Marla Erath takes over as Newcastle Elementary principal
September 2, 2010
Marla Erath is taking over this year as principal of Newcastle Elementary School. By Tim Pfarr
Marla Erath, former Apollo Elementary School principal, is about to begin her first year as principal of Newcastle Elementary School.
Erath is a 13-year veteran of education, and she started her career as a teacher in first- and third-grade classrooms.
Ideas sprout at ‘green’ schools
September 2, 2010
Students infuse their lives with environmental perspective
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.
Maywood Middle School Principal Jason Morse (right) accepts an award on behalf of the school from King County Executive Dow Constantine for reaching level-one certification in the King County Green Schools Program. Contributed
But even students with the greenest of intentions need guidance, and many got it from King County’s Green Schools Program. Liberty High School, Maywood Middle School and Newcastle Elementary School each participated in the program.
The Renton School District does not participate in the program, but is revising its energy policy, which will address sustainability, Renton School District Resource Conservation & Safety Manager Jonathan Stine said. Some schools in the district also have composting programs.
King County Green Schools began as a pilot program in 2002 and opened to K-12 public and private schools in 2003, Project Manager Dale Alekel said.
McKnight teacher helps develop sustainability curriculum for college and seventh-grade students
September 2, 2010
McKnight Middle School science teacher Carlie Jonas was a member of a six-person team that worked at the Fred Hutchinson Research Center this summer to design a sustainability curriculum to be used at Arizona State University.
Carlie Jonas
However, students at Arizona State aren’t the only ones who will get to learn about the subject. Jonas teamed up with McKnight language arts, social studies and science teachers to create a sustainability curriculum for the school’s seventh-graders.
In science courses, students will work on a project in which they choose local systems — such as waste-management systems — and redesign them to make them more sustainable. In humanities, students will learn about their roles as consumers, the lifecycles of the products they use and social equity, equal access to needed resources.
New and improved St. Louise schoolhouse ready for students
September 2, 2010
A new school year brings thrills and anticipation for children, as with it comes new teachers, supplies, uniforms and friends.
This year, students at St. Louise School and Faith Formation Center have another new thing to be excited for: a new school building.
For nearly 50 years, the private Catholic school, near Crossroads in Bellevue, has provided a learning place for students in kindergarten through eighth grade from Seattle and the greater Eastside, including Newcastle. This year, 454 students will attend St. Louise — 18 of them from Newcastle.
Issaquah School District launches social networking site
September 2, 2010
Forget Facebook. Issaquah School District students, teachers and parents will soon be connected online with a site dedicated to advancing education.
This fall, every student in the district will get usernames to Issaquah Connect, a secure social networking site run from the district’s server.
“This is a virtual extension of our classrooms,” Executive Director of Educational Technology Colleen Dixon said. “This is the world, this is how we interact, how we get information and how we talk to each other in many ways.”
Issaquah Connect has been operational for about a half-year, but teachers have been using other online tools, like Blackboard and Google Groups, to connect with students for years.
Open enrollment is set for February
September 2, 2010
If you want your student to attend a different school, open enrollment is in February. Families can request student transfers to schools outside their residential attendance area for the next school year. Whether requests are filled depends on space. Call 837-7010 or go to www.issaquah.wednet.edu/ district/departments then click on “Operations” then “Open enrollment and transfers.”
Follow progress online
September 2, 2010
Family Access is an online tool that allows students and parents to view their educational records, including test scores, attendance records and class schedules. Families with secondary school students also have access to grades.
Login or get more information about obtaining your password at www.issaquah.wednet.edu/family. If you don’t already have a password, obtain it from your school secretary or registrar by showing photo identification.
Questions?
September 2, 2010
Still have a question? Call the District Administrative Office, 837-7000, or try the website, www.issaquah.wednet.edu.
Washington falls short in federal schools grant
September 2, 2010
Washington is out of the running for the Race to the Top federal education grant program.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced 19 states as finalists July 27, but the list did not include Washington.
Race to the Top is a federal, incentive-based grant program that asked states to submit education reform packages to address assessment, teaching standards, early childhood education, graduation rates and the achievement gap.
Sheriff’s office investigates death threat at Liberty High
August 5, 2010
Issaquah School District officials and the King County Sheriff’s Office continue their investigation into who may be responsible for a death threat that appeared on a restroom wall at Liberty High School on June 23.
The writer threatened to bring a gun to school Oct. 27 “and shoot everybody,” police said in describing the pencil-written message.
Liberty Principal Mike Deletis e-mailed members of the school community July 8, following an Issaquah Press article about the incident.
“Because we always take such messages seriously, we immediately contacted the King County Sheriff’s Office,” he wrote. “Police officials launched an investigation, and we are working closely with them as they determine the credibility of the threat and try to identify the person who left the message.”
So far, investigators do not have any leads in the case or a possible suspect, Sgt. John Urquhart, sheriff’s office spokesman, said July 29.
