Dear Readers,
I hope your family is enjoying the new school year! The Cultural Bridges program will keep offering a variety of information and resources, reaching out to serve all families in the Issaquah School District community. Beginning with this issue, we will adjust our publication dates to November and March. This way, we can ensure the highest quality and broaden our support for more diverse families.
In my family, my younger child started middle school, while my older one is now a sophomore in high school. The transition from elementary to middle school has been tough for my younger child. I believe many families with 6th graders share this impression. Fortunately, we have wonderful teachers and staff helping students adjust to middle school life. This year, our District also launched a pilot innovative learning program called “Microschool” at Maywood Middle School and Pine Lake Middle School. This program provides hands-on and project-based learning along with academic studies (see Page 5).
At this time of year, many parents and students are also starting to think about volunteer opportunities with schools and community organizations. Before committing, please review the basic guidelines and requirements to make sure the experience is a good fit for both students and families (see Page 9).
As a parent, I want my children to grow up in a healthy environment with positive learning experiences. At the top of my list is technology safety, both at school and at home. Parents can learn from the District what efforts and resources are in place to ensure students use technology safely. Community organizations also provide valuable support for student and family well-being. One example is Influence the Choice, a program dedicated to preventing alcohol and substance abuse while encouraging high school students to advocate for themselves. All high schools in the Issaquah School District now have a TECH club to raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol and drugs (see Pages 14 & 16).
Please remember, you and your students are never alone. We are fortunate to have amazing community partners such as PEPS (Page 17), The Garage, The Circle (Page 19), and the Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank (Page 20). These organizations are accessible and provide consistent support to our school community. Meanwhile, our teachers, staff, the Issaquah Schools Foundation, and our PTA/PTSA volunteers continue to work tirelessly to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education.
I am deeply grateful to be part of this community. Here’s to another successful school year!
Laura Ni, Cultural Bridges Lead Editor & Program Manager
Issaquah Schools Foundation
laura@isfdn.org
In This Issue
- A letter for Readers
- Issaquah Schools Foundation
- Discover Microschools: A New Way to Learn in Our District
- Meet the Staff: Julie Rojo, Apollo Elementary Principal
- ISD Middle & High School Volunteer Guidelines
- Technology Safety & Screentime Resources
- King County Library System Program Information
- Calendar and Events
- Hidden in Plain Sight
- TECH Club at Liberty High School
- Many Cultures, One Family: A Pilot Program for International Families
- The Circle, Community Navigation
- Issaquah Food and Clothing Bank: Express Shopping
- From Samhain to Halloween: An Irish Tradition in America
