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** Calendar information current as of 3/14/16. Always check the District calendar for updates.
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Have a Question about Student Life at MIHS? Maybe the Answer is in the MIHS Student Handbook:
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MIHS Student Handbook
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PTSA 2015-2016 Executive Committee
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Parent Advisory Committee
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Freshman Class of 2019
Sophomore Class of 2018
Junior Class of 2017
Senior Class of 2016
MISD Advisory Council Rep
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MISD Board of Directors
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Click name to link to email
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Submit an Article
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To submit an article for review for our next issue:
mihsnewsletter@hotmail.com
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| From Our PTSA President | |
I hope you survived "wind-mageddon".
We have a few key events occurring this week- both are on Tuesday! On Tuesday morning, March 15th MIHS will welcome our school board. Principal Pucket is hosting a meet and greet with the school board from 9-9:30 in the library presentation room. Everyone is invited. Tuesday evening, Parent Edge is hosting a fabulous speaker, Ron Lieber. He is the author of "The Opposite of Spoiled". Mr. Lieber will be be speaking in the PAC from 7-9:00pm. More information is included in this newsletter.
Our Senior Party Committee is well underway in planning all of the events for the class of 2016. Thank You to Betsy O'Connell, Kathy Umlauf, and Polly Prince for spearheading the events. If you would like to help in any way, it's not too late! The committee is meeting Thursday March 17th at 4:00pm in the library. Questions? Contact tboconnell@comcast.net.
Have a great week Islanders!
Jayme Witman
witman3@msn.com
206-920-6199
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PTSA News and Announcements | |
Reflections Winners
The Washington State PTA has selected winners from nearly 1,100 submissions to the annual PTA Reflections Contest. Please congratulate Jessica Waller for winning the category of High School Music Composition, for grades 9-12. Jessica is a 10th grade student She received First Place (Outstanding Interpretation) in the statewide competition for her music composition titled Adventure in a Faraway Land. It is a duet for the French horn and piano. Jessica is one of only six high school students from Washington State who will advance to the National PTA competition, and the only high school student to receive this honor in the music composition category (other winners were in the categories of literature, visual arts, photography, dance choreography and film). Winners of the National PTA competition will be determined in May, 2016, and awarded an $800 arts education award and a trip to Washington DC to accept the honor.
A complete list of winners is available here.
PTSA Members - Still Have Not Received your MIHS PTSA School Directory?
- Check your student's backpack.
- Have your student ask for it from his/her BRIDGES Teacher. All school directories were distributed to BRIDGES teachers early in November.
- Check that your name made the distribution list in October. Contact Nanette Bassett. Note: If you joined after late October, there will be a different distribution method after the holidays.
Join the Mercer Island High School PTSA!
Donations can also be made via the registration page. MIHS PTSA Donations pay for:
- Partnership Grants and Classroom Support
- Student Leadership Training
- Counseling Center Support and College Series Presentations
- Parent Education Events
- Staff Training
- Field Trips
- Class Supplies
- Bridges
- Emergency Supplies
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From Our Principal
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To see previous letters from Principal Vicki Puckett, click here
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Mock SAT (Revised version) Practice Test Registration
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Registration is open for the April 2nd Mock ACT test. The registration deadline is Tuesday, March 29th. For the registration document click here, download a form, fill it out, and send it to Kathy Umlauf, 6470 East Mercer Way, Mercer Island, WA 98040. The test is $30 if the registration form is delivered by the first registration deadline. $40 after that deadline.
Click here for more information about Mock SAT/ACT tests for 2015/16.
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Parent Volunteers Needed!
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Is one of your resolutions for 2016 to become more involved at MIHS? Click here to indicate your interests; from Staff Appreciation to Islander Days - we need your help! Please consider how you can volunteer during the 2015-2016 school year and complete the online form at MIHS PTSA website.
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MIHS News (including Senior Info)
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Check the MIHS website for the latest announcements and calendar information
Advanced Placement Exam
Advanced Placement exam registration is underway. Students should stop by the Counseling Center to pick up a pink copy of the registration form. They need to fill out the form and pay for their exams online. They need to print a copy of the receipt, attach it to the form, and return to Edith LopezSalvador in the Counseling Center NO LATER than Friday, March 18 at 3:00PM.
Gender Equality Club Hosts Coed Self-Defense Class March 21st
The Mercer Island High School Gender Equality Club is hosting a self-defense class on Monday, March 21st from 3:30 to 5pm at the High School. The class, taught by David Perkins from the Mercer Island Athletic Club, offers the perfect opportunity for your teen to learn the skills necessary to empower them before they move on to the next stage of their life. This class will be offered on Monday March 21st 3:30-5pm in the High School gymnastics room. Space is limited-first come, first serve. After initial sign-up, you will be contacted regarding the $20 fee--Sign up now using this link!
National Honor Society Applications Now Available
The application for the National Honor Society is now available. We've moved to an online application this year, which we hope will be better for everyone. Application instructions are available here and on the NHS website (www.mercerislandschools.org/nhs). The application itself is available here and is also linked on the NHS website. The application deadline is Sunday, March 27 at 11:59PM. Please contact Julia Seidman with any questions.
Educational Effectiveness Survey
In a district e-mail entitled MISD Learning and Technology Services Update sent on 2/29 was a link for the Educational Effectiveness Survey (EES). The school board, superintendent, Administration at the HS, and staff review the data collected on this survey each year. Please take the time to give your feedback on the EES. When the survey talks about principal, it includes all four at the HS (Vicki Puckett, Henterson Carlisle, Jamie Prescott, and Mark Jergens-Zmuda). Thank you for taking the time to respond with your input to this important survey.
High School Video Game Development Afterschool Workshop
In partnership with DigiPen University, the Mercer Island School District will be offering a Video Game Development Workshop for high school students this spring. This workshop is ideal for any student who wants to take an idea for a 2D video game and make it a reality. Class begins March 21, 3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. and runs for 8 weeks, on Mondays. Cost is $225 per student. There will be no class during Spring Break. Register by March 10 to guarantee a spot.
Drill Team Tryouts!
Are you interested in trying out for Drill Team? MIDT is holding tryouts for next year's 9, 10, 11 and 12th graders on April 19, 20 and 21. Pick up registrations materials and find out everything you need to know about Drill tryouts at the mandatory Parent/Student meeting on Tuesday, March 15 at 5:45pm in the Library. Questions: Contact coach Debbie Friend at debbie.friend@mercerislandschools.org. We look forward to seeing you there.
MI Fine Arts Showcase - April 5th & 6th, 5:30-9:30 p.m.
Sponsored by the Mercer Island Fine Arts Advisory Council and MISD, the Fine Arts Showcase is an annual fundraiser featuring performances by MISD performing arts students as well as artwork displayed by all elementary students and those participating in visual art classes at IMS and MIHS. For 2 nights, Mercer Island High School is transformed into a beautiful art gallery with demonstrations and performances. Tuesday night is a spotlight on visual arts, with art demonstrations, activities and small ensemble performances, and Wednesday night features concerts by band, orchestra, choir and drama students as well as a special performance by the all 3rd grade choir. Event is open to the public and tickets start at $10 in advance, good for both nights. Proceeds benefit fine arts education programs throughout MISD.
Class of 2016 Senior Announcements:
Senior Information regarding Yearbook; Picture, Ads, Quotes
Important dates:
- Wednesday, June 15, 7:00 pm: Baccalaureate (location TBD)
- Thursday, June 16, 7:00 am: Senior Breakfast, MIHS Gym
- Thursday, June 16, 7:00 pm: Graduation, Key Arena
- Thursday, June 16, 10:00 pm - 6:00 am: Senior Party (location TOP SECRET)
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MERCER ISLAND PARENT EDGE PRESENTS
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Tuesday, March 15 at 7 PM at the MIHS PAC
Ron Lieber
"Your Money" columnist for the New York Times and Author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller, "The Opposite of Spoiled - Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money"
"From the tooth fairy to tuition, Lieber touches on how parents can and should use money as a valuable tool to teach children life-long lessons about covetous virtues such as patience, prudence, generosity and graciousness. Money is a teaching tool like a musical instrument, Lieber said: "We want them to practice at it; we want them to get good at it."" (Chicago Tribune)
Island Books will sell books in store and at the event for book signing. Go to www.ronlieber.com for more information.
Free for Mercer Island PTA Members
$10 at the door for non-MI PTA Members - Bring a friend!
For parents of kids of all ages
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Special Announcement:
Our friends at Parent Map are offering a special discount on their upcoming lecture series for Mercer Island Parents! Go to Parent Map Lecture Series to see their great line-up and use the code "MIPE16 at check out. Thank you Parent Map! ___________________________________________________________________________________
Parents of Elementary-Aged Children: Save this date!
Liliana Lengua from the UW Center for Child and Family Well-Being, will speak on
"Supporting Elementary-Aged Children Through Change: Promoting Resilient Responses to Life's Stresses."
Wednesday, April 27, 9:30-11:00am, Lakeridge Elementary School.
MI Parent Edge is jointly sponsored by the PTA's of Lakeridge, Island Park, West Mercer, Islander Middle, and MIHS schools and MIPA.
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Legislation and Advocacy
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The Mercer Island PTA Council has a fantastic new website. Click here to learn about legislation affecting Mercer Island families and how the PTA advocates for our students.
Believe it or not, the Washington State Legislative Session is nearly over! As we move closer to fulfilling the requirements set forth by our Washington State Supreme Court for funding the McCleary decision, we thought it would be a good time to provide a summary document about our School District's funding. MISD CFO Dean Mack provided our Legislative Team with this document.
To become even more informed, see our webpage link above.
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MIHS Clubs and Athletics Announcements | |
MIHS All Season Sports Passes are on sale
This year the school has moved to a punch card system. Punch cards are good for any regular season varsity event and come in 10 game cards. They are available from the ASB office, or purchase Online (login with Skyward information, choose "Items at students school", "Sports", "Season Pass". Cards purchased online may be picked up in the ASB office beginning September 8th.
College Athletics
Is your student playing a sport at a Division 1, 2, or 3 school next year? Did you know that only 1% of high school athletes play at the collegiate level? Please let Mark Jergens-Zmuda know if your student has committed to play a sport in college and at which school he or she plans to play.
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MIHS Counselors Are In Touch! | |
Our MIHS Academic Counselors will be providing parents with a monthly Counseling Center Update Letter. It will be posted on the Counseling Center webpage, and we will link to the letter in our weekly newsletter. See below for this month's information.
High school and beyond plans, summer programs, MIHS summer school, running start, MIHS Presidential Scholar Candidates, college information for Juniors, Juniors SAT-ACT information, and AP exam registration are all discussed in this month's update: Click Here to download and read the full letter.
More information from the Counseling Center can be found here.
Questions can be directed to MJ Hillstrom, College Counselor
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In the Community
Mercer Island High School PTSA (MIHS PTSA) and the Mercer Island School District have neither reviewed nor approved the programs, personnel, activities or organizations announced in these flyers or websites. The participants agree to protect, indemnify, and hold harmless the district and MIHS PTSA, including elected and appointed officials, employees, agents, staff and volunteers, from any and all claims, liabilities, damages, expenses, or rights of action, directly or indirectly attributed to the activities. Permission to distribute this information and or flyers should not be considered a recommendation of the programs by the school district or by the MIHS PTSA. These are neither school district nor MIHS PTSA sponsored activities.
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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 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
Programs in our Community -
The MIHS PTSA has not reviewed or endorsed these programs. See above.
MERCER ISLAND FC's SPRING SOCCER ACADEMY AND GET READY FOR SELECT TRAINING CLINICS
now open for registration. Click this link for information on the training clinics and how to register. Questions? Email miysc.registrar@live.com.
March 23, 2016 - Pedro Noguera Presentation - Excellence Through Equity
The Mercer Island School District, the City of Mercer Island and the Mercer Island PTA Council are co-hosting a community discussion with nationally renowned professor and author Dr. Pedro Noguera from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23 in the MIHS Performing Arts Center, 9100 S.E. 42nd St. This is a free event for all members of the community.
"We are committed to building and sustaining a school community that values and embraces inclusiveness, equity and awareness in pursuit of the district's 2020 Mission and Vision," said Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano. "We are honored to have Dr. Noguera come to Mercer Island and share with us his vision for educational excellence through equity."
In the late spring of 2014, Dr. Plano launched the Diversity Advisory Committee, comprised of parent and community representatives to advise him on matters of diversity and equity. Recent changes in the demographics of the Mercer Island community show fewer students identified as Caucasian and growing numbers of families from around the world. These changes have encouraged an "adaptive need" to respond to our changing demographics and to the children we serve. The Diversity Advisory Committee is charged with reviewing the district's continued efforts to provide all students, irrespective of racial and ethnic differences, with access to the following: equity of educational opportunity; individual empowerment; and, equal and fair treatment.
Dr. Noguera is a Distinguished Professor of Education in the Graduate School of Education and Information Sciences at UCLA. His research focuses on the ways in which schools are influenced by social and economic conditions, as well as by demographic trends in local, regional and global contexts.
Dr. Noguera appears as a regular commentator on educational issues on CNN, MSNBC, National Public Radio and other national news outlets. He is the author of 11 books, and over 200 articles on topics such as urban reform, education policy, conditions that promote student achievement, the role of education in community development, youth violence, and race and ethnic relations in American society. Prior to joining the faculty at UCLA in 2015 he served as a professor of education at New York University and as executive director of the Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools.
Dr. Noguera received his bachelors' degree in Sociology and History and masters' degree in Sociology from Brown University, and his doctorate in Sociology from the University of California at Berkeley. He was a classroom teacher in public schools in Providence, R.I. and Oakland, Calif., and continues to work with schools nationally and internationally as a researcher and advisor.
YWCA ENVIRONMENTAL SYMPOSIUM
MARCH 25TH, 9:00 A.M-2:00 P.M., AT UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, MARY GATES HALL
FOR 13-18 YEAR OLDS
The Symposium gathers passionate, motivated student leaders together at the University of Washington to learn about the environmental issues facing our world and how to create a sustainable future for our schools, communities and beyond! Participants will take part in hands-on workshops led by local organizations and designed to educate students about environmental topics as well as give teens the skills they need to address environmental issues in their schools and communities. Youth will be networking with peers and adults and gaining tools to create real, positive change. Lunch will be provided with vegetarian options available. There will also be a free raffle of outdoor and environmental prizes for all in attendance. Register online, by calling 206-587-6116, or by emailing yesc@seattleymca.org. The deadline is March 18th. For further information contact Lexie Fehringer at 206-587-6116.
Host an Italian student and your child will be invited to Italy!
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 a semester or 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 students are responsible, motivated, proficient in English and carefully matches students with host families. They are fully insured and come with pocket money for all expenses, including recreation activities and vacations.
Several of our Italian students have attended Mercer Island, Roosevelt, Garfield, Ballard, Nathan Hale, Skyline and Bothell high schools with excellent experiences for students and families alike. Past and present host families are our best references and 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. We look forward to hearing from you! Please email Jane Gallup at jragallup@comcast.netand visit our website at www.ergon-se.org.
Enjoy the benefits of Hosting an Exchange Student from Italy!
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Question of the Week
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Q: We're looking ahead to next year already. Where can we find the 2016-17 School Calendar?
A. The MISD published District calendars last month and they can be found here. Mercer Island High School, together with the rest of the Districts individual schools sit down in April and May to work on the activity, sports and performance schedules for each school to try and coordinate activities, and hopefully, avoid too many conflicts. It is amazing how many activities take place on any given week in our district! Athletic schedules, and actives events like homecoming are assigned to us by the KingCo Conference. Once everything is finalized, the dates appear on the District Calendar on the right side of the School and District websites.
P.S.
We are leaving the schedule links here in the event you have not bookmarked them:
and the
If you bookmark this page you will be able to check schedules on your computer or smartphone. Seven period weeks take place during "short weeks", testing weeks, and Showcase weeks. Schedules are also adjusted during finals.
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