Local schools recognized for achievement award
May 7, 2013
State Superintendent Randy I. Dorn and State Board Chairman Jeff Vincent recognized several Issaquah schools with the Washington Achievement Award at an awards ceremony in Covington on April 30.
A total of 381 schools received awards, including Discovery Elementary School for overall excellence, math and science; Grand Ridge Elementary School for overall excellence; Beaver Lake Middle School for overall excellence; Cascade Ridge Elementary School for math; and Sunset Elementary School for science, according to a press release from the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The Washington Achievement Awards are based on Washington’s School Achievement Index and recognize elementary, middle school, high school and comprehensive schools. Schools are awarded using performance from 2010 to 2012 on statewide assessments in reading, writing, math and science, as well as graduation rates.
Planners steer more than $3 million to local road projects
January 15, 2013
Issaquah-area road projects received a green light to proceed — and more than $3 million — after planners approved a regional transportation program.
Puget Sound Regional Council leaders recommended funding for projects on Southeast May Valley Road, Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast, West Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast and 228th Avenue Southeast on the Sammamish Plateau.
The lineup includes projects just outside Issaquah city limits, but none inside the city.
Some dollars for the projects come from $440 million in federal funds distributed by the planning authority for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. State gas tax revenue and local funds then cover the remaining project costs.
Issaquah School District offers free preschool
January 15, 2013
The Issaquah School District invites parents of preschool-aged children to apply for free early childhood education courses.
The district is looking for typically developing youngsters to be a part of early childhood education classrooms that serve children with special needs at Apollo, Discovery and Sunset elementary schools.
Students must be at least 3 years old by April 15 to participate. Interested parents can pick up an application and get more information at the main offices of Apollo, Discovery or Sunset.
Crews to start trail project near Sunset Elementary School
January 1, 2013
Motorists should prepare for changes along West Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast near the Issaquah School District’s Sunset Elementary School, as crews start work on a $4.8 million project to add a trail for bicyclists and pedestrians.
The initial phase encompasses a section of roadway between Interstate 90, near the Issaquah-Bellevue line, to Southeast 34th Street in Bellevue.
Under a plan approved Nov. 5 by the Bellevue City Council, crews from Tacoma-based Active Construction plan to add a multipurpose trail separated from vehicle traffic by a landscaped buffer. Plans also call for crews to add pedestrian crossings along the north-south corridor.
Issaquah memorable moments from 2012 entertain, educate
December 25, 2012
The cast of the national tour of the jukebox musical ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ performs a song in the Tony Award-winning show. File
Entertainment came to Issaquah in some surprising forms throughout 2012.
Besides the usual retinue on the page, stage and screen, a documentary peeled back the layers at Costco and big-name authors signed books for local readers.
The city hosted celebrities, spotlighted residents on the national stage and celebrated big debuts in recent months. The boldface names earned cred through stints on reality TV, titles on bestseller lists and hardware aplenty — a Tony Award, a National Book Award.
Reality TV plugs in local contestants
Lindzi Cox pursued “The Bachelor” and Lizzie Parker competed for the title “Fashion Star” as local women added grace to reality TV contests.
Cox, a 2003 Liberty High School grad, competed against 24 other bachelorettes to win a rose from the titular bachelor, Ben Flajnik, and reached the final round on the ABC dating game.
Students choose Barack Obama, Jay Inslee in mock election
November 27, 2012
Students statewide and in the Issaquah School District chose the same candidates as grown-up voters — Barack Obama for president and Jay Inslee for governor.
The exercise included 38,848 students statewide, including classes at Cascade Ridge Elementary, Endeavour Elementary, Sunset Elementary, Pine Lake Middle and Issaquah High schools in the Issaquah School District.
The number of students participating statewide shattered the record for participation — about 18,000 students — set in 2008.
Students choose Barack Obama, Jay Inslee in mock election
November 13, 2012
NEW — 8 a.m. Nov. 13, 2012
Students statewide and in the Issaquah School District chose the same candidates as grown-up voters — Barack Obama for president and Jay Inslee for governor.
The exercise included 38,848 students statewide, including classes at Cascade Ridge Elementary, Endeavour Elementary, Sunset Elementary, Pine Lake Middle and Issaquah High schools in the Issaquah School District. The number of students participating statewide shattered the record for participation — about 18,000 students — set in 2008.
Students cast ballots online from Oct. 29 to Nov. 2, and then Secretary of State Sam Reed’s office posted the results online. The results in the statewide Student Mock Election reflected the outcome in the real election, albeit with different margins.
Planners steer dollars to Issaquah-area road upgrades
October 26, 2012
NEW — 8 a.m. Oct. 26, 2012
Issaquah-area road projects received a green light to proceed — and more than $3 million — Thursday, after planners approved a regional transportation program.
Puget Sound Regional Council leaders recommended funding for projects on Southeast May Valley Road, Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast, West Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast and, on the Sammamish Plateau, 228th Avenue Southeast.
The lineup includes projects just outside Issaquah city limits, but none inside the city.
Some dollars for the projects come from $440 million in federal funds distributed by the planning authority for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. State gas tax revenue and local funds then cover the remaining project costs.
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.
Group recommends dollars for Issaquah-area road projects
October 2, 2012
Planners recommended more than $2 million Sept. 13 to help fund road projects in the Issaquah area, including upgrades to West Lake Sammamish Parkway Southeast, Issaquah-Hobart Road Southeast and Southeast May Valley Road.
The projects could garner a small slice of more than $440 million in federal funds proposed by the Puget Sound Regional Council — the planning authority for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.
The planning agency is considering transportation improvements throughout the region. Citizens can comment on the proposals through Oct. 25, the day the agency’s executive board votes on a regional transportation plan.
