Some Personal Thoughts on Recent High School Events

You may be aware of the anti-Semitic images that were posted on-line by a few Mercer Island High School students. Our staff joins in the condemnation of the offensive images.

Here at Island Park, we work each day to infuse our students’ school experience with age-appropriate curriculum and activities that address and celebrate diversity, social justice and inclusion. Through our Second Step social-emotional lessons, Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports initiatives, anti-bullying assemblies, and community events, we partner with families to create a solid foundation of skills and knowledge that nurture and support kind, empathetic and healthy children.

No one, especially an impressionable child, should be subject to words and images that disparage their religion, race, ethnicity, cultural identity, gender and any other positive self-identifying marker.

More here... 

Island Park is one of four elementary schools in the Mercer Island School District. It is located in the middle of the island, at 5437 Island Crest Way.

Principal David Hoffman and Associate Principal Lisa Deen lead a staff of 65 who serve approximately 425 students. We are host of the district's English Language Learners (ELL) program and Personalized Learning Program (PLP) for students with special learning needs. Other special programs include a Special Education Resource Room; Counseling, LAP (remedial reading); technology integrated classrooms; music, art, Spanish, library, and PE specialists; technology TOSAs; a tuition-based foreign language program; student council; before school choir, band and orchestra programs; and after school clubs including chess and art clubs.

Island Park Elementary was awarded the Washington Overall Achievement Award in 2009-2014 and was recognized with achievement awards in science and math for the 2011-2012 school year. Island Park was also a designated King County "Level III Green School" in the spring of 2012.

Island Park uses district adopted curriculum as the foundation for its instructional program. Individual teachers and/or grade level teams assess students' needs and adapt instruction as necessary for learning to occur. Teachers frequently integrate material from several disciplines to make learning more meaningful for students.