PTSA #2.9.50 September 2, 2014

In This Issue

Welcome Back Coffee	MIHS Calendar/Dates & Events
PTSA College Night Series starts	Message from the Principal's Office
Parking Update	Senior Yearbook Photos
MI Parent Edge presents	Question of the Week
PTSA News and Announcements	Volunteer Sign-ups Online

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Events:**

September

Sept 2 - First Day of School

- Freshman Orientation 8 -11am, Main Gym

-New Student (Soph-Sr) Orientation 9-11am, Main Gym

-MIHS School Day 11:30 am - 3pm (Meet in Bridges Groups)

Sept 3 - All Fall Sports Parent meeting, 6-8:30pm, MIHS PAC

Sept 5 - Kickoff

Assembly, 2pm, Main Gym

- Marching Band at Football Game, 7pm

- Spirit Dance, 9:30 - 11:30pm

Sept 8 - College Series Night #1, The Application Process, 6pm - 8:30pm, PAC

Sept 11 - Picture Make-up Day, 7:30 am

Sept 12 - PTSA Welcome Back Coffee, 9am - 11:15 am, Lower Commons

Sept 23 - Curriculum Night Marketplace, Commons, 5:30-8:30pm

- Curriculum Night/PTSA Pass the Hat, 6:30-9pm

- Curriculum Night, 6:30-9pm.

Sept 24 - Senior Class picture, 9:35am, amphitheater

Sept 27 - Mock SAT/ACT, Location TBA, 8:30am - 1:15pm

More Calendar Information

Have a Question about Student Life at MIHS? Maybe the Answer is in the MIHS Student Handbook:

MIHS Student Handbook

Sports Calendar

KingCo - Mercer Island

Quick Links

Mercer Island School District

Mercer Island High School

High School PTSA

Mercer Island Schools Foundation

Mercer Island Youth and Family Services

The City of Mercer Island

Mercer Island Boys and Girls Club

Mercer Island Parks & Recreational Department

Join the PTSA!

PTSA Membership Form

Care to Volunteer?

Volunteer Opportunities

PTSA 2013-2014 Executive Committee

President Debbie Hanson

VP/Elect Jayme Witman

Secretary Amy Melick

Co-Treasurer Sally Peterson

Co-Treasurer Lesley Kalmin

Co-VP Com. Monica Moline

Co-VP Com. Erin Underwood

VP Outreach Betsy O'Connell

Co-VP Ops. Kathy Bauman

Co-VP Ops. Claudia Allard

Co-VP Leg Adv Wendy Weiker & Mary Kay Woolston

Parent Advisory Committee

Freshman Class of 2018

TBD

Sophomore Class of 2017

Diane Johnson 232-1696

Ivy Suzuki-Jaecks 236-3485

Annie Koning 232-1346

Junior Class of 2016

TBD

Senior Class of 2015
Toby Suhm 236-7074

Jane Rosenstein 275-1977

PTSA Pres. Rep.
Debbie Hanson 236-3091

School Board Rep

Pat Braman

MISD Advisory Council Rep
Toby Suhm 236-7074

Debbie Hanson 236-3091

MISD Board of Directors

Pat Braman 232-1551

Dave Myerson 236-1058

Brian Emanuels 232-0556

Adair Dingle 230-8790

Janet Frohnmayer 230-0780

Sup. Dr. Gary Plano

236-3300

Submit an Article

To submit an article for review for our next issue:

mihsnewsletter@hotmail.com

MIHS PTSA Welcome Back Coffee 9/12

PTSA Welcome Back Coffee

and General Meeting

Please join the MIHS PTSA EC on September 12th from 9:00-11:15am for our annual Welcome Back Coffee & General Membership Meeting! This is a wonderful opportunity to meet new friends, catch up with old ones, and learn more about PTSA projects, programs and volunteer opportunities. MIHS Principal, Vicki Puckett and other school leaders will be introduced and invited to share a few words, volunteer sign-ups will be available, and coffee and treats will be plentiful! We hope to see you there!

VOLUNTEER SIGN-UP ARE ONLINE NOW

Attention all parents who want to Volunteer this year at MIHS!

Contrary to our children's viewpoint, the high school years are very much the right time to be involved in their school. Research strongly supports a positive correlation between parental involvement and student success in all aspects of our children's high school experience. Mercer Island has a wealth of talented and energetic parents who care about their children's educational experience.

Please consider how you can volunteer during the 2014-2015 school year and complete the online form at

MIHS PTSA website or Click here to fill out your 2014-2015 Volunteer Interest Form. SIGN-UPs will also be available at the Welcome Back Coffee on Friday, September 12, 9am in the Lower Commons.

Questions? Contact Laurie Raisys at volunteer@mihsptsa.org

From Our PTSA President

Email Debbie Hanson

Welcome Back!

Today's newsletter marks the bittersweet end of summer vacation as school lies just around the corner. If your house is like mine, you are focused on squeezing every last drop out of summer, denying the fact that warm evenings, carefree mornings and no homework will soon come to an end. Indeed, classes will begin tomorrow, but hopefully our lovely summer weather will linger!

My name is Debbie Hanson and I am your PTSA President again this year. I graduated myself from MIHS a long while ago and now my husband, Dan are raising our three sons on Mercer Island, including a senior at MIHS, an 8th grader at IMS and a recent MIHS grad who we just dropped off at Linfield College in Oregon a week ago (also bittersweet!). Friends tell me that distractions help after dropping kids off at college, so this year I am doubly thankful and honored to serve again as President and look forward to the many tasks that lie ahead.

I am also thankful to work alongside so many talented parent volunteers, including our current Executive Committee and the many folks who chair and support all of our PTSA programs! I remain constantly inspired by our steady stream of volunteers and by our dedicated MIHS Administrative team. I encourage anyone with interest to get involved at MIHS - you won't be sorry!

Stay Informed!

As a member of our school listserv, you will receive weekly PTSA newsletter & website updates featuring calendar items, upcoming events, announcements, and answers to frequently asked MIHS questions. Periodically, you will also find articles from our Superintendent, Dr. Gary Plano, and our Principal, Vicki Puckett. Today's newsletter links you to important back-to-school information including parking at the High School, daily student schedules, the MIHS calendar and much more.

I welcome your questions anytime, so please feel free to contact me, or any MIHS PTSA Executive Committee members, throughout the year. Our annual Welcome Back Coffee will take place on September 12th from 9:00-11:15am in the Commons and we hope to see you there!

Happy Summer's end!

Debbie Hanson

MIHS PTSA President

To see Debbie's past President's letters, click here.

Messages from the Principal's Office

Email
Vicki Puckett

2014 MIHS Pick-up/Drop Off and Parking Instructions:

Welcome Back! Mercer Island High School has a new Front Parking and Drop off area for your convenience. If you are dropping off your student please drive down 42nd Street and turn into the school's new and improved drop off lanes right before the front entrance to the school and the flag pole. When dropping off a student(s) PLEASE KEEP MOVING FORWARD as far as you can to allow for others to drop off students.

Students need to be ready to exit the vehicle when the driver stops. All backpacks and instruments should be accessible and ready to go!

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!!!

These are NEW PARKING PROCEDURES:

There are four spots once you turn in to the drop off area (which used to be the Admin parking) reserved for 5 minute loading and unloading on the left hand side by the flagpole. Make sure to give your license plate info to a Secretary in the Front Office.

Please do not park next to any curbs painted in red. These designated areas are reserved fire lanes- NO PARKING ALLOWED!
We heard your feedback about students parking in Visitor Spots. Visitors will need to get a placard for their car from a Secretary in the Front Office.
Please place the placard in FRONT WINDOW of your vehicle.
For those parents and visitors who will be here longer than 5 minutes, please pull into MAIN PARKING LOT. There are labeled visitor spots for your convenience. If you park in the visitor zone, make sure you check in at the front office and get a badge that identifies you as a "visitor".
Please pay special attention to the signs and arrows in the parking areas. They have all changed. When exiting from the visitors parking lot, make sure you use the new exit in that lot!

For the first two weeks of school, we will have staff and parent volunteers helping with the new drop off area and traffic flow. Welcome back to a new school year!

PTSA News and Announcements

PTSA College Night Series

Senior Application Process - September 8, 2014 - MIHS PAC (Auditorium)

Seniors and parents of seniors are strongly encouraged to attend the first of our PTSA's College Night Series. Mrs. Hillstrom will present a PowerPoint with handouts regarding the in-house process of gathering all pertinent information for college applications. She will talk about what colleges expect of students, parents and her (cont.)

(representing MIHS). In-house deadlines will also be noted. This is an important night for families of students who are planning to attend a four-year college in the fall of 2015. Seniors will receive this information/presentation in their English classes in late September, but it is always beneficial for students and parents to hear the same information. Question and answer time will allow for discussions about this sometimes confusing process.

College Preparation and Selection Process - October 14, 2014 - MIHS Auditorium

This seminar will provide basic information and is particularly geared to freshmen, sophomores and juniors and their parents. It will cover the overall college preparation and selection process. Get a road map for what your student needs to be doing now!

Each College Night is divided into two parts. At 6:00 p.m., Mrs. Hillstrom, MIHS College and Career Counselor will present a 30-minute optional Naviance Tutorial. Naviance is MIHS' web-based service for curriculum planning, career exploration and the college choice/application/admission process. Students and parents can use valuable research and organizational tools provided by this program. Mrs. Hillstrom will also use Naviance for her bulk email deliveries. Learn how to register on Naviance and about what the service has to offer at the Naviance Tutorials. The evening's topic then begins at 6:30 p.m.

There is no need to pre-register for these lectures. A $5.00 per family per session donation is appreciated. Net proceeds will be donated to the MI PTSA Scholarship Fund. All donations are purely optional and are not a requirement of admission.

Questions - contact Betsy Robertson, or see information on the PTSA website at

http://mihsptsa.org/college-prep/college-night-series.

Freshman and Junior Parents: Apply now to serve on the Parent Advisory Committee!

The PAC is a group of parents from each of the four grade levels who meet each month with Principal Vicki Puckett to discuss issues and concerns among parents and school administration. Click here for more info and the application:

PAC application

Class of 2015 - Senior Activities help!

Senior Year is here! Are you interested in helping with the Senior Party and other end-of-year Senior Activities next year? Please contact Jennifer McLellan with any questions or to let her know you'd like to join the committee.

Sports and Activity Announcements

SPEEDOS and SOAP SUDS!

The MIHS boys water polo team is hosting their very popular, annual car wash on Saturday 9/13. It's the team's biggest fundraiser of the year so mark it on your calendar and come enjoy the fun! Contact your favorite water polo player to get a pre-paid ticket or just show up day of the event.

- Saturday 9/13

- Noon - 3pm

- South end near Storage Court and Yo Mercer

- $10 a car

MI Parent Edge

MI Parent Edge - 2014-2015 Calendar of Parent Education Events

Join Parent Edge for a great year of stimulating speakers and events! From navigating our kids' anxieties to exploring the many ways today's "digital youth" are different from pre-digital youth; from an evening with Rosalind Wiseman, author of "Queen Bees & Wannabees" and "Masterminds & Wingmen" to examining society's failure to recognize and care for the social and emotional well-being of our boys in the compelling film "The Mask You Live In" - it's quite a line up! Please visit www.miparentedge.org to view the entire calendar.

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

MI Parent Edge Presents:

Navigating Our Kids' Anxieties

Everyday strategies for neutralizing worries and anxieties - Wednesday, October 15 at 7 PM at the MIHS PAC

Join Parent Edge as we welcome Dr. Chris McCurry, author of Parenting Your Anxious Child With Mindfulness and Acceptance, and learn about the natural origins of anxiety and stress, as well as parenting strategies that help kids navigate anxious situations and strategies kids can employ to be successful when strong emotions show up. Learn more about Dr. McCurry by going to http://www.abcdseattle.com/McCurry.asp.

See you on Wednesday, October 15 at 7 PM at the MIHS PAC

MIHS News and Announcements

Check the MIHS website for announcements, calendar, and links to activities relevant to the start of school.

MISD Boundary Committee Applications

Do you want to help decide who will go to the new 4th elementary school? The MISD Boundaries Committee is now being formed and will consist of approximately 18-20 members. There are 9 meetings planned: October 1, October 22, November 5, November 19, December 10, January 14, January 28, February 11, February 25. The first (October 1st) meeting will be from 6-8:30 pm. The meetings will last 2 1/2 hours and the committee members will decide the rest of the times. Please fill out this application and turn into your school's secretary by Friday, September 19th.

Missed Fee and Photo days because you were out of town?

Here's what you do -

We understand that there may be some students who were unavailable on the Fee and Photo days last week. Students can pay their fees at the ASB Office in the first few days of school (be prepared for lines). **OR** See below for information about the NEW MISD online payment system. There will be a Photo Make-up Day on Thurs 9/11 for these students. Items they will need to take care of include -

School picture for yearbook and ID card

Purchase of picture package (optional)

Payment of Fees:

ASB Card - required if student is involved in any club, sport, music,

leadership or other ASB activity ($55.00)

Yearbook ($65.00)

iPad Insurance ($25.00)

Planners ($15.00)

Sport Fee ($175.00)

iPad Check-out

Mandatory iPad Training for those students recently moved to MI

Tech support to get started on iPads

ORCA Card distribution

Lunch Money account deposits

Purchase of Fall Sports Season Tickets for Varsity Football, Girls Soccer &

Volleyball. (GREAT for Band parents, too)

PTSA information, membership and volunteer opportunities

Sales of MI gear

MISD Online payments - new this year!!

On August 20th, the Mercer Island School District began offering families the convenience of paying for student fees and fines online. Parents can view outstanding fines, make payments and print receipts. ***Please note that a small transaction fee is charged at check out. VISA, Mastercard and Discover are accepted.

For more information about MISD Online payments, click here.

To use the district's new Online payment features, click here. Use your Family Access account information to access the software. Note that the Ipad insurance fee is located under the "Other" category on the fee category screen.

Class of 2015 - Senior Yearbook Photo Instructions

The deadline for Senior Photos for the yearbook is Wednesday, October 1st, 2014 (this is an update from last week's newsletter).

They must be at least 300 dpi and 3 x 5 inches, and can be emailed to mihsyearbook2015@gmail.com. If for some reason emailing is not an option, students can also turn in a CD, flash drive, or hard copy to the yearbook room (Room 502) at MIHS.

Another option to submit to the yearbook is a Senior Ad. This should not be confused with the Senior Portraits which includes every senior student.

Please see all the details here: PTSA Seniors Information page

Question of the Week

Q: There are so many different weekly schedules at MIHS. Where can I find more information about daily schedules so my student can be better prepared each week?

A: Most weeks at MIHS are considered "Block Schedule" weeks, allowing each period extended time once a week according to a predictable schedule. Periodically, the schedule will change due to a "Non-block Schedule" or an "Assembly Schedule". MIHS has outlined these special weeks in advance and all schedule related information can be found at MIHS Schedule page Also important, the schedule for the first week of school is highlighted here too.