MIHS PTSA News – February 6, 2022

2/6/2022 11:00 am

What's New!

PTSA News

The MIHS PTSA is proud to have paid for the printing of these “4 Agreements to Courageous Conversation” posters which are now being posted in MIHS classrooms and hallways. Please click below to hear KMIH radio’s Carys Ciobanu’s interview with PTSA VP of DEI Julie Ogata to learn more about these posters.

Announcing the MIHS 2021-2022 PTSA Reflections arts contest winners!

Congratulations to the following first-place winners, whose entries will advance to the state Reflections competition.

• Visual Arts: Alana Yang for “The Theory of Success and Happiness”.
• Photography: Chloe Yang for “One Note at a Time”.
• Literature: Ashwin Krishnaswamy for “Perseverance”.
• Film Production: Sasha Nelson for “Communication Innovation”.
• Dance Choreography: Sasha Nelson for “Stepping Out”.
• Music Composition: Ryan Hsi for “To Hope Is to Heal”.

The judges also awarded second place, third place, and honorable mentions to recognize the great work of many other students. View full list of 2021-2022 MIHS winners. Watch for details coming soon about the upcoming Reflections recognition program.

Mock SAT/ACT Tests

MIHS PTSA provides 6 testing opportunities as a chance to practice a real test, become familiar with a testing environment, and help identify which testing platform is best for each individual student. All this in a ‘Mock’ situation where tests are not recorded or submitted to any high school or college organization. This is a perfect chance to ‘try out’ these tests.

The two dates left are:

• Mock ACT – Saturday, March 19 (Review Session – Mar. 29)
• Mock SAT – Saturday, April 23 (Review Session – May 3)

Learn more about the Mock SAT/ACT tests offered by the PTSA.

Information for MIHS Seniors and Senior Families

Grad Night Chaperones needed.  Get to help the Senior Class celebrate graduation on June 9!  Directly following the graduation ceremony, we need volunteers to chaperone Grad Night.  You can stay the entire night until 6AM or volunteer for half of the night, the first or second shift.  Yes, you can be as physically distant from your child as they’d like!  Thank you for considering.  Please contact Jody Kris at jodymkris@aol.com if you’re interested.

Caps and Gowns Orders and Yearbook Submission Information is found on our “Fall Tasks for Seniors” page.

• Grad Ad Submissions are Due EXTENDED to February 25, 2022
• Senior Community Service Hours Due April 30, 2022

Presidents Letter

Greetings MIHS Families!

Election day is Tuesday, February 8, 2022!  Please, please open up those ballots and VOTE YES ON BOTH LEVY RENEWALS!  These are crucial replacement levies for our schools, as they are basically how education is funded in WA state.  There is a lot of misinformation floating around but 99% of school districts pass levies like these. They have to because state funding sucks… These are NOT new taxes – this is the expected time for these levies to be renewed.  The previous levy was passed with over 70% of MI voters.  This is an important one, as this levy currently funds 17% of the school budget, so please don’t ignore your ballot. Bizarrely, it is our demographic, parents of school age kids, that do not show up well at these  polls.  Probably because our ballot envelopes are sitting on our messy kitchen counters and stained with spaghetti sauce, and then we just forget…  We get it, we are all busy but this one is critical for our students’ continued funding and support!

Another hot topic this week: Senior transcripts. If you have a senior applying to college, some of you may need your mid-year or seventh semester transcripts formally sent to specific colleges ASAP. There has been a lot of discussion and concern amongst our parents about the timing of delivery of these transcripts this year. Please know that parent concerns have been heard and are being taken very seriously.  Our transcript timelines are a regional problem because our term schedule is later than other areas in the nation. Our counseling department is working hard to get transcripts out as quickly as they can.  Please see Fred Rundle’s email HERE in which he details the circumstances surrounding the timeline of transcript delivery.

On that note, the MI Reporter recently published a timely article on our MI Parent Edge workshop “A Healthier Approach to College Admissions.”  The college applications process can be extremely stressful, so we encourage you to view the workshop presented by Challenge Success for a great discussion on the college admissions process.  We are so grateful for the helpful and relevant workshops that MI Parent Edge provides to our community.  Check out the MI Reporter Article  HERE.

Skyward is now open for students to register for the 2022-2023 school year (yup, we know the years got screwed up in last week’s letter)! Here are some of the important dates to assist your students:

• Feb 9- Department chairs hosting a curriculum fair during Islander Hour
• Throughout Feb – Counselors available at the Counselor of the Day Table
• March 2– Skyward Closes

Finally, it’s your last chance to sign up for the Annual Youth and Family Services  Foundation Breakfast!  It is this week – Wednesday, February 9th at 7:30am. All are welcome at our table, and we hope to virtually see many of you there!

We hope you all have a wonderful week!  Mid-winter break is coming!

Maria Alberto and Debbie Burke
MIHS PTSA Co-Presidents
president@mihsptsa.org 

MIHS News

Schedule This Week

This week’s schedule will be the Regular daily schedule

Principal’s Updates

Read Principal Walter Kelly’s January 14, 2022 letter

MIHS Counseling Center

Click here to read the January 2022 Newsletter.

MILEAP Opportunity

Calling all current Sophomores, here is a unique program offered by a local nonprofit organization called The Mercer Island Launch Educational Advocacy Project (MILEAP). The objective of MILEAP is to support qualified current sophomore high school students and their families in our community with mentoring and connections to educational and financial resources (up to $10,000) to enhance the opportunity for university-level education. You can learn more at their website www.MILEAP.org.Completed applications can be returned to Susie Brown in the MIHS Counseling office as soon as possible but not later than March 18, 2022.

Community Opportunities

Race to Be Human – February 10 | 7pm
RACE To Be Human addresses the impact of racism on our mental health through the lens of students, experts, and educators. Created for schools, communities, and corporations, RACE to be Human addresses the apprehension and confusion so many of us feel when it comes to talking about race and racism. The film examines micro-aggressions, allyship, and the role of social media. It also shares how we can participate and build empathy through conversations at home, work, and school. The program includes strategies and tips to check ourselves and others while inspiring self-reflection so that as individuals we are more aware, and as communities, we can move forward more equitably. As with our other film programs, RACE To Be Human will weave together personal testimonials and insights from students and parents with perspectives and data from educators, mental health practitioners, and diversity and inclusion experts.  Appropriate for all ages starting at 10 years old. Register here.

Anti-Defamation League
Please join the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on February 24 at 9:00AM PST for a virtual program with Matthew A. Cherry, writer, producer, Former NFL wide receiver, and Oscar Winner for his movie Hair Love. This event is primarily for educators and their 4^th-12^th graders and families and community members are welcome. Learn more and register here.

Please join ParentMap magazine on Wednesday, February 16 at 1:00PM PST for a virtual program featuring ADL’s former Director of Education, Dr. Scotland Nash, on strategies for interrupting bias with your kids at home and in schools. Learn more and register here.

Spring Volleyball MI Boys and Girls Club
Registration is open! 8th/9th Grade Division. Questions: miathletics@positiveplace.org, 206-436-1939.

Community Conversations – Towards Inclusive Community
The MIHS Black Student Union Presents Towards Inclusive Community a conversation about the history of segregation and racial covenants on Mercer Island and steps we can take to build more inclusive neighborhoods. Wednesday February 2 7:00pm over Zoom. Sponsored by the City of Mercer Island. Register here.