Islander Middle School dedication and open house set for Saturday, Oct. 1 | School briefs
Published 11:00 am Wednesday, September 14, 2016
School news in Mercer Island.
Islander Middle School dedication and open house set for Saturday, Oct. 1
The community is invited to the dedication and open house for the new commons, gymnasium, library and classrooms at Islander Middle School from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 at the school, 8225 SE 72nd St.
“We are looking forward to showing our community the wonderful new facilities at the middle school,” said Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano. “We are grateful for the support our community gave to this project with their passage of the 2014 bond proposition.”
Construction at Islander Middle School provides expanded learning space to replace the 10 portable classrooms previously on site. It will also provide a new commons designed to accommodate a growing student population.
Integrus Architecture of Seattle designed the expansions to IMS. Kassel and Associates is the general contractor. Brandy Fox of CPM Seattle, Inc. managed the project for the district.
The new building is 93,000 square feet and the site includes a new commons and kitchen, library, main and auxiliary gymnasiums and locker rooms, and a new entrance and administrative offices for the school. There are eight new general-purpose classrooms, two science classrooms, two special education classrooms, two shared learning areas, three music classrooms and six practice rooms.
The project began construction in the spring of 2015 and opened on schedule for the first day of school Aug. 31.
Welcome event for families new to Mercer Island Schools on Oct. 5
Families new to the Mercer Island School District this year are invited to a special welcome event from 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 5, in the commons of the new Northwood Elementary School, 4030 86th Ave. SE. A light dinner will be served.
At the event, families will be able to meet members of the Mercer Island School Board, Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano, and other key school district leaders. Also, community organizations, including PTA, youth sports and childcare providers will be in attendance to offer information about their services.
Several parents who are serving as new parent ambassadors, including some who also serve on the district’s Diversity Advisory Committee, will be there to help families learn about the MISD or direct them to the resources they may need.
Typically developing preschoolers needed as peer mentors for students with disabilities
The MISD Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Program, located at Northwood Elementary, provides morning and afternoon developmental programming for students 3 to 5 years old who have been identified as having disabilities. These disabilities range from mild to moderate, and may include children with physical, emotional, behavioral, sensory, communication and cognitive disabilities.
There are presently two openings in each session for non-disabled peers to serve as peer mentors to students with disabilities.
Register for a free developmental screening at Northwood Elementary School by contacting Early Childhood Program Coordinator Allison Seielstad at 206-230-6032.
The screening date for peer mentor selection is Wednesday, Sept. 21. Peer mentor openings are available as of Monday, Oct. 17, on a first-come, first screened, first accepted basis.
ECSE sessions are taught by a certificated special education teacher and one or more paraprofessionals. Related service personnel, such as speech and language pathologists, and occupational and physical therapists attend some sessions in the classroom to help ECSE students participate in a curriculum designed and/or modified to meet their individual needs. Peer mentors will participate in the curriculum alongside their ECSE classmates.
The ECSE Program operates Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. There are no sessions on Wednesdays. Session times are: 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon or 12:45 to 3:15 p.m.
