The Staff Appreciation Team is setting up a “mini kitchen” in the staff lounge room, similar to what the big tech companies offer their employees. We will have a shelf installed that we would like to keep stocked year-round but we cannot do it without your help! Please donate items starting today through Friday January 21st. There will be a donation box in the check-in lobby where you or your student can drop off items, this will be an ongoing ask so please feel free to purchase items throughout the year to help keep the mini kitchen stocked. Thank you! Sign up here.
2022-2023 MISD Registration
Heads-up! Grade K-12 registration for the 2022-23 school year begins on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, and Zoom Information Night for new Kindergarten families will be held on Tuesday, January 25, from 6 pm-7 pm. It will be hosted by the Principal of each elementary school and include parents of current Kindergarteners. So mark your calendar for this excellent opportunity to ask them all of your Kindergarten related questions and learn more about our outstanding school district! For zoom links and additional info, click here.
MIHS Drama Program Presents Peter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice
The MIHS Black Student Union Presents Towards Inclusive Communitya 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.
Advocacy News
Focus on Advocacy Week
We need your stories, we need your voice, and we need you! PTA’s legacy is strong because of passionate advocates just like you building our legislative platform, one resolution at a time.
Join us for Focus on Advocacy Week, January 17-21, 2022, as we share this platform with our legislators in Olympia. Subscribe to the WSPTA Action Network and be part of #WSPTAOneVoice.
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.
Remember you can also check the Seniors tab on the PTSA website for more information.
Presidents Letter
Greetings MIHS Families,
Wow! Okay, we are completely humbled by the incredible response we received from our parent community in response to our call to action for emergency substitutes this week… We received over 75 responses from parents willing and able to help out, which is just amazing! We are sincerely so grateful for your willingness to step up and help keep our schools open and safe for in-person learning. It was actually pretty funny to see the looks of consternation on the staff of the fingerprinting processing place in Bellevue at being inundated with Mercer Island parents last week… So again, an enormous THANK YOU to all of you able to help out! It was soooo heartwarming to witness this type of community response…
And just like that, the end of the first semester is upon us! Final exams begin this week on Tuesday, January 18th. The daily schedule for this week is availableHERE. As noted in last week’s Principals email, there is some flexibility and potential extra time allowed for both students and teachers with this finals schedule this year. All are aware of the difficulties of preparing for and administering finals if students and/or teachers are out sick or quarantining! We know this is a very anxious time for students, so we encourage communication with teachers on individual circumstances.
Mark your calendars for our next PTSA General Membership Meeting which is coming up on Friday, January 28th at 9:30am. The meeting will be held via Zoom. Here is the meeting link to join:PTSA WEBINAR. We will hear an update from MIHS Administration, the Committee for Mercer Island Public Schools (CMIPS) will be giving a presentation on the essential 2022 Levy Renewals on February’s ballot, and we will also be voting in our 2022-2023 Nominating Committee. As we are thinking about next year’s Board and Nominating Committee, please let us know if you are interested in serving on the Nominating Committee or as an Executive Officer next year. Contact us atpresident@mihsptsa.orgif you are interested in getting more involved with the MIHS PTSA. It’s a pretty gratifying way to contribute to our school community, we promise!
We would also like to extend to you a special invitation to join us at the annual MIYFS Foundation Breakfast on February 9th, at 7:30am. This year will be in a virtual format, which means you can join in your pajamas from the comfort of your home…. As most of you know, MIYFS is a beloved institution on our Island, tackling mental health issues, aging issues, financial insecurity and developing our young people to care for themselves and each other. We hope you will consider supporting this worthy cause, as MIFYS has been an invaluable resource for so many during these anxious COVID times. They have been very, very busy delivering mental health services to our community this year… if you are not otherwise committed, we’d love for you to select us as Co-Presidents of MIHS PTSA as your Table Captains. The registration link ishttps://breakfast.miyfs.org/, and select Maria/Alberto as your table captains. In normal years, we ask attendees to contribute a minimum of $250, but because of the craziness of the last two years, we prefer ALL to attend, regardless of ability to donate. So come have a listen, give what you can, and learn about how MIYFS serves our community :).
Don’t forget, there’s no school tomorrow – Monday, January 17th due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.
Finally, let’s keep moving forward safely, people! Our school district is working super hard to keep in-person school safe, so please be diligent with keeping your sick students home and testing according to district protocols. Our school nurses are truly heroes right now! Please reach out to them if you have any questions on safety and testing protocols, as they are there to help and can provide help with testing at the MISD district office.
We know everyone’s brain is basically doing this right now… call your school nurse if you are confused on what to do 🙂
Saturday TBA | 6:30-9:30pm Watch for more information regarding this event.
Community Opportunities
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.
PEPS for Parents of Adolescents and Teens For Mercer Island parents and caregivers of children 10-18. This program will provide connection, resources and support for parents. Topics include adolescent brain development, mental health and identity development. 9 week online program | Thursdays 6:00-8:00 PM | January 20-March 24. Session dates: 1/20, 1/27, 2/3, 2/10, 2/17, 3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/24 (No session on 2/24 during MISD midwinter break). Note – this group is specifically for Mercer Island parents. If you are an MI parent who would feel more comfortable sharing your successes and challenges with a group of parents outside the community, stay tuned for opportunities to join a PEPS for Parents of Adolescents and Teens group comprised of parents from the greater local area. If you’re interested in learning more about this option, please email HealthyYouth@mercerisland.gov.
MIVAL Winter Junior Art Show MICEC January 18 – March 12, 2022 Greetings from the MIVAL Junior Art Show Team. We are happy to announce that the gallery space at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center is beginning to reopen after closing in March 2020. We are happier to announce that the next show in that space will highlight art by our community’s talented K-12 artists. More information about registration can be found through this link. Please register as soon as possible, so that we can estimate space. Final registration including titles of up to 2 pieces of two-dimensional art is due by January 10, 2022. Art delivery to the community center is Saturday, January 15, 2022, with accommodation for earlier drop off possible. If you need more information or have questions review the registration information or contact MIVAL Winter Junior Art Show Co-Chairs Carol Whitaker carolwhitaker@mival.org and Zeynep Alev zeynepalev@mival.org
Free admission is a benefit of PTA Membership! We sponsor speakers and discussions across a variety of parenting and child development topics that are timely, thought-provoking and practical. For events dates and more details go to MI Parent Edge.
