State Announces In-Person Instruction for the 2021-2022 School Year
Next year’s school days are coming into focus. In an online article published in May, Washington Superintendent Chris Reykdal said, “Our students will be learning from their school buildings full-time in the upcoming school year. Students may choose to enroll in a remote learning program, but school districts may not offer hybrid or remote learning to the exclusion of full-time, in-person learning.”
The Washington Office of Superintendent and Public Instruction (OSPI)’s main objective centers around providing full-time, in-person education for all interested students with the following mandatory mitigation measures outlined by the Washington Department of Health: face coverings, hand washing, ventilation, cleaning and disinfecting, and details of how schools report and respond to cases of COVID-19.
Schools will not require vaccines for in-person instruction in the fall. In the aforementioned article, Reykdal said, “Vaccines will not be mandatory for eligible students or for staff this school year. Immunization requirements, which are set by the State Board of Health, take time to review, approve, and implement — and we are far away from that happening.”
Questions? Contact the OSPI COVID-19 information hotline: 1-800-525-0127.
More School News
2021 Issaquah High School Graduation
Congratulations to the graduating class of 2021; the victory is finally here! This year’s Issaquah High School (IHS) senior class graduation is Thursday, June 11, at 4 p.m. at T-Mobile Park. Tickets are required for the ceremony, with strict COVID-19 protocols in place. For all IHS senior-related info, click here.
Superintendents High School Art Show Top Finalist – Taylor Yingshi
The annual Washington Superintendents High School Art Show, with the OSPI and the Washington Art Education Association, acknowledges and celebrates gifted student artists. Issaquah Highlands resident Taylor Yingshi won the highest honor for her imaginative creation entitled “Parallels.” Congratulations, Taylor! Click here for more about the OSPI competition and view the online gallery.
Congratulations 2021 Issaquah Highlands PTSA Award Recipients
Each year, local Issaquah Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSAs) present awards to their volunteers, recognizing their exceptional dedication and service in our community. Congratulations Issaquah Highlands awardees: Angela Bizzari, Hannah Coblentz, Kim de Booij-Moors, Natasha de los Reyes, Laura Gaffney, Nicole, Garcia, Toni Hunter, and Nate Perea. Double congratulations to Hannah Coblentz for earning an Issaquah Council PTSA Issaquah School District (ISD) award for her stewardship of “ParentWiser.” We’re thankful for all our volunteers and can’t do it without everyone.
Reminder: School Offices are Closed Over the Summer
All local and ISD school offices close over the summer. Most administrative staff work limited hours after the conclusion of the school year. Offices reopen for August’s back-to-school registration. For specific closures, days, and hours, contact individual ISD schools for more information.
ISF Parenting Summer Toolbox
Congratulations, Issaquah families; we’ve almost made it through the school year. As we close out the school year, the Issaquah Schools Foundation (ISF) is sharing ideas on different ways to avoid the “summer slide,” referring to a backward academic slide many children experience, including loss of knowledge such as reading and math skills. Did you know children can lose up to three months of academic progress over the summer? To help, check out ISF’s summer toolbox for ideas and resources.
Tools4Schools: Register or Donate
Tools4School provides new backpacks filled with basic school supplies for ISD K-12 students who need extra support. Issaquah Highlands families can help donate school supply kits, backpacks, or both – click here to learn how. Know a student who needs a backpack and supplies? Click here to register a student. Registered pickups will take place on August 12, 2021, at Clark Elementary.
ISD Annual Community Report for 2019-2020
ISD announced their Annual Community Report, per OSPI guidelines, compiling data from the 2019-2020 school year. The report contains an interactive scorecard with student performance and state assessment data to provide a fuller picture of success. The report also includes an overview of the district’s finances, including revenues and expenditures, with a guide to understanding the 2019-2020 budget. Questions? Contact ISD Executive Director of Communications – Digital Strategy, Lesha Engels.
OSPI Academic and Student Well-Being Recovery Plan 2021
The ISD School Board recently approved an OSPI Academic and Student Well-Being Recovery Plan for the 2021-2022 school year. In creating an equitable and fair Recovery Plan, the board’s top priority is student social-emotional well-being. The comprehensive report will be published publicly on the ISD website in mid-June and will explain current and proposed grade-level academic and social-emotional strategies for grades pre-K-12.
Tracie Jones is an Issaquah Highlands resident.
