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  THE WOLF
November 19, 2015
 
In This Issue
Mark Your Calendars
Thank you!
Brunch & Browse
Social Media Guru?
Yearbooks
Weather Alerts!
From the Superintendent
Community Events
Newsletter Submissions
  

Dear West Mercer families,

 

Hopefully you have all emerged from our first big winter storm with your umbrellas intact! The Mercer Island School District has a weather alert program, read below to learn how to sign up and keep notified about school delays and cancellations. Luckily, as the rainy days set in, there are lots of fun indoor activities available for your family in this week's newsletter.

 

'Tis the season to double-check the school calendar, as Thanksgiving Break is just around the corner (Nov 25-26), noon dismissal for students on Mon, Nov 30, and then no school for Teacher Conferences on Dec 7, 8, and 9. 

 

Sincerely, 

West Mercer PTA

 

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Fri, Nov 20th: PTA Island Books Brunch and Browse

Thurs-Fri, Nov 26th-27th: NO SCHOOL for the THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY

Mon, Nov 30th: NOON DISMISSAL

Fri, Dec 4th: Next Popcorn Friday

Mon-Wed, Dec 7th-9th: NO SCHOOL for Teacher Conferences

Thurs, December 17th: Winter Music Assembly

Mon, December 21st - Jan 1st: NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
 

 

WEST MERCER ANNOUNCEMENTS

THANK YOU!!
 
A HUGE Thank You goes out to Maricel Aziz for creating our wonderful WM Directory! Maricel went above and beyond to personally capture the class photos so that they could be included in our Directory. She learned a new software program and sorted through hundreds of addresses. Thank you Maricel, we love our school Directory!

Brunch & Browse 
at Island Books
 
Join Us for West Mercer's Brunch & Browse at Island Books on Friday, 
November 20th, from 9:30 to 12:00pm. This is one of the West Mercer community's favorite traditions - a great opportunity to socialize and stock up on holiday gifts while supporting a local business and our school PTA! 
When you shop ANY TIME on November 20th and mention West Mercer at checkout, Island Books will generously donate 20% of your purchase to the West Mercer PTA. Teacher wish lists will be on hand, should you wish to donate a book directly to your child's classroom library. Island Books has a wide range of gift items for everyone on your shopping list, including handmade jewelry, kitchen linens, scarves and more. Plus, you can purchase up to $200 in gift certificates and Island Books will still give 20% to West Mercer PTA! Please see flyer.
Crazy Hat-Day!
  
Wednesday, November 25th
Wear your craziest, biggest, smallest, funniest, fluffiest, sparkliest, sportiest, warmest, coolest hat to school. Help kick-off our Thanksgiving Break by wearing a fun lid that makes people smile! 

Student Council will be awarding prizes at lunch on Wednesday. Prizes include: Grade Level Awards-Overall Best Hat, Best International Hat, Most Creative Hat, Best Seasonal hat, Best Teacher/Staff hat and more! 

Happy Thanksgiving!
Your West Mercer Student Council
Social Media Guru?
  
Are you a social media guru who wants to help the West Mercer PTA with your talents?  We are looking for someone to help manage the West Mercer PTA Facebook page.  Want to learn more?  Please contact Julie Keeler at communications@westmercerpta.org.
Still Time to Order Your 
WM All School Yearbook
 
Don't forget to order your 2015-16 All School Yearbook with all your favorite memories. 185 pages of full color with memories of every event throughout the year for only $27.00. Orders are due before Thanksgiving--don't miss out! Order yours today at entourage yearbooks.
 
Weather Alerts!
 
It is beginning to feel like winter and with that can come power outages, ice and snow. Sign up here for Mercer Island School District weather alerts and stay in the know about school delays or closures.

 
DISTRICT
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Input Needed on Spanish-Language Program
 
The probability is high that a Spanish-language program will occur this coming fall. This will require the elementary school day to be extended by 15 minutes to allow additional time needed to have children study Spanish and not detract from the other content areas. Please click here to learn more and take the survey.

From MISD Superintendent, Dr. Gary Plano
 
A lot is happening in the Mercer Island School District! For an update from our superintendent, Dr. Gary Plano, please see the attached letter  
 
 

LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

Thank you for voting!
 
 
COMMUNITY EVENTS and PROGRAMS
The Mercer Island School District and WM PTA Council have neither reviewed nor approved the program, personnel, activities or organizations announced in this section. The participants agree to protect, indemnify and hold harmless the district and PTA, including elected and appointed officials, employees, agents, staff and volunteers, from any and all claims, liabilities, damages, expenses or rights of action, directly or indirectly attributed to the activities. Permission to distribute information regarding these programs should not be considered a recommendation of the program by the school district or by the PTA. This is neither a school district nor a PTA sponsored activity.
 
YTN Presents Robin Hood
November 6-22
See the attached flyer for more details.

Island Youth Ballet Presents: The Nutcracker
Celebrate the holiday season with a student ballet production of "Excerpts from the Nutcracker" with magical scenery, exquisite costumes and sophisticated dancing. Appropriate for all ages.

Performances at the MI Jewish Community Center on the weekends of December 12th & 13th and 19th & 20th. To buy tickets, please go to www.childrensdance.org or call 206-275-4750. See flyer.

Mercer Island Girls Lacrosse
Grades 1-8

Registration opens on 12/1 for the 2016 Spring Season at www.MIGirlsLacrosse.com.  Register before January 15, 2016 to get a $25 discounted registration!  
 
Grades 1-4 register for "Elementary Program" at migirlslaxes@gmail.com.
Grades 5-8 register for the "Middle School Program" at migirlslaxms@gmail.com.
 
Get Your Little Dribblers Signed Up!

The Little Dribblers program is run by the MI Boys Basketball Booster Club. Get your boys on the court each Saturday learning from the Island's best coaches and players. Register here.

Dates: December 5th, 12th, 19th, January 9th, 23rd & 30th and February 6th 
Location: Mercer Island High School Main Gym
Fee: $85

Luther Burbank Playground Mosaics

An on-line application is now available for 3rd - 5th graders who enjoy working on creative, detail-oriented art projects and are available on Tuesday afternoons beginning in mid December. Click here for more information.

MI Cub Scout Pack 624

Interested in Cub Scouts? This organization for Grades 1-5 focuses on teaching kids skills and creating a community. Please join us for our pack 624 meeting on November 19th at 7pm at the MI Presbyterian Church. To learn more, go to Mercer Island Cub Scout Pack 624. 

Join MI 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 at

Mercer Island Boy Scouts
  
Boy Scouts is open to all boys ages 11 & up, no prior scouting experience required. For more information, please view our website www.Troop457.com or contact outreach coordinator, Karen LeMaster or Scoutmaster, Dan Hanson. 
 
LOGOS

LOGOS is a weekly camp style program for 1st - 5th graders with recreation, Bible study, worship skills, and a family dinner time. See the attached flyer.

Sponge Language Classes
       
Gracias! Xiexie! Merci! Thank you so much for joining us for a global adventure in language learning this year. We commit to immersion and small classes. There is still space in many of our classes at Island Park, West Mercer and Lakeridge. Registration, schedule and information about tuition and flexible payment plans is available online at www.spongeschool.com/sign-up.

TechSmartKids
 
TechSmartKids is offering after school computer coding classes this fall. Coding classes begin the week of October 5th. Enroll Online at http://www.techsmartkids.com or by phone by calling (425) 786-7824.


NEWSLETTER
SUBMISSIONS
The Wolf newsletter will go out on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. If you have any announcements that you would like to appear in an upcoming newsletter, please send in your submissions by the end of business day on Monday prior to publication. Submissions can be made to:   editor@westmercerpta.org.  
West Mercer Elementary PTA | 4141 81st Avenue | Mercer Island, Washington 98040 | 206-236-3430