MIHS PTSA News Feb 9, 2025

2/8/2025 1:07 pm

Update from the MIHS PTSA President

Dear MIHS Families,

With gratitude for all the work of our administration and grounds staff for whom the snow and ice created extra strain, let’s hope our extreme winter weather is behind us! We are cheering on our students for completing a slippery start to 2nd Semester, late starts and all. We look forward to our typical school schedule and longer, light-filled days. 

Before diving into events and activities, we’d like to amplify our Principal’s search for any local Rohingya language speakers to assist with translation in support of MIHS students. Please contact Principal Wold if you (or someone you know) are able to help in this way.    

As Superintendent Rundle said it so well in his recent letter to families, the Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Foundation’s annual Giving From the Heart Breakfast raises funds that go “...directly to supporting the MIYFS school-based counselors. Without the community’s support, we would not have such a rich, supportive mental health model that is unique to only Mercer Island.” The inspiring event is this Wednesday, February 12th at 7:30am at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center. Join us, as MIHS PTSA will be hosting a table as we do each year.

You have received several updates from our MIHS PTSA Advocacy VPs about the upcoming School Bond - please contact us if you have any questions at all, or better yet, we warmly invite you to attend our next meeting where we will learn more about it and have an opportunity to have questions answered.

This upcoming meeting will be a General Membership PTSA Meeting and will be held on Thursday, February 13, 2025 at the Library Presentation Room (first right, after you enter the MIHS library). Our agenda will include:

• our Principal’s report

• Voting in a Nominating Committee

• VP/Committee reports including an update from our “College Connections” volunteers Stephanie Parmenter and Julia Hokanson

• Voting on whether to endorse the upcoming School Bond after a presentation by CMIPS volunteer Jennifer McLellan and MISD Superintendent Fred Rundle

February heralds Black History Month, celebrating Black American achievements in our history, as well as marking time for study and reflection on the stories and people, as well as the exclusion of much of this history until recent times. May this recognition and awareness-raising extend well beyond the 28 days of February.    

Congratulations to our 55 DECA students who have advanced to State! And kudos to our MIHS students behind the recent MIHS Theater production of “Puffs”! 

Special thanks to the Mercer Island Chinese Association for inviting MIHS PTSA to their Lunar New Year event last weekend, and Happy Lunar New Year to our Chinese community and all cultures celebrating on January 29th! 

Our PTSA volunteers provided a beautiful Lunar New Year themed Staff Appreciation Lunch buffet on Friday. 

A festive Happy New Year to those celebrating the Lunar New Year on February 28th (like Tsering’s Tibetan family, and fellow Mongolian families at MIHS)! And on March 5th, we wish our families who celebrate Ash Wednesday a wonderful and meaningful start to their Lenten season. 

MIHS PTSA is a proud partner, together with MISF, in funding the Snailblazer Award program recognizing “students of the quarter” (from each grade). We hope you were as impressed as we were with the thoughtful criteria for these awards, as designed by our faculty, and recently described in their email about awardees. Congratulations to the students!

It’s time to reflect on candidates for upcoming recognition via our PTSA Annual Awards. Who is an outstanding educator? Or an amazing volunteer? Check out past awardees and categories, and nominate candidates on our Awards website.

Mark your calendars: Mid-Winter Break kicks off with President’s Day on February 17 and ends February 21. There is no school for that entire week. 

As we round the bend for the final stretch of winter, we wish you and your families peace and good health.

With warmest regards,

Tsering Yuthok Short and Kimberly Miyazawa Frank 

2024 – 2025 MIHS PTSA Co-Presidents

Important Dates coming up:

MIYFS Foundation Giving From the Heart Breakfast, Wednesday, February 12th, 2025 at 7:30am at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center. (Tip: get there early, and consider parking at the Park ‘n Ride)

General Membership Meeting February 13, 2025 at 9:30am at MIHS. All are welcome!

(Tip: if Visitor parking is full, consider parking at the Administration Bldg. parking lot less than 10 min walk away).

Tolo (school dance) March 14, 2025, 7pm-9:30pm at the Mercer Island Community & Event Center.

Future Mock Tests at MIHS:

Mock ACT: March 22

Mock SAT: April 5

Mock SAT: May 17

Mock ACT: May 31

Registration will open soon for the upcoming test (announced via email and on our MIHS PTSA website). Thanks to our Mock Test Volunteers!