With our commitment to support the whole student, we prioritize ensuring students have access to resources that support their basic needs, sense of safety and belonging, and emotional health. It is only when these needs are addressed that students can take full advantage of the opportunities our donors open for them.
“Purposefull People taught me that everyone can make the world a better place by learning the traits that grow our character. It has helped me boost my confidence about being me.”
Chloe, Apollo Elementary 5th grader
We believe that every student deserves to have basic needs met so that they can take full advantage of the opportunities education presents. That’s why each year we direct donor funds to these growing areas of critical need in our district:
- Food Support: Foundation funding allowed the Issaquah School District to run a breakfast pilot in 2023, collecting data to determine the best way to address growing food insecurity amongst students. Donor funds then supported expansion of that pilot into the current ISD Breakfast Program and supplemented breakfast offerings at schools across the district.
- Nurse’s Fund: This special fund gives Issaquah School District nurses the ability to provide students immediate access to basic necessities like groceries, clothing, medications, eyeglasses, and transportation so that their focus can be on learning.
- Tools4School School Supplies: This Foundation-run program provides new backpacks filled with school supplies for ISD preschool-12th grade students who would otherwise not have the resources to access these necessities.
Food Support Program
“This is probably the most important and heartfelt and meaningful program I’ve been a part of in my 20+ years in this district. You see these bright beautiful faces getting ready for the school day with a nutritious breakfast. You know those kids are also going to get a lunch meal. They’re ready to learn. That doesn’t happen without the support of the Issaquah Schools Foundation.”
– Jason Morse, ISD Executive Director of Operations
Training and support for the adults closest to students is often the most effective means of supporting their mental and emotional health. That’s why donor funds are used to support learning for school counselors and parents.
- Forefront Suicide Prevention Training: Foundation donors have funded this critical training to ISD counselors for several years, helping to ensure they are well-equipped to address students in crisis.
- Belong Partners Parenting with Courage and Connection Workshop: The Foundation is proud to support the ISD Counseling department in bringing this inaugural training and support opportunity to district parents.
- Parentwiser: The Foundation has long supported the Issaquah PTSA Council in bringing a wide variety of speakers and training programs directly to parents and caregivers.
For several years Foundation donor funding has given all ISD 9th and 11th grade students and their parents the opportunity to experience the Center for Respect student presentations and parent programming event. This programming has been shown to lead to reduced sexual assaults, increased trust in school staff for reporting, and to life-long consent habits.
Financial struggle should never be an obstacle to accessing opportunity. Each year Foundation donors provide scholarships for students who need assistance with testing fees for any school proctored tests that align with their post-high school plans. Thanks to our donors, nearly 180 students were able to take advantage of these scholarships in the 2023/2024 school year.
Over 20 years ago the Issaquah Schools Foundation founded the VOICE Mentor Program. Today nearly 600 students are served by VOICE mentors and Foundation donors continue to support them with access to free books and supplies likes games and puzzles to be used during mentor/mentee sessions.
“Because he likes chess, I brought a Harry Potter chess set to play a few times and he did not know what the set meant so I introduced him to Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone through a book from the VOICE program library!!”
– T.B., mentor at Clark Elementary
The post-pandemic data around the mental and emotional state of our students was eye-opening and concerning. In response, the Issaquah Schools Foundation began utilizing donor dollars to better equip ISD staff to recognize and address a student mental health challenge BEFORE it became a crisis. Since 2022 over 200 ISD staff members have received this training.
“I feel better equipped to help others during a mental health crisis. The discussions and experiences of others in the class in school settings were insightful. This course equips you with the strategies to steer someone from the crisis situation to a calmer place. Although we may or may not be the one the person in distress would confide in, we can always direct them to the right person and resources and make a difference in their lives.”
– Usha Prasad, ISD Paraeducator