MIHS News – January 17, 2021

1/17/2021 3:13 pm

What’s New This Week!

MISD Hybrid Learning Survey is Now Open

The purpose of this survey is for families to make an important decision about whether they would like for their 6th through 12th grade child(ren) to return to in-person learning or learn remotely for the remainder of the year. Read more here or go straight to the survey here.

Counseling Department Newsletter

The MIHS Counseling Department’s January newsletter is available on the Counseling website. The newsletter covers information about course registration for the 2021-2022 school year, Running Start information, MIonline registration, important dates and deadlines, upcoming events and opportunities and so much more! Please visit the website each month for new editions of our newsletter.

Join Speaker Angela Tucker via Zoom with MIHS

Angela is a speaker, educator, mentor and consultant for children and adults of adoption. She has made several films and has a podcast that interviews adoptees from all backgrounds in an effort to shift societal perceptions about adoption. The conversations explore how adoption often reveals something new about racism, religion, immigration, trauma, and the many layers of unconventional families.

Join Angela Tucker via Zoom for an informative conversation on the topics covered in her film Closure.

• When: Wednesday, February 10th
• Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
• Download PDF for zoom link.
• Homework: Watch Angela’s documentary Closure currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. View for 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!

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).

MIHS News

Superintendent’s Update

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

MIHS Schedule This Week:

This week’s schedule is the Final Exam Schedule.

Grab and Go Meals

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

Community Opportunities*

Friends of the Library Pop-up Store

The Mercer Island Friends of the Library have reopened their Pop-up store at is the previous 5 Elements Pilates location at 130-134 77th Ave SE. The store is opened:  Fridays 11-3 and Saturdays 11-3.  

We have Two rooms of all types of books, including bestsellers and a wide variety of children’s books (see attached photo) are available.   All the books have been donated by Islanders. There are books on just about any topic and are on sale for $2.00 or less and beautiful coffee table books for $4.00.  

100% of the proceeds go to the Friends of the Mercer Island Library and are used to fund library programs.  Join us in supporting library programs when the library reopens.

 

Please drop by to pick up quality books to read or gift or drop off any books that you may have cleaned out during the pandemic and wish to donate.  We will ensure that they go to a good home.😊  It is this spirit that makes Merce Island such a great place to live, work, and raise our children.  The Friends of Mercer Island library is a 501 (C) 3 organization and donations are tax deductible.   

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!

Free IEP Workshop Hosted by Behaviorist

February 3, 2021 via Zoom! The workshop will cover the IEP, Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), Accommodations and Modifications, attending an IEP Meeting, Prior Written Notice and IEP follow up, and have plenty of time for participants to ask questions. Click here to register and for more information.

College Planning Workshops Hosted by Heritage Wealth

College Planning Workshop – Planning Ahead Financially

With college costs rising at a rate double that of inflation, many kids end up buried in student loans. Join us on February 5th at 10am as we look at the benefits of planning ahead. We will cover topics including:

• Expected Family Contribution- how to qualify for more aid
• “Needs Based” Financial Aid including new tax credits
• Often Missed Sources- Running Start, WUE, Work Study, OneClass
• Tax shelters- 529, Trusts, GET, Education IRAs, Roth IRAs, etc
• Sheltering assets and income

RSVP here and for all of the details.

 

High School Financial Bootcamp – Teaching Kids Smart Money Habits

February 18th, 2:30pm. Wealth is a mindset. Let’s build it together. Money can’t buy happiness, but it affords us the ability to buy two things that the wealthy say are far more important than money: Freedom and Time. Join us as we discuss tips and strategies to build our Wealth Mindset, and tactics for making the best money decisions we can, with the resources we have.  We don’t teach kids about money in school, and so most young adults are sent into the world with little to no formal education in how to make smart money decisions. Join us and bring your kids for a discussion around some of the most important financial concepts that will not only help put them on a better trajectory but leave them excited about making better financial decisions.

 

 

*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.