MIHS News – March 7, 2021

3/7/2021 7:09 pm

What’s New This Week!

Community Service Awards

The MIHS Community Service Awards Program is organized by the MIHS Counseling Center in partnership with the MIHS PTSA. This is an award that any Senior or Junior may apply for and it’s based on community service hours performed throughout the student’s high school career beginning the first day of 9th grade.  Community service hours are voluntary and NOT a requirement to graduate from MIHS. Seniors who submit volunteer hours and are eligible for an award will be recognized with a Community Service pin.  Juniors eligible for an award will be placed on a list for recognition next year when those students are Seniors.

 

Freshmen and Sophomores can accumulate and keep records of their volunteer hours but should not submit until their Junior or Senior year. 

 

Please note: due to the impact of the pandemic, adjustments are being made to the award levels to account for the fact that volunteer opportunities have been limited.

• Gold level – 195 hours
• Silver level – 135 hours
• Bronze level – 90 hours

More information is available on the MIHS PTSA website.  Detailed instructions and the timesheet used to submit hours can be found on the Counseling Department webpage here.  Seniors are encouraged to submit their volunteer hours by April 30.

Developing a Racial Equity Lens Series: Just Mercy

Saturday, March 13th | 7pm. Co-Sponsored by the MIHS PTSA.
Please join us for a conversation with the Mercer Island community about fairness, justice, and safety inspired by Bryan Stevenson’s book Just Mercy.  Read the book (available at Island Books or KCLS) or watch the movie ahead of time, or just show up for our moderated discussion via zoom. Please register here.  This event will be moderated by Robin Li, founder of ONE MI, and will feature Karlton Daniel from the Seattle Clemency Project, and Heidi Rummel, co-founder of the Post Conviction Justice Project and Professor of Law at USC.Afterwards, we’ll have breakout discussion rooms for those that want to continue the discussion with their neighbors.This event is co-sponsored by ONE MI, SGORR, the Mercer Island Community Fund, the SJCC, and the Mercer Island High School PTSA.

Staff Appreciation News

As we prepare for our students to head back to school, we are reflecting on the last 12 months and marveling at what teachers and staff members have been able to accomplish.  During this time, they have been asked to adopt four very different teaching styles:  Regular teaching though mid-March, a rapid adjustment to a Remote model last Spring, a more well planned out Remote model this Fall and Winter, and a totally new Hybrid teaching model with new technology this Spring.  This month they are coming in person to teach our children before they are fully vaccinated.  It is incredible what they are doing for our students.   

 

Please remember to let the teachers in your child’s life know how much you appreciate them and their hard work.  As the District moves more classrooms from remote to hybrid over the next few weeks, let’s show all of our teachers how much we appreciate their time, creativity, energy, dedication, and commitment to our students. 

 

Over the past 6 months, the Staff Appreciation committee has done a monthly event for all 150 teachers, staff, and facilities personnel to thank them for their hard work. If you have not already joined us, THERE IS STILL TIME TO GET INVOLVED.  We would love additional help with activities for the rest of this school year.  Please contact us at staffappreciation@mihsptsa.org to be added to our list, or click here to learn about and contribute to the “back to school” efforts.

 

Thank you
Jennifer Selby and Irene Geisner
Co-Chairs Staff Appreciation

PTSA News and Announcements

Parent Edge

Presentation: Curiosity & Questions – Engaging in Difficult Conversations
Virtual Presentation: March 18, 2021 at 7:00PM

Current issues provide a great opportunity to engage others in rich conversation, share important values, encourage deeper understanding of the news, and disrupt bias and prejudice. Mercer Island community members are invited to join this workshop to reflect on bias, engagement, and communication. The workshop is facilitated by Anti-Defamation League Education Director, Scotland Nash EdD.

Discussion points include:

• What are your spheres of influence?
• What are the necessary ground rules for meaningful and respectful dialogue?
• Incidents of hate are on the rise, what are strategies to talk about them at the table?

Register Here

Brought to you by MI Youth and Family Services, ParentEdge, MIHS DEI Committee and MI PTA Council. Questions? Contact MIHS PTSA Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee Chairperson Lauren Leahy

MIPTA Council

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.

Note: the final Mock test for the current school year is an ACT on Saturday, April 3.

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

PTSA Advocacy

Action on Student Tip Line Legislation

Our Washington State Legislature is in session, and PTA Advocacy is in full force! Follow along at our blog: https://www.wastatepta.org/blog/ 

 

We just saw a groundbreaking bill for a student tip line pass our Washington State Senate unanimously (see https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5327&Initiative=false&Year=2021). We continue to focus on the WSPTA legislative top five: increasing access to nursing and mental health support staff, preserving education funding, closing the digital divide, support for students with disabilities, and preventing and reducing gun violence and suicide. We also support equitable services for highly capable students, emergency preparedness, and mitigation of climate change, as well as a host of other student- and child-related issues. Learn more here and here and here.

WSPTA Call to Action – Addressing Firearm Safety Measures to Increase Public Safety

Dear Washington State PTA Member,

 

Every other day, a Washington child or youth dies at the hand of a firearm.  High-capacity magazines make shootings more deadly and allow shooters to fire more rounds, faster.  The Washington Post estimates that more than 240,000 American students have now experienced gun violence at school, including nearly 7,000 students in Washington.

 

We have the opportunity to restrict the access of these most deadly weapons in SSB 5078, which would limit the sale and transfer of high-capacity magazines over 17 rounds. This common-sense legislation was requested by our Attorney General’s office. Please contact your representatives and ask for their support.

 

Thank you,
Sherry Rudolph, WSPTA Advocacy Director

Take Action Here.

 

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Be brave, Be involved, Engage in Advocacy: sign up for newsletters and action alerts and learn ways to advocate for schools and children. Questions? Reach us at advocacy@mihsptsa.org.

MIHS Celebrates Black History Month

We are excited to have MIHS celebrating Black History Month. Last June, a group of MIHS students organized an island wide march for Black Lives Matter.  It was a moving experience that brought attention to needed change in our society.  Let’s keep the momentum going by continuing to educate ourselves about racism and how we can take action to make a difference.  Let’s start by celebrating the richness and diversity added to our culture by Black artists, Black authors, Black historians and Black activists.  READ the full article which contains information on The Black Renaissance project, The Black Experience in American History and many more links to thought-provoking resources. 

 

Our PTSA is committed to advocate for institutional and systemic changes that ensure equity, justice, respect, and inclusion of all children, locally, and at the state and national level. You can learn more or get involved by contacting our MIHS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Chairs at  diversity@mihsptsa.org.

Presidents Letter

Dear MIHS Families,

 

This past Monday, March 1st, MIHS successfully hosted an informative 2nd Parent Information Night that addressed what instruction will look like in the hybrid learning model. Both meetings were recorded, and can be found on the MISD Communications Youtube Channel. You can also view the videos here: Night 1 – Safety and Schedule, 

 

Night 2 – Hybrid Learning, and they will be posted shortly on our PTSA website.

 

Our administration is currently working hard to place students in their AA/BB hybrid learning groups. Their first priority is to get every student in the classroom when they are in-person, and the second is to do their best to get siblings in the same rotation. The assignments will be communicated sometime next week. If you have concerns or questions after you read this please email your student’s counselor.

 

As our high school works to re-open for our students, our sports are off and running. If you are participating in any of the fall sports please make sure you turn in your sports packet to Becky LeMaster and pay your sports fee here. 

 

We are thrilled that our teachers and staff are now eligible for vaccination if they choose! Please keep in mind it is still important for us to do our part to implement safety protocols outside of school to support both our students and teachers. 

 

While the majority of our students get ready to go back to in-person instruction we would like to celebrate what some have been able to accomplish during our 100% remote learning time. The MIHS Broadcasters received top honors in 15 categories at the New York student radio conference, 105 MIHS students qualified for state DECA events, 9 MIHS seniors advance as National Merit Finalists, 22 MIHS band, choir, and orchestra students were selected to All-State and All-Northwest music honor groups, & 

MIHS Drama presented their virtual productions of “The Outsiders” and  “Emma.”

 

The PTSA Grants Committee met this past Friday and we are happy to announce the approval of the following grants:

• $1,500 for a playwriting collaboration with Youth Theater Northwest for Advanced Drama Students
• $500 to help lower income students purchase professional attire for Family and Consumer Sciences Class and beyond.
• $5,000 (up to $8,000) to help fund tech for all Crest students.
• $3,000 for a guest artist-in-residence for MIHS clinics and a joint evening performance at Jazz Alley in Seattle (if allowed based on Covid restrictions).

A big thank you to Irene Geisner, Kym Otte, Jennifer Sargent, & Deb Voss for your thoughtful discussion and work that went into approving these grants!

 

Our nominating committee is now working to fill positions on our PTSA board. The following positions are available for the coming year:

• Co-President 
• President Elect
• Co-VP Outreach
• Co-VP Operations
• Co-VP Advocacy
• Secretary 
• Co-Treasurer

If you are interested or know someone who would like to serve in one of these roles, please reach out to one of our nominating committee members – Erin Gurney, Jola Jensen, and Sophy Yang.

 

Please join us for a conversation based on the book & movie Just Mercy this Saturday, March 13th at 7pm. Read the book and/or watch the movie ahead of time (though this is not necessary), then tune in for a discussion with criminal justice experts and your neighbors. For further details please see the “Just Mercy Community Discussion” event page.  This event is being hosted by Do the Work MI Community, ONE MI, SGORR (Student Group on Race Relations at MIHS), the SJCC, & the MIHS PTSA. Register HERE.

 

MI Youth and Family Services, ParentEdge, MIHS DEI Committee and MI PTA Council are co-hosting a presentation for the Mercer Island Community. This presentation will provide a great opportunity to engage others in rich conversation, share important values, encourage deeper understanding of the news, and disrupt bias and prejudice.

• Curiosity & Questions – Engaging in Difficult Conversations, March 18th, at 7:00pm

Mercer Island community members are invited to join this workshop to reflect on bias, engagement, and communication. The workshop is facilitated by Anti-Defamation League Education Director, Scotland Nash EdD. Register here. Questions? Contact MIHS PTSA Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee Chairperson Lauren Leahy.

 

Finally, Daylight Savings begins next Sunday, March 14th. Don’t forget to move your clocks forward one hour. Though we lose that one hour of sleep it also tells us that spring is right around the corner!

 

Have a wonderful week Islanders!

 

Warmly,

Debbie Burke & Stacy Nakata
MIHS PTSA Co-Presidents 

MIHS News

Schedule this Week

This week is the normal Red Learning Schedule.

MIHS Drill Team

2021-2022 MIHS Drill Team Tryouts – Save the Dates!

Mandatory tryout info meeting: Monday, March 8 | 7-8:15pm

Tryouts: March 29^th – April 1^st (Tues – Thurs), 4-6pm

Do you like to dance? Would you like to join the 2020-2021 MIHS Drill Team? Students interested in trying out for the team and at least one parent or guardian must attend the mandatory pre-tryout meeting on Monday, March 8th. Find the Tryout Meeting link HERE. Contact Coach Kyle Mosler with questions.

 

IMS Drill Clinic
Come have fun & dance with us!!

MIHS Drill Team is holding an in-person IMS Drill Clinic March 15^th – March 20th, 4:00pm-5:30pm at the Northwood Elementary Outdoor Pavilion. This week long clinic provides insight on what it’s like to be on the drill team where you will learn dance technique, jumps, kicks, and choreographed dance routines (no previous dance experience required). 

 

This is open to all 6th-8th graders. Please contact Sandra Levin at levinsandra@me.com to request more information and to answer any questions. 

Perpetual Foreigner – A three part, free webinar on Asian-American History

Presented by MIHS student group – the Education Coalition for Asian American Representation – in partnership with KCLS.

 

March 17, 7pm – Perpetual Foreigner, Part 3 / Historical Discrimination of Asians and Asian Americans, followed by Discrimination in Current Events

MIHS/IMS Cheer Clinic

Calling all C-H-E-E-R candidates! 

MIHS Cheer is getting ready to hold its Middle School Cheer Clinic and tryouts in-person! For the first time ever, the Cheer Clinic will be open to current 6th-9th graders. 

Don’t miss out on this fun chance to learn what MIHS Cheer is all about. Please e-mail Coach Elizabeth Bobadilla to get on the distribution list as dates, times, and locations are still being finalized.|

Here are important dates to get on your calendar:

• March 22-26 Cheer Clinic (6th-Freshmen)
• March 25 at 6:30 pm Cheer Candidate & Parent Meeting via Zoom
• April 12-16 Cheer Tryouts Week!

Grab and Go Meals

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

 

Community Opportunities*

Ergon Student Exchange

Host an Italian exchange student and give your child a friend to share life with

 

“I am grateful that our family had Giacomo here during this pandemic. He has brought us joy, fun, and laughter.” (Fawn, former host mother)

 

Hosting an exchange student can be an enriching experience for your family, even during remote learning. And now there are reasons for hope, with mass vaccination speeding up in the United States. Beatrice, Cecilia, Sofia, Marco, Ludovica, Matteo, Jacopo… share this hope and look forward to their dream coming true of their exchange in the United States and experience living with an American family for a semester or full year. They are strongly motivated, responsible, respectful students, and carry a $2 million insurance covering Covid-related expenses. They are all tested for Covid before departure. 

 

Ergon devotes great care to selecting students and matching them with host families. Many of our MI families share lasting friendships with their students. Click here to read a testimonial from Mercer Island mom Jayme Witman.

 

In the summer of 2022, the Italian family will offer your child a direct exposure to Italian culture through an all-expenses paid vacation. Ergon sponsors the flight! 

 

To learn more, visit www.ergon-se.org and e-mail  info@ergon-se.org. Thank you!

MIYFS Newsletter Relaunched

MIYFS has relaunched its newsletter; it will continue as the MIYFS Monthlyin 2021. You can find great community information and resources in this newsletter. Click here for the initial newsletter and to sign up for the monthly email.

 

 

*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.