Lake Washington High School, Kirkland, WA PTSA Local Unit 2.8.95
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March 19, 2014
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Issue No. 13
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LWHS PTSA Newsletter |
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UPCOMING EVENTS
AP Exam Registration
Monday - Friday, March 17 - 21 PTSA General Membership MeetingTonight, Wednesday, March 19, 6:30pm, Library
Band ConcertTonight, Wednesday, March 19, 7pm
Dance Team - Friends & Family NightMonday, March 24, 7pm, gym LW Council Special Needs Parent EdTuesday, March 25, 7pm, LWSD Resource Center Cheer Booster Club Fundraiser - Tres HermanosWednesday, March 26, all day School and Family FairWednesday, March 26, 6pm, Highland Middle School
Parent Ed - Preventing Adolescent Substance Abuse
Monday, March 31, 7pm, LWSD Resource Ctr, Redmond LW PTSA Council Scholarship Applications Due Monday, April 7 LWHS PTSA Sheeley Scholarship Applications Due Monday, April 14
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 President Julie Peterson
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Standardized testing is beginning and that means the end of the year cannot be far away! Although the year will quickly come to a close, there is lots to be done before then, and much has been accomplished already. The PTSA cannot do what we do for LWHS without our many tireless volunteers. Thank you all for your service on behalf of our children. LWHS would not be the same without you!
Thanks to all of you who took a few minutes to fill out our parent/member survey. We had over 160 responses, which is very high for a survey of this nature, and obtained a wealth of data to help us direct our programs and emphasis in the future. The good news is,that the vast majority of our membership that responded feels that the PTSA is operating well and in the best interests of the students. There were many constructive comments and you will be seeing some changes coming in the future to address the issues raised. It is clear that the PTSA needs to be more vocal about how and why we do business the way we do. We are quickly making plans to be even more transparent and provide all of our members with information about our processes.
As you all know, the bond measure failed in February. A new bond at roughly half the cost of the previous one will be on the ballot for April 22. This bond will include the first half of the projects in the previous bond and another bond will be voted on in 2018 to complete the rest. It is very important to LWSD, and LWHS in particular, to pass this new bond! Our school, which is already serving more students than it was designed to hold, needs a new wing that this bond will build. The change from 3 year high schools to 4 year high schools has made our population soar. It is estimated that only about 17% of voters aged 18 - 44 in the district voted, which is a historic low. Please help by encouraging everyone to vote! If you have questions, please contact any board member or attend our general meeting tonight for more information.
It is not too late to join your LWHS PTSA! We welcome new members all year long! Join online at www.lwhsptsa.org.
Please attend our General Membership Meeting tonight, Wednesday, March 19, which will feature Christina Thomas and a presentation on job hunting and interviewing tips for teens by Patrick Harris. We will also elect our new slate of officers for next year and hear more about the new bond measure. We hope you join us at 6:30pm in the library.
We look forward to seeing you,
Julie Peterson
President, LWHS PTSA
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LWHS PTSA General Membership Meeting
Tonight! Wednesday, March 19th, 2014, 6:30pm, LWHS Library
Special Topic: Job Hunting and Interviewing for Teens
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Please join us for our General Meeting tonight, Wednesday, March 19, at 6:30pm in the LWHS library. Business will include results from our member survey, election of next year's officers, our financial report and more. We will have Patrick Harris speaking on job hunting and interviewing tips for teens. 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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Renew Your Commitment to Lake Washington Students
Vote "Yes" on School Bond!
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Following the failure (by 2%) of the February 11 bond, a reduced bond has been put on the April 22 ballot. This reduced bond will address our critical and urgent need to accommodate growing enrollment and overcrowding by building new schools and classrooms. If we do not pass this bond, there will be consequences for your students.
Choice 1: Consequences (if the bond fails)
Alternatives to address the projected 4000 new students in LWSD without building or expanding schools include:
- District-wide redrawing of boundaries - neighborhoods shift to different schools
- Year-round school calendar (with multiple shifts)
- Changes in ability to provide district programs - reduce or eliminate before- and after-school activities
- Double shift schedules - one group of students attends school early, a second group attends later in the day
- More portables (at a cost of up to $300,000 each) at more schools
- Reducing or eliminating all-day kindergarten
Choice 2: Bond
The bond has been revised down to $404 million, or annual increase of $125 for an average home in our district worth $500,000. That's about five Starbucks' coffees a month. The new bond covers the following projects:
- Build addition at Lake Washington High School in Kirkland (to be completed by 2016)
- Three additional new elementary schools (one in Kirkland, two in Redmond)
- Re-build and expand Juanita High School in Kirkland
- Build new STEM high school on the Juanita High School campus in Kirkland
- One additional new middle school in Redmond
Why These Projects?
These projects are needed most immediately to address the urgent and critical need for space for our students:
- An addition to the recently built Lake Washington High School is necessary to relieve overcrowding and provide more needed high school space. This school was planned, designed and built as a three-grade high school, before the change to the current grades 9-12 configuration. Changing to the grades 9-12 system prevented the need to add three to four elementary schools, in addition to those in this measure. The school building was designed with a future expansion in mind.
- New schools are needed to accommodate both current overcrowding and growing enrollment.
- Juanita High School is aging and has a substandard layout. Many classrooms have no windows. Including Juanita High School in the bond also allows a new STEM school to be placed on that campus. This will provide greater access to a STEM program for students on the west side of the district, as well as needed space for more students.
For more information: LWSD website and vote4lwsdkids.org.
Thanks to supporters who voted YES on February 11 - please do it again!
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Register to Vote Now to Vote for the Bond Measure in April
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You can register to vote online up until March 24th for the April 22nd bond vote.
Register to vote or change your address here.
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PTSA Survey Results
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Recently the LWHS PTSA conducted a survey of the LWHS community to give our parents/staff a chance to weigh in on our forms of communication, our meetings, our programs and how much money we spent on each, and help us determine our direction and focus for next year and beyond. We received 164 responses, of which 111 were from members, which is a huge response for this kind of survey.
For the most part, our members and non-members alike felt that we are doing a good job, focusing on the right things, and providing valued programs to our students and staff. We got lots of constructive criticism to help us guide the future of LWHS PTSA. You will start seeing changes based on your input in the near future.
We want to thank those of you who responded for taking the time to provide us with information we can use to improve your PTSA. Here are the results.Any questions, please contact PTSA President Julie Peterson.
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LWHS PTSA Scholarships for LW Seniors
Four $1,000 awards to be given out
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This year the LWHS PTSA has granted enough money to award 4 college-bound seniors each a $1,000 scholarship named in honor of Louise Sheeley, a former counselor at LWHS. The criteria for selection includes involvement in high school, community service, leadership, vocational pursuits, and academic achievement in areas including arts and sciences. Overcoming hardships and/or being a model citizen is also recognized. The committee will make their selections through a non-biased process in which the students identities will be unknown to the committee.
All applications are to be returned to the Career Center by Monday, April 14th, 2014, which is the Monday after Spring break. Applications are available in the Career Center, on the LWHS PTSA website, or can be downloaded here. If you have any questions please contact Sue Amorosi, ( 425) 241-8992.
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Other PTSA Scholarships Available to LWHS Seniors
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The Lake Washington PTSA Council is offering scholarships to high school seniors. Go to the Scholarship page on the Council website for the application and more information. Scholarships are $1,000 and the due date is Monday, April 7th. These scholarships are available to seniors in all of the the LWSD high schools.
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The Washington State PTA is also offering scholarship opportunities. Scholarships of $2,000 are given to recipients entering four-year post-secondary institutions. $1,000 scholarships will be awarded for community colleges, voc-tech schools or other accredited institutions. Washington State PTA scholarships are awarded on the basis of:
1) financial need 2) academic performance 3) leadership & community serviceApplications are due May 1st. Go to the Washington State PTA website for the application.
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PTSA Slate of Elected Board Positions for 2014-2015
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The 2014 LWHS PTSA Nominating Committee places the following names in nomination:
Elected Officers:
For the Office of Co-President: Liz Hedreen
For the Office of Co-President: Anne Ryan
For the Office of Co-Vice President 1 - Communications: Karen Peters
For the Office of Co-Vice President 1 - Communications: Karen Tollefson
For the Office of Vice President 2 - Programs: Nicole Camp
For the Office of Vice President 3 - Ways and Means: Sue Amorosi
For the Office of Treasurer: Lia Yagelowich For the Office of Co-Secretary: Donna Blinn
For the Office of Co-Secretary: Valerie Horvath Respectfully Submitted,
Nominating Committee Donna Blinn, Janice Lyon, Karen Tollefson, Click here to see the signed version of this document.
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CDC Study: Youth Perceptions about Energy Drinks
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A recent CDC study shows that more health promotion efforts may be needed to educate young people about the potential health dangers of consuming energy drinks. Energy drinks contain caffeine that ranges from 50 mg to 500 mg per can or bottle (compared with the average can of cola that has 35 mg), as well as other ingredients aimed at boosting energy. The study shows that 16 and 17 year olds were the most likely to drink energy drinks and to mistakenly believe that energy drinks are the same as sports drinks.
When used in excess, they can cause health problems such as elevated blood pressure and dehydration because of their high caffeine content. The American Academy of Pediatrics in 2011 recommended against energy drink intake by adolescents given their possible adverse health effects. The study, "Perceptions About Energy Drinks Are Associated with Energy Drink Intake Among US Youth," is available online in the American Journal of Health Promotion.
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Kang Achievements
Congratulations LWHS!
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Congratulations to LWHS Honor Students
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We would like to recognize our LWHS students with outstanding academic achievement first semester. Students with High Honors achieved a 4.0 GPA for the semester. See the list of students with High Honors here. Students with Honors achieved a GPA of 3.5 - 3.9 for first semester. See the list of students with Honors here. We would also like to recognize those students who improved their GPA by .5 or more in the first semester. See those students here. Way to go Kangs! Keep up the outstanding work! Back to top
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Congratulations to LW Student Karen Lee Washington State PTA Reflections Competition Winner
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LWHS junior Karen Lee received the "Award of Merit" for her photograph "Freedom" in the Washington State PTA Reflections Competition for Photography in the High School division. There are only three awards given in the Washington State Competition in the Photography High School division. This is a tremendous honor - Congratulations to Miss Lee!
She will honored at the Annual Convention in April. (The "Outstanding Award" is the only piece that moves forward to National Reflections Competition). Miss Lee was awarded the Outstanding Interpretation Award in Photography, Lake Washington PTA Council level, which promoted her to the state competition. | Karen Lee's "Freedom" |
If you are interested in entering or helping with this program, please contact: [email protected].
LWHS Reflections co-chairs: Sheila Edwards, Eva Johansson, Dawn Laurant
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Congratulations to Senior Kelly Guy! WIAA Athlete of the Week
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Senior Kelly Guy was named WIAA Athlete of the Week for outstanding performance. Kelly filled up the stat sheet in last week's basketball game against Bremerton with a career high of 30 points, seven assists, and six rebounds. Each week throughout the school year, the WIAA recognizes twelve varsity athletes, a male and a female from each of the six classifications, who exhibited an outstanding performance for the previous week.
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LW VEX Robotics Team Goes to PNW Regional Championship
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Our LW Robotics Club made a trip on Saturday, March 8th to Burnaby B.C. for the final tournament of the year - The Pacific Northwest Regional A & B Championship Robotics Tournament at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Seventy-five teams from Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alberta Canada were present.
This was an A & B division tournament. Out of 24 A division competitors, our A division team, "4770", finished fourth in the preliminary rounds, only to be eliminated in the second round of quarterfinals, missing the championship round by one loss. Our two rookie "B" teams, 4770A & 4770X, did very well, and placed 5th and 8th in the preliminary rounds.
For more details about the tournament, read the full article here. This has been an amazing experience this year for the members of the club. Please congratulate all of our hard working and dedicated team members. Now on to the Worlds! Back to top
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Art Installation Featuring LWHS Artists VALA Art Center - through March 30
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VALA Eastside presents a special installation of art by area high school students, including students from LWHS. The installation will run through March 30 at the VALA Art Center, 7303 163rd Ave NE, Redmond. Hours are Wed. - Sun. 11am - 5pm. See the flyer here. LWHS featured artists include: Emily Brown
| Aliya Greenbaum
| Connor Mclaughlin
| Johanna Brekkan
| Claudia Gunhus
| Cori Meyers
| Taylor Burch
| Zoe Guckenheimer
| Toni Nguyen
| Skylar Caldwell-Olsen
| Ploy Hemrathiran
| Julie Pritchard
| Emma Calvert
| Amanda Kartes
| Teleya Pierce-Williams
| Kiya Coon
| Amanda Levine
| Madison Shepard
| Manon Debuire
| Nicole McKinney
| Christy Truong
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Yearbook Update
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Make sure your graduating senior gets a yearbook. We've ordered 940 yearbooks and 810 students have prep aid and are guaranteed a copy. There is only one printing so when we sell out, we are really and truly sold out. First come, first served - buy them while they last ($70). A senior without a yearbook is a very sad thing indeed. Yearbook distribution is scheduled for Friday, June 6th.
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LW Dance Team Family and Friends Night
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If you haven't had a chance to see a performance, they are hosting a Friends and Family Night showcasing their Pom and Military routines at Lake Washington High School Gym, on Monday, March 24th at 7pm. All are welcome and admission is free! Back to top
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Cheer Booster Club Fundraiser Tres Hermanos Restaurant, Wed. March 26th, all day
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The Cheer Booster Club is sponsoring a fundraiser at Tres Hermanos on March 26th, all day, either dine-in or take-out. We want to invite all students, their families and friends, as well as staff to come help support our club and the LWHS Cheer Team. Be sure to bring the flyer and present it to your server.
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The spring season is here! Lake Washington High School's very own badminton team, which began recently in 2013, kicks off to a great start this year! The girls are extremely ebullient about this year's badminton season, with radiance and enthusiasm that can be felt throughout the gym from all players. This year, matches will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays (in the LW main gym for home games) from 3:30pm to 5pm. We encourage all members of the Kang family to come out and support the team. Shake your birdie!!!
Team players:
Bhavya Jain (captain) | Karen Lee | Angelica Runstadler | Katie Brandao | Kristine Ly | Mackenna Thompson | Angelie Calmerin | Sydney Meade | Julia Toth | Saara Charania | Haley Neal | Elisa Truong | Tracy Huynh | Amy Ortega | Anna Williamson | Grace Kim | Nadia Popovici | Karter Duke | Amanda Lam | Brooke Robertson | Regan Colburn | Back to top
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LWHS Registration for 2014-2015
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Our current freshmen, sophomores and juniors, and even our incoming freshmen, have completed registration for next year's classes. If they have any concerns or questions about graduation requirements or credits, they need to sign up to see their counselor. If progress stalls and students no longer meet the prerequisites for classes, they need to see their counselor. (For instance, if students fail Algebra II second semester, they need to decide whether they are going to attend summer school or rethink their math placement for next year.) NOW is the time to make these changes. The schedules students receive in the fall are considered final.
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Advanced Placement Exams |
Advanced Placement exams are scheduled for May 5 through May 17. Registration will run from March 17 through March 21, at the end of "C" lunch. Students can pick up a registration packet from their AP teacher or from the Counseling Center. Included in this packet are the registration envelope, information handout, and AP Bulletin. The cost is $94.00 per exam; checks are made payable to Lake Washington School District. The completed registration envelope with check inside is then given to our bookkeeper, Ms. Ronbeck. Students need their school ID card with them when they pay for their exams.
Students have been preparing all year for their exams. If they are unsure whether or not they should test, students should, of course, check with their individual subject teachers.
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A Reason to Stay In-State Peace Corps and Western Washington University
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The Peace Corps was founded in 1961 and over the years has provided a valuable opportunity for both volunteers and host countries to benefit from knowledge and compassion. For the second year in a row, Western Washington University was ranked No. 1 among medium-sized schools on the Peace Corps 2014 rankings of the top volunteer-producing colleges and universities across the country.
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Juniors and College Entrance Exams SAT/ACT Tests
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Typically, spring of the junior year is when many juniors take the SAT/ACT and any relevant SAT II Subject Tests. Once students receive their scores, they can use the summer to review and work on their weaker skills and retake the test in the fall. Another excellent reason to take the SAT/ACT in the spring is that students can now start to look at their target schools. College-bound students want to make sure that they have a realistic balance of dream, match, and safety schools (based on their test scores and GPA) on their list.
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Upcoming SAT and ACT Test Dates for 2014
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Because so many students take these tests in the spring, students need to sign up early! Registering close to the registration deadline may mean testing as far away as Tacoma. To learn more about what these pre-colleges tests are about, click here.
LWHS Code is 480545
SAT (see complete list of registration dates)
Test Date Regular Registration Deadlines
May 3, 2014 April 4, 2014
June 7, 2014 May 9, 2014
ACT (see complete list of registration dates)
Test Date Regular Registration Deadlines
April 12, 2014 March 7, 2014 June 14, 2014 May 9, 2014
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SAT Prep at LWHS
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The SAT Prep Course provides classroom-based practice testing and instruction in preparation for the SAT test. Areas covered include essay writing, grammar, geometry and algebra topics. Practice tests provide immediate feedback -- after the test students leave with a marked essay, a better understanding of SAT scoring, and their score from the practice test.
To register for the upcoming classes, and for more information and additional locations, see the current flyer here or visit www.SATPrep.org.
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Information for Seniors & Senior Parents
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Culminating Projects
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Your seniors should continue logging their Culminating Project hours and checking in with their CP staff advisor/homeroom teacher. The next and final log check is due along with the final portfolio on May 6. There will be no room to be late or to revise these, so seniors should be sure to talk with their advisors about their progress BEFORE the log is due. Final formal presentations will be May 21, and all families are invited to come watch the presentations and help celebrate all the hard work. Mark your calendars now! Please check Haiku regularly for CP updates and information.
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Level 5 Papers
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Graduation is getting closer and closer! Has your senior student completed all their Level 5 papers? In order to graduate, students need to complete and pass three papers: Literary Analysis, Compare/Contrast, and Persuasive. Students should talk to their teachers to find out when these are being taught this semester. If students have run out of opportunities, they will work with Ms. Christiansen on each essay outside of class. Seniors should NOT WAIT for teachers or Ms. Christiansen to contact them about this. If students are wondering which papers they need to pass, they should review the letter that was sent to them in February. If students have lost this letter, they may check on their graduation status with school counselors. It is the students' responsibility to ensure these papers are complete and proficient. We want to see every single senior walk across that stage in June!
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Quick Reminder for Parents of Seniors
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If your senior is currently completing a graduation requirement outside of LWHS (for instance, taking an online course), remember that we must receive the final grade/transcript documenting the credit earned by the end of May.
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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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Lake Washington Schools Foundation
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9th Annual Legacy for Learning Luncheon
April 23rd, Juanita High School, 12-1pm
Keynote Speaker - EvergreenHealth CEO Robert Malte
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You are Invited! You are invited to the 9th Annual Legacy for Learning Luncheon on Wednesday, April 23 at Juanita High School. Registration begins at 11:30am and the program is from 12 - 1pm. The keynote speaker, EvergreenHealth CEO Robert Malte, will explain how the Lake Washington School District is building pathways to student success by providing students with real-world experiences through public-private partnerships with schools. One partnership with Juanita High, for example, allows high school students enrolled in the district's new STEM-based (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) Signature Programs to explore healthcare careers by working directly with EvergreenHealth. Guests will also hear stories of achievement and success from students and teachers.
I invite you to join me at the Lake Washington High School table! Register with this link: 2014 luncheon registration. Enter "Sarah Stone" for your Table Captain and you will be seated with other LWHS parents. Your support of the luncheon helps fund critical student programs that ensure all students succeed. You can also get more information by going to our website at www.lwsf.org there are still opportunities to be a table captain, volunteer or be a sponsor. Student Community Service Opportunities. For the luncheon, there are a number of opportunities for middle and high schools students to earn community service either at set up for the luncheon on April 22 or helping the day of the luncheon on April 23. Please contact [email protected] for more information.
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Lake Washington PTSA Council News
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Preventing Adolescent Substance Abuse Talk Monday, March 31, 7 - 9 pm LWSD Resource Center
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One of the most powerful substance abuse prevention strategies is an informed parent. It is more important than ever to be aware of adolescent drug and alcohol trends. The LWPTSA will present, "Becoming Drug Aware" on Monday, March 31, 7 - 9 pm at the LWSD Resource Center. Hear about the physiological and developmental aspects of substance use on youth, potential for progression and addiction, legal consequences and tips for recognizing and preventing use. To see the poster for more information, click here.
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Parent Education Presentations
Presented by LWPTSA Council Special Needs Group
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IEP's and 504s - March 25, 2014 - An Ombudsman from The Governor's Office of the Education Ombudsmen will present on IEPs and 504s
Behavior Challenges at Home - April 22, 2014 - Nancy Rosenberger will speak on Dealing with Behavior Challenges at Home
All meetings are held on Tuesdays at the Lake Washington School District Resource Center, from 7 - 8:30 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.
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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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School and Family Fair Wednesday, March 26, 6 - 8:15pm, Highland Middle School
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Visit booths for summer camps, childcare resources, enrichment programs, sports programs, counseling, high school programs, higher education, health care and many more.Presentations: 6:30 - 7:00pm
| Social/Emotional Learning
| 7:00 - 7:30pm
| Summer Learning Opportunities
| 7:30 - 8:00pm
| College Planning
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Highland Middle School, 15027 NE Bel-Red Rd., Bellevue, WA 98007 See flyer here.
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Khan Academy Free On-line Learning Tool
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Khan Academy is a free on-line learning tool, you don't need to sign-up to use it. Learn from videos and interactive modules. Need help in chemistry, biology, physics, math, history and SAT Math prep? Go to www.khanacademy.org (go to the links on the bottom if you don't want to sign-up).
Read what PC Magazine has to say about Khan Academy here.
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Kang Crier Newsletter Info
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Did you miss an issue of the Kang Crier? Past issues are now archived on the PTSA website. Next deadline for April 2nd issue is Wednesday March 26th. To change your email address or profile, click on the "Update Profile/Email Address" link in the footer below. To unsubscribe, click the "SafeUnsubscribe" link in the footer below. Liz Hedreen & Jeanine Lewis, Kang Crier Co-editors 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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