Submit a Graduation Announcement for Summer Connections
Highlands Council is now seeking graduation announcements for publication in the summer 2024 issue of Connections! At this time, please submit announcements for graduates from high school, college, and technical/trade schools. To be featured, graduation announcements must be submitted by May 24, 2024. Be sure to select “Graduation” in the announcement form to provide all the relevant information for your graduate. (Issaquah Highlands residents only, please!) Please submit your grad here.
PTA Leadership Opportunities
Each spring PTA leaders not only finish putting on fun spring and end-of-school year events, but also look ahead to the next school year and work to fill board and chair positions. If you’ve been a passive PTA supporter in the past, consider exploring a more active role for next year. There are typically a variety of positions available – some require a short time commitment over a month or two, while others may require several hours each month through the school year.
PTAs are able to deliver more programming to support students and our school communities when more of our community joins in on the process. From meeting other parents, to getting a behind the scenes view of things at the school, you are sure to get out more than you need to put in! Check out your school’s PTA website for more details on available roles.
“My Stop” App Now Available for Bus Tracking
The Issaquah School District’s Transportation Department has a new tool that allows parents/guardians to view the estimated time of arrival for their student’s bus – the Versatrans My Stop App.
Once logged into the app (available on Android & Apple), select the child whose bus route information you want to view. A map will display with your child’s bus route and current bus location. Families will see a green line that represents the school bus route; a red dot that represents the student’s designated stop; and a yellow arrow that represents the bus route/direction.
GPS technology allows families to approximate the location of their school buses and the estimated time of arrival for a specific stop. Data on the app refreshes every 5 minutes. It is possible that your bus could arrive at the stop before the estimated arrival time because of the time it takes the system to refresh.
As a reminder, buses are subject to early or late arrivals based on several factors including traffic, stop lights, inclement weather and more. Riders are encouraged to arrive at their stop at least five minutes before their bus stop time to ensure getting on the bus.
Find more information on using My Stop here.
Upcoming Cultural Fairs
Clark Elementary hosts their second annual Cultural Night on Friday, April 19, starting at 6 p.m. They would love to have families sign up to hosts country/culture tables. The night will also feature third grade music performances. Find more details on Clark’s Cultural Night here.
Pacific Cascade Middle School will host their Cultural Night on Wednesday, May 15. Students and families can both get involved in creating a fun night to celebrate the numerous cultures of the PCMS community. Visit the PTSA website for more information.
Graduation Yard Signs
Each May a fun way to celebrate student milestones is with a personalized yard (or window) sign sharing the good news. Signs are typically sold by the PTAs with ordering deadlines in April (and earlier for high school) so check on your PTAs website if you are interested in purchasing one. And then remember that the Issaquah Highlands Community Association’s Use Restrictions & Rules requires that signs should not be displayed for more than 45 days, so be sure to take your student’s sign back inside shortly after June graduation celebrations.
Grand Ridge Summerfest Celebration
Grand Ridge students’ favorite end of year celebration, Summerfest, returns on Wednesday, June 12, from 6-8 p.m. This FREE event is hosted by the PTSA. Families can enjoy carnival games, a bounce house, an obstacle course, food trucks and more! Volunteers are welcome to help make this event a success, so please consider signing up to help – it’s also a wonderful opportunity for middle & high school students to get service hours.
March School Board Meeting Recap
The Issaquah School Board held a regular meeting on Thursday, March 28. Superintendent Heather Tow-Yick shared current works in progress, a bond planning update, upcoming capital projects, details about online learning, a monitoring report and more. A recording of the meeting is available on YouTube.
Bond Advisory Committee Meeting Update
Members of the Bond Advisory Committee met recently to continue learning about districtwide initiatives such as equity, belonging and family partnership. The committee began exploring tax impacts, what’s included in a construction budget, and the condition of ISD schools and facilities. This was the committee’s fifth meeting out of eight. Details about the committee, meeting materials and other information about the process are available online.
Submissions for the Student Art Calendar Due April 16
As a reminder, submissions for the printed Student Art Calendar for the 2024-25 school year will be accepted through April 16. All types of visual artwork that can be displayed in the calendar are accepted and encouraged, including painting, drawing, sculpture, digital art, photography, and ceramics. Artwork will be accepted until midnight on Tuesday, April 16. Art selections are finalized in May. Submit your artwork here.
