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Issaquah High PTSA
April 2009
Contents
Calendar

April

17 IHS PTSA Meeting
18 PTSA Senior Merit Scholarship applications due
22 Parent Ed Presentation: What Teens are Really Doing Today

May

4-8 Staff Appreciation Week
4-13 AP Testing
20 IHS Site Council Meeting

Upcoming Meeting Dates

The next meeting of the IHS PTSA is Friday April 17th at 9:30 AM in Career and Counseling Center.  PTSA members and guests are welcome to attend. This monthly meeting is a great opportunity to hear updates from Principal Paula Phelps about IHS including progression through the re-build.

The IHS Site Council is comprised of staff, parents, and community representatives and addresses issues that impact student learning. We are focusing on three major issues this year: The school remodel, defining the optimal high school experience, and the reintegration of freshman for the 2010-2011 school year. Karin Allen is the PTSA liaison. Please contact her at kallen@allen-marketing.com if you have any issues you'd like her to raise at the next meeting, scheduled for May 20 at 2:45.

Parent Education

New Date AGAIN!

Parent Education Committee is putting on the following presentation:

"What Teens are Really
Doing Today"

Can you honestly say you know for sure? And do you fully understand the extent of the legal consequences - to them and to you - of their exposure to alcohol, drugs, and teenage driving?

All three high school PTSAs have teamed with their local police officers for three evening
discussions. Middle school parents are encouraged to attend, too. This panel discussion is based on the booklet, “Parents, Teens and the Law” which is available here.  Having being rescheduled twice, the Issaquah High School presentation will be...

April 22-Issaquah HS
Time: 7:00- 8:30 PM
Room: E-8
 
Following the presentation to "What are Teens Really Doing Today?" will be short presentation  on the following:

Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don't be a party to teenage drinking

Many well-meaning parents think that it is enough to take away car keys at their teen's parties so the teens can't drink and drive. Parents provide the alcohol or allow alcohol to be consumed based on the false belief that it's a rite of passage, especially at prom and graduation parties.

The "Parents Who Host, Lose The Most: Don't be a party to teenage drinking" public awareness campaign was developed by Drug-Free Action Alliance in 2000 to educate parents about the health and safety risks of serving alcohol at teen parties and to increase awareness of and compliance with the Ohio Underage Drinking Laws.  For more information about this initiative go to http://www.drugfreeactionalliance.org/pwh.php or contact Jody Mull at jodymull@comcast.net and Deed Chase at deedchase@comcast.net.

Membership Update

The Issaquah High PTSA is now 1152 members strong although our goal is to reach 100% membership which means we need to reach at least 1263 members.  Please help us reach this goal.  If you haven’t already joined please consider joining with the other 1152 members that support the work of our PTSA which is to support our great school!  If only one parent has joined and the other parent would like to join the cost is only $7.  Additionally community members, grandparents and other IHS supporters can join the IH PTSA as a Supporter Member (Click here for Supporter Membership Form).

For more information, please contact Anne Moore annemoore5@comcast.net.

Fundraising Update

The Pass the Hat fundraiser is Issaquah High’s only PTSA fundraiser for the year and involves no commercial product sales.  PTSA depends solely on your contributions to fund our annual operations budget and the many programs we provide for our students at IHS and PCFC, including items not afforded through building budget.  When approving grant requests from IHS & PCFC students and staff, the PTSA Board of Directors deliberate carefully on the costs of a request, how a request matches the PTSA mission and goals and finally by a majority vote. During the 2007/2008 school year the IH PTSA was able to fund almost $30,000.00 worth of grant requests.  To date, we’ve collected about $21,000 and have been able to fund many teacher grant requests.  We anticipate many more grant requests over the course of the school year and have no more carryover funds from previous campaigns to use.  If you can contribute to the Pass the Hat fund it would be greatly appreciated.  We are suggesting a $40 contribution per family, but whatever you can donate will be gratefully accepted.  The IH PTSA is a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization and contributions are tax deductible.  Just fill out the Pass the Hat form found on the PTSA website at http://www.issaquahhighptsa.org/ under fundraising and mail it to IH PTSA; PO Box 2541; Issaquah, WA  98027.

If your employer provides matching funds, the Pass the Hat fundraiser is an eligible program and we are happy to help complete the necessary paperwork.  Please check with your employer.

Did you know that up to 4% of Albertsons purchases can be donated to the IH PTSA automatically? The next time you shop at Albertsons use your Albertsons Preferred Savings Card and link it to us by keying in our Partner’s number 4-9001-10372-3 at the check stand once and the PTSA will be designated as your partner.  It’s that easy!
 
If you have any questions please contact the VPs of Fundraising, Barbara Rappoport and Sharon Kay.
 
Thank you for your continued support!
Your PTSA At Work

Graduating Seniors:  PTSA Senior Merit Scholarship applications are now available here on the PTSA Website. If you’re planning to continue your education upon graduation, you may be eligible to receive one of six $500 scholarships from PTSA.  Deadline for completed applications is April 18, 2009.  A few hard copies are also available in the IHS Main Office.  Questions?  Contact the PTSA Scholarship Chair Danielle Tilden.

ACT/SAT Readiness Program Update: Parents of juniors should be aware that there are limited seats for SAT and ACT testing in our area.  Early registration for desired spring test dates is suggested to avoid extra driving to more distant locations.
 
SAT Readiness Spring classes are in progress, but classes will be offered again in the Fall of 2009 and Spring 2010.  Thanks to our wonderful teachers Ms. Crain, Ms. Dean, and Ms. Jarvinen who have taught the classes to 110 students this year.  We are very lucky to have such affordable classes located right on campus taught by professionals.
 
Thanks also to Kaplan for providing mock exam opportunities for 215 students this year for Issy High School as a fundraiser for PTSA and a convenient location for our students to take these practice exams to prepare for the real ones.  We appreciate their time and materials and all their support for our students. 

Budget 2009-2010:  A budget committee has been formed and will be working after spring break to put together the 2009-2010 PTSA budget.  If you have any questions about the budget or want to give your input, please contact PTSA Treasurer Susan Hegedus by April 13th.

Legislation

It has been a rough few weeks in Olympia for our number one issue of education funding reform.  With the help of parents making record numbers of contact with their legislative representatives, the movement to increase K-12 funding and improve the way education is delivered in this state is still alive...but on life support. 

Please take a moment to add your family names to the growing petition asking for this important action.  The house has acted in favor of HB2261 and now the senate and governor need to hear from us.  Click on the following link to add your support to the cause.
 
Sign our online petition TODAY at:
Marianne Kersten
IHS PTSA Legislation Chair 2008-09
mkers10@comcast.net
 
Issaquah Schools Foundation

And the winners are…

Eleven Issaquah District teachers braved questions from the ISF Grant Committee at Kateri Brow Grant Presentation night, Thursday, March 26, 2009 at the District Administration Building. The teachers had 15 minutes each to state why their grant request should be funding in an amount from $1,000 to $10,000.  The presentations were by turn thought provoking, heart-wrenching, eye-opening and amusing. By evening’s end, $60,000 had been awarded to grants ranging from “Keyboard Pianos for Three Elementary Schools” to “Spectrophotometers and SpectroVis to Study Emission Spectrum.”  Each of the winning projects represents educational innovation and/or a prominent need not currently covered by District or a school building budget and will help to fulfill the Foundation’s goal of helping students achieve the promise of their academic potential.

Three of the eleven grants were awarded to Issaquah High School:
  • Funding the Issaquah High FIRST Robotics Team
  • Spectrophotometers and SpectroVis to Study Emission Spectrum
  • Supporting Microbiological Investigations
A complete list of grant recipients is available at www.issaquahschoolsfoundation.org/grants. Please join ISF in congratulating our winning educators.

A Change is Coming

Save the Date for the Issaquah Schools Foundation’s next Nourish Every Mind Luncheon—May, 2010. That’s right, 13 months from now. The Foundation has decided to shake things up by flipping their two major fundraisers, Calling for Kids and Nourish Every Mind. Calling for Kids will now coincide with the beginning of the school year.

“Funding for education is in crisis mode.  We know that significant cuts are on the horizon and we are working closely with the District to find ways to lessen the blow. Moving Calling for Kids to the fall will empower the community to impact school budgets at the beginning of the year. We expect to have a list of specific programs and initiatives that will depend on private funding to survive. Every family and community member will have the opportunity to play a distinct role in sustaining quality education for our students. We know that if every one contributes something, even as little as $10 or $25, we will be able to accomplish more than ever before.”
    Robin Callahan, ISF Executive Director

Watch the ISF website, www.issaquahschoolsfoundation.org, for more information about the Foundation’s upcoming changes.

Do You Have a Story to Share?

Are you a VOICE Mentor? Are you a teacher who has completed National Board Certification or GLAD?  Have your child’s grades improved because of Club 7 or After-School Homework Labs? Tell us how ISF programs have impacted someone’s life. Send your story to info@issaquahschoolsfoundation.org. Include your name and contact information and you may find your story featured in a future edition of Spotlight on Success, our e-newsletter.  We will keep all student information confidential.

Volunteer Opportunities

AP Exam Proctors:  AP exam proctors are needed for  May 4-8 and May 11-13,  7:30- 12:00noon or 11:30 - 3:30 pm.  If you are interested or want more information please contact  Lisa Gaan (lisagaan@comcast.net) or Jane Lee (janeandalvin@comcast.net).

Staff Appreciation Week: Once again we will be honoring our fabulous teachers and staff with much needed recognition the week of May 4th – 8th. We need your support to make this week long event a success. If you would like to help, either by coordinating a day’s activities or contributing food to either the hot breakfast on Wednesday, May 6th or lunch on Friday, May 8th, please contact Sally Brunette, sallybru@comcast.net or 425-562-2670

Interested in being called on an “as needed” basis for volunteer needs at IHS?  Please contact Camie Callahan at camiekanga@comcast.net or Jane Lee at janeandalvin@comcast.net with your interest.
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