Established in 1987, the Issaquah Schools Foundation is an independent, 501(c)(3) organization that has raised more than $13 million in private fundraising dollars to support Issaquah School District students and teachers.
About Us
Why We Need a Foundation
Many parents and community members seek to understand the differences between these different student support systems and why we need so many to provide, what appears to be, the same function. While it is true that each of these organizations provide student support, they are each have a separate focus, function, and area of focus.
Our Issaquah PTAs and PTSAs aim to increase family engagement and inclusivity in singular schools within the Issaquah School District. Some of the programs that these organizations provide include, but are not limited to, Art in the Schools, Family and Community Engagement (FACE), Outreach, ParentWiser, Reflections, Special Education, and Volunteers for Issaquah Schools (VIS). The PTAs and PTSAs also fund extra-curricular activities such as curriculum nights, family-school events, and other community engagement opportunities.
The Issaquah Schools Foundation is an 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization able to support district-wide opportunities that help bridge the gap between state and local funding, and what it really costs to provide each of the 20,000 students in all 26 schools with the highest possible quality education.
Through donation-funded programs, the Foundation ensures that all students, from those that are struggling to those who excel and every child in between, have the resources they need to navigate their unique path to success. The Foundation provides myriad programs, including those that fall under the umbrella of Academic Enrichment, Academic Support, Mental Health Support, Funding for Basic Student Needs, and Programs Providing Community Outreach.
There are also instances where the Foundation and PTAs/PTSAs objectives overlap, and they enter ventures together. However, these two organizations are governed differently with respect to how they raise and spend money. PTA, as a national organization, is bound by strict by-laws which dictate how fundraising is achieved and how funds are implemented into programs. The Foundation, on the other hand, can pursue as much fundraising as is necessary to achieve its goals. Funding decisions are guided by the Foundation Board, as representatives of parents, together with teacher and administrative input. Decisions can be made, or changed, as the Foundation sees fit.
Our Issaquah PTAs and PTSAs are wonderful, and our schools are enriched due to their efforts. Our Foundation will continue bridging the gap between what public education offers and what a competitive, 21st-century education ideally should be. Thank you for your ongoing support of both organizations!
General Information
History
For 35 years, the Issaquah Schools Foundation has been making a difference in the lives of students and educators in the cities of Issaquah, Sammamish, Newcastle, Bellevue, and Renton, Washington. The 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, which began in 1987, has contributed more than $13 million to support educational opportunities in the community, funding programs for 26 schools and 20,000 students in the district.
Purpose
The Foundation drives resources district-wide to help students reach the promise of their potential. We strive to be the unifying organization that enables the Issaquah School District to provide access to exceptional opportunities district-wide that ignite learning, improve educational outcomes, and prepare all students to be confident, competent, and engaged citizens.
Programs
Programs of the Foundation include everything from academic support and funding for fine arts programs, robotics and high school clubs, to more essential needs, such as food support and backpacks.
Partnerships
For the past 12 years, the Foundation has also partnered with the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce, Issaquah School District, Port of Seattle, and other educational partners to offer the Great Careers Conference and Expo.
Inclusivity
With new families coming into our schools and the changing demographics, we must now seize every opportunity to inform, educate, and build awareness about the Foundation and its critical role in supporting a child’s educational journey. We help to promote student success as a compliment to the district by helping to build a foundation for great schools and great communities. We continue to focus on kids first!
Our History
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The Issaquah Schools Foundation was founded in 1987 by John and Maureen Shaw and had eight board members. At the time, the district consisted of approximately 7,000 students.
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The Foundation’s first fundraiser netted $25,000 in pledges. Over 160 volunteers manned the phones over a five-day period and collected from more than 700 donors through the “School-a-Thon” calling campaign.
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Money from the 1988 Phone-a-Thon was earmarked for new reference materials, especially maps and globes for the revised social studies program that was implemented in all grades int eh fall of 1989.
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To keep up with the growing needs of the district, the Foundation began a new fundraiser in 1998…a luncheon originally titled “Kick-off for Kids” now our annual Nourish Every Mind event.
