International Relations
February 19, 2013
Creekside Elementary School cultural fair celebrates diversity
Hola, hallo, salam, dia dhuit, an-nyung and alo are all ways to say “hello,” and as children made their way around the 34 booths Feb. 8 at Creekside Elementary School’s cultural fair, they learned greetings from around the globe.
“I think it’s very well done and very well thought out. And it’s very fun to be in,” fourth-grader Anthony Berlongieri said.
Risha Anumolu, 6, performs with her dance troop at the Creekside Cultural Fair on Feb. 8.
His own family can trace its roots back to many places, including Italy, Poland, Ireland, Scotland and Germany, but that night the 9-year-old was busy learning about his classmates’ heritage. He perused booth after booth, practicing saying “hello” in the native tongue, sampling different delicacies and collecting stickers for his passport. Read more
Issaquah students cast ballots in mock elections
October 30, 2012
The minimum age to vote is 18, but the hurdle did not stop students throughout the Issaquah School District from casting ballots in the tight races for president and governor.
Educators on local campuses organized mock elections or joined the annual Student Mock Election overseen by the state elections office to educate students about the importance of participation in the political process.
Students at Issaquah and Tiger Mountain Community high schools, Issaquah Middle School, and Creekside, Endeavour and Sunny Hills elementary schools cast ballots in ersatz elections or plan to do so by the actual Election Day, Nov. 6.
Teachers involved in the mock elections said the exercise is about more than determining whether students support Jay Inslee or Rob McKenna for governor.
Student Mock Election asks for future voters’ opinions
October 25, 2012
NEW — 9 a.m. Oct. 25, 2012
The minimum age to vote is 18, but the hurdle did not stop students throughout the Issaquah School District from casting ballots in the tight races for president and governor.
Educators on local campuses organized mock elections or joined the annual Student Mock Election overseen by the state elections office to educate students about the importance of participation in the political process.
Students at Issaquah and Tiger Mountain Community high schools, Issaquah Middle School, and Creekside, Endeavour and Sunny Hills elementary schools cast ballots in ersatz elections or plan to do so by the actual Election Day, Nov. 6.
Teachers involved in the mock elections said the exercise is about more than determining whether students support Jay Inslee or Rob McKenna for governor.
Issaquah schools receive $150,085 in donations
October 16, 2012
Programs and classrooms in the Issaquah School District got a $150,000 boost last month in the form of donations.
The various gifts were approved by the school board during its regular meetings Sept. 12 and 26.
The first allotment, $90,750 was approved Sept. 12 and included a $56,250 check from the Issaquah Schools Foundation. The money is set to be divided among four district programs — $12,750 for financial literacy, $18,000 for high school robotics, $7,500 for middle school robotics and $18,000 for pre-K summer school.
Spurred by Skyline threat, absences jump 70 percent at other schools
September 25, 2012
Student attendance in the Issaquah School District tumbled Sept. 20, and absences spiked by 70 percent, as police investigated a shooting threat against Skyline High School.
District administrators decided late Sept. 19 to close Skyline the next day in response to the online threat and keep other campuses open. Staffers and students at other schools felt the ripples early.
Spurred by Skyline threat, absences jump 70 percent at Issaquah schools
September 20, 2012
NEW — 6:15 p.m. Sept. 20, 2012
Student attendance in the Issaquah School District tumbled Thursday, and absences spiked by 70 percent, as police investigated a shooting threat against Skyline High School.
District administrators decided late Wednesday to close Skyline on Thursday and keep other campuses open. Staffers and students at other schools felt the ripples early.
Districtwide, absences increased at 18 of 25 schools Thursday, although not every instance is attributable to the Skyline threat.
Officials counted 1,158 students absent Thursday, up from 680 a week earlier, Sept. 13, according to a comparison of attendance data. The district serves about 17,000 students from Preston to Newcastle, and from Sammamish to Renton.
Inaugural bus ride-along gets kindergartners ready for school
August 14, 2012
Issaquah School District kindergarten students and their parents line up to board a school bus Aug. 8 at Issaquah High School to become familiar with part of their new school experience. By Lillian O’Rorke
Standing in line next to a row of big yellow school buses, a flock of incoming kindergartners squirmed and jibber-jabbered as they awaited their maiden voyage.
State gives Issaquah School District campuses ‘green’ thumbs up
July 31, 2012
Creekside Elementary School Principal Robin Earl discusses the then-new school building prior to its opening in 2010. Visible behind her are the high windows that help cut back on the use of electric lighting. File
Local schools are no stranger to environmental awards, but the Issaquah School District was pleasantly surprised July 23 when two of its schools were honored by the state for their “green” leadership.
Issaquah PTSA honors outstanding volunteers at Golden Acorn Awards
April 3, 2012
The primary decorations were orange construction cones and yellow caution tape. Winners were described in terms keeping with that theme, such as construction tools or architects. One winner from the Issaquah School District PTSA Council was described as “the construction glue” that holds the council together.
Gathered in the commons of Pacific Cascade Middle School, the Issaquah PTSA Council held its annual Golden Acorn Awards ceremony March 27.
Not counting the several winners from the districtwide PTSA council, the night honored approximately 75 winners from 23 PTSA units, said Becky Lawrence, vice-president of elementary schools for the PTSA council. A committee of PTSA leaders from each school picked the winners from their individual schools, Lawrence added. As you might expect, criteria included what PTSA members have done for their schools, but also the district and their involvement in the community as a whole.
Creekside Elementary School goes all out for Operation Bald Eagle
February 7, 2012
Creekside Elementary School kindergartners Reagan Mitchell, Caden Culver and Ethan Ball (clockwise from bottom) show off pictures and decorated collection boxes going to Operation Bald Eagle. Contributed
There probably is no doubt that the Sammamish-based organization Operation Bald Eagle has inspired plenty of people to help United States troops and their families here and overseas.
Operation Bald Eagle has definitely touched the students and staff at Creekside Elementary School.
“At Creekside, a goal is to help each child realize that they are a leader and to encourage them to make a positive, meaningful difference in their community,” Creekside teacher Michelle Blake said.
According to both Blake and fellow instructor Katie Tasa, the school has numerous Student Leadership Clubs. Tasa and Blake are the faculty advisors to the clubs. Principles from the well-known book “Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” are taught at the school, Blake added.
Blake noted that her kindergarten class just happens to include Reagan Mitchell, the son of Operation Bald Eagle president and founder Jeff Mitchell.
