Issaquah School District: School Board Meeting Updates: November 15, 2021 Meeting

Press release from the Issaquah School District:

November 16, 2021

The Issaquah School Board held a regular meeting Monday, Nov. 15 at the Issaquah School District Administration Building. The meeting was broadcast live on the ISD YouTube channel, and a recording of the meeting is available.

The following is a summary of the topics the Board and district staff discussed and action the Board took at the meeting. It is not an official record or meeting minutes. To review official minutes from all board meetings, please visit our board meeting archive webpage.

Prior to the regular board meeting, the Board conducted a work study about School Security Supports and a debrief discussion about Board-Teacher Listening Sessions.  

In the first conversation, representatives from the Sammamish Police Department, City of Sammamish Mayor Karen Moran and the Board discussed the current partnership between the Issaquah School District’s School Resource Officer program and the City of Sammamish.  

During the second conversation, the Board shared what they heard during three secondary Teacher Listening Sessions. Board members said key themes that teachers addressed included equity, social-emotional learning and other topics of interest. After the upcoming sessions with our elementary teachers, the Board plans to develop a plan including next steps. 

To listen to the two work study sessions, watch our YouTube Channel.  

To listen to the Board debrief the two work study sessions, watch our YouTube Channel. 

Gibson Ek freshman Havah Alcorn thanked the Board for the opportunity to speak on behalf of her fellow students. Alcorn shared: 

Internships play a vital role in education at Gibson Ek. She has enjoyed learning about a potential career as a teacher.  

The school’s makerspaces provide critical opportunities for student learning. Alcorn noted that students have access to the full Adobe Suite, but that they would benefit from more powerful computers. 

Since her first day at Gibson Ek, she has appreciated how inclusive it is, and the way students are encouraged to be kind community-builders. 

To listen to Alcorn’s report to the Board, watch our YouTube Channel.

Superintendent Ron Thiele updated the Board on the 2021-22 school year. Highlights include:  

We successfully hosted a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic in partnership with Costco Pharmacies last week. Costco pharmacists administered 1,673 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine to our students.  

Recovery efforts: We have now been back in school for more than 50 days, and we are beginning to receive some helpful data about students to aid in recovery efforts. Throughout the district, we are seeing improved student behaviors as we reinforce expectations for students and provide needed supports.  

Students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 recently participated in the Healthy Youth Survey. Data from the survey is used to help plan programs that support our youth and reduce their risks. In addition, assessments including iReady and the first-ever fall Smarter Balanced Assessment have recently been administered.  

At the high school level, first quarter grades are out; middle school trimester grades will be out the first week of December.  

We are happy to report the lowest count of COVID-19 cases within the system this past week since our first report during the first week of school.  

To listen to Thiele’s updates to the Board, watch our YouTube Channel. 

On Nov. 9, 2021, Superintendent Thiele announced that he will retire at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. Board President Suzanne Weaver began by sharing that Thiele has been a strong collaborator with the Board and that they have been delighted by his focus on a “Culture of Kindness,” among other accomplishments.  

Weaver led a discussion about the process to select the next superintendent for our district, including potential search firms, listening sessions with our community and determining next steps as a Board.  

To listen to highlights of Thiele’s tenure shared by Board members and their preliminary conversation about the upcoming superintendent search, watch our YouTube Channel.  

The Board discussed GP-5 as it pertains to ISD Regulation 4220P. Regulation 4220P concerns a narrow band of complaints regarding staff. While Board action was not required, the conversation generated further clarity around the role of the Board, the Director of the Board and the Superintendent moving forward. With the Board now removed from the equation, the public can appeal to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) if they do not agree with a decision made by the Superintendent. 

To listen to the conversation on GP-5 and Regulation 4220P, watch our YouTube Channel.  

Adjustments to the Ends and ELs monitoring calendar was unanimously accepted by the Board. Thiele said that adjusting the calendar will be helpful to staff who are compiling and analyzing the needed data. The approved changes can be viewed online.   

To listen to the approval of the annual monitoring calendar, watch our YouTube Channel. 

The Board discussed legislative activity pertinent to education, including their recent letters to Public Health – Seattle and King County and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.  

The Board plans to follow up with Public Health – Seattle and King County.  

In a meeting with State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, Reykdal shared that all additional Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Funds have been pre-allocated to other districts and community-based organizations. No additional funds will be allocated to the students of Issaquah School District.   

To listen to the discussion of legislative matters, watch our YouTube Channel.  

Thiele provided a brief status report of various projects and activities in the district. 

WSSDA Conference is happening Nov. 18-21 in Bellevue.  

Elementary conferences are coming up in early December. 

Great Careers Conference will be held in March at Gibson Ek High School. 

Thiele thanked everyone for their kind words around his service to the district and his upcoming retirement. 

To listen to Thiele share about various projects and activities in the district, watch our YouTube Channel. 

This press release was produced by the Issaquah School District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.