 Presidents' Letter
It’s a Wonderful Life is an annual tradition for many families this time of year. In this classic film, the main character observes the bleak alternate reality of a world had he never been born and its impact on those around him. Borrowing from this plot, let us reflect how different the community of Issaquah High would be without our active, ambitious PTSA. Consider a few examples below:
Imagine IHS without our Angel program. Since August, you have donated more than $10,000 to the restricted Angel Fund. All donations will be used to purchase specific items for qualifying students depending on their need, such as new shoes, clothing, class field trip expenses, bus passes, toiletries, homecoming tickets, or AP testing fees to name a few examples. Currently an Angel committee of “elves” is assembling teen-friendly gift bags to add a little more “merry” to these students’ holiday seasons.
Imagine IHS without our Community Service Program. PTSA recognizes students for their commitment to helping others. Those with 100 or more hours of service will receive a Community Service Honor Cord to be worn at graduation. Our hope is to purchase an Honor Cord for every IHS senior and, most importantly, that community service will remain a passion well beyond these high school years.
Imagine IHS without our New Family Ambassador Program and All-School Grants. Other local PTAs have recognized the value of our programs as well. NFAP, Angel, and our grant application all have been modeled and adopted by other schools. We are proud to be trendsetters!
Click here to view a complete list of programs we fund and provide “It’s a Wonderful PTSA!”
Finally, we cannot imagine PTSA without YOU. Your donations of time, talents, and money are why we positively impact this community like we do. What a difference we make working together. Thank you for your continued support!
Bertina and I wish you and your family a holiday season filled with peace, joy, love and good health.
All the best,
Bertina Loeffler Sedlack & Diane Burdette
Next PTSA meeting: Friday, Jan. 13
Social begins 9:00am
Meeting called to order: 9:30am
Future meetings and prior meeting minutes can be found at:
PTSA website
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By now you should have received your directory! Inside you'll find a variety of general information and resources pertaining to Issaquah High School. Let your fingers do the walking!
Thank you to Tami Curtis, Valerie Yanni, Dan Chernin, Bertina Loeffler Sedlack, and Diane Burdette for all their hours of compiling and editing the contents. Pictured above are the "Taping Crew" who put the finishing touches on the directory: Liz Rudolph, Anne Watanabe, Randi Wright, Dea Barnett, and Sara Carmichael -- plus photographer Diane Burdette.
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Is your student taking the ACT or SAT exam this winter or spring? IH PTSA is offering practice tests for both exams on Saturday, February 4 from 8 a.m. to noon at IHS. Only $25. Great idea for a stocking stuffer. Your student will love you for it!
Practice exams include the writing option. Huntington Learning Center will return scored exams at a feedback session at IHS on Wednesday evening, February 8. A fast turnaround time! Students learn their strengths/weaknesses in various subjects and can tweak study strategies accordingly. Click here to register.
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Also...SAT Review Class at IHS
The March 11 SAT exam is around the corner. IH PTSA, in partnership with the locally-owned SATPrep.org, is offering an affordable review class at IHS to help your student obtain optimal test results. Class runs from February 14 to March 9, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 - 7:15 p.m. in Room 3102. $349 for 16.5 hours classroom instruction by WA-state certified teachers, who have over 10 years experience teaching test prep classes.
Sophomores who know they want to sit for SAT may wish to consider this class. Getting a jump start on college test preparations may reduce junior year stress! Click here to register or to learn more information about the SAT test prep class.
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Tami Curtis, Valerie Yanni and Dan Chernin
All School Student Directory and Parent Handbook
Anne Watanabe, Sara Carmichael and Rebecca Fay
Nominating Committee
Birgit Aarrestad and Michele Sevart
ACT Test Prep
Pamela Krueger
Community Service Program and their Volunteer Fair Dec. 8
Leslie Guajardo, Jen Crewe and Rebecca Fay
Family Ambassador Program and their Social Dec. 8
Julie Seifkes and Barb Howe
Angel Program
Ami Maron
Healthy Student ‘Be True’ program roll-out
Linda Liske
Health Room Snacks
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NOMINATE DESERVING Individuals now for
Golden Acorn and Outstanding Advocate Awards
Each year our PTSA recognizes outstanding volunteers with a Golden Acorn Award or Outstanding Advocate Award. Nominations are requested now until February 10. Forms are available on the IH PTSA website under Awards. It's a great way to show your appreciation for the extra effort of these individuals.
The Golden Acorn award recognizes individuals who have given exemplary volunteer service to children and youth in our school or community. Recipients volunteer in ways that meet the mission of the PTA; promoting the health, welfare, safety and education of all children and youth.
The Outstanding Advocate Award recognizes individuals for continued and dedicated service to ALL children, and a demonstrated commitment to helping create strong policies relating to the health, welfare, safety, and education of children and youth.
Please provide your nominations here. |
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Monthly Staff Breakfast
So Appreciated!
As a token of appreciation and thanks, one Wednesday each month volunteers and donors of the PTSA work together to serve a Staff Breakfast to about 120 members of the staff. These breakfasts are very special and appreciated. During preparation, staff members wander by the kitchen, peeking in, chatting and sneaking bites -- clearly excited about what is coming that morning. Staff members arriving to the meeting also are clearly uplifted as they realize it is “that morning”.
Thank you to the 41 reliable volunteers who have donated to the first five breakfasts of the year. With about 120 staff members, that comes to nearly 600 breakfasts we have served since school started! Wow - these could not happen without you!
The next Staff Breakfast is Wednesday, January 4th. Sign-Up here.
If you would like to be included in the distribution list calling for donations, please CLICK HERE.
Thank you!
PTSA Staff Breakfast Chairs: Lida Buckner & Heidi Fuhs
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Thank you to the many families who helped fill holiday bags for our Angel program students. Issaquah is such an amazingly generous community that comes together to support all students. Happy Holidays and winter break.
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PTA Reflections Reception at the District Level is on January 10th
Issaquah School District Reception is Tuesday, January 10th from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. in the IHS commons.
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 Follow Your Heart Volunteer Fair
Inspires Hundreds
On December 8, ten local and regional community service organizations visited with hundreds of students in the Commons during lunch. There was a constant flow of student interest, with 395 student visits to the dynamic tables set up to allow students to meet with and ask questions of the organizations present.
Hosted by the IH PTSA and IHS College and Career Center, the event set out to connect students to community service speaking to their hearts. In January, the IH PTSA Community Service Program Committee will be following up to support these student connections and offering additional ways for students to find service meaningful to them.
The event could not have been possible without the dedicated efforts of the members of the IH PTSA Community Service Committee, including; Jane Barry, Pamela Krueger (Chair) Lynne Varner, Susanna Wilkens, and Cindy Wong, as well as the many PTSA parent volunteers on the day of the event: Rebecca Fay, Pamela Krueger, Emily Palmgren, Lynne Varner, Anne Watanabe, Susanna Wilkens, and Cindy Wong. The support from Charolett Henderson and Karen Stevens in the College and Career Center was instrumental in making it all run smoothly, too.
Do you have any questions about how to find community service? Check out the IH PTSA Community Service Program web page or the College and Career Center volunteer opportunities tab. More details about the organizations who attended the Fair and other volunteer resources will be coming soon! |
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The IH PTSA is currently looking for leaders in our parent community to serve on the 2017-2018 board. Click here to see the list of elected positions and the many committees that need volunteers.
 By participating in the IH PTSA, whether as a board member, committee chair or volunteer, you are guaranteed to have fun, connect with a wide variety of enthusiastic, knowledgeable parents and get the inside scoop about what is going is at IHS! At the same time, you will be doing some valuable work to support the students, parents and faculty at our school.
Please contact Anne Watanabe at watanabe05@yahoo.com if you are interested in nominating yourself or a friend, and/or if you need more information on how to get involved in IH PTSA.
Thank you for your support!
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Attention Parents of Juniors
Do you like to plan events? Are you good at keeping secrets? If so, you may be the perfect Senior Events Chair for next year. You and a committee (you'll have lots of help!) will work together to plan the perfect 2018 Senior Class All-night Party. But SSHHH--the party venues remain your closely-guarded secret until that night.
As Senior Events chair, you will also oversee--but not chair-- the committees for Senior Breakfast and Senior Farewell (formerly known as Baccalaureate).
Why are we looking for someone now you ask? Because shadowing is the best way to learn the job, plus, this year's Senior Events Chair Sally Feldman and her amazing team will be going strong until the end of the school year. They will be happy to take you under their wing and show you the ropes.
Is this your last child at IHS? Volunteer big and go out with a BANG! You will be the hero of the Class of 2018. Please contact Diane Burdette at diane5burd@gmail.com if interested or need more details.
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SENIOR PARENTS
 It’s not too late to sign up your student for the
All-Night Grad Party!
Makes an EXCELLENT holiday gift too!
What is it? It is the safe, sober and fun way to celebrate with the IHS Class of 2017! This all-inclusive party moves through multiple secret local venues complete with food –including dinner and breakfast, prizes, activities and TONS of entertainment!
When? Graduation night, June 12, 2017
Depart: 11:00 PM from I.H.S. and the grads are driven to the first of their “secret” locations!
Return: 5:00 AM, June 13th to I.H.S. after a night to remember with their classmates!
Cost? The current* cost is $170 for this all-inclusive excursion: transportation, food, entertainment and all activities are all included!
Full and partial scholarships are available! Please contact the bookkeeper at I.H.S. to request a scholarship. Or, you can reach out to our Senior Event Chair, Sally Feldman at IHS2017seniorevents@gmail.com for more information. All requests will be kept confidential.
*Tickets purchased after January 30, 2017 will increase to $180 per person, after March 28, 2017 tickets will increase to $195 per person.
How do I sign up? Space is limited; reserve your spot here: http://issaquahhighptsa.org/Page/SeniorEvents/SeniorCelebration Please remember to complete the registration forms in addition to making payments.
Your student will not want to miss this last night together as the Class of 2017!
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Next IH PTSA Grant Deadline is January 20th
IH PTSA will consider any item, program or activity that is compatible with our mission: to expand educational opportunities and enhance the learning and social environment at Issaquah High through programs, volunteers, advocacy and financial support; and will review applications considering at least the following criteria:
* Does it foster student learning?
* Does it strengthen our school community?
* Does it reach a large number of students and/or target an underserved population?
* Will it have a long-term impact?
* Does it align with IHS building goals?
* Is IH PTSA the most appropriate funding source?
If you have an idea for a grant idea, please submit it by January 20, 2017. Click here for Guidelines, Application and more information. Questions? Contact Margaret Chalfant at tmchalfant@comcast.net.
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ADVOCACY
Our school district is facing "THE LEVY CLIFF." What does that mean?
As our state has not fully funded basic education, many districts, including ours, have turned to local levies to meet their needs.
The Supreme Court ruled that according to our constitution, the state, not local levies, needs to be paying those costs.
Washington's constitution requires the state to amply fund basic education with dependable and regular state tax sources.
The legislature has allowed local districts to use levies to fund basic education until they fully fund our schools with state revenues. But even if the Legislature enacts legislation by the end of the 2017 legislative session, as required by the court, the money doesn't have to be there until September 1, 2018. However, the legislature also passed a law earlier this year saying districts must stop using local levies to fund basic education by January 1, 2018. That means that unless the legislature extends the "levy cliff" for another year (allowing districts to use local levies) or comes up with new state tax resources by April 30, 2017, districts will face financial shortfall. The uncertainty makes it very difficult for districts, including ours, to plan for the 2017-18 school year.
Contact your legislators to let them know your thoughts regarding education funding. Encourage them to extend the levy cliff for a year while they come up with a plan to fund basic education with dependable state sources. Find out who your legislators are here.
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 Register for
FOCUS DAY 2017!
On Monday, January 16th (no school that day), join PTAs all over Washington State as we show our legislators our commitment to support our children's education. Register here
SCHEDULE:
8:00 a.m. - Registration
9:00 a.m. - Introductions, etc.
9:15 a.m. - Overview of the day, WSPTA Platform Discussion
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - Program (to be announced)
11:35 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. - Lunch Break (box lunch pickup if pre-ordered)
12:15 p.m. - Program in Rotunda (to be announced)
1:00 p.m. - State PTA Program Ends
We will also have an opportunity to meet with our legislators from the 5th and 41st district.
Questions? Contact Dea Barnett
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