MIHS News – November 8, 2020

11/8/2020 7:38 pm

What’s New This Week!

MIHS Schedule This Week:

MIHS Schedule for the week of November 9th.

Leave Your Mark at MIHS!!

Thank you to those who have purchased MIHS Personalized Legacy Bricks!  The bricks purchased in the spring and summer were engraved in August.  We encourage you to take a physically distanced walk around the MIHS Amphitheater (in front of the Commons) to check them out. 

Understanding Financial Aid 

Monday, November 16th at 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Kimberly Shephard from the Seattle University Office of Financial Aid will provide an overview of the financial aid process. Her presentation will include: completing the FAFSA, the different types of aid a student can receive and how to interpret an aid package.  Please log into our Webinar at the following link. https://mercerislandschools.zoom.us/j/8506729659

College Applications: How to Write Supplemental Essays that Really Stand Out

Tuesday, November 10, 2020, 6:30 – 7:30 pm

Are you a high school senior? Struggling with finishing your college application supplemental essays? Join us for this webinar to learn tips and strategies for writing stand-out responses for colleges’ supplemental essay questions. This event is part of the KCLS Life After High School Series. Please register by 5pm the day before the presentation in order to get the zoom link: View for more information and to register. 

PTSA News and Announcements

Island Books Gift Card Extravaganza!

Purchase Island Books gift cards – 15% is donated to your designated school’s PTA/PTSA

When: December 1-4, 2020

Where: Island Books – 3014 78^th Ave SE, Mercer Island | 206.232.6920 | islandbooks.com

 

Support MIHS PTSA by purchasing Island Books gift cards between December 1-4. 15% of the sale will benefit Mercer Island PTAs/PTSAs! Purchase as many Island Books gift cards as you’d like (no limit!), and there is no minimum/maximum dollar amount for each gift card. 

 

Make a list! Teachers, kids, friends, family, coworkers, babysitters, and yourself – give the gift of future shopping, while supporting your school and our beloved local book shop. Private shopping appointments are available to spend your gift cards. Call Island Books to arrange a time. 

 

Four easy ways to purchase Island Books gift cards:

• Online: https://www.islandbooks.com/island-books-gift-card (mention MIHS PTSA in the “message” portion of the form)
• In-store: mention MIHS PTSA, open weekdays: 9 am – 7 pm
• Call: 206.232.6920. Credit card purchases only. Be sure to mention MIHS!
• Email: (orders@islandbooks.com) with the number of gift cards, the dollar amounts for each card, and the school name(s) to receive fundraising credit for each gift card purchased.

This district-wide fundraising event will be the only Island Books Mercer Island School District PTA/PTSA fundraiser this school year. Thank you for purchasing Island Books gift cards to support Mercer Island school PTA/PTSAs December 1-4!

 

Contact Julia Hokanson (julia.hokanson@gmail.com) or Paulette Denman (paulette@snookus.com) with any questions. 

PTA Reflections Art Contest

Does your student enjoy art, music and dance or have an interest in writing, producing films and taking photos? If so, they can join us and have fun unleashing their inner artist with PTA Reflections!  

The theme for the 2020-2021 program year is “I Matter Because…” Students submit their completed works of art in one, or all, of the available arts categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and Visual Arts. 

 

Deadline for submission: Monday, November 30, 2020 

 

All submissions (including Visual Arts pieces) will be electronic this year. Click here for guidelines and instructions on how to submit your artwork.

 

Questions? Please email reflections@miptacouncil.org and reflections@mihsptsa.org.

 

The MIHS PTSA is looking for a Reflections Chair! The Reflections chair will collaborate with the Outreach Team and will be responsible to collect the students’ artwork and coordinate the submissions with the MI PTA Council. For more information and to apply for this position, please email outreach@mihsptsa.org.

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.

Information for MIHS Seniors and Senior Families

Yearbook Senior Portraits Due Monday, December 7, 2020
Custom senior portraits are optional. The MIHS yearbook staff will use the school ID photo if they do not receive a senior portrait submission from you. Instructions for uploading your photo are located here.Email miseniorportrait2021@gmail.com with questions.

 

Yearbook Grad Ads Due Monday, January 4, 2021
Senior grad ads are optional. They are personal pictures and reflections by you or other family members regarding graduating seniors. Ads can include a student, a team, a club, or any collection of students to celebrate graduation from MIHS. Instructions for submitting your Grad Ad request are located here.  Contact mihsyearbook2021@gmail.com with questions.

Advocacy Update

Advocacy is at the heart of everything we do in PTA. We would like to thank the 36 Mercer Island PTA members (10 from MIHS including 2 MIHS students) who recently attended the WSPTA Legislative Assembly. Their representation gave our children and community a voice. This year we selected the top five issues for our two-year legislative platform as well as other supported issues and a number of long-term resolutions on topics that impact children in Washington state. Learn more here.

 

Top 5 Legislative Priorities for 2020-2021

• Increase Access to Nursing, Mental Health, and Social Emotional Learning Staff
• Support Students and Preserve Education Funding
• Increasing Educational Equity by Closing the Digital Divide
• Supports and Funding for Students with Disabilities and Their Families
• Prevent and Reduce Gun Violence and Suicide

2020-2021 WSPTA Supported Issues

• Equitable Identification and Services for Highly Capable Students
• Mitigating the Adverse Impacts of Climate Change
• Safe School Plans and Emergency Preparedness

WSPTA is a strong force for legislative action in Washington state. Sign upto receive action alerts and information bulletins.  If you have any questions or would like to get more involved in advocating for these issues, contact us at advocacy@mihsptsa.org. 

Learn more about our local gun violence prevention committee
Learn more about funding for our YFS counselors
Learn more about our local environmental sustainability committee

PTSA Presidents Newsletter

Dear MIHS Families,

First and foremost, we would like to recognize and thank all the veterans and their families that have given so much for our country.  We are so grateful for the service that you have given to defend this country and to uphold its values.  

 

One of the biggest challenges facing our students with our current climate and online learning format is the need for social/emotional connection.  Our school has been working hard on safe, meaningful ways for students to return to campus to help with this.  This past week, athletics returned in a limited format (see more information here).  Plans are underway to continue this return with some of our fine arts programs, student clubs, and students who are at highest risk.  

 

MIHS offers a wide variety of clubs for our students.  They are a great way to get more involved and connected. With almost 50 different clubs available there’s something for most everyone. You can find more information here. If you have any questions regarding a specific club please reach out to the club advisor.

Reflections is a national PTA program that provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts. Mercer Island HS has a rich history of students participating in this program. The deadline to submit Art works to the Reflections contest is fast approaching. All students are invited to reflect on the theme “I Matter Because” by electronically submitted their entry form and artwork in Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, and/or Visual Arts by November 30th. For instructions, please click here.  

 

Here are some upcoming events:

• Nov 9, 1-4pm:  Sophomore & Junior yearbook pick up
• Nov 11:  Veteran’s Day – No School
• Nov 16, 6-7:30pm: Understanding College Financial Aid Webinar (click here for webinar link)
• Nov 19, 7-8:30pm: MI Parent Edge: Youth Suicide Prevention for Parents (click here to register)

Have a great week and Go Islanders!

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

MIHS News

Grab and Go Meals

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

Community Opportunities*

Mercer Island Directory

For 78 years, Mercer Guild has published the Mercer Island Directory as a service to Islanders and to generate funds for Seattle Children’s Hospital. The Directory has listings of Islanders, organizations, community resources, businesses and an island map.

 

We depend on Islanders to tell us their names, addresses and phone numbers for the Directory. If you are not listed or to change your listing go to the link at the top before Thanksgiving  as we need to send additions to the designer to prepare the book.

 

The new directory will be mailed to every household and business on March 20, 2021. All funds raised through ads and donations will go to Seattle Children’s Hospital for Uncompensated Care, expenses not covered by insurance. Thank you for your support of Children’s Hospital through the MI Directory.  Click here for more information.  Judy Ginn 206 232-7527

 

Understanding Mental Health and Community Cultural Approaches

Find information and registration about programs in Mandarin (Nov 13), Spanish (Nov 18), and Hindi (Nov 20).  

Here are FB events you can share that also include the links to registration. 

Understanding Mental Health and Community Cultural Approaches (in Mandarin)   
Understanding Mental Health and Community Cultural Approaches (in Spanish)  Understanding Mental Health and Community Cultural Approaches (in Hindi)  

 

SJCC 8th and 9th Grade Programs

The Stroum Jewish Community Center is currently recruiting for our Rosh Hodesh and Shevet groups! Rosh Hodesh is for 8th and 9th grade females and Shevet is a group for 8th grade males. This program creates a small, safe group experience within our community and inspires teens to openly explore the fundamental questions of identity and society. The groups meet twice a month and, through the guidance of a trained mentor, connect relevant teen content with enduring Jewish values—all while encouraging a good time and fostering new friendships. 

 

*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.