Food support for hungry students.

Free academic support resources.

Social and emotional learning.

These resources and programs may seem to be standard assets within our local school system; however, the funding directly collected by the Issaquah School District cannot provide them. Every year, a team of volunteers and donors within the Issaquah Schools Foundation (ISF) works tirelessly to ensure that all students in the district have the academic and social support they need to succeed in school. 

I began working with the Foundation when I was fourteen years old. For another article I wrote for this magazine, I interviewed members of the ISF team, and upon learning a significant amount about the organization’s contributions to my daily life, I decided to get involved. I applied for the Student Trustee position in 2024, and now, at seventeen, I am about to enter my second year serving in the role. Being a Student Trustee has enabled me to understand the significance of the role the Foundation plays in setting the Issaquah School District up for success, and I have made it a goal of mine to help others understand the importance of actively supporting the Foundation’s work.

According to Niche’s 2025 Best School Districts in Washington list, the Issaquah School District is the fourth best school district in the state, with 295 public school districts in the running. This is due in part to the Issaquah Schools Foundation, and this ranking can only be upheld – or even raised – if people continue to uplift the ISF.  The district falls in the bottom ⅓ of districts in per pupil funding from the state, which means that the Foundation and its donors must step in to close funding gaps. “State funding does not fully cover the cost of education in Washington state, unfortunately,” explains Erin McKee, principal of Cougar Mountain Middle School. “We rely on levies, bonds, [the PTSA,] and the Issaquah Schools Foundation to ensure we can continue providing enriched learning experiences for our students.” With last year’s proposed bond measure failing to receive voter approval, the Foundation is now an even more prominent economic source for the district. 

The Foundation does so much more than people realize. Many parents and students in the district, even though they are impacted by the Foundation every day, have no idea how it truly operates. The Foundation funds a wide range of programs for student success, ranging from college preparation assistance and homework help to mental health resources and social emotional learning curricula. ISF donors provide all Newcastle Elementary kindergarten and 1st grade students with reading and literacy tools and curriculum support. The Foundation makes it possible for Cougar Mountain Middle School students to access virtual interactive labs that aid their scientific understanding inside and outside of the classroom. Foundation funding enables Liberty High School students to earn college credit for taking high school classes that interest them or start their own clubs. The youth of the Newcastle community are nurtured by the Foundation from kindergarten through graduation.

“When my oldest was a kindergartener, I was determined to get involved and stay connected,” says ISF Executive Director and Newcastle resident Trisha Marshall. “What really attracted me to [the Issaquah Schools Foundation] was the fact that it was really focused on all schools in the district, with an eye towards making sure all students had opportunities. I grew up with a sister with special needs in a different time where I saw firsthand how some kids could be left behind in education and I felt a lot of passion for making sure that no kids were left behind, regardless of their personal circumstances.” She strongly believes every student should be given the opportunity to thrive, no matter their background, and that is exactly what the Foundation strives for.

Whenever gaps are identified in the school system with possible solutions that the district cannot afford to fund, the Issaquah Schools Foundation steps in. This allows the district to test programs that may benefit hundreds – if not thousands – of students. Marshall details some examples of this, including the Issaquah School District Breakfast Program, which the Foundation helped pilot. She explains that coming out of the pandemic, an increasingly large number of students were seen coming to school hungry. The district was interested in testing a program to provide free breakfasts to students in need but needed to collect data to see how great the demand would be and how the district could cover it. The Foundation, along with the Issaquah PTSA Council, stepped in to fund the program, allowing the district to collect valuable data and ultimately launch a district-wide program that runs today. Since the district cannot provide the program at every school, the Foundation provides extra coverage, supplying breakfast bars that can be distributed to students at other schools.. Now, every student in the district can come to school full and ready to learn. 

The Foundation initiates most of its programs through this process. The team first identifies barriers that prevent students in the district from reaching their full potential, then, with donor funding, tests solutions that usually produce an extremely positive outcome. Another example of this is the Career Kickstart program, launched just this summer. The program allowed 46 high school students to spend two weeks attending career discovery workshops, visiting corporations with different specialties, and speaking with real professionals in the fields they are interested in. Through this career-connected learning initiative, students received many valuable resources that increased their preparedness and sense of security regarding college and career exploration. This program will likely be expanded in the future, as it produced incredible results, but it never would have been possible without ISF funding. 

Everyone in our community, even those who do not have children in the district, should be supporting the Foundation’s work. As ISF Board President Laura Gaffney puts it, “There is no better investment in our future than supporting our public schools.” She strongly supports the access to education that the Foundation provides, because she knows that the students currently being educated in our public schools are going to be our future leaders, and helping them reach their full potential is essential for a better future. 

In fact, many students are already starting this leadership journey with the Foundation. ISF Student Trustees help the Foundation identify needs in our schools and assist with carrying out projects to address them. This team of eight high school upperclassmen from all four high schools in the district directly contributes to board discussions and helps provide a perspective in decision making. The current senior trustees have all reported joining the ISF team because they have noticed the impact ISF support makes on their daily lives, and they want to contribute to that support to make the opportunities they have available for future students. Zinna Park, Issaquah High School’s current Senior Student Trustee, mentions a specific program that compelled her to apply. “My family has been a recipient of the Cultural Bridges Magazine since I was in elementary school, so when the opportunity came to apply for the role, I decided to join because I wanted to learn more about the organization behind the resources that helped my family,” she says. Available in eight languages, Cultural Bridges is an ISF program that provides magazine updates about the schools to families that do not speak English.

Gibson Ek High School and Skyline High School’s current Senior Student Trustees, Lilly Alcorn and Olivia Yang (respectively), agree that these programs immensely benefit students, and supporting them is a truly rewarding experience. Yang explains that her involvement with the Foundation has taught her a significant amount about how the funding process is carried out and how much demand there truly is in our district. “[Over this last year,] I was made aware of the conditions of the greater district area. I’ve always been aware that there are less fortunate students who need certain resources, but I don't think I saw [the scope of] the need for these resources until I got involved.” Alcorn elaborates, explaining that Gibson Ek, being a project based high school, relies on ISF funding for project research and internship opportunities, but joining the Foundation has allowed her to truly understand the extent of that. She feels that she can support her school better as a Student Trustee because she communicates her non-traditional school’s needs to the Foundation. According to Alcorn, the Foundation team’s direct consideration of this student insight helps show that they truly care about what students need. 

The Foundation is our future. Its core values and programs are essential to the success of our schools, but for that to continue, community support is essential. While donations are the Foundation’s most important asset, contributing doesn’t need to mean donating large sums of money. Attending events, volunteering, bringing specialized skills to the table, or even just telling others about the Issaquah Schools Foundation’s work can help improve the lives of thousands of students in the district. And making a difference at that level is one of the most rewarding experiences in the world. 

How You Can Get Involved: Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Step Up for Kids

When it is: The first day of school through the end of December

What it is: A campaign to bring the community together and remind them of the ways in which schools are funded to set students up for the best school year possible. 

How to participate: Donate through the ISF website or volunteer at an event

The Monster Mash 5k

When it is: October 25th

What it is: A family-friendly way to get to know the Issaquah Schools Foundation with an easy, fun community run and some exciting treats, games, and prizes. Costumes are encouraged!!

How to participate: Sign up to run through the website or contact the foundation about volunteering for the event

Impact in Action

When it is: November 5th and March 4th 

What it is: An informational event to introduce the community to the organization’s purpose, what it funds, and the impact these programs have on youth. This is not a fundraising initiative, just an educational event open to the public.

How to participate: Show up and ask questions! More information can be accessed on the website! 

For more information, visit www.isfdn.org or contact info@isfdn.org