Welcome back from Spring Break! I hope you had a great week, filled with family fun and maybe even some relaxation! Last week's excitement in my house centered around my MIHS senior, Nick who traveled to Australia with the MIHS Wind Symphony & Ensemble groups. What an amazing trip! Nick returned home with incredible stories, a multitude of photos & videos, and with overflowing appreciation for the MIHS band directors, adult chaperones and the gracious Australian home-stay families who all helped make this trip possible.

Travel opportunities come in all shapes and sizes for many MIHS students and these excursions offer learning that's not always possible inside a classroom or on home-turf. Making personal connections with others in different parts of our state, country and world elevates learning to an entirely new level. MIHS has so much to be proud of when it comes to learning excellence and with this in mind, I'd like to remind you about this year's

Bridge 2015 campaign. Like Bridge the Gap, the newly named Bridge campaign is a PTSA and Mercer Island Schools Foundation fundraising partnership. Reaching this year's goal of $1.2 million is crucial as Bridge funding will directly impact all schools in our district. At MIHS alone, Bridge dollars will:

Support prioritization of personalized learning
Fund enough MIHS teachers to maintain class sizes lower than State funding allows
Elevate our high school to compete among the very best

Bridge 2015 kicks off at MIHS on Tuesday, April 28th at the Breakfast of Champions event from 7-8:30am in the gym. This is a great opportunity for MIHS families to come together and support our teachers and students. Seats are still available at MIHS tables. I'll be there and if you'd like me to reserve a seat for you, please e-mail me at thehansonfive@hotmail.com. I promise you won't regret attending, as this event is always an inspiration!

Can't attend the breakfast but would like to make a donation to Bridge? Online donations are being accepted by the Mercer Island Schools Foundation at www.misf.com/donate

There are so many different ways to give back to our local schools and each is incredibly appreciated. Thanks for your kind support of student learning at MIHS! For more information about Bridge l 2015, please read Principal Vicki Puckett's message below.

Warm Regards,

Debbie Hanson

MIHS PTSA President

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

From Our Superintendent

Email Dr. Gary Plano

Dear Mercer Island district staff, parents, and patrons,

Spring has officially arrived! With it comes a great deal of progress on several initiatives for our Mercer Island public schools.

The High School Start-Time Committee recently met again to discuss later start times for high school students. The discussion has reached the second of three phases. Committee members are beginning to solicit and record input from various school and community stakeholder groups. If you have input, follow this link and reach out to Mercer Island School District Director of Transportation and Emergency Management, Todd Kelsay.

At the end of April, district teachers and administrators will join me in examining and exploring the elementary world language program at the Annie Wright Academy in Tacoma. They have added a targeted world language in their elementary program in a manner similar to what we are exploring. I look forward to seeing what they have implemented and to hearing their insights. We continue to discuss the feasibility of introducing a targeted world language program in our elementary schools in the 2016-17 school year. You can read more about our progress through this link.

The Mercer Island Schools Foundation "Breakfast of Champions" is scheduled for the morning of April 28. I look forward to this event each year and the chance to spend time with community members who care so deeply about Mercer Island public schools. It is a great opportunity to share some of the incredible work happening in every one of our classrooms, and to address the very real funding challenges our schools face.

The 2015 legislative session is more than halfway though, barring a special session, and we still have not seen clear agreement on a path to fully fund our public schools. The lack of a budget and clear agreement on what will be funded next year makes Mercer Island community support through the Mercer Island Schools Foundation even more critical as we build a bridge to the future for every one of our students.

The Mercer Island School District sits in the middle of Washington state's 295 school districts when it comes to public revenue per student. For example, according to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Seattle Public Schools receives revenues of $11,085 per student and the Bellevue School District receives revenues of $9,428 per student in public funding. The Mercer Island School District, in comparison, receives only $9,218 per student in public funding.

Thanks to contributions from the Mercer Island Schools Foundation, PTAs, and boosters, Mercer Island students receive an additional $1,233 per student. Seattle Public Schools receives an additional $586 per student from similar contributions, and the Bellevue School District receives an additional $1,165 per student.

Those contributions to the Mercer Island School District are the fulcrum that allows our school district to afford the many teachers and programs that make such a meaningful impact on every one of our students. That is why your support remains critical to the success of every one of our students. Please help us build a bridge to the future.

Thank you and best regards,

Gary Plano, Ed. D.
Superintendent

To see previous letters from Superintendent Gary Plano, click here

From Our Principal

Email Vicki Puckett

To see previous letters from Principal Vicki Puckett, click here

Volunteers Needed for Upcoming Events
MIHS Needs PTSA Volunteers! Interested in Volunteering at MIHS? 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. Questions? Contact Laurie Raisys at volunteer@mihsptsa.org

PTSA News and Announcements

Information about Mock SAT/ACT tests for 2015.

(This information is also located under "COLLEGE PREP" on the MIHS PTSA website at www.mihsptsa.org. Please note these MOCK Tests are facilitated by the PTSA. Information about actual tests administered by College Board - SAT, ACT, & PSAT can be found in the MIHS Counseling Center)

These mock tests are offered by the MIHS PTSA Senior Activities Committee as an option to our student body to try out and practice these assessments in an environment where the scores don't matter for college entry. They are administered by the company, Princeton Review, in a test-taking setting that exactly mimics the reality of an ACT or SAT test. A follow-up review session is offered after each test to go over your student's results.

Each Mock SAT/ACT test is $30 for pre-registration and $40 for the day-of registration. All proceeds go to MIHS PTSA Post-Graduation Senior Party.

While our school is under construction, tests and review session all take place at Mercer Island Presbyterian Church, 3605 84th Ave SE,

UPCOMING REVIEW SESSION:

April 15th, 7:00 p.m.

2015 Mock SAT/ACT Information questions? Contact Annie Kusaka at akusaka@comcast.net

Be Part of the Leadership Committee at the new Elementary School #4

In a partnership between MISD and the MI PTAs, we are looking for individuals to be involved with two different committees. The first is the naming of the 4th elementary school (approximately 3 meetings before the end of this school year - June 2015.)

The second is to be active in the new school's PTA leadership & planning committee (throughout next year 2015-2016.) This is the chance to help decide the future of our new school.

If you are interested in participating in one or both of these committee, please fill out the online application by April 3rd. Committee member selection will be made by PTA Presidents and Superintendent Gary Plano. For application and more information, please visit www.miptacouncil.org.

Link to the application: http://www.miptacouncil.org/mi-school-district/application-el4/

Legislation and Advocacy

For a summary of issues impacting our district this legislative season, please see Islander Middle School's Advocacy page

http://imsptsa.org/get-connected/legislative/

To read about WSPTA priorities for the 2014-2015 school year and to get the latest MIHS Legislation & Advocacy news, click here

MIHS News & Announcements

Check the MIHS website for the latest announcements, calendar information, and links to activities.

MIHS Blood Drive, This Friday, April 17.

This is the first ever blood drive opened up to the parents of Mercer Island High School students in an effort to save more lives in their community. Show your support by scheduling an appointment to donate during the hours of 7:30am to 1:30pm (closed 9:30am to 10:15am for staff lunch) on Friday, April 17^th at the Mercer Island High School Blood Drive. This year alone the students have saved 480 lives. Their goal this drive is 60 donors or more.

Each donation saves 3 lives. Let's make a difference and at the same time show our students we support their efforts.

Appointments are highly recommended. We only have so much space. We will take walk-ins based on available space. Secure your slot before the afternoon of April 16^th to ensure your participation.

To sign up to donate please email: Kim.Schjelderup@mercerislandschools.org

Support MIHS Band Boosters and Improve Your Texas Hold-em!!

Join the fun and grab a seat at the MI Band Boosters Poker Party!

Location: Mercer Island Beach Club

Date: Saturday, May 2

Doors open: 6:00pm

Optional 30 minute introductory training class at 6:30pm

Poker starts: 7:00pm

Snacks, initial buy in, and first drink is included. Additional buy ins alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are available for purchase.

There are still seats available for this event, so spread the word and let your friends know they can still purchase tickets: http://misbb.wordpress.com/donate/band-together-sign-up-items/

Thank you to Tracy and Clay Dubofsky, Erinann and Jamie Childress, Kevin Larkin and Tom Pedreira for hosting!

Educational Effectiveness Survey (EES)

Mercer Island Schools are committed to continuous improvement and as part of our school improvement process; every school in our district develops and implements a School Improvement Plan that is tailored to its specific needs each year. Our schools analyze a variety of information sources - including student performance trends, state comparisons and staff/parent perception surveys - to identify improvement goals that are specific, data-driven and measurable. To help each of our schools understand its strengths and challenges in areas known to impact educational effectiveness, we would appreciate your child's input on how our school is doing.

Student Survey: On March 25th, students were given the opportunity to complete the survey. The survey questions were based on the Characteristics of High Performing Schools. They were developed by the Center for Educational Effectiveness, a Bellevue, Washington-based educational research firm, in collaboration with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for Washington State. Your child's feedback is very important to our ongoing school improvement efforts as we endeavor to make our schools the very best for the students who attend them.

Parent Survey: The link to the EES parent survey is available at the MISD website. Please click HERE for more information, and for the link to complete the survey. When filling out the Parent survey, please take notice that:

When the question says "Principal", it means all four at Mercer Island HS (Vicki Puckett, Henterson Carlisle, Jamie Prescott, and Mark Zmuda)
When "Clear & Shared Vision/Mission" is noted please note this includes our school motto (Integrity, Innovation, and Inspiration)

Class of 2015 - SENIOR News - DRUM ROLL PLEASE...........

Senior Parents - what to expect these last 41 school days!

As we wind down our time at MIHS, these last several weeks are fast and furious (and a bit confusing). We thought a quick synopsis of what-to-expect would be helpful.

Wednesday, April 15th during Bridges, our seniors will meet as a class and be updated on all the steps to 'checking out' from MIHS - handing in textbooks and clearing fines. They will also be given all the details regarding Graduation and the timetable for them on June 11th. That same day, the Senior Party invitations will be sent to you directly in the mail. Please rsvp assoon as you can. Details on this event are listed below.

Saturday, May 16th Senior Prom

Information on this event will be in the MIHS bulletin and tickets can be purchased at MIHS.

Tuesday, May 26th Senior Awards Night, MIHS Library, 7:00 p.m.

These awards, selected by each department at MIHS, are given to the student that that department feels best represents the vision/goals/ideals of that field. Sometimes the student selection is our superstars, sometimes it is our students who show the most improvement over their 4 years at MIHS, sometimes it is the student that demonstrates the most passion for the department subject. This event is always meaningful. There is a scholarship attached to each award from our MI PTA Council.

Wednesday, June 10th Baccalaureate, Herzl Ner Tamid, 7:00 p.m.

Join us as we celebrate our seniors in our annual interfaith service. This year's theme is 'Living our Faith Together'. This service is a lovely tradition gifted to our seniors from our Mercer Island faith community.

Thursday, June 11th Graduation Day

Senior Breakfast, MIHS Gym, 7:00 a.m.

This is the chance for our staff to enjoy a meal with our seniors and celebrate some additional award-winners. This is a lovely way to start a celebratory day.

Senior Graduation rehearsal, Key Arena, 9:00 - approx. 11:00 a.m.

Straight from the breakfast, our seniors will board the buses to head to Key Arena where we will practice the processional and the timing for the evening events. They will be returned to MIHS at the conclusion of this rehearsal.

Please see all the latest details here: PTSA Seniors Information page

MIHS Sports News & Announcements

KingCo Letter to Fans

Every sports season, we would like to remind our MIHS fans to Be Loud, Be Proud, Be Positive! See the link below for a letter from the KingCo Conference to our fans.

KingCo Letter to Fans

Mercer Island Parent Edge

MI Parent Edge Presents: KATIE DAVIS - Growing Up in the App Generation

Monday, March 30^th, 7pm, MIHS PAC

Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation: How Today's Youth Navigate Identity, Intimacy, and Imagination in a Digital World conducted extensive research on how the digital youth of the "app generation" learn, communicate and express themselves.

As parents and teachers, we might fear that apps blur a sense of identity, encourage superficial relations with others, and stunt creative imagination; however, they can also promote a strong sense of identity, allow deep relationships, and stimulate creativity.

Join us to learn what it means to be "app-dependent" versus "app-enabled" and how life for this generation differs from life before the digital era. This event is geared towards parents of kids of all ages; students in grades 7-12 are also welcome and encouraged to attend.

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

Please visit www.miparentedge.org to view the entire parent education calendar of events.

ROSALIND WISEMAN - Queen Bees and Masterminds

Wednesday, April 22nd, 7pm, Herzl-Ner Tamid Synagogue

(For parents of kids of all ages)

Rosalind Wiseman pulls back the curtain on what's really going on between adolescent boys and girls today, and how social group dynamics influence their interactions. She offers step-by-step advice on how to teach young people to treat each other with dignity.

Thought leader, social researcher and author, Wiseman promotes social justice and bullying prevention. Her New York Times best-selling book, "Queen Bees and Wannabes" was the basis for the hit comedy movie "Mean Girls."

Parent Edge is thrilled to offer a limited number of tickets to our Mercer Island PTA members at a significant discount to the publically-offered price. Go to: http://www.eventbrite.com/e/rosalind-wiseman-queen-bees-and-masterminds-mercer-island-tickets-13565218935 and enter the Promotional Code "MIPE15". Ticket price for Mercer Island PTA members is $15 plus a minimal transaction fee.

Please visit www.miparentedge.org for more information and to download and print the Rosalind Wiseman flyer.

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

In the Community

Mercer Island Public Library Survey

The King County Library System (KCLS) and the Mercer Island Library Advisory Board invite all library users (students and parents) to share their thoughts and opinions about the Mercer Island Library to help planners better understand how patrons use the Library and what features and aspects of the facility are most important to them. Click here to take the anonymous survey online by noon on Monday, April 20, 2015.

Get updated on what's going on around Mercer Island

Want to know more about City of Mercer Island events, hot topics and seasonal programming? Curious about Parks and Recreation Summer activities or Youth & Family Services volunteer opportunities? Click here for the City's website and explore the various tabs to learn the most up-to-date information about these topics and more: http://www.mercergov.org/Index.asp

Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Youth Volunteer Programs (VOICE/SVP):

VOICE (Volunteer Outreach in Communities Everywhere): Current 8th -11th graders

This summer, MIYFS is offering two summer volunteer opportunities for youth. The middle school SVP program is open to current 6th and 7th grade students, and VOICE is open to current 8th - 11th grade students who would like to participate in volunteer projects throughout the summer. These programs give Mercer Island students the opportunity to raise their social awareness by working directly with populations in need around the greater Seattle area while volunteering alongside their peers. SVP and VOICE projects are plentiful and diverse-by participating with the program one might cook a meal at a homeless shelter, tutor a child in need, participate in recreational activities with people with disabilities, build a hiking trail in Snoqualmie, and much more.

Current 10th and 11th graders with two or more years of VOICE/SVP participation are encouraged to apply to be a Project Leader in Training (P-Lit), where they will assist Project Leaders on SVP volunteer projects.

Registration will open at 10:00am on Wednesday, March 25th and close at 5:00pm on Wednesday, April 22nd. All P-Lit applications are also due by 5:00pm on April 22nd. Registration and applications can be found online at www.mercergov.org/voice.

The 2015 VOICE/SVP programs will run from June 22 - August 14.

For more information contact Tambi Cork, Youth Development Program Coordinator at Mercer Island Youth and Family Services, at 206.275.7755 or tambi.cork@mercergov.org.

Essential Skills for Today's Teens for Social and Business Success

The teen years can be an exciting time as your teen transitions to more independence, but it can also be a stressful period in today's competitive environment. Make sure your teen is ready for the challenges that lie ahead whether dating, college interviews, their first job, or formal dining. In this class, teens will learn the essentials skills they need to confidently and comfortably navigate social and professional situations.

Want to learn more about this fun, interactive 4.5 hour class? Click here for our flyer or go to http://www.cliseetiquette.com/.

2015 Morocco Language & Leadership Summer Institute

The 2015 Morocco Language & Leadership Summer Institute with OneWorld Now! will take high school students on a life changing journey to develop intercultural leadership skills, explore Moroccan and Arab culture through home stays and historical sites, and learn Arabic language.

OneWorld Now! has 12 years' experience sending students in our Global Leadership Program abroad. This is the first year we are opening our summer study abroad programs to students who are not enrolled in our academic year program.

Read more about the program here. If you have additional questions about the 2015 Morocco Language & Leadership Summer Institute with OneWorld Now!, contact Jennifer Tanaka, Executive Director, at 206-223-7703, http://www.oneworldnow.org/, or info@oneworldnow.org

Host a German Exchange Student during 2015-16 School Year

We are searching for a host family for Wiona Glanzer, an English speaking 15 year old German girl who will be a sophomore next school year. She will travel as an AFS Intercultural Exchange (www.afs.org) student and can arrive in mid-August or early September.

She is a great kid, and in fact a cousin, but we are unable to host according to AFS rules because we are family. Wiona's personal letter is attached. We would like to be involved with Wiona while she is here and will help with transition, planning, vacations, etc. Please email or call for any questions. Anne Marie Krivens 206.351.5986 akrivens@me.com

To see Wiona's personal letter, click here

Question of the Week

Q: My son/daughter tells me there's a Career Day coming soon at MIHS. Can you tell me more about this event?

A: Career Journeys - take charge! is an exciting learning opportunity for all MIHS students coming up on April 30th. On this day, Mercer Island High School will host a two-hour career speaker event during the school day. During lunch, students can connect directly with speakers at several booths. Additionally, students will also participate in a variety of lessons in Bridges to help them connect their personalities, values, and gifts to real-world experiences, college choices, and volunteer and employment opportunities. There are currently more than 50 confirmed speakers and students can choose from specific career areas or attend workshops led by career coaches and the Microsoft High School intern recruiter. Click here for more information...