Congratulations to Our State-Level Reflections Artists!

EMS PTSA is proud to share that four Evergreen students' original works of art have advanced to Washington State PTA judging in this year's Reflections program! These four artists earned some of the highest rankings out of more than 250 entries from 36 district PTSAs and PTAs in the Lake Washington PTSA Council level of competition. A panel of independent judges evaluated each entry based on creativity, technical skill, and interpretation of the theme, "Show Your Voice!"

Congratulations and best of luck to Ankita, Ishanvi, Girvan and Anika!

CODING CLUB NEWS

Bebras Challenge Results Are In!

EMS PTSA's Coding Club successfully administered the 2022-23 Bebras Challenge on Nov. 16, 2022. Out of the total 48 club students who participated, the following five students achieved a perfect score of 180 and received “Best of School” achievement badges:

• Advait Wahi
• Anika Bhadra
• Siddhant Lodha
• Shivam Chowdhary
• Tycho Green

Pass the Hat Drawing Winners

Thank you to everyone who donated to EMS PTSA during our Pass the Hat fundraising drive! Congratulations to these three winners of our prize drawing, whose names were randomly drawn from the list of everyone who donated by Dec. 31:

Alycen Farrell • Manish Godse • Sarah Crinklaw

The drawing is over, but it's never too late to support your PTSA—and don't forget about corporate matching! Find out more here.

COMING UP

Important Spelling Bee Dates

Spelling Bee participants! Please note these upcoming dates:

Questions? Email Spelling Bee coordinators Swati Das or Heidi Nguyen.

LAST DAYS TO REGISTER

Don't Miss Your Chance to Join Theater!

EMS PTSA is thrilled to welcome our theater program back to Evergreen! Along with Studio East's ArtReach program, we are excited to bring Beauty and the Beast Jr. to the stage.

The first 50 students to register in this no-cut program will be cast in a main role, supporting role or the ensemble. Registration is $200 on a first-come, first-served basis, and is required to audition. For details and to sign up, visit our Theater Club page. Parents are expected to volunteer for a committee (costumes, concessions, etc.) and chaperone two rehearsals minimum.

• Mandatory parent meeting: Next Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7 pm
• Auditions: After school Monday, Feb. 6 and Tuesday, Feb. 7
• Visit Theater Club page for all rehearsal and performance dates, and committee info for parents

If you have questions after reviewing the information on our Theater Club page, please email our theater producer, Swati Kaul.

SAVE THE DATE

Next EMS PTSA General

Membership Meeting: Jan. 31

Please mark your calendars and join us at our next general membership meeting.

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 31 from 9:30 to 11 am
WHERE: Online on Zoom (Link to be shared Jan. 29)
AGENDA: PDF document

Anyone can attend PTSA meetings, but you'll need a membership to vote in elections and on issues dependent upon votes. Join online now! As a member, you are under no obligation to attend meetings, volunteer, or serve on committees, although we welcome your participation in any of these ways!

URGENT!

Three Volunteers Needed

Are you interested in a way to volunteer mostly from home? EMS PTSA has an opportunity for three volunteers who will make a big impact on the future of the PTSA programs and services that benefit our school and our students!

By serving on our nominating committee, you would help identify and recruit other volunteers as candidates for the 2023-24 EMS PTSA board of directors. This work can primarily be done online and by phone, and the duration is just January to March.

For details or to volunteer, please contact manda@evergreenptsa.org. Current PTSA board members and chairs are absolutely eligible to serve. Thank you!

SAVE THE DATE

MOD Pizza Sammamish Fundraiser

Mark your calendars, families! On Thursday, Feb. 9, take the evening off dinner duty, because it's our MOD Pizza fundraiser day at the Sammamish location! All day long, MOD will donate 20 percent of their proceeds to EMS PTSA for orders when customers mention "Evergreen Middle School PTSA" at the register, or use code MODGIVES20 for digital orders!

LAST CHANCE FOR TICKETS

Evergreen ASB Winter Wonderland Dance

Get ready for the second school dance of the year!

WHEN: This Friday, Jan. 20 from 7 to 9 pm
WHERE: Evergreen Middle School

Ticket sales will end this Thursday. For complete information—including ticket sales and what to expect at the dance—view the announcement on ParentSquare.

THIS WEEK

An Important Parent Chat:
Why Kids Self-Harm & What You Can Do

Be prepared—not scared. Self-harm is rampant among youth, who use it as a coping mechanism. If you find out your child is cutting, it's important to understand why it's happening and how you can give them the support they need. This talk is for EVERY parent, because you never know if your child is going to engage in self-harm.

At this Parent Chat, hear about this difficult but important topic from award-winning speaker and bestselling author Michelle Mitchell.

WHEN: This Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 7 to 8 pm
WHERE: Online via Zoom — Register Now

Parent Chat and other Balance in Mind events are made possible by the Lake Washington Schools Foundation.

How to Select High School Classes:
A Webinar for Middle & High School Families

Choosing classes in high school can be a confusing and daunting task. Join independent college counselor Mary Pat O’Neil and LWSD school counselor Taylor Reuhl for a webinar to learn about meeting graduation requirements, Running Start, what colleges look at, and much more.

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 24 from 7 to 8:30 pm
WHERE: Online via Zoom — Register Now

Find Your Fit is a program of Lake Washington Schools Foundation.

Eastlake High School Math Night

Eastlake High School's Math Honor Society Math Council invites EMS students to its upcoming Math Night. This event is intended to help engage middle school students in the world of math and will include booths and stations with fun, interactive activities and puzzles, including math trivia, a scavenger hunt and more.

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 10 from 6 to 8 pm
WHERE: Eastlake High School (400 228th Ave NE, Sammamish)
RSVP: Please complete this form to indicate your interest

Please reach out to Medha Mittal at s-mmittal@lwsd.org if you have any questions.

Send a LWSD Staff Member a Valentine

When you order a special gift of appreciation for a Lake Washington School District teacher or staff member, Lake Washington Schools Foundation (LWSF) will put their name on their virtual Wall of Love, send them this year's beautiful Art Nouveau-style inspirational postcard, or even include a limited-edition enamel pin.

Visit lwsf.org/valentine before Feb. 7 to make your selections. Your order supports LWSF's work and brightens a staff member's day!

Service and Social Opportunities for Kids

Kids in grades 3 through 8 are invited to register for free community service and social events with Kids Coming Together. The next event is:

• Jan. 16: Decorating Cards & Scarves for the Giving Hope Project

Kids Coming Together is a program funded and supported by Lake Washington Schools Foundation.

More Community Opportunities

Find LWSD-approved events and opportunities for students and families via Peachjar. View Evergreen's e-flyers here.