MIHS News – May 2, 2021

5/2/2021 11:09 am

What’s New This Week!

National PTA Reflections Award!

Congratulations to MIHS Junior Nathan Paek, who received an Award of Merit in the National PTA Reflections Competition for his Musical Composition Weltgeist. Nathan qualified for the National competition by winning the State Outstanding Interpretation in Music Composition.

Congratulations also to Jingyi Yang who received the State Award of Merit in Literature, and to all of our 2020-21 MIHS Reflections Contest Winners and Honorees:

 

Music Composition
First place – Nathan Paek 
Second place – Andrew Yeh 
Second place – Elena Lill 
Second place – Ava Yeh 
Second place – Sidh Shroff
Second place – Noelle Paek

 

Literature
First place – Jingyi Yang

 

Photography
First place – Thomas Dinh
Second place – Hannah Stone
Third place – Jingyi Yang

 

Visual Arts
First place – Rio Kemmotsu
Second place – Jingyi Yang
Third place – Jinghan Zhang
Honorable Mention – Kaisa Olson 

 

Dance Choregraphy 
First place – Sasha Nelson

Principal’s Message

Read Principal Walter Kelly’s April 26 letter, which includes a celebration that all grades are now back on campus in hybrid learning, an update on prom planning, graduation, and clarifying the purpose and expectations for the Wednesday virtual day for students.

Ergon Student Exchange – Host Family Needed!

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

There are now reasons for hope, with mass vaccination speeding up in the United States. Marco shares this hope and looks forward to his dream coming true of his exchange at MIHS in the  2021-22 school year. Click here to learn more about Marco and how to become a host family. Also, visit www.ergon-se.org or e-mail  info@ergon-se.org for more information. 

PTSA News and Announcements

Thank You, Volunteers!

The PTSA Executive Committee would like to thank our amazing Student Appreciation Chair, Amy Fujishige, for assembling 1,200 keychain hand sanitizers complete with a sweet message of encouragement to MIHS students returning to school for hybrid learning. 

 

A special shout out to all the volunteers who worked diligently to safely distribute masks and hand sanitizers to all Pod A and Pod B students on Friday April 16 and Tuesday April 20!

Graduate Grams – a Wonderful Mercer Island Tradition!

It’s time to order your 5^th grader, 8^th grader or graduating Senior a Grad Gram, a 30-year Mercer Island community tradition!  Each Grad Gram is personalized, printed on parchment paper and mailed on your behalf to the student’s home.  Anyone can order a Grad Gram to send a congratulatory message to their deserving graduates.

 

Proceeds from Grad Grams sales supports the Mercer Island Community Scholarship Program which is run by the MI PTA Council. This annual scholarship program honors graduating MIHS seniors that are identified by MIHS teaching staff.  To raise funds for the scholarships, Grad Grams are sold to the community at large. 

 

Students love receiving these personalized certificates from family and friends. Each Grad Gram is $6 – order yours today!

Now Accepting Applications for the Nancy Schaps Memorial Grant

Since 1996, the Schaps Family has funded grants that recognize a Mercer Island child who has suffered the death of a parent or who is currently experiencing the terminal illness of a parent. The Grant also includes Mercer Island children who have a parent serving on active duty with the military. The Grant award of up to $500 will be given to an elementary, middle, or high school student to be used for an activity or other purpose that will aid a child or youth’s adjustment to this difficult life change. For more information, please visit the Nancy Schaps Memorial Grant via MI PTA Council.

PTA Council Awards

It’s Time to Recognize Those Amazing Individuals and Organizations That Have Served the Students and Families of MISD!
MI PTA Council Awards Nominations due: Monday, May 3rd

Each year, the Mercer Island PTA Council recognizes outstanding volunteers and educators (including committees, departments, or programs) whose creativity, innovation, dedication, and hard work make a difference for Mercer Island Schools and our students. These awards are meant to reward those individuals or groups who stand out among all of the great volunteers at the local and district level. Awards may be given for outstanding work during this school year or for a person’s continuing dedication and service throughout his or her tenure with the Mercer Island Schools.

 

To nominate an individual or group for a MI PTA Council Award, visit the MI PTA Council Awards webpage. The Awards presented are:

 

1. MI PTA Council Golden Acorn Award: Presented to a volunteer in recognition of his/her dedication and service to children and youth. It is to recognize volunteer service “above and beyond” a particular job description.

2. MI PTA Council Outstanding Service Award: Presented to a volunteer who works for children and youth beyond the bounds of a job, PTA, or a specific school community. This honor goes to a person who has shown concern for all children and who has volunteered his/her time to help them achieve their potential.

3. MI PTA Council Outstanding Educator Award: Recognizes an educator who goes beyond the normal expectations of their jobs to make the learning environment fun, beneficial and challenging.

4. MI PTA Council Outstanding Advocate Award: Recognizes and honors an individual for their advocacy work on behalf of children and youth.

5. MI PTA Council Honorary Life Membership: Recognizes an individual who has contributed significantly to a PTA at the local unit, council, or state level.

6. MI PTA Council Community Partner: Recognizes a local Mercer Island business or organization that goes above and beyond standard expectations to help and facilitate local units — as well as helps build a cooperative relationship between students, schools, and community.

7. MI PTA Council Children’s Advocate Award: Recognizes individuals or programs that go above and beyond the scope of their job or expectations to serve Mercer Island students.

8. MI PTA Council Outstanding Program: Honors a program designed and implemented to serve the school community or community at large.

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.

President’s Letter

Dear Islander Families,

 

Congratulations to our students, staff, families and community of Mercer Island High School for being ranked among the top two percent of high schools in the country in the 2021 Best High Schools rankings released this week by U.S. News & World Report! Mercer Island is ranked 7th among Washington state high schools, and 392nd nationally out of nearly 18,000 high schools in the United States that were ranked this year, as MIHS moved up 135 spots in this year’s rankings. Complete information for MIHS found HERE.

 

May 3rd -7th is Staff Appreciation Week at MIHS. Our amazing Staff members have been hard at work all year adjusting to different teaching styles, mastering remote and hybrid learning, and going out of their way to help students be successful.  Please join us in thanking them for all their hard work throughout this very difficult school year. We are encouraging all MIHS parents and students to send thank you emails this coming week to all of the MIHS teachers, counselors, coaches, and staff members who have had an impact on them throughout their entire MIHS experience.  Please take a moment to send out emails this week to thank our fabulous MIHS staff for everything they do for your students.

 

The MIHS PTSA is actively seeking and accepting nominations to recognize this year’s outstanding volunteers and educators (including committees, departments, or programs) whose creativity, innovation, dedication, and hard work make a difference for MIHS and our students. Please send us your nominations for the following PTA awards categories:  Golden Acorn Award, Outstanding Educator, Senior Volunteer Service Award, Volunteer Service Award, Outstanding Community Partner, and Outstanding Advocate. You can find a full description of the awards and the nomination form HERE. Nominations are due May 14th.

 

Go Islanders!

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

MIHS News

Schedule this Week

This week is the Hybrid Learning Schedule.

MI Drama Boosters Presents: The Theory of Relativity

Streaming Online May 13-15 & 20-22 at 7pm and May 15 & 22 at 2pm

From Drama Desk Award nominees Neil Bartram and Brian Hill (The Story of My Life), The Theory of Relativity is a joyous and moving look about our surprisingly interconnected lives.  Whether you’re allergic to cats, in love for the first or tenth time, a child of divorce, a germaphobe or simply a unique individual, audience members and actors alike are sure to find themselves in this fresh new musical. Through a seemingly unrelated collection of songs, scenes and monologues, The Theory of Relativity introduces a compelling array of characters experiencing the joys and heartbreaks, the liaisons and losses, the inevitability and the wonder of human connection. 

 

Join the students of the MIHS Drama Department, sponsored by the Mercer Island Drama Boosters as they present a show about distance and connection. Click here to buy tickets.

 

General admission is $10, and students grades K-12 are $5. Proceeds will go to the MISD Drama Boosters, who are sponsoring this show. If you feel compelled to donate more money to the Boosters, please go to their website and follow their donation links.

Senior Slideshow – Pictures Needed

Hello Senior parents,

I’m Noah Hendelman, ASB President.  We’re in the process of putting together the Senior Slideshow. Thank you to those of you who have already submitted photos of your students.

For those who have not yet, there is still time! But you must act quickly! We want to get as many students as possible; please email your photos to noahendelman816@hotmail.com.

Please include:

• One elementary school photo of your student
• A current photo of them solo
• A current group photo of them with MIHS friends

Thank you so much for your help with this project. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Go MI!
Noah

Mercer Trade Inc. Online Store

Hi Islanders! As we safely return to school, Mercer Trade Inc, a senior run company through MIHS has created two products that are a must have! Buy one of our spirited MI hand sanitizers that can connect to your child’s backpack, or a Mercer Island notepad perfect for on the go notes, grocery lists, or just about anything. Check it out yourself and purchase these products at https://www.mercertrade.com/ 

Grab and Go Meals

Grab and Go Meal pick up sites are back outside. Islander Middle School pick-up site is located outside of the main office entrance. This is a walk up site. Mercer Island High School pick-up site is located at the west driveway entrance of the school, between the grass field and the building. This is a drive-through location but walk ups are also welcome! Check out the school district’s Food Services webpage for more information.

Community Opportunities*

MIYFS Healthy Youth Initiative offerings 

Mercer Island Health Youth Initiative would like to offer Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Training at no cost to members of the community. MHFA provides adults with the skills to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. Click here for more information about the training.

 

Note: There is one more class offering available for Youth Mental Health First Aid on Friday, May 7, from 9am-3:30pm.

KCLS Presents – College Application Series in Mandarin

King County Library is hosting three programs for Mandarin-speaking families to help prepare for the college application process. The first event is for students in 7^th-10^th grade and their parents; the second two programs are directed at students in 10^th and 11^th grade and their parents.  The programs will be presented in Mandarin with slides in English. 

 

All three parts of the series, March 31, April 21, and May 26 – College Application Series in Mandarin  (click into each event for more info and registration) 

You can click into any of the events and find out more about the presenter. Please register to get a Zoom link.

• Wednesday, May 26, 7:30pm – Grades, Test Scores, Essays, Activities – What Really Matters in a College Application  (for students grades 10-11 with parents) 

MIYFS Newsletter Relaunched

MIYFS has relaunched its newsletter, the MIYFS Monthly. You can find great community information and resources in this newsletter. Click here to sign up.

 

 

*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.