Lake Washington High School, Kirkland, WA
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LWHS PTSA Newsletter |
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Class of 2018 Information Night
Wednesday, Jan. 8, 7-8:30pm, LWHS Theater
LWHS PTSA Council Reflections Open House
Friday, Jan. 10, 6-8pm, LWSD Resource Ctr, Redmond
Deadline to Register to Vote Before Feb. Bond/Levy Vote Monday, Jan. 13 (Online deadline)
End of Course Exam Retakes
Wed. & Thurs., Jan. 15 & 16, 8am, Auxiliary Gym
Classes of '15, '16, '17 Senior Party Planning Meeting
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 5:30pm, Commons No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Monday, Jan. 20
PTSA General Member Meeting (Speaker Topic: Teen Anxiety & Depression)
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 6:30pm, Library
Semester Finals
Wednesday - Friday, Jan 22 - 24, 11:50am DismissalEnd of 1st SemesterFriday, Jan. 24thHappy New Year! If you would like to UnSubscribe to the Kang Crier, click here to access the SafeUnsubscribe link at the bottom of the email.
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Letter from Principal Christina Thomas
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Dear Parents,
Happy 2014! For senior parents this is it - graduation is only six months away! We are almost half way through the school year. Our semester ends on January 24th. Semester finals will be January 22-24th. We have a changed schedule for finals to allow for tutorial for students every afternoon. The schedule is on our webpage.
We have been having increased alcohol use at our athletic events by students. As a reminder, the consequence for a first offense is a 45 day suspension. This may be reduced to ten days pending an alcohol assessment and follow through with recommendations. A second offense in high school will result in a long term suspension of 45 days. Please talk with your students regarding this issue. We want our students to make good choices and always be safe.
We want to extend a special thank you to our PTSA, who has contributed funds for banners which will adorn our entry way. We appreciate all the help you continually provide.
As we prepare for second semester, students will keep their current schedules for year long classes. Second semester schedules will be distributed on January 10th. Students will have four days to download and submit change forms. Students may change electives and should be checking with their counselors if they need to make a change. We intend to have all changes completed by January 21st, prior to the start of second semester. Due to class size limits, we are not always able to honor student requests.
Best wishes for a Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Christina Thomas, Principal
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LWHS PTSA General Member Meeting
Wednesday, January 22, 2014, 6:30pm, LWHS Library Special Topic: Teen Anxiety, Depression and Peer Pressure
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Please join us for our General Meeting on Wednesday, January 22, at 6:30pm in the LWHS library. Business will include gathering ideas for our member survey, a request for officer nominees for next year, our financial report and more. We will have a speaker from the YES organization to talk about trending teen issues such as anxiety, depression and peer pressure. Come to listen and bring your questions. We look forward to seeing you there. Any questions, please contact PTSA President Julie Peterson.
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Reflections Open House - Friday, Jan. 10, 6-8pm LWSD Resource Center, Redmond
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You are invited to join the LWSD PTSA Council as they honor the Lake Washington PTSA Council Reflections art competition winners, and recognize all of the students who participated in Reflections. Over 450 student entries will be on display, with 19 entries representing Lake Washington High School.
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PTSA Board and Membership Endorses 2014 Bond and Levies
We urge you to vote YES!
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The LWHS PTSA Board of Directors and the LWHS PTSA General Membership have voted in favor of endorsing the Lake Washington School District Capital Projects Levy, the Education Programs & Operations Levy, and the Bond Measure.
Renew your commitment to Lake Washington students and vote yes on school levies. Our beautiful new Lake Washington High School was built with money from the previous bond issue. A new wing will be added to meet the growing need for high school space if the new bond issue passes. Both the Kirkland and the Redmond areas will grow extensively in the next 8 years and the district will need space for up to 4000 extra students. We urge you to vote Yes on all three measures so that our district can meet all the upcoming growth needs and retain the excellence we are known for.
A strong school district will help to keep your home values up; new homeowners buy in areas with good schools. If our neighbors in Bellevue and Northshore Districts pass their levies and we don't, our home values could suffer.
For factual information regarding the 2014 bond and levies, including FAQs about the Juanita pool, please visit the Lake Washington School District webpage. These three measures will appear on the February 11, 2014 ballot. This is a mail only ballot - look for it in your mailbox in January.
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Register to Vote Now to Vote for Levy/Bond in February
Students can register at school this Thursday and Friday!
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Register to vote by January 13th online, (or in person by February 3rd) if you want to vote in the election for the LWSD Bond and Levies on February 11th. LWHS students who will be 18 by Feb. 11th will have an opportunity to register at school Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at lunch. The League of Women Voters will be there to assist. Register to vote or change your address here.
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Save the Date - Legislative Focus Day, Feb. 4th 2014
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Join us in Olympia for the Washington State PTSA Focus Day February 4, 2014! If you've never been to Focus Day, where we hear from legislators, learn more about legislation regarding education, and advocate for kids, now is your chance!
We will be taking a bus, so please contact the LWHS Legislative Advocacy chairperson, Sandy Helgeson, if you'd like more information or to be registered for the bus. Or check out the website for Washington State PTA Focus Day. Back to top
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Junior, Sophomore, Freshmen Parents: Start Planning!
Senior Party Committees are being formed for Classes of '15, '16 & '17
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Interested in supporting your student's class Senior party? Please come to this first meeting to learn more.
Join us on: Wednesday, January 22nd
When: 5:30pm (PTSA General meeting starts in the library at 6:30pm)
Where: Commons at LWHS
Questions: Contact the 2014 Senior Party Co-chair Cheryl Ronbeck
We need your support to start the planning process for 2015, 2016 & 2017 Senior Party on graduation night. We are meeting to learn about the process from the 2014 committee. They will lend their expertise and tell us what is needed. The contract for the party locations of this year's Junior class is completed in the spring of this year, an entire year prior to the event.
Committees will be formed this year by grade. Each class will be able to start fundraising prior to Senior year if desired. Joining the committee prior to Senior year does not mean you are committing to staying on it through Senior year. If committees are formed early and fundraising goes well then ticket prices can be lower and more could afford to attend.
Why have a graduation night Senior Party? Statistics show that teen drivers are involved in twice as many fatal car crashes per mile than adults. When alcohol is involved, the fatal crash rate is even greater. And during the months of May & June, more teen drivers are injured or killed between 10:00PM - 4:00AM. Our goal is to provide a party on what could potentially be the most dangerous night of our teens' lives.
Without your support these committees won't form. Let's send our students out in style and show them how much we applaud their hard work in high school. This party is the one last chance for the entire class to bond (in a safe environment) before they head off in their many different directions.
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Staff Wish List
| Did you make a resolution this New Years to help out the community? Here's a fast and easy way to do that - check out the LWHS Staff Wish List. Some wishes are small, some are large.
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Read 'The Child Advocate'
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LWHS Hosts Vex Robotics Competition - 42 Teams to Compete
Saturday, January 11, LWHS Commons
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Luke Mathews, Ben Biggers, Regan Colburn, Linnea Walsh, members of the LWHS Robotics team, show off the ball-handling capabilities of their Vex robot.
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The Lake Washington High School Robotics Club is hosting their Second Annual Vex Robotics Competition. Forty-two teams from around the Northwest will converge in the Lake Washington High School Commons Saturday, January 11, 2014 to compete and qualify for the Washington State and British Columbia Provincial VRC championships. This year the tournament was selected to be the only tournament in Washington State to host VEX Robotics clubs from British Colombia in a Cross-jurisdictional Regional Qualifier. The teams from British Colombia will compete to qualify for their Provincial championship tournament at this event, along with the Washington teams competing for the Washington State Championships.
This will be an exciting event, some of the world's most competitive and successful VEX robotics teams will be represented and competing for placement in the Washington and BC Regional Championships coming in early March. Matches start around 10am and continue all day with the final rounds starting around 3pm.
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LWHS Robotics team members stand with their robot inside the new competition "field", paid for with funds donated by the LWHS PTSA. Due to the success of the Pass the Pouch fundraiser, the PTSA was able to support club grants this year..
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For more information, please contact Milo Dullum, LWHS Robotics Club Advisor. Back to top
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Loyalty Club News
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| Way to go, LW and community of Kirkland! That's a lot of donated food.
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Loyalty has finally wrapped up Holiday Baskets! Their food drive lasted about five weeks and collected $5,700 & an estimated 15,000 pounds of food! The group took a large part of the donation down to the Rainier Valley Food Bank on Wednesday and Hope-Link picked up the rest on Thursday.
All members of the club worked very hard to make it such a success. Extra kudos go out to the event chairs, Jessica Truong, Sami Wilmot, & Katie Melanson and Loyalty's President Manon Debuire. Special thanks also go to Red Apple, PCC, the downtown Kirkland QFC and the Totem Lake QFC; this event would never have been possible if they didn't allow LW students to stand outside their businesses.
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Save $10 - Order Your Yearbook by Jan. 16
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Pre-order your yearbook by January 16 for $60, or wait until January 17 and pay $70. We place our order in mid February and have to take an educated guess about how many extra copies to order for our procrastinators. Don't wait too long! We sold out in 2012 and the supply of books will be limited again this year
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News from the LW Physical Education/Health Department
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The following students are among those who have been selected by their Physical Education/Health teachers as Students of the Month for December 2013. During this time these students have excelled in their participation in unit/class activities, displayed pride in their fitness and skill development, and have served as role models for others in their physical education/health class.
Congratulations!
Quinn Steffens
Sydney Shepard
Tarah Fekri
Danielle Stinogel
Matthew Malloy
Wakana Uota
Ihsan Halimun
Colby Coco
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News & Activities for Seniors
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Hey Seniors and Parents, be sure to check out the section specifically for Seniors and Senior Parents! Located below College and Career Center Information. Take me there! Back to top
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Worth a Second Look - 2nd Semester Schedules
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Students will receive a copy of their 2nd semester schedule the first week of January. If they would like to request a schedule change, they need to download the Schedule Change Request form, complete it, and turn it in to the Counseling Center anytime between January 13th and January 16th. If the counselor can make the change, your student will be given a revised schedule.
As always, schedule change requests based on teacher choice, teacher style, or lunch assignments will not be considered.
Please note that, new this year, there will be NO schedule changes once the 2nd semester begins.
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PSAT Interpretation |
PSAT results were returned yesterday. Sophomores and Juniors who took the PSAT received their score reports and online access codes on Tuesday, January 7th during Tutorial. Once students received their score reports, they could attend an informational session in the theater. This session included a brief video presentation on how to interpret their test results and how to read their summary report. While we encouraged students to attend, they were not required to do so.
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LWHS Registration for Incoming Freshmen
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Registration materials will be distributed on January 10th at Kirkland and Rose Hill Middle Schools. LWHS counselors will explain the registration process and graduation requirements, and also review the course catalog. Registration request forms are due/will be collected on January 16th at Rose Hill MS and on January 17th at Kirkland MS.
For those students who currently attend one of LWSD's choice schools (i.e. Northstar, Renaissance, Stella Schola, and Environmental Schools) and live in our feeder pattern, they can register on February 5th at 1 pm. Please contact Teresa Muro (or 425-936-1702) in our Counseling Center to make your appointment. Registration request forms are due on February 12th for students who attend a choice school.
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The End is Near: Finals are Coming!
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Dread. Anxiety. Fear. Many students experience one or a combination of these emotions when they think about semester finals. With careful planning, though, these emotions can be lessened. Preparation is the key. Students should know what is going to be tested and how the test will be formatted. For instance, will the semester exam cover the entire semester? Will the exam be essay questions or multiple guess? If there is anything that a student doesn't understand, meeting with the teacher early is critical.
This translates into reviewing for the final early and consistently. Research has shown that cramming the night before simply doesn't work. Besides, who is there at 2 am to answer questions? Review textbook notes, homework assignments, the textbook, and the teacher's lecture notes. Sometimes forming a study group is helpful.
Of course, it goes without saying that students think more clearly when they eat a good breakfast and have a good night's sleep. And, finally, it's important to remember that while that semester final is important, it is the process of learning that is most important.
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Study Tips You Might Not Know
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Did you know that studying in a different location can help with data retention, or that you should start with your least favorite topic first? Check out these and other great study tips.
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Upcoming SAT and ACT Test Dates for 2014
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LWHS Code is 480545
SAT (see complete list of registration dates)
Test Date Regular Registration Deadlines
January 25, 2014 December 27, 2013
March 8, 2014 Feb. 7, 2014
May 3, 2014 April 4, 2014
June 7, 2014 May 9, 2014
ACT (see complete list of registration dates)
Test Date Regular Registration Deadlines
February 8, 2014 January 10, 2014 April 12, 2014 March 7, 2014 June 14, 2014 May 9, 2014
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Information for Seniors & Senior Parents
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Senior Countdown
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The Senior Countdown is a list of important dates and events for seniors to look forward to, such as prom, when senior projects are due, and other fun and important dates. It is available on our website, and hardcopies will be available in the reception area and counseling office. Students can watch the monitors throughout the building for updates.
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Senior Class Photo Coming Up - Jan. 29th
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The senior class group photo will be taken at 12:20 on Wednesday, January 29th. All seniors will be dismissed from their 6th period class to the Commons at 12:15. Look for the blue outlines on the floor to show you where to stand. Leave your backpacks off to the side so they aren't in the photo.
Tell your Running Start friends so they can get in on the action too.
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Financial Aid
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
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Hopefully, parents were able to attend our Financial Aid Night on December 4th. Remember, if you do experience difficulty when you fill out the FAFSA, we encourage you to call the financial aid offices at any of our local community colleges or universities. They will be more than happy to help answer your questions. Again, it is important to submit the FAFSA as soon after January 1st as possible. Many schools have early spring financial aid deadline dates. They strictly enforce deadlines and need your financial information as early as possible in order to give your student the best package. Parents file on line.
For more information about FAFSA, click here.
Student Aid on the Web A resource for in-depth information on federal student aid programs, applying for financial aid, and repaying student loans can be found at www.studentaid.ed.gov. This site can also be used to conduct college and scholarship searches, estimate college costs and track and compare financial aid award letters.
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| These Community Announcements are provided as a service to the community: Lake Washington School District (LWSD) does not sponsor, endorse or recommend any of the organizations, services, or activities described in these materials.
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Host an Italian Student and your Child will be invited to Italy!
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Ergon, an Italian-based organization and partner with NorthWest Student Exchange, is looking for families to host a 16-17-year-old Italian exchange student for next spring semester or school year. The Italian families are in turn happy to host your child during summer vacations, and we sponsor the flight!
Ergon specializes in a rigorous selection process insuring that participating students are responsible, motivated, proficient in English, and carefully matches students with host families. They are fully insured and arrive with pocket money for all expenses, including recreation activities and vacations.
Several of our Italian students have attended Mercer Island, Skyline, Bothell, Roosevelt, Garfield, Ballard and Nathan Hale high schools with excellent experiences for students and families alike. Past and present host families are our best references and they will be happy to share their experience with you.
Exchanges offer the opportunity to experience a different culture and build international bridges through friendships and knowledge. For further information, please email Denise Trogdon, Seattle coordinator and visit our website.
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Kang Crier Newsletter Archives
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Did you miss an issue of the Kang Crier? Past issues are now archived on the PTSA website. Back to top
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The Lake Washington School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, gender, marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran, military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability, in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups.
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