Schools foundation sparked by two parents now impacts 14,000 kids

For John and Maureen Shaw, the Issaquah Schools Foundation started with a dirty kindergarten rug.

The filthy square, where her son and his classmates gathered, was long overdue for replacement. The 1980s were rough for the district, which saw a string of levies fail. It was lacking even basic material updates.

“That rug was symptomatic of what was happening in the district,” John said.

The couple offered to buy the class a replacement, but much to their surprise the principle turned them down. It was against the district’s policy to accept gifts for only specific schools. Otherwise there could be heavy inequality for those in wealthier neighborhoods.

However, the Shaws weren’t good at taking “no” for an answer, especially when it came to their children’s education.

After the district’s financial chief confirmed the policy, John asked, “Is there away around that?”

The finance officer, who liked the question, responded, “Well, if we had a schools foundation.”

Now, 27 years later, ISF is holding its annual luncheon May 10 and the foundation relies on the fundraiser for most of its $1 million budget.

“It wasn’t even in our dreams that it would be this big,” Maureen said.

The schools foundation didn’t have a quick start. The Issaquah School Board turned them down the first year.

It took a financial fiasco in the district, before John’s idea would garner enough support in the community.

On the whole, the issue wasn’t as big as people made it out to be, but it forced the superintendent to resign, John said. “It got everyone stirred up.”

The administration was looking for something positive for the district when the financial chief called John back with a list of people who could help.

“Part of the magic of the early years is that it was all volunteer. All of the money went into the classroom,” John said.

The founders picked a need – globes and maps – and held its first phone-a-thon. The group raised $63,000 that first year.

“We were thrilled,” Maureen said.

The Shaws came to the Plateau on the front wave of suburbanization. As more families moved into the area the levies began to succeed.

“No one wanted to feel like they were moving into a sinking ship,” John said.

Even as the district improved, the Issaquah Schools Foundation continued to find needs.

Today it supports nine programs, including robotics clubs and financial literacy courses for all of the district’s eighth graders.

It gave $75,000 this year in classroom enrichment grants, which provide special equipment and curriculum. This year alone it expects its money to impact 14,000 students.

The foundation exists to bridge the gap between basic education, which is limited in Washington state, and the education students need to achieve their potential, said Robin Callahan, the foundation’s executive director.

The state only pays for curriculum changes every 18 years. The district needs to replace it every 8-10 years, but has to come up with money on its own to do so.

Last year the foundation raised enough money to help the district fully implement a new elementary science curriculum. It hopes to do something similar this year by helping pay for an elementary literacy curriculum.

Issaquah’s basic education has always been outstanding, but it doesn’t mean that teachers should continue to work with worn out books, Maureen said.

For the Shaws, education was the most important thing they thought they could give their children. It also helped them put an emphasis on education at home.

“I would guess that the foundation is going to do really well in the future,” John said.

Maureen added, “It’s unlimited, it’s shown to be that.”