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BEAR TRACKS WEEKLY NEWS & UPDATES
Monday, January 2, 2017
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UPCOMING EVENTS at RMS
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Monday, January 2
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Last day of Winter Break!
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Tuesday, January 3
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First day back to school!
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Wednesday, January 4
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Emerson K-12 - New Family Information Session:
@ Emerson K-12 (3:00 - 4:00 pm)
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Thursday, January 5
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Coffee with Kelly:
RMS Location To Be Determined (4:30 - 5:00 pm)
LWSD-LWPTSA Council General Meeting:
LWSD Resource Center (7:00 - 8:30 pm)
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Friday, January 6
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Girls Regional Basketball: Rose Hill MS @ RMS Gymnasium (3:30
- 5:30 pm)
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Wednesday, January 18
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RHS Future Freshman Parent Night,
6:30 - 8:00 pm @ RHS Performing Arts Center
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To see all school events, see the online
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Tuesday, Jan 3 - Strength & Conditioning for current 8th graders interested in playing football for RHS: 2:45 - 4:30 at RHS
Thursday, Jan 5 - Attend Coffee with Kelly at 4:30 pm
Thursday, Jan 5 - Deadline to take LWSD Survey
Friday, Jan 6 - Attend Reflections Open House - 6 - 8 pm at LWSD Resource Center
Friday, Jan 6 - Attend Nat Geo meeting after school
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No news from the teachers this week.
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- YEARBOOK CLUB - No news this week
- SAFE SCHOOL AMBASSADORS - Please email or see Ms. Morris if you have questions about being involved.
- DR. WHO CLUB - No news this week
- CURRENT NJHS MEMBERS - No news this week. Email Ms. Morris with questions.
- LGBTQ+ CLUB - No news this week.
- D&D & OTHER GAMES CLUB - No news this week.
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RMS PTSA ACADEMIC TEAMS
(Math, Science, NatGeo)
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Join the RMS Geography Club
Do you love geography? Join the RMS Geography Club. We will be preparing to compete in the National Geographic Geography Bee in January. Our first meeting will be Friday January 6th after school. If you have questions, please see Mrs. Gross in room 229 or email [email protected].
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E
XTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
(Band, Choir)
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Ad Space Available in Upcoming Musical Program
- Do you run a local business? Businesses such as stores, restaurants, photographers, Realtors, tutors etc!!
- Or, do you know a friend or local business that you think would like to participate?
- Would you like exposure in our upcoming musical program?
- Would YOU like to run a parent ad congratulating your own actor??
- Ads range from as low as $25 up to $150
Redmond Middle School presents Disney's Beauty & the Beast Jr. with 4 performances February 2-4, 2017
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UPCOMING RMS SPORTING EVENTS
Friday, January 6
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Girls Regional Basketball: Rose Hill MS @ RMS Gymnasium (3:30 - 5:30 pm)
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Sports and Activities in Redmond (Non-School Sponsored)
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Baseball & Softball Registration is Open
RedWest Little League
Spring 2017 player registration is open!
Softball and baseball registration is open to boys and girls 5-16 years old. Go to Redmond West Little League's newly-designed website at http://www.redwestll.org to register through January 15.
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STUDENT ANNOUNCEMENTS (Week of December 12 - 16, 2016):
- INCENTIVE DAY: RMS Grizzlies had a blast on Friday, December 16, and enjoyed movies, art stations, cartoons playing, a silent reading room, a lots of sports activities. Hot apple cider, hot cocoa and popcorn were served, too!
- All library books are due on January 3.
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Do you love geography? Join the RMS Geography Club. We will be preparing to compete in the National Geographic Geography Bee in January. Our first meeting will be Friday January 6th after school. If you have questions, please see Mrs. Gross in room 229 or email Mrs. Gross.
- Be Kind, Be Honest, and Be Proud.
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Ayuda necesaria por favor
We would like to offer the weekly Bear Tracks newsletter in Spanish. If you have an hour to give on a weekly basis and the ability to translate from English to Spanish please contact
[email protected].
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We raised over $8,000 with the Basket Auction!
LWPTSA Council Basket Auction was an event to remember this year. If you didn't have a chance to join us, you missed out on our amazing free espresso drinks, exciting raffle and the end of our silent auction.
For those of you who did join us, all we can say is thank you for your time and support. We're excited to report that LWPTSA Council raised more than $8,000 toward student and staff scholarships
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For 35 years, LWPTSA Council has provided scholarships for students in our district. The basket auction event is our only fundraiser of the year and the money raised goes directly to our student and staff scholarship program.
Thanks again to our local PTAs for their financial support and their time and creative energy bringing us beautiful, interesting baskets. We'd also like to give a shout out to the Lake Washington School District and staff for hosting our auction and generously participating in the activities.
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**NEW** PTSA VOLUNTEERS ARE THE BEST!!!
Thank you to our Council Reflections chairs Pam Hay and Roopa Satagopan, our many wonderful and hardworking local Reflections chairs, judges (they have a hard job!), committee members and assorted volunteers. Reflections at a big school district like Lake Washington is a gigantic logistical challenge, and our Reflections volunteers put in a lot of thought and time to create a smooth process.
Thank you to our Scholarship Basket Auction chairs Judy East and Julie Haase and all of their helpers. This event funds a very large portion of our scholarships, so the pressure is on for it to do well. They put their usual combination of hard work and panache into making it a fun and successful event.
And thank you to everybody working away at the local level, making great things happen for your school communities! You all deserve a tasty baked treat, a nice spot on the couch with a cozy blanket and a good book!
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Help Wanted: Spring Resource Fair
Interested in becoming a social media marketing campaigner? We are looking for help in spreading the word about our Spring Resource Fair through social media. We would love to have your ideas. There is no experience necessary. We will help you learn the tricks to a successful campaign!
The LWPTSA Council Spring Resource Fair Committee is looking for a Social Media Marketing Campaign Coordinator for our Spring Resource Fair, "Community Connect". The goal is to ensure that the event gets good coverage in social media.
Time Commitment: January 1st - March 18th (2 hours per week)
If you are interested in being part of the team, send an email to LWPTSA Spring Resource Fair chair, Anika Sinha at
[email protected]
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**NEW** Upcoming Parent Education
- February 1, 6:30 p.m., Laura Kastner "Yours, Mine and Ours: Finding a Way Out of the Cycle to Support Your Teen's Success", Lake Washington High School
- February 7, 6:30 p.m., Anne Holmdahl, Getting Ready for College, LW Resource Center
- March 8, 6:30 p.m., Screenagers (the movie) with Panel Discussion, Eastlake HS
Questions?
Email Beth Sigall, VP, LWPTSA Family and Community Engagement
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**NEW**
Reflections Open House - Friday, January 6
Reflections - Watch, Read, Listen, View...
at the Reflections Open House and Art Show to be held Friday, January 6, 2017, 6-8 pm, at the Lake Washington Resource Center (in Redmond Town Center).
Featuring over 500 local PTSA entries that advanced to Council. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy the amazing, creative talents of our students. Winning entries advancing to State will be highlighted.
Visual Arts and Photography will remain on display at the LWRC until January 13th.
For questions, please contact the Council Reflections Committee.
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**NEW** Council Membership Meeting Highlights -
Summary
from December 1 General Membership Meeting
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| **NEW** Communications - Job Openings
- Help wanted! We are looking for a newsletter editor for Currents. About 6-8 hours per month. Articles are submitted by others, you don't do any of the writing. Great job to do at home in your yoga pants! We use Constant Contact and would love a detail-oriented person who can read through a submitted article with a critical eye, looking for typos and possible missing information. If you are interested in learning more, contact Liz Hedreen.
- Do you like/want to learn how to work with WordPress and want to know what is going on at Council? We are looking for a webmaster to work our LWPTSA Council website. Many of the posts are regularly scheduled events, so you will be able to schedule your time. Ideally, we'd like someone who will be aware of what kinds of things need to be on a PTSA website (standard things like updated Standing Rules, meeting schedules, etc.) But mostly the information will be submitted to you, and you would post it within a reasonable time. 2-3 hours/week. If you are interested in learning more, contact Liz Hedreen.
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Legislative Focus Day - January 16th
Come advocate with us in Olympia on January 16th (Bring your kids - They have the day off!) Registration is open now!
$0-$12 depending on if you order a lunch for yourself and/or your children.
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Great Wolf Lodge PTSA Member Benefit Update
As we approach the New Year, there is one big change taking place with the Great Wolf Lodge Discount Program. The change is, the discount code provided allows WSPTA members to book at any Great Wolf Lodge in the US and receive a discount! Download the updated flier here.
The following rules still apply:
- Provide ID at check in.
- The discount is up to 30% off the best available rate and can be used on two rooms at a time.
- We suggest booking 4-6 weeks in advance to receive the best deal.
Reservations Note:
When making a reservation with Great Wolf Lodge, via telephone,
please be sure to state the promotional code (WSPTA984A), rather than stating you are with PTA
. By stating the code (or reserving online), it is the most foolproof way to avoid any issues.
Additionally, the offer
may not be valid during holiday and blackout periods
or combined with any other discount or offers. Additional charges may apply for themed and premium suites, weekends, and/or holidays.
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**NEW** New PTSA Member Benefit Providers
PPG Paints -
WSPTA members can now take advantage of PPG Employee pricing at select locations*. Download the flier
here
(coupon expires 12/31/16). Stay tuned in 2017 for more exciting offers from PPG Paints.
H&R Block -
Look for more information about discounts after the new year.
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**NEW** STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH LAUNCHES VIDEO CONTEST
The slogan for the Listen2YourSelfie youth marijuana prevention campaign is "Remember what's important. Forget marijuana." This video contest gives teens 13-18 the chance to shape the campaign, win a GoPro and appear in future campaign ads. We want to make this campaign more youth-led by learning, "What's important to you?"
Source: Washington State Department of Health
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**NEW** PTA MEN'S ESSAY CONTEST -
March 1 deadline
This statewide essay contest explores the important contributions that men make in the lives and education of children - from our children's perspective. All men involved in a child's life - fathers, uncles, grandpas, brothers, step-fathers, mentors, neighbors, pastors, coaches, and friends - impact the children they care about. Learn more here .
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Redmond High School News and Events
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**NEW**
Incoming Freshmen Interested in Football Are
Encouraged to Attend Strength & Conditioning
The Strength & Conditioning (S&C) room is located n
ear the
auxiliary gymnasium at Redmond High School. S&C takes place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, from 2:45 - 4:30 pm. Players are expected to wear a grey shirt and green shorts, and to attend on the days that they are not participating in a winter or spring sport.
Cost is $280 and covers S&C through January 2018.
That's less than $23.50 per month! Exercises and activities are closely supervised
by Personal Trainer Darius Terry who has a Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology, Exercise Science and Health Promotion from the University of Wyoming. He is a Certified Youth Strength & Conditioning Specialist, IYCA and is also an ACE (American College on Exercise) Certified Personal Trainer.
- Use the inner scroll bar to find "Activities"
- Select "Strength and Conditioning."
- Verify that it has been added to your cart,
- Enter the players name in the box labeled "Add additional note to merchant"
- Complete your transaction.
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**NEW**
RHS FUTURE FRESHMAN PARENT NIGHT
(class of 2021)
Redmond High School will host their
Future Freshman Parent Night for parents of the class of 2021 on
Wednesday, January 18th from 6:30 - 8 pm in the RHS Performing Arts Center.
If you have a current 8th grader who will be attending Redmond High School next school year, this is a great opportunity to learn what RHS is all about!
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Benevity Corporate Matching
As the year ends, now is the last chance to make your corporate matches for the PTSA or the ASB for this year. If your company uses Benevity, you can search on "Redmond Middle School" to make your match.
This will give you two options:
Redmond Middle School PTSA and Redmond Middle School via Lake Washington School District.
To match your PTSA donation, choose "Redmond Middle School PTSA".
To match your ASB donation, choose "Redmond Middle School via Lake Washington School District" and then select Redmond Middle School as your project. We are at the very end of the list of schools. The ASB would find it helpful if you add a comment including "RMS ASB and your students name."
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You shop. Amazon gives!
Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice. (
Redmond Middle School PTSA 2 8 80, of course!)
Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at
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LAKE WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
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UPCOMING Lake Washington School District EVENTS
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**NEW** LWSD SURVEY -
LWSD Families and Community Members, Give your Feedback!
Each year, the district invites parents and community members to provide feedback on general school and district questions related to school environment, learning, safety and communications.
The survey is anonymous. Your student's school and the district use this information in planning for the future and in continuous improvement processes.
This year's survey is now open: you can help make our district and schools the best they can be. Please click on this link to take the survey. The survey will be open through January 5.
Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback, and please feel free to forward this link to friends, neighbors, and community members who do not have children in the schools as well.
Kathryn Reith
Director, Communications
Lake Washington School District
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**NEW**
Superintendent's Message - Growing
Together, Serving our Community
@LakeWashSchools Communities Connecting #proud2bLWSD
As the winter holidays approach, it is so encouraging to see the power of community connection manifest itself in so many positive ways. Our district resource center and many of our schools participate in food, toy, or warm clothing drives to help benefit children and families in need. Our students share their gifts of music, drama and art through school and community performances. The Lake Washington PTSA Council holds its annual basket auction to fund scholarships for deserving students. The spirit of community and generosity is on full display in this season of giving and sharing.
It was Helen Keller who said, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." As a district, we are fortunate to serve students and families in a community where the power of "together" is embraced and celebrated, not just in December, but all year 'round.
Last month I was proud to host our second annual Community Leaders breakfast. This event brings together elected officials and leaders from community agencies and businesses who partner with Lake Washington all year to help us serve our students and families in our diverse and growing community.
At this year's event, I shared the outstanding academic performance of students, and we made a virtual visit (using Skype) to a kindergarten class. Community leaders learned first-hand from students what they love about school! Community leaders also learned about our district efforts to live our values of being student centered, learning focused, results oriented and community connected. The event gives me an opportunity to provide a "state of the district" update and express heartfelt thanks to our community partners.
You can view the PowerPoint presentation and the "thank you" video from this year's event by clicking the links below:
As 2016 comes to a close, and we look to welcome in the new year, I want to thank each and every Lake Washington family for sharing your most precious gifts - your children - with us and allowing us to partner with you in your child's education. We are honored to be part of a caring and connected community.
Happy Holidays!
We are proud to be LWSD!
Dr. Traci Pierce, LWSD Superintendent
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CITY OF REDMOND EVENTS / ACTIVITIES
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**NEW**
January Programs at Redmond Library
Click on the title of each program below for more information.
Tuesday, Jan. 10th; 4:30-5:30pm
Get volunteer credit and make the library more
awesome! New members always welcome. Bring a friend!
Thursday, Jan. 12th; 4pm
The Forgetting
by Sharon Cameron
Teens in middle school, junior high and high school are invited to attend this monthly meeting to discuss a young adult novel and share what you have been reading. New members are always welcome!
Saturday, Jan. 14th; 10:30-noon
A free, volunteer run, computer programming space for children. Drop-in for self-directed, online learning. Bring your charged laptop or tablet. No experience necessary. Start any time.
Saturday, Jan. 22nd; 1-2:30pm
-- Special Topic: Scratch
Saturday, Jan. 28th; 10am-1pm
Teens in 6th grade through 12th grade join us on the 4th Saturday of the month to explore electronics, software, and computer programming. No experience required. Peers and volunteers will help each other learn new and favorite technologies. No registration.
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Study Lab is a free, drop-in program open to all students in need of homework help, tutoring, or a quiet work space for individual or group work. Study Lab takes place in the library on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 2:20-3:30pm and Wednesday from 1:00-3:00pm. A bus home is provided on Wednesdays.
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Lake Washington Schools Foundation
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**NEW** Save the Date - March 28 or 30
Thank you! We are on our way to reaching our Fall/Workplace Giving goal of $80,000 thanks to our generous community. Consider making a year end gift to support students.
Save A Date - Join
us at one of our two spring fundraising events, the Spring for Learning Luncheon, March 28th or Breakfast on March 30th at the Redmond Town Center Marriott hotel. Be sure to mark your calendar to support our school community. Interested in joining the team to help make these events a huge success?
* Serve as a table captain, a corporate partner or help recruit corporate partners
* Volunteer for the spring events committee
* Help recruit community members to the event
Please visit our Volunteer page on our website to sign up for these opportunities.
Reaching for Success Grant Application Information
- The Lake Washington PTSA Council will be having a Brown Bag Lunch this winter at the LWSD Resource Center to learn about the grant making process and to answer questions. Be on the lookout for more information about the RFS Grant application schedule on our website in January.
Thank you for partnering with the Lake Washington Schools Foundation in support of our kids! and Happy Holidays!
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Youth Eastside Services (YES)
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**NEW**
Invest in Youth Breakfast -
Save the date: March 22
| Join us on March 22, 2017, for our premier fundraising event of the year, the Invest in Youth Breakfast. You'll hear inspiring stories from youth who have faced struggles, and you'll play a part in supporting low/no-cost mental health care to help families in your community heal from trauma, grief, depression and more. |
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**NEW** A Better World Starts Here
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**NEW** Give the Gift of Comfort, Education
Want to brighten a child's day with a plush toy or coloring book? What about a book that helps a teen learn about civil rights activist Cesar Chavez? Our counselors have requested lots of items to comfort and educate the kids they support. Check our Amazon Wish List for ideas.
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**NEW** Gingerbread House Fun
YES' Success Mentoring program kids and mentors built gingerbread houses this month to celebrate the holiday season.
Success is one of five YES education and prevention programs that reached a total of 8,180 individuals during the 2015-2016 school year. Among these programs, 98% of participants made significant progress on strengthening skills that support positive social development.
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SUBMIT YOUR NEWS TO BEAR TRACKS!
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Deadline for Bear Tracks Entries is Thursday!
Got something to say? Shout it from email inboxes with the RMS Bear Tracks newsletter! At the discretion of the editor, this newsletter accepts articles from parents, students and staff on a variety of subjects for our school and community.
For Monday morning publication, please submit articles by the preceding Thursday!
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