more
Big stars are on the rise at Challenger Elementary School
June 15, 2010
Challenger Elementary School students danced and sang their way to school success at the recent talent show. Below, fourth-grader Kyliann McClain’s Hula Hoop/dance extravaganza was a showstopper, as she twirled to several popular songs, including MC Hammer’s ‘Can’t Touch This.’ Photos by Tanja Fontana
Challenger Elementary School students of all ages danced, sang and dribbled their way to community stardom at this year’s school talent show June 4. Read more
Skyline grad going strong after first Formula series win
April 27, 2010
When David Cheng, of Sammamish, won his first Pacific Formula 2000 race March 6 in Fontana, Calif., his operations manager, Dan Gulickson, cried for hours.
Emotions ran high as Cheng, 20, and his crew had to adapt to last-minute monsoon-like conditions and drive intelligently to beat out the competition. In the final lap, he had a 20-second lead, but the flagger had not put out the white flag to signal the last lap, Cheng said. He slowed down a bit, confused and trying to stay ahead. With no windshield, water sprayed in his face at up to 160 miles per hour. But he still managed to cross the finish line first.
“I’m not losing this … I’m not losing this,” Cheng told himself in the car’s cockpit. “You need incredible mental concentration.”
After meeting at Chrysalis School in Woodinville, Cheng and Gulickson, his former teacher, teamed up to pursue both of their passions: speed.
“With racing, I always loved it,” said Cheng, a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie, who found an interest in racing at age 6.
Gulickson, a Klahanie resident, helped Cheng rise through the racing-circuit ranks and eventually go pro in 2009.
Middle-school programs making an !MPACT this summer
April 13, 2010
Looking for something to keep your elementary or middle schooler occupied this summer?
Look no further than the Issaquah School District’s summer programs.
District officials are registering students for their Club Connection and !MPACT programs through April 16. The programs provide care for students from 7 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. during the workweek, and provide fun activities and field trips for students at neighborhood schools all summer.
“It’s not a normal summer camp and it’s not a daycare,” said Amanda Enright, a program leader. “This is way more fun for kids. In fact, we’re away from the schools three days a week. And on the days we’re there, we have cool activities, like theater improv, video game design contests, water battles, cooking and food fights.”
!MPACT serves all 2010-11 incoming sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders. There are two locations — Beaver Lake Middle School and Pacific Cascade Middle School (the former freshman campus).
Club Connection is hosted at five locations: Apollo, Challenger, Grand Ridge, Cascade Ridge and Sunset elementary schools. Read more
Locals step up to aid Haitians
January 26, 2010
Nine cafeteria tables are covered with baked goods provided by more than 300 Sunset Elementary families for the Sunset Kids for Haiti bake sale. World Vision, American Red Cross and Partners in Health were the charities selected to receive the $4,164 raised. By Greg Farrar
Issaquah community groups, churches and schools are stepping up to help Haiti.
Since Jan. 12, when a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated the country, rescue and relief efforts have been sent from around the world amid recurring aftershocks, which have registered upward of 5.0 magnitude.
Haitian officials have recorded more than 70,000 deaths. However, they estimate the death toll may rise to nearly 200,000. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, according to the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook.
Locally, Issaquah School District schools, like Sunset and Challenger elementary schools and Liberty High School, have raised thousands of dollars to help relief efforts in Haiti.
Challenger is accepting donations for the U.S. Fund for United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund for Haiti. Read more
PSAT scores available after Jan. 4
December 29, 2009
Scores for students who participated in the districtwide Pre Scholastic Assessment Tests this fall will be available Jan. 4.
Parents interested in learning what the scores mean for students and additional opportunities available for them having taken the tests can attend a meeting with district officials at 6 p.m. Jan. 6 in the administration building, 565 N.W. Holly St.
Parents can review their child’s answers and find out how to improve their skills in areas like math, reading and writing, and learn about the National Merit Scholarship Program.
District officials can also help parents and students create an educational plan to help students reach their goals.
Voters will decide fire-protection funding measure
October 27, 2009
Voters will decide fire-protection funding measure
Voters in Klahanie, Preston, Tiger Mountain, May Valley and Carnation — the area covered by Fire Protection District 10 — will decide whether to reauthorize a charge to provide dollars for emergency fire and medical service on the Nov. 3 ballot.
Proposition 1 would lower the district property tax rate from $1.50 to a maximum of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value. No organized opposition to Proposition 1 has materialized.
District officials said a lower property tax rate in conjunction with the charge — based upon building size and use — is a more equitable and stable way to pay for emergency services.
Telephone lines down at some schools; use e-mail instead
October 26, 2009
NEW — 9:45 a.m. Oct. 26, 2009
Due to stormy weather, telephone lines were out at Challenger and Briarwood elementary schools and Liberty High School this morning.
District officials are trying to determine the cause of the outage.
Challenger’s telephone lines went out at about 8 a.m., and Liberty’s and Briarwood’s sometime before that, said Lissy Mandel, spokeswoman for the district.
District officials ask that you contact the schools via e-mail for emergency situations.
Lend a helping hand before the first bell rings
August 25, 2009
Community and church volunteers paint an Apollo Elementary School portable classroom Aug. 22 during Help A Teacher Day 2009. The Aug. 22 event was one of two sponsored by Pine Lake Covenant Church. Contributed
Bringing an apple for teachers may be an excellent idea the first day, but how about helping them get their classrooms ready?
Some teachers, especially those recently hired, spend long hours putting their classrooms together. Pine Lake Covenant Church is asking for your help.
This year, church pastors and volunteers are sponsoring Help A Teacher Day 2009 Aug. 29. Volunteers are assigned to teachers in the Issaquah School District who need help prepping their classroom.
Volunteer teams will work at Apollo, Challenger, Cougar Ridge, Grand Ridge, Issaquah Valley and Sunset elementary schools, and in special-education classrooms at Tiger Mountain Community and Skyline high schools.
“The idea came in response to all the budget-cut news wires they were sending out to keep the community informed,” Beth Yeager, community mission pastor for the church, said about district and state communications. “Knowing teachers face challenges in the year coming up, with increased class sizes and reductions in resources, this is a way to come alongside teachers.
“We want to support them and to let them know the community is grateful for their teaching, and let them know we are behind and support them.” Read more
