Ask your Counselor: High School

The Issaquah High School PTSA, with the help of counselors from their school, hosted an event in late October to talk about the most common questions new families usually have. Marisa García Struck, IHS FACE Coordinador, presents here some of the questions and valuable information for families with students in all high schools of the Issaquah School District.

When to contact a counselor and who are they?

Counselors can help families with: 1. Academic questions: College, Career Exploration, Course Planning, and in navigating academic challenges. 2. Mental health support or referral to Teen Health Counselor 3. Talking through challenges and, 4. Connecting to resources.

Counselors and administrators are assigned by your student’s last name. In the following table you can find the name and email of the counselor for your student according to his or her last name. For example, if you have an Issaquah High School student with the last name Smith, you need to contact Amber Owen- Clifford. To find a time to talk with your student’s counselor, please email them.

Gibson Ek High School

All Students: Shawn Mulanix, mulanixs@issaquah.wednet.edu

Issaquah High School

- A-COL: Alan Waite(waitea@issaquah.wednet.edu) - COM-HAM: Emily Combellick (combellicke@issaquah.wednet.edu) - HAN-LA: Christian McKone (mckonec@issaquah.wednet.edu) - LB-OL: Jennifer Martinson (MartinsonJ@issaquah.wednet.edu) - OM-SN: Amber Owen-Clifford (claussena@issaquah.wednet.edu) - SO-Z: Jennifer Schwarts (schwarzj@issaquah.wednet.edu)

Skyline High School

- A-COA: Kirsi Varsa (varsak@issaquah.wednet.edu) - COB-HOL: Todd Caffey (caffeyt@issaquah.wednet.edu) - HOM-LOA: Megan Laedtke (laedtkem@issaquah.wednet.edu) - LOB-PAT: Stephanie Anderson (andersons2@issaquah.wednet.edu) - PAU-SPZ: Deborah Walters (waltersd2@issaquah.wednet.edu) - SQA-Z: Kristen Flemer (flemerk@issaquah.wednet.edu)

Liberty High School

- A-E: Colleen Schiller (SchillerC@issaquah.wednet.edu) - F-LT: Vicki Kenney (kenneyv@issaquah.wednet.edu) - LU-RI: April Flores (floresa@issaquah.wednet.edu) - RJ-Z: Robin Klym (klymr@issaquah.wednet.edu)

What is Flex or NEST time?

Issaquah and Skyline High School offer this opportunity to students.

At Issaquah High School, students have NEST time on Tuesdays from 9:20 to 9:55 AM and on Wednesdays from 2:55 to 3:45 PM. During this time, students can ask for academic help from a teacher or have an appointment with his/her counselor. Students must make an appointment with their teachers or counselors to visit them at this time. NEST meets in a specific classroom with an assigned teacher, and attendance is taken.

At Skyline, students also can connect with teachers and couselors in Flex time on Tuesdays following 1st period (45 minutes) and Wednesdays following 6th period (50 minutes).

What should you do if your student is struggling in class?

1. Please ask your student to get help from his/her teacher directly, during class or agreed upon time. You can also reach your teacher by email or by Canvas message. Now, if your student does not want to ask for help, let them know that teachers really appreciate when students ask for help. And when a student asks for help, it only means that they care about their studies, and it doesn’t mean that they are not smart.

2. Student can use their NEST Time to meet with a teacher.

3. Student can form a study group with peers.

4. The Issaquah Schools Foundation funds tutoring sessions for students. Currently, these services are offered at Issaquah, Liberty, and Skyline. Ask your child’s teachers for information on how to access this service.

5. Look for a tutoring service; there are a few free options in our community. Mission InspirED is one of them: www.missioninspired.org

6. Apply for a Student Academic Grant. The Foundation is offering grants for students who need help to pay for tutoring and other academic assistance programs: https:// isfdn.org/our-purpose/advancingacademic-achievement5/studentacademic-grants/

7. Credit recovery: to make up a credit, your student can consider Summer School or Guided Studies if multiple credits need to be recovered (ask your counselor about these two options)

How to check your student’s grades or progress?

• Canvas: Canvas is Issaquah School District's Learning Management System for students in grades 6 - 12. Through Canvas, students can access all coursework, turn in assignments, and connect with their teacher and classmates. You can review your student’s progress by logging into Canvas through a Parent account. For more information on how to access Canvas to view your student courses: https://www.issaquah. wednet.edu/district/departments/ Technology/canvas

• Family Access: You can see Attendance, Grades for the end of terms, Mid-Terms, Quarters, and Semesters, and Credits and Milestones earned. For more information on how to log into Family access visit: https:// www.issaquah.wednet.edu/family/ FamilyAccess