Category Archives: News & Events

PTSA Equity Presentation

Posted on by

Leading with Equity 
This presentation will better help you sharpen your equity lens and develop a deeper understanding on inequities students and families may face. We will define some equity terms used by the district and review some key training components. There is much work to be done. The district is looking for partners. Come join the conversation in supporting our students with equitable outcomes.  

Thursday, May 20th, 2021
9:30-11:30am

Questions? Contact our Issaquah PTSA Council Family and Community Engagement Coordinator, Alicia Spinner: face@issaquahptsa.org

Special Education Webinar #4 is Available!

Posted on by

Webinar #4 (recorded on 3/9/2021) focuses on these questions –

  • I received a question from a parent interested in the role of paraprofessionals w/in Special Ed.
    • How do the education/certification requirements for a special education teacher compare to special education paraprofessionals?
    • Is there specific training provided to paraprofessionals in special education settings?
    • When and why is a para chosen as a student’s IEP pull out instruction leader instead of a certificated Special Education teacher?
    • Is there a daily system of feedback between the para and the teacher to track progress or lack thereof?
  • Families are still having a hard time getting access to in-person appointment services for LRC1 students. I’ve received feedback that parents are requesting appointment services for students with learning regression during IEP meetings but still being told it isn’t an option. Are you aware of these situations and how can more students get access to in-person assistance? 
  • The district is currently bargaining with the teacher’s union and other unions to allow secondary students to return to hybrid in-person learning at least one day per week.
    • If those union agreements can be reached, would that provide an opportunity for LRC2 students to attend their general education classes in-person with their peers?
    • If union agreements can be reached, could students with IEPs (both LRC1 & LRC2) be given access to more time in-person teaching than students without IEPs?
    • Would separate bargaining need to occur for the special education population to take advantage of those opportunities like what happened with the K-3 memorandum of understanding (or MOU)?

You can find it on the Special Education Page.

Special Education Webinar #2 is now up!

Posted on by

This second webinar focuses on these questions –

  • How should LRC1 families push back or escalate their request if their IEP team is not aware of the option for limited in-person support?
  • When a return date for hybrid in-person learning is determined, how will services for LRC1 students change – both for families who choose to return in-person and for those who remain fully remote?
  • For IEP meetings, can you describe the experience ISD would like parents to have? Could you suggest some steps that could be taken by families or IEP teams to improve the process?

You can find it on the Special Education Page.

2020-2021 Executive Board

Posted on by
Welcome to our newly elected executive board for 2020-2021:
  • President: Erin Eaton
  • Treasurer: Pauline Tamblyn
  • Secretary: Cindy Kelm
  • Vice President of Middle & High Schools: Carla Geraci
  • Vice President of Elementary Schools Central: Lauren Bartholomew
  • Vice President of Elementary Schools South: Nicole Morgan
  • Vice President of Elementary Schools North: OPEN 

2020-2021 Slate Announced

Posted on by

The Nominating Committee has announced their slate for the executive board of the Issaquah PTSA Council for 2020-2021.

The election will take place at our General Membership Meeting on 6/18/2020.

PresidentErin Eaton
Vice President Elementary Schools *SouthNicole Morgan
TreasurerPauline Tamblyn
SecretaryCindy Kelm
Vice President Elementary Schools *CentralLauren Bartholomew
Vice President Elementary Schools *NorthOPEN
Vice President Middle and High Schools**Carla Geraci

October 2018 Best Practices

Posted on by
  • Make sure all of your elected officers are trained, and at least one of your elected officers has attended PTA and the Law.
  • Print these documents from the WSPTA website and become familiar with them. They will help remind you of the items you need to gather and complete to keep your PTA in good standing, and will help you keep your timeline on track.
  • Standards of Affiliation – This sheet should be filled in and complete by the end of November, with the possible exception of your PTA’s corporate renewal, which will be filed during the month that your PTA was first incorporated.
  • Standards of Excellence – Show your membership that your PTA is following best practices by applying for the Standards of Excellence Award (due March 1st). Refer to the timeline checklist each month to see what your PTA should be doing during this time, and gather/create documents as you go. If you put your notebook together a bit at a time over the course of the year, it’s quick and EASY!
  • Make sure your voting delegates have been turned in to the Council secretary, and that you or one of your delegates is planning to attend each Council membership meeting.
  • Register for Legislative Assembly here: https://www.pt-avenue.com/conference/  (October 21-22, Green River College, Auburn). Encourage your board members to attend. Make sure you have submitted the names of your PTA’s voting delegates to WSPTA (due Oct. 12).
  • Send the Legislative Principles, Issues and Resolutions Survey to your membership. Share the data with your Legislative Assembly delegate(s), so their vote will properly represent your membership at Leg. Assembly.
  • Brand and Market your PTA! Educate EVERYONE in your school community (not only your membership) about each and every program and event that your PTA supports. Show them how your PTA benefits your students. If you sponsored it, put a sticker on it! If you have an event, hang a banner! This is how you attract members and encourage donations. 🙂

Issaquah PTSA Council Elected Executive Board for 2018-2019

Posted on by

Congratulations to our newly elected Executive Board for 2018-2019:

President:  Leslie Kahler
Secretary:  Sara Carmichael
Treasurer:  Laila Collins
VP Elementary North:  Ina Ghangurde
VP Elementary Central:  Wendy Shah
VP Elementary South:  Korista Smith-Barney
VP Middle Schools:  Open
VP High Schools:  Dawn Peschek

 

We are still seeking a VP of Middle Schools.

2018-2019 Issaquah PTSA Council Executive Board Slate

Posted on by

2018-2019 Issaquah PTSA Council Nominating Committee Report

The 2017 – 2018 Issaquah PTSA Nominating Committee places the following names in nomination:

For office of President: Leslie Kahler

For office of Secretary: Sara Carmichael

For office of Treasurer: Laila Collins

For office of VP Elementary North: Ina Ghangurde

For office of VP Elementary Central: Wendy Shah

For office of VP Elementary South: Korista Smith-Barney

For office of VP Middle Schools: Open

For office of VP High Schools: Dawn Peschek

The nominating committee has confirmed that all nominees have been a member of a PTA for at least 30 days prior to the election, and meet other requirements as state in the Washington State PTA Uniform Bylaws.

Respectfully Submitted by:

Laila Collins

Wendy Shah

Valerie Yanni

Laurelle Graves