PTSA News and Announcements
Volunteers Needed for Staff Lunch this Friday. While certificated staff have early release this Friday, October 8th, classified personnel have to work a full day. As a demonstration of our appreciation for them and the work that they do, we would like to provide them with a hot, homemade lunch. If you are able to help make this happen, please sign up here. Thank you!
New Family Welcome Event
Families new to the Mercer Island School District, please join us for a virtual welcome event at 5 p.m., Thursday, October 7, on Zoom:https://mercerislandschools.zoom.us/j/89001410981
At the event you will be able to hear from many Island community organizations to offer information about their services. Organizations planning to attend include school PTAs and MI PTA Council, Scouts BSA, Girl Scouts, Innovation Learning, MI Police, Mary Wayte Pool, MI Preschool Association, MI Schools Foundation, MI Boys and Girls Club, MI Youth and Family Services, MI Library, One MI and Youth Theatre Northwest.We are eager to welcome your family to MISD. The event will be recorded for those unable to attend.
Parent Edge
Wednesday, October 6th, 7:00pm Parent Edge Presents The Well-Balanced Student (K-12), This workshop examines the tension that parents, students, and teachers often experience over issues such as homework, grades, and the culture of competition, and offers tools for creating a healthier school climate.
Register and get more information on other Parent Edge events.
Information for MIHS Seniors and Senior Families
Caps and Gowns Orders and Yearbook Submission Information is found on our “Fall Tasks for Seniors” page.
- Yearbook Senior Portraits Due December 17, 2021
- Grad Ad Submissions are Due February 18, 2022
Remember you can also check the Seniors tab on the PTSA website for more information.
Mock SAT/ACT Tests
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.
Learn more about the Mock SAT/ACT tests offered by the PTSA.
Advocacy
Candidate Forum October 12th
Who will represent you the best? Be Ready for November 2nd! Do you have any questions you would like to ask the candidates? Send us your questions before October 12th. We are looking for volunteers comfortable using zoom features to help during the Forum. Please submit questions or interest in volunteering to advocacy@miptacouncil.org
WS PTSA Legislative Delegate Opportunity
Seeking volunteers to be a Voting Delegate in the virtual Legislative Assembly event happening the weekend of October 23rd and 24th. This is your chance to lend your voice in determining how the Washington State PTA lobbyist represents the needs of our students across the state.
The key voting topics are:
- Improving Literacy and Educational Outcomes
- Increasing Access and Affordability of Post-Secondary Education
- Improving Outcomes for Children and Youth in Highly Mobile Populations
- School Construction Bond Election Reform (easier access to construction funding by lowering the required 60% majority vote to a simple majority of 50%)
- Student Assessment and Testing
Here is General Information about Legislative Assembly. Here is the Schedule of Events. Finally, here is the Voting Guide which outlines the Principles, Issues and Resolutions which the delegates will vote on.
We need to secure our voting delegates representing the MIHS PTSA by October 8th. For more information, please contact Tanya Aggar and Gail Morrison by emailing advocacy@mihsptsa.org. Thank you.
President’s Letter
Greetings, Islander Parents!
We are happy to report that school spirit is back alive and well at MIHS! It has been an absolute joy to see our kids light up our athletic and other school events with so much energy! It is clear that kids have been craving connection with one another after a long absence of community, so we are grateful for the safety measures the school has put into place to make these events happen! Let’s continue to mask up and follow all Department of Health (DOH) guidelines to ensure these fun events can continue to take place.
Speaking of fun events for our students, Homecoming 2021 is happening! More details to come from ASB leadership, but the Homecoming assembly (stadium-style!) and football game will take place Friday, October 15th, and plans are underway for a Homecoming event with photos and activities on Saturday, October 16th. An actual dance is not possible this year due to COVID safety concerns, but ASB is hard at work on a fun alternative! Also please stay tuned for updates regarding the traditional Homecoming parade!
Please take note that the High School has two upcoming schedule changes: October 8 will be a 1/2 day for students, and the week of October 11-15has several schedule changes to adjust for the PSAT and Homecoming. The schedule can be found HERE.
We have received a number of questions regarding exactly what to do if your child is feeling ill, as there continues to be some confusion. If your child is ill and experiencing symptoms that may be related to Covid, please speak to the school nurse for guidance. District policy states that the only ones at the school authorized to require a Covid test are: 1) The School Nurse and 2) a School Administrator. They can help determine if your child should get tested to see if they need to quarantine, and grant the approval needed to receive remote schooling during a Covid-related absence from school. DOH guidelines are ever-evolving and continue to change. Our school administrators are doing their very best to stay on top of these changes and implement them to keep our schools safe. It remains a fluid situation, so we ask for your grace and patience as the district continues to navigate. For example, many parents are surprised to learn that kids do not need a negative COVID test to return to school after quarantine. This is because a PCR test can continue to produce a positive result for up to 3 months after COVID infection, even though your child is no longer infectious. Science is hard, and ultimately we must trust our school to adhere to the latest and greatest guidelines from the smarty pants public health officials at the DOH…
Mark Your Calendars:
- Wednesday, October 6th, Parent Edge Presents The Well-Balanced Student (K-12), 7:00pm. This workshop examines the tension that parents, students, and teachers often experience over issues such as homework, grades, and the culture of competition, and offers tools for creating a healthier school climate.
- Thursday, October 7, 5:00pm – MISD virtual New Family Event: Are you new to Mercer Island schools? If so, we encourage you to attend! Zoom Meeting Link HERE.
- October 15/16, MIHS Homecoming! School Assembly/Football Game/Alternate Event. Stay tuned for more details as well as information regarding the parade!
- Wednesday, October 20, 8:00-11:00am – Picture Retake Day This will be the final student picture day for the year
Our PTSA membership drive continues! Did you know that each school has its own separate PTA? Did you know that PTA membership requires a yearly renewal? Please make sure you have renewed your MIHS PTSA membership for this current year! We all know about the “fall fog” in August/September created by the many processes and back to school steps – especially if you have children at multiple schools! It’s very easy to think “Of course I renewed my MIHS PTSA membership!” Not sure if you have joined yet? Here is an easy way to check! Go to the MIHS PTSA Directory and log in. If you have access to the directory, congratulations! Your membership has been renewed! If your access is blocked – you still need to join! It’s not too late, of course, and we welcome and encourage all to participate! Join the PTSA HERE!
Have a fantastic week!
Maria Alberto and Debbie Burke
MIHS PTSA Co-Presidents
MIHS News
PSAT Info for Juniors:
The PSAT/NMSQT will be held at MIHS on October 13th, 2021 for 11th graders only. Click the link below for the most up-to-date information:
2021-2022 AP Exam Registration and Payment Info
Advanced Placement (AP) Exams are not placement exams for high school courses; they are college-level assessments that potentially allow students to earn college credit before leaving high school.
AP Exams are designed for students currently enrolled in College Board AP courses, but may also be appropriate for students who have learned the requisite knowledge in other ways (home-school, self-study, etc).
This year, exams will take place May 2 – May 13, 2022. Click the link below for up-to-date information.
Schedule This Week
Click here for the MIHS Special Schedule – October 4 – 8.
Principal’s Updates
Read Principal Walter Kelly’s September 24th letter.
MIHS Counseling Center
Click here to read the September 2021 Newsletter.
Community Opportunities
The Bush School – Parent University | October 26 at 5:00pm
Professor Lebowitz is the author of, Breaking free of Child Anxiety and OCD and the Program Director for Anxiety Disorders at the Yale Child Study Center. One in three children experiences a clinically impairing anxiety disorder during their development. Coupled with the escalation of child anxiety during the past two years of the pandemic, anxiety is now the most common mental health concern among youth. This talk will provide parents with
practical tools for helping their child overcome anxiety. Dr. Lebowitz will introduce parents to SPACE, a novel, scientifically supported, and completely parent-based treatment for childhood and adolescent anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
In an effort to make parenting resources more accessible to families, all virtual Parent University events are free to the greater Seattle and Methow communities, but please be sure to register in advance.
