MIHS News – January 10, 2021

1/10/2021 3:13 pm

What’s New This Week!

Superintendent’s Update

Read Superintendent Colosky’s January 8 update on the district website here.

Finals Schedule NEXT WEEK

First Semester final exams are January 19-22. Click here to see the Final Exam schedule. There is no school on Monday, January 18 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr Day.

Drama Winter Improv Shows

2020 got you feeling blue? Still haven’t found time to celebrate 2021? The Mercer Island Schools Drama Boosters have just the solution for you- our Winter Improv Show, January 14 and 15 at 7 pm. Come take a break and have a laugh. Completely improvised, watch Improv students maneuver their way through a variety of scene challenges. Click here for tickets (admission is free) and more information.

PTSA News and Announcements

Parent Edge

In addition to sponsoring numerous events throughout the year, MI Parent Edge can direct you to many online Parenting Resources, including Covid-19 resources, how to talk about race, resources for families of color, anti-bullying resources, and much more. Click here to learn more about what Parent Edge has to offer.

 

Funding for MI Parent Edge comes in part from your donations to MIHS PTSA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Staff Appreciation

Last month, MIHS teachers and staff were treated with candy cane themed treat bags. We would like to thank Sheri Blumenthal, Mary Chen, Blair Destro, Sheri Edwards (Dalton), Janet Goldstein, Jenny Harrington Lill, Kim Klein, Suzanne LaCross, Jodi McCarthy, Robin Moore (Guerra), Monica Shah, Kerry Sundholm, Lynn Tonglao, Helen Wu, Kathleen Zurawski for donating items.

 

MIHS staff members continue to make remote learning a success. Please consider sending your child’s teachers or staff members a thank you email. Jennifer and I did this last month, and we were struck by the responses we received back full of gratitude for OUR EMAIL!  

 

Sincerely,

Irene Geisner and Jennifer Selby
Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs

Mock SAT/ACT Tests

Over the course of the school year, 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.

 

Register and/or learn more about the PTSA sponsored Mock SAT/ACT tests.

 

Note: the next scheduled test is a Mock ACT on Saturday, January 23(signup by Tuesday, January 19).

Presidents Letter

Dear MIHS families:

 

We are happy to share some good news with you this week! The first is that MIHS raised $2,520 from the “Island Books Gift Card Extravaganza” fundraiser in December! Thank you to everyone who participated and helped with this successful fundraiser. The PTSA really appreciates your support!

 

And…we have more good news to share! Our MIHS PTSA has recently been recognized by the Washington State PTA as a Bronze Membership Growth Award recipient! PTAs are presented with this award for enrolling at least one more member than the previous year’s total membership. That means our PTSA is growing! Thank you to everyone who has become a member so far this year: YOU are the reason our PTSA achieved this award! If you haven’t yet signed up for a 2020-2021 PTA membership and would like to join please find the link here. By doing so, you are demonstrating your support for our PTSA and all it does for Mercer Island High School!

 

Washington State PTA Advocacy week (The Focus on Advocacy program) begins January 18^th and will continue throughout the 2021 legislative session. This week is an opportunity for all members to take action from home or your phone throughout an entire week.  To participate, subscribe to the WSPTA Action Network to stay informed. Here is the tentative schedule (please note that it is subject to change):

• Monday, January 18 – Call to Action: Focus on anti-racism
• Tuesday, January 19 – Call to Action: Focus on equity
• Wednesday, January 20 – Call to Action: Focus on mental health and wellness
• Thursday, January 21 – Call to Action: Focus on preserving and flexing funding
• Friday, January 22 – Call to Action: Focus on safety and emergency preparedness

Also, a reminder that 1st semester winds down these next two weeks, with second semester just around the corner. Final exams begin next week on Tuesday, January 19th and the full schedule can be found here. Please remember there is no school on Monday, January 18^th due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.

 

Lastly, MIHS will be hosting a table at the Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Foundation Breakfast on February 10th.  We would love for you to join us and show your support for all the wonderful programs and services that MIYFS provides, including our two mental health counselors at the high school. Click here to register, and select Stacy Nakata/Debbie Burke as your table captains!

 

Go Islanders!

Debbie Burke and Stacy Nakata
MIHS PTSA Co-Presidents
president@mihsptsa.org 

MIHS News

MIHS Schedule This Week:

This week’s schedule is the standard Red Learning Day Schedule.

Counseling Department Newsletter

The MIHS Counseling Department’s December newsletter is available on the Counseling website. The newsletter has important information for all grade levels and covers information about the post-secondary application process and planning, upcoming events, scholarship updates, Advanced Placement (AP) test registration, PSAT information, Financial Aid information, and so much more! Please visit the website each month for important updates and information.

MISD Community Webinar

MISD Families and community members, here are the links to the presentation slides and video recording from the Dec. 9 Community Connection webinar.

 

Presentation slides:
https://www.mercerislandschools.org/cms/lib/WA01001855/Centricity/Domain/2357/20.12.09 Community Webinar on Opening School.pdf

 

YouTube Video:
https://youtu.be/aqVvvy0Wvwg

Grab and Go Meals

Check out the school district’s Food Services webpage for more information.

Community Opportunities*

Winter Virtual Enrichment Class Registration Now Open

Mercer Island School District partners with 6crickets to bring your students quality virtual after-school enrichment programs by vetted, top national and local enrichment providers for all grade levels. Topics include STEM, language arts, performing/visual arts, life skills, fitness and wellness. Free and low-cost programs are available. Please visit bit.ly/EnrichMercer to view the complete list of classes.

 

You can create one login for your family and simply add the desired classes to your cart for a quick checkout! You can easily share your child’s schedule with friends to take classes together.

For any questions, please use the help button and online chat at the portal or reach out to support@6crickets.com. 

 

We look forward to a winter filled with fun and engaging activities for your children! 6crickets will be sharing any new offerings weekly so that you may register according to your schedules and interests.

MIYFS “Rise Up!” Virtual Fundraising Breakfast

February 10, 2021 | 7:30 am

Register now for the Mercer Island Youth and Family Services (MIYFS) 19^thAnnual Virtual Fundraising Breakfast! Held online (breakfast.miyfs.org) on February 10, the virtual format offers a unique opportunity for all Islanders to log in and learn more about the incredible work of MIYFS. Rise Up! Roll out of bed, stay cozy in your pajamas – and join MIYFS Foundation for an online program that promises to be full of fun surprises. There is no better way to start your morning than celebrating and supporting your friends and neighbors!

 

The event’s Master of Ceremonies is actor/comedian (and MIHS alum!) Joel McHale, special interviews with KUOW Radio host (and MI resident!) Bill Radke, and keynote address by 21+ year MI School District employee Kelly John-Lewis.

 

We need MIYFS now more than ever. Our island’s families, businesses, and nonprofit organizations are hurting – and the pandemic will have lasting effects on our community for decades to come. MIYFS is our island’s sole full-service, on-island social and human services provider. MIYFS offers a broad variety of programs, services and expertise that support the wellness and human service needs of all Mercer Islanders. It’s time to “Rise Up!” to support MIYFS. Register today!

 

Want to show your support for the MIYFS “Rise Up!” Virtual Breakfast NOW? Great! Purchase and wear a “Rise Up!” face mask (available for $10 onlineand at the following local retailers: Island Treats, Island Books, Studio 904, Cascade Frames, and Terra Bella)! And show us your jammies! Submit a photo of your family/pets cozy in pajamas holding these signs, and upload pajama photos here – and/or tag them with #riseupmiyfs on social media! Take a peek at others planning to support MIYFS in their PJs at breakfast.miyfs.org!

 

 

*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.

 

For additional news, please click on What’s New on our website, where you can scroll through all of our news posts.