Island Park Eagle News Banner
ISLAND PARK EAGLE NEWS
Island Park Elementary PTA
February 7, 2016
David Hoffman
FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Serving Up Tips to Satisfy a Healthy Reading Appetite
 
It's Saturday morning and I'm trying my hardest to procrastinate. This newsletter's deadline is looming like the next weather front ready to dump another bucket of rain on western Washington. I'm struggling to put finger to laptop keyboard. Part of my hesitancy stems from the inability to decide what to write about. I could rave about how wonderful our school year is going as we approach the half way mark. I could extol the virtues of our hard working and dedicated staff that comes to work each day ready to engage and challenge your children. I could thank families for delivering children to Island Park rested and replete with positive attitudes and a readiness to learn. I could definitely put in a plug for our terrific and supportive PTA.
 
But it's Saturday and feeling indolent and in need of some time away from all things school, I decide to snub the deadline and indulge in one of my favorite activities-visiting a bookstore to surf and spend.
 
There is nothing like the toasty warmth of a bookstore on a cool, wet Saturday. Intriguing new titles and favorite authors welcome this visitor. I soon become lost in a reading reverie of recipes. (Those who know me, know that I don't cook. I vicariously dine via gourmet cookbooks and The Food Network).
 
My book browsing bliss is shattered when a young reader starts a loud tirade about how her parent never buys her books. I try to ignore the tiff, but the child/parent debate catches my attention when, during their lively debate, I hear this rebuke:  "You never read the books I buy you, anyway. You always start them, get half way through, and then abandon them." Continue here
In This Issue
:: 5th Grade Sweatshirts
:: We Need Your Vote
:: Box Tops
:: Book Fair
:: Talent Show
:: Giving from the Heart
:: Yearbooks
:: Art Reflections
:: Wine Donations
:: Shop with Amazon
:: PTA General Meeting
:: Counselor's Corner
:: Parent Edge Events
5th Grade Sweatshirts
 
It's that time of year to order the traditional "Class of 2023" sweatshirts! The light gray sweatshirts will include the names of ALL the 5th graders currently enrolled at West Mercer, Island Park, and Lakeridge elementary schools. 
 
IMPORTANT: There will only be one opportunity to order these sweatshirts. 

Orders due: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016
 
Look for order forms to come home in your child's backpack soon and sent electronically from your child's room parent. 

This popular annual tradition helps support your 5th grader's end of year activities.

We need your vote! As of February 2nd, only 1/3 of the school community has voted.  
 
Please help keep Mercer Island Schools strong. Vote and turn in your ballot today.
 
Volunteers Needed for Levy Renewals

Two school levy renewals are on the ballot February 9 that will provide funding for critical capital improvements to protect our community's investments in our schools, new technology and transportation for students. 
 
These are renewals of current levies - there is no change to the current levy assessment rate. 
 
The Capital Projects Levy will ensure our schools continue to have high quality educational and recreational facilities. Renovations and improvements will be made to school roofs, building systems, classrooms, athletic fields and other needs. Because Washington State does not fund technology, local levy support is also needed to offer students computer equipment, classroom training and access to online resources. 
 
The Transportation Vehicle Levy allows the district to provide safe transportation for students by replacing school buses at the end of their serviceable life and buying additional buses to transport students to and from school. 
 
Volunteers are needed to wave signs. You can sign up to wave signs here. 
 
Contact Jangle Honeycutt for other ways to get involved:

 

Please help spread the word about the importance of the levy renewals to keeping Mercer Island schools strong. 

 

Vote Yes! Twice for Levy Renewals!

 

For more Information visit: yesmischools.org




Box Tops
Box Tops

This past year, we exceeded our goal of $1000 for Box Tops and earned $1280!  This year, we are going to raise our goal to $1500! So start collecting those box tops (remember expired Box Tops don't count). 
 
We will kick off our Box Top classroom challenge on Monday, February 22nd and it will run until Friday April 1st. We plan to provide updates on a board in the school throughout the challenge so everyone can see which classes are leading.
 
The class with the most box tops collected will receive a Popcorn Party with a free recess and be awarded the Box Top Trophy.
 
To find out participating products or learn more about the Box Tops program click here. More information will go out to classes prior to February 28th. 
 
Any questions, email mindyrowe@msn.com.

Book Fair Thank You

The Island Park Scholastic Book Fair was a huge success! We raised over $6000 for books in classrooms and the library! Thank you to our generous and supportive community.
 
The book fair was such a success because of all the wonderful volunteers who helped set up, stock shelves, run registers, count money for kindergarteners, and all the other required tasks. Thank you to Danielle Orr-Bement, Louise Alford, Shelley Boyle, Alex Hart, Shelley Whelan, Liz Thompson, Heather Fowler, Lisa Patacsil, Jen Sadlier, Kale Kim, Suzanne Plambeck, Erika Brown, Christina Riffle, Marni Seneker, Eydie Katz, Shanti Volkmann, Christina Lee, Mark Mcdonald, Becca Robinson, Sheryl Loeffler, Ellie Fields, Melinda Reimer, Leslie Rousso, Andrea Fukano and Amanda Van Blerkom.
Upcoming Events

Talent Show
Wed 10th Feb, 6.30pm

Valentine's Day Parties
Fri 12th Feb 

Mid Winter Break
15th - 19th Feb

PTA General Meeting
Feb 25, 9.15-11am

Science Fun Night
2nd Mar

Spring Party
12th Mar

Island Park Talent Show This Week
Wed 10th Feb 6.30-8.30pm

We are very excited to present Island Park's first ever "Starry Starry Night" Talent Show! 

Please join us in celebrating the talents of Island Park students this Wednesday from 6.30 to 8.30pm. It promises to be an uplifting performance! 

Sponsored by your Island Park PTA.

Giving from the Heart Breakfast 
MIYFS Giving
A benefit for MI Youth & Family Services

Wednesday, February 10th
7:30 - 8:30 AM
At MI Community & Event Center

The Giving from the Heart Breakfast supports a great, local cause. No fee to attend. $250 suggested donation to MIYFS.

Register at www.miyfs.org
Contact Sari Weiss or (206) 275-7756.

There is Still Time to Order Your Island Park Yearbook 

If you haven't ordered your yearbook yet, time is running out. 

The final deadline to order your yearbook is April 1st. 

Don't miss out on the memories and the fun of yearbook distribution. You may also confirm if you have already ordered yearbooks on this site.

Order a yearbook today here.

The Island Park yearbook ID Code is: 5529416

Celebrate IP Artistic Talent
Reflections Award Event, Feb 10th 5.30-7.30pm at MIHS
 
Come and celebrate Island Park's artistic talent as the 2016 Reflections Art Contest winners in Film, Literature, Music Composition, Photography and Visual Arts are recognised, sponsored by the Performing Arts Center.  

Enjoy the amazing Mercer Island art submitted with this year's theme, "Let Your Imagination Fly". Refreshments will be served. Congratulation to all the IP winners and participants! 
 
Details of Island Park School Art Exhibition of all the IP Reflections Art participants will be provided at a later date.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Rosa Teorell and Danielle Orr-Bement at reflectionsmercerisland@gmail.com.

Wine Donations Requested
Island Park Auction and Spring Party

There will be two dozen bottles auctioned. We will also have a game running though the night: pay $20, pull a cork from a bowl, and match the number on the cork to a bottle of wine. All bottles are valued at $20+ but one lucky winner will receive a bottle valued at $100.
 
If you can donate one or more bottles of wine valued at $20, please email springparty@islandparkpta.org.

New Link - Update Your Bookmarks
amazon a
Did you know you can raise money for Island Park without spending any extra money? It costs nothing and raises money for our school!

Before you make your purchase on Amazon, visit this link: 


Every time you do this, you'll raise money for Island Park. What could be easier? 

If you're already using a link, please double check your bookmark is set to the Island Park link above. 

If you haven't been using a link, set up a bookmark today. 

PTA General Meeting Change

Please join us from 9:15-11am in the library on February 25 and April 28 for our PTA General Meetings. Note there will not be a general meeting on March 2. 
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
Adverse Childhood Experiences 

Hello Island Park Families 

Sometimes we all need a moment of gratitude for all that we have in our lives, our community, our school and our families. I recently attended a program on Childhood Trauma and Toxic Stress. 

Much of what happens in our children's lives are often outside of our control and being aware of how trauma affects brain development and resilience is so important. Childhood trauma may lead to serious health problems that last into adulthood and even future generations, researchers have found. "Adverse Childhood Experiences" (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic experiences, including abuse, neglect, witnessing domestic violence, or growing up with substance abuse, mental illness, or a parent in jail. The cause: Children's stress hormones can reach toxic levels that interfere with their brain development. It doesn't have to be this way. 

The good news is that people can recover. Preventing ACEs and building resilience in people who have experienced them has the potential to pay enormous dividends, from less use of state health and social services to increasing the competitiveness of America's work force. Communities and agencies statewide are already using ACE research findings to better understand students' behavior and support student achievement. Doctors are screening for ACEs and incorporating that knowledge into their health care recommendations. Washington State justice professionals have become trauma-informed. 

For more information about ACEs and ways to prevent them, see this report.

The report summarises medical research and compares Washington with other states. The report also discusses social and economic impacts, and strategies to reduce harm. For more detail see here.

The ACE Study is an ongoing research collaboration between U.S. Renters for Disease Control and Prevention and Kaiser Permanente, based on an initial groundbreaking study between 1995 and 1997. Symptoms of childhood PTSD include zoning out, withdrawing, sleep problems, loss of developmental skills and violent play. 

I encourage you to learn more about ACEs and how we can help our kids become more resilient. 

Ms Liana  


MI Parent Edge Presents
Ron Lieber
Author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller "The Opposite of Spoiled - Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money"

Tuesday, March 15 at 7 PM at the MIHS PAC

Ron Lieber, the "Your Money" columnist for the New York Times, will share practical advice for parents for having conversations about money that imprint good values, with a proper dose of perspective and gratitude. Learn how to foster an honest dialogue with our children on a typically difficult subject, turning such conversations into lessons about living. Book signing to follow the talk. Island Books will sell books in store and at the event; the paperback is due out on February 23. Go to www.ronlieber.com for more information.

Free for Mercer Island PTA Members
$10 at the door for non-MI PTA Members - Bring a friend!
For parents of kids of all ages

Save the date for a newly-added event:  
Liliana Lengua from the UW Center for Child and Family Well-Being, will speak on "Supporting Elementary-Aged Children Through Change: Promoting Resilient Responses to Life's Stresses." Wednesday, April 27, 9:30-11:00am, Lakeridge Elementary School. More information to follow.

Visit www.miparentedge.org for more information on this and other local events. 

MI Parent Edge is jointly sponsored by the PTA's of Lakeridge, Island Park, West Mercer, Islander Middle, and MIHS schools and MIPA.

MERCER ISLAND ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

Looking for sports or activities for your child? Check out Mercer Island Activities for Kids for a listing of the most recent activities!

Team O & MI Orchestras Grades 7-12 invite you for Disney & Dessert!
Sun Feb 28th at 2pm, MIHS Commons
Disney and Dessert is the popular Fundraiser that supports the Orchestra Program Grades 5-12 and this year the performance Disneyland trip for High School Orchestra Students. It's a Disney Concert followed by a dessert buffet fit for the Magic Kingdom. Wear your Costume!
$15 Donation in Advance *  $20 at the Door
Students $5 with ASB card; 5th grade and under free with paying adult
Purchase tickets from Orchestra Students or online at TeamO-MI.org.


SJCC Summer Camps
Whether you're a seasoned camp vet or this is your first time at the J, the 2016 campers are in for an amazing summer. The first step is finding the right camp for your kids. Camps are suitable for kids entering pre-K to 10th grade. Early registration discount (10%) applies to those registering by April 8.
Click here for more details. 
Questions? Contact Josh JoshN@sjcc.org or 206 388 0830. 


 Family Dessert Theater: "Mercer Girls"  
The 5th Ave. Adventure Musical Theatre for Kids presents an original show about the first eleven "Mercer Girls," recruited by the University of Washington's President in 1864 to work as teachers in the Washington Territory. This original musical tells the story of the women who became the teachers, wives, mothers and grandmothers of the founding families of the Puget Sound region. Desserts included!
At the SJCC 3801 East Mercer Way
Saturday February 27th at 6:30pm
$10 adults/$5 members, seniors, students, youth


Mercer Island Boys Lacrosse Club 
Spring Lacrosse registration now open at mercerislandlacrosse.com
Kindergarten 3/13/2016 - 5/15/2016
1st/2nd Grade Thursday 3/10/2016 - 5/15/2016
3rd/4th Grade Tuesday 3/8/2016 - 5/14/2016 
5th-8th Grade (Excluding Silver/Black Teams) 2/22/2016 - 5/14/2016
More details about practices, games and equipment for each year level here.


Chess Club
The Chess4Life After School Chess Club is designed for students of any ability. Our Chess Clubs are taught by certified coaches who tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of the students of all ages. Learning and playing chess at school provides a host of benefits including improved memory, problem-solving skills, an enhanced ability to think ahead, and potential performance improvement in math and science.  We strive to ensure that all of our students learn life, improve at chess, and have fun. Our programs promote fun, positive learning, valuable life skills that support academic learning and much more!  
Call today for a FREE chess assessment (a $45 value) for our Premium Center Classes located in Bellevue, Redmond, Bothell, Renton and Issaquah. 
Questions? Like to register? Phone: 425-283-0549. Website: www.chess4life.com. Email: Kids@chess4life.com


Mercer Island Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts on Mercer Island is big!  Our service unit is made up of over 30 troops of girls from Kindergarten to 12th grade. Learn more here: www.joinmigirlscouts.weebly.com. 
Any questions? Contact  lorikovarik@comcast.net


Mercer Island Boy Scouts
Attention all parents of 5th grade boys. Is your son interested in adventure, leadership and serving your community? Has he ever thought about becoming an Eagle Scout? Does he like to have fun? Is he active?  Mercer island Boy Scouts Troop 457 has provided these opportunities to boys since it began in 1953. Boy Scouts is open to all boys ages 11 & up with no prior scouting experience required.  If you are thinking about joining or want more information, please view our website: www.Troop457.com or contact outreach coordinator, Karen LeMaster at klemaster@comcast.net or scoutmaster, Dan Hanson at danhanson@troop457.com
 

Mercer Island Parks & Recreation Classes
All programs at Mercer Island Community & Event Center. Register online or by calling 275-7609.

Sing with Our Kids Babysitting Class with Nancy Stewart
Saturday, February 27, 10am-11:30am
FREE! Learn how to engage babies and young children with simple singing activities, and how these benefit their development. You'll build a kit of activities and resources to keep kids happy, busy and growing under your care. Certificate of completion included.
Free Registration required, #16223, 206-275-7609.
 
Super Sitters Babysitting Training
Saturday February 13, 9am-2pm
This program is designed to train young people in basic babysitting and home-alone skills. Students completing this course will be better prepared to provide a safer and more positive infant/child care experience. Taught by a hospital-qualified instructor, this class includes parent expectations, basic first aid, home and fire safety, Heimlich maneuver, telephone tips, toys and activities and infant care. Participants receive a Babysitting 101 handbook and a certification card upon completion of the class. Bring a morning snack, sack lunch, and a drink.
Course 15789. Fee: $49. Age: 11-15
 
Mother Goose Guitar with Nancy Stewart
Thursday, March 3-24, 7-8pm
FREE! Mother Goose Guitar Class for adults who want to play simple songs with young children (parents, grandparents, teachers, etc). Taught by Nancy Stewart in partnership with Sing With Our Kids Early Learning Project. All materials provided, and loaner guitars are available, no prior experience necessary. 
Free Registration required, #16222, 206-275-7609.  Located at MICEC.

Ballet Classes with Emerald Ballet Theatre
New this winter! We are pleased to announce partnership with the Emerald Ballet Theatre. Come and meet Ms. Emeline our newest instructor.   
Tuesday, #15822, 1/26-3/29, ages 3-4, 3:10-4pm, #15822, ages 5-8, 4-5pm
$104 register at  www.myparksandrecreation.com or call the MICEC 275-7609.

Cheerleading Class
Come join us for cheerleading class at the Mercer Island Community Center! This beginning-to-intermediate level class is held on Tuesday evenings from 5:30-7pm. It is offered through the Mercer Island Parks Department in conjunction with Eastside Dream Elite cheerleading. Participants will learn basic cheer skills, motions, jumps, dance, and some basic tumbling as well. No experience necessary! Get more information and registration links at www.EastsideDreamElite.com or register directly at www.MyParksAndRecreation.com.


Kids Co. - Before and After School Care
Kids Co.'s before and after-school programming is designed to meet the particular needs kids have during the non-school hours.  Please feel free to contact Amanda Sherry, Program Manager at 206-437-8396 or visit http://www.kidscompany.org/locations/mercer-island.


Sponge Language Classes
Happy Holidays from Sponge! Fall activities are wrapping up, and it's time to start thinking about winter enrichment. Join Spanish or French at Island Park. Early language learning is such a wonderful gift, and with our immersion-based, spiral curriculum, students can successfully join at any time. Plus, we prorate for winter starts!
French is held before school from 8:00-9:00am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Spanish has been very popular this year, and there's a few spaces left in our after school class on Mondays. All classes are held at Island Park. 
Sign up now on our website! Registration and information about tuition and flexible payment plans is available at www.spongeschool.com/sign-up. Questions? Email us at info@spongeschool.com or call (425) 274 5188.


Seattle Children's Theatre 
2015-2016 Season and Drama School
With an emphasis on imagination, humor, creativity and empathy, Seattle Children's Theatre (SCT) once again demonstrates its commitment to excellence in theatre for young audiences with the announcement of its 41st season. Subscriptions now on sale for the 2015-2016 Season.
 
View our School Year Catalogue here for more information on our school year classes and break camps. 
 
  POPULAR LINKS 

x x
Mercer Island School District
Island Park PTA