General Information

Academic Progress

Course grades are updated regularly on Canvas and Family Access for each course taken. Please log in to Canvas and the Family Access system to view attendance and academic progress for your student. For questions on logging in to Canvas, please ask school staff (registrar, counselor, assistant principal, etc.) to support.

Assembly Behavior

Assemblies are an integral part of the school curriculum and have an educational value, therefore, attendance at assemblies is required, unless prior approval for an absence is obtained from an administrator. Students are expected to behave in a way that shows respect for those speaking or performing and those in attendance. Students who misbehave at assemblies may be removed from the assembly by an administrator and subject to discipline.

Cell phones and other personal electronic or “smart” devices, including headphones and Air Pods, will need to be silenced and stowed in backpacks/or placed in a teacher designated location at the beginning of each class period and remain stowed until the end of class period. This policy extends to hallways and common areas while class is in session. Students will be allowed access to their phones during non-instructional times, which include before/after school, during passing periods, and at their designated lunch time.

Check Acceptance Policy

The District has established the following protocol for accepting checks and collecting bad checks: For a check to be an acceptable form of payment, it must include a current, full, accurate name, address and telephone number of the person signing the check. If a check is returned for non-payment, any associated fee/fine payment will be assessed to the account holder.

Computer/Technology Use

The District encourages information dissemination, collaboration, innovation, and experimentation through the ethical use of technology. The District requires its staff and students to adhere strictly to Regulation and laws applying to technological hardware and software. In cases involving any activity prohibited by District Regulation and/or law, rights accorded to persons by the District, such as privacy, do not protect an individual from discipline and/or prosecution. Complete copies of Regulations 2022 and 5253 may be obtained at any school or on the district website.

Computers are to be used for academic purposes only. No games, audio files, video files, or other applications may be downloaded or installed without permission of the site administrator or designee. Every student using a District computer must have a parent/guardian/caretaker sign a Responsible Use Agreement. This form acknowledges the right of the District to review material stored on its network, as well as the wide range of information accessible through public networks. The Issaquah School District uses monitoring software when students are using a District device (on and off campus), a student email address, and when using District-provided programs like OneDrive, Office 365, etc. This means students and parents/guardians/caretakers will be contacted if a student uses any language that references illegal, violent, sexual, harassment, intimidation, bullying or self-harm language while using a District device, email or program.  The Responsible Use Agreement also releases the District from liability for any damages due to information gained or obtained through the District network, including access to public networks.

Course Change Policy

As personnel, facilities and material resources are assigned based on student’s course selections, it is imperative that students choose courses carefully (including alternatives) during registration. Changes to student schedules create an impact on many other courses, and therefore will only be made on a limited basis. Therefore, Administration has established the following schedule change policy to promote academic success for students.

Students are expected to select their classes in a serious and responsible manner, as every effort will be made to ensure that students are scheduled into their pre-selected classes. Not all courses in the Course Catalog are offered annually. Ultimately, the number of students who select that course, teacher availability, facility, and budget constraints determine courses offered during the year. When you choose a course you are committing to completing the course in its entirety to the best of your ability. If an error in course placement has been made, such as misplacement in math or would languages, students should see their counselor immediately for reassignment into the appropriate course. Schedule changes are only made if there is misplacement or if there is room in the course the student/parent/guardian/caretaker requests to be moved into.

Valid reasons for schedule changes are limited to:

• Duplicate period error (i.e., two classes during the same period are listed on your schedule)
• Incomplete schedule (i.e., missing class period(s) on your schedule)
• Inappropriate academic placement (e.g., you are in Geometry, but have not taken Algebra 1)
• A student has a physical/medical reason, documented by a medical professional, that prevents participation in class

Teacher-initiated schedule changes may be made when a teacher recommends a student be moved from one level to another within the same subject area. The teacher will initiate a conversation with the school administrator, counselor, student, and parent/guardian/caretaker to discuss the possible change and, if agreed upon, the student’s administrator will recommend the change. Students will follow their original schedule until they are notified that the change has been made.

Distribution of Printed Materials on School Grounds

Students distributing printed materials related to school activities or athletics must work with their coach or advisor regarding distribution of printed materials. Out of respect for the rights and beliefs of all of our students, non-school-related materials distributed on behalf of an outside organization must be submitted through a request to PeachJar. If you wish to post information on the school’s community bulletin board or other area set aside for this purpose, please contact your assistant principal for approval. Guidelines for distribution of materials on school grounds are included in Regulations 2340 and 4320. A complete copy of these policies may be obtained at any school or on the District website.

Drug Free Zones

Schools in the Issaquah School District are protected as drug free zones, as established by the City of Issaquah and King County. Drug free zones provide for possible double penalties for anyone caught trafficking controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a designated school, school bus stop or public park.

E-Bikes and E-Scooters

To ensure safety, students who use e-bikes or scooters to commute must follow specific rules on campus. Helmets must be worn at all times while riding, and reckless behaviors such as speeding, tricks, or riding in pedestrian areas are strictly prohibited. Students must dismount and walk their e-bikes or scooters as soon as they arrive on campus, parking and locking them only in designated racks. E-bikes and scooters cannot be left in unauthorized areas or charged on campus without permission, and students must not tamper with others' property. Only certain types of e-bikes are allowed—Class 3 e-bikes and electric dirt bikes are not permitted. Violations of these rules will result in escalating consequences, from warnings to permanent loss of riding privileges. The school is not responsible for any damage or theft of e-bikes or scooters on campus.

Consequences for Violations:

Failure to follow these expectations will result in:

• 1st Offense: A verbal or written warning and notification to parents/guardians/caretakers
   
• 2nd Offense: Detention or additional disciplinary action
   
• 3rd Offense: Temporary loss of privilege to ride an e-bike/scooter to school (time frame of two weeks)
   
• 4th Offense: Impounding of e-bike or scooter and permanent revocation of e-bike/scooter privileges for repeated or serious violations

Fines

School fines are issued when a student fails to pay a class fee in the first three weeks of the semester and/or when a student damages or fails to return any property of the school including, but not limited to, textbooks, items checked out from the library, athletic uniforms, rental instruments, technology support items, etc. All fines are due by the end of the quarter in which they are issued. You are encouraged to pay your fees & fines online. You can access the “Pay Online” button from the school home page using the same username as Family Access. If you have difficulties logging in to make payment, please contact your school Bookkeepers for support

Good Neighbor Policy

The District wishes to maintain positive relationships with our neighbors. Students are to avoid trespassing on neighbors’ property, littering and loitering in the street near their homes. Students with off-campus passes who leave during the school day are to avoid congregating in the neighborhood streets bordering the school.

Homework

Homework, as an extension of the classroom, must be planned and organized, purposeful to the students, and evaluated and returned to them promptly. The purpose of homework assignments, the basis for evaluating the work performed and the guidelines and/or rules should be made clear to the student at the time of the assignment. Students should talk to their classroom teachers with any questions about assignments or grades for a course. A complete copy of Regulation 2422 and related Regulations and Procedures are available on the District’s website.

Identification Cards

All students are provided with a student identification card, featuring their name, grade and a photo. Students are encourage to carry their card during the school day.

Inspection, Search and Seizure

Students are entitled to the guarantees of the Fourth Amendment and shall be secure in their persons, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures. However, school officials are required to promote a safe environment and are empowered to conduct a reasonable search of a student, of their personal property (including cars parked on campus), and of school property when there is reasonable and individualized cause or grounds for suspecting or believing that the search will turn up evidence that the student has violated or is violating either the law or the rules of the school. Any search conducted must comply with applicable laws. School property shall remain under the control of school officials, and shall be subject to search. Information about student privacy and searches is contained in District Regulation 3230 and Procedure 3230P.

Searches of Students and Personal Property

Any search of a student conducted by a District employee must be reasonably related to the discovery of contraband or other evidence based upon an individualized suspicion of the student's violation of the law or school rules. The term “contraband” means items, materials, or substances the possession of which is prohibited by law or District Regulation, including but not limited to, controlled substances, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, nicotine delivering devices, or any object that can reasonably be considered a firearm or a dangerous weapon.

Locker Searches

All student lockers may be searched at any time without prior notice and without reasonable suspicion that the search will yield evidence of any student's violation of the law or school rules. If the school official conducting such a search develops a reasonable suspicion that any container inside the locker, including but not limited to a purse, backpack, gym bag, or an article of clothing, contains evidence of a student's violation of the law or school rules, the container may be searched pursuant to the District’s procedures governing personal searches.

Library

Welcome to the Pacific Cascade Library! We are open before school, during lunches, and after school most days.

Students can check out up to 5 books at a time for 21 school days. Books may be renewed if not reserved or on hold for another user. Personal responsibility is expected from students in choosing books wisely and in returning them in a timely manner.

The most up-to-date place to learn more about what is going on in the PCMS library by visiting our Library Canvas Page. You can also get general library information at our Library Website, but our Canvas site will be the most current. Here you will find library hours, reading suggestions, the library catalog, access to databases and more!

PCMS Databases Home Access (username / password):

Britannica ImageQuest: pcms / lynx

Facts on File Databases (Ancient & Medieval History Online, American History Online, Modern World History Online, Issues and Controversies): IssaquahSchools / Issaquah

NoodleTools: IssaquahSchools / Issaquah
*From home use this log in first, then log in with your personal account username/password.

FactCite: pcms / lynx

All other databases listed on the PCMS Library Research page are available through our KCLS and Issaquah School District Partnership. In an effort to increase student access to the King County Library Systems’ online resources, students may log in to KCLS from school, home, or from any computer or device by entering 411 followed by their student ID number as a username (in place of a library card number) and the last 4 digits of their student number as a PIN.

Lunch Accounts

Charging a Meal

Students will be assigned a lunch account to purchase standard program meals from the school kitchen.

Financial Assistance

Applications for meal assistance are available in early August at the meals webpage, by contacting food services at 425-837-5060 or in the main office of your student’s school.

Balance Notification

Food Services partners with MySchoolBucks.com, a service that allows the use of credit cards to make payments for a student’s lunch account. There is a $3.50 fee per credit card transaction charged by MySchoolBucks.com, however, the use of their website to monitor a student’s lunch balance and account activity is free. It is also free for users of Myschoolbucks.com to set up e-mail notifications when their student’s lunch balance reaches a specified dollar amount. Families are encouraged to use this free service to receive automated reminders when their student’s lunch balance is low. Log on instructions and a link to Myschoolbucks.com can be found on the District website.

Food Services has developed an automated balance notification service that will notify parents/guardians/caretakers via e-mail when the student’s lunch balance is low and again when the lunch balance is in arrears. The negative balance notification e-mails will continue to be sent weekly until the unpaid meal charges have been resolved. 

Students will be given access to a standard program meal regardless of lunch account balance. Charges to the student’s lunch account will continue to accrue until reconciled.

A student’s lunch account must have sufficient funds to purchase a la carte items (chips, cookies, vendor pizza, bottled beverages, etc.).

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

1. mail:
   U.S. Department of Agriculture
   Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
   1400 Independence Avenue, SW
   Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
2. fax:
   833-256-1665 or 202-690-7442; or
3. email:
   Program.Intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Medication Administration at School

Washington State Law and Issaquah School District Regulations require that schools have written authorization from a licensed healthcare provider and parent/guardian/caretaker on file yearly when a child needs to take medication during the school day. Students can carry medication and self-administer at the high school level when the health care provider and parent/guardian/caretaker have requested self-administration in writing and the request has been approved by the school nurse. High school students may be allowed to carry and self-administer over-the-counter medication when authorized by the parent/guardian/caretaker and school nurse. All medication must be in the original pharmacy labeled container. Students who carry and self-administer medication must carry only one daily dose in an original pharmacy container.

The Authorization for Administration of Medication at High School form is available in the attendance office, nurse’s office, and on the Issaquah School District website.

Additional information and requirements related to the administration of medication at school may be found in District Regulations and Procedures 3416 and 3416P (Medication at School), 3417 and 3417P (Catheterization), 3419 and 3419P (Self-Administration of Asthma and Anaphylaxis Medications), 3424 and 3424P (Opioid Related Overdose Reversal), and 3420 and 3420P (Anaphylaxis).

Prayer Room

If your faith requires you to pray or if you desire to pray during the school day, each school has a designated space available for you if you desire to pray in a space separate from the classroom. Please check in at the main office, and staff will direct you to the Prayer Room. While using the space, students are expected to follow all guidelines. Thank you for helping us maintain a respectful and accessible environment for everyone.

Sale of Items for Personal Profit

To maintain a safe, equitable, and disruption-free learning environment, students are not permitted to sell or distribute items for personal profit on school grounds or during school-sponsored activities.

This includes, but is not limited to:

• Food or beverages
• Candy or snacks
• Toy items or novelty goods
• Clothing, accessories, or personal items
• Any other goods or services exchanged for money or trade

Students who bring items to school for the purpose of selling or trading for personal profit will be asked to stop immediately. Items may be confiscated, and additional corrective action may be taken in accordance with school and district policies.

Special Services

Parents/guardians/caretakers may contact their school guidance counselor for more information about this process. If a student is suspected of having a disability, the Guidance Team may refer the student for special education or a Section 504 assessment. The school psychologist assigned to the school will coordinate the special education process. A copy of the special education notice of procedural safeguards is available on the OSPI website. Each District school has a Guidance Team to address concerns regarding student performance.

Student Dress Code

Appropriate clothing in school or at school events contributes to a positive and quality learning environment, thus student clothing must be appropriate for an academic atmosphere. Students’ dress and grooming may not:

• Disrupt, interfere with, disturb, or detract from school activities.
• Create a hazard to the student’s safety or to the safety of others. For example, students are required to always wear appropriate footwear.
• Promote by printed word or symbol the use of illegal substances or other prohibited activities, including intimidation, harassment, sexual innuendo, vulgarity, and obscenities.

If school officials reasonably believe a student’s dress or grooming is objectionable under these provisions, the principal or designee will ask the student to make appropriate corrections. If the student refuses, the student will be subject to discipline. See District Regulation 3224.

Specific religious garments are permissible in accordance with state and federal law.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Students are entitled to the rights of all people as set forth in the Constitution and laws of the United States; the Constitution and laws of the State of Washington; the law regarding equal education opportunity; First Amendment rights to freedom of press, speech, peaceable assembly and petition; and the right to be secure in their pursuit of an education while in the custody of the District. These rights are subject to the District’s authority to make reasonable rules and regulations to maintain the educational process.

Students with Special Health Care Needs

Students with life-threatening conditions such as severe bee sting allergies, severe food allergies, severe asthma, diabetes, seizures, etc., are required to have a medication or treatment order and nursing care plan in place before they start school each year. If a medication or treatment order is not provided, the chief administrator of the school is required to exclude the child until such order has been provided. This requirement applies to students with a life-threatening condition who are new to the district and students who are already attending the school. Contact your school nurse to discuss your child’s healthcare needs at school.

For additional information and requirements related to life-threatening health conditions, please see Regulation 3413 and Procedure 3413P.

Transportation

The mission of the District and bus drivers is to safely transport students to and from school or to school activities. A complete copy of Regulation 6606, setting forth the specific rules of conduct on buses, may be obtained at any school or from the Transportation Department.

The District uses random placement of video cameras on school buses to maintain good order and increase safety. The video tapes may be used to identify students who violate the rules of conduct for buses and for decisions based on those violations.

Visitors

During the school day, only parent/guardian/caretaker, emergency contacts listed in Skyward, approved volunteers and invited guests can visit District schools. Parents/guardians/caretakers, emergency contacts listed in Skyward, volunteers and invited guests will continue to have access to all District schools before and after the school day in order to confer with and directly assist teachers, staff and students, provide support for District programs and observe or participate in school sponsored activities.

Parents/guardians/caretakers, emergency contacts listed in Skyward, volunteers and invited guests visiting a school during the school day must register at the school’s office upon arrival, must comply with any safety procedures and directives indicated by the principal, and must not engage in any activity or behavior which is disruptive to the educational process. Additional information and requirements related to visitors are in Regulation 4311 and Procedure 4311P.