ICS PTSA NEWSLETTER
January 8, 2017
Upcoming Important Dates

Date
Event/Activity
Time
Location
January 10th
Principal Chat
 Parent Meeting
6 - 7 PM 
7 - 8:30 PM
ICS Lyceum
January 16th
MLK Jr Day
No School

February 8th
Junior Parents Meeting
 (mandatory)
 7 PM
ICS Lyceum
FROM THE SCHOOL
Art Day Classes Registration is Now Open
Art Day is an exciting opportunity to take classes that are unique, creative and fun! There are many great classes to choose from in arts, crafts, dance, theater cooking, and more. Students need to sign up for 3 classes. Registration is now open and will remain open through Wednesday, 1/15/17, at midnight. Students will rank the 6 classes they would like best. After registration, students will be assigned to the 3 classes they will take based on these preferences. Be sure to sign up before the deadline to get your pick of classes.
Art Day Volunteers: Please make sure your volunteer approval is current for this year! If it has expired, we won't be able to use you as a volunteer.

Mandatory Junior Parents Meeting
On Wednesday, February 8th at 7 PM, we are having a Junior Parents MANDATORY graduation meeting in the Lyceum. If you have any questions, please contact Luda. Looking forward to see everyone there.  Please bring a check with you. Thank you.

Focus Day
Focus Day is fast approaching this January 16 in Olympia.
What is Focus Day? 
Focus day is our opportunity to gather together as a state organization to visually show our legislators our organizational size and to reinforce our relevance.
Who goes? 
PTA members from across the state every year to meet with Legislators and keep the health, welfare, and educational opportunities of our children front and center on their Legislative agendas.
How can I go? 
Participate by registering online.
How do I get there?
You could drive, or, bring your family and friends on the free bus! Register online.

Principal Chat and PTSA Parent Meeting this week
Tuesday, January 10th , at ICS, Lyceum.  Principal Chat at  6:00 PM  followed by Parent Meeting  7:00-8:30 PM .
If you missed any parent meetings/principal chats, all the presentations are posted here.
FROM ASB
Upcoming ASB Events
  • January 9-13 - The TSA Magazine Sale is going on from January 9th through January 13th outside the Lyceum. Come pick up a copy of "Transformations in Technology" and get a chance to win a gift basket full of prizes. This basket includes a wireless speaker, a stylus, USBs, and a portable power-bank. Magazines cost $2.50 so make sure to drop by and support the club.
  • January 13 - The Underclassmen Event is Friday, January 13, 6:00 to 8:00 PM (note changed end time). All 6th through 8th graders are invited to come and participate in Laser Tag! There will also be pizza and two movies: "Zootopia" and "Middle School" included. Cost for the event is $10 per student at the door. All students must have a release form signed by their parent or guardian to participate in Laser Tag. Please have your student pick a form up in the office, or find one with the event poster in the ICS hallway. Forms will also be available at the door. Students may attend the event without participating in Laser Tag if desired.
  • January 16 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day so NO SCHOOL. Remember to think of his message and the impact he left on society.
VOLUNTEERING
Volunteers Needed for Underclassmen Event
Chaperones are needed for the underclassmen event. Time will be from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM on January 13. Please email Ms. Lentz if you can volunteer - the first 10 volunteers will get the job!
CELEBRATING ICS
ICS Teachers Ranked as State's Best! 
The Seattle PI reports that ICS teachers are the best in the state according to a list of "2017 High Schools with the Best Teachers in Washington". We couldn't agree more! See the PI story and read the details of the Niche web site's rankings.

PTA Reflections Announcement 
Congratulations to Zev Sharma (8th Grade, "Outstanding Interpretation"- Music Choreography) and Trushaa Ramanan (8th grade, "Honorable Mention" - Visual Arts) in the Council level Judging - Reflections!! Their entries have now moved to State Level Judging. Wishing them good luck!
We extend our best wishes to all the participants this year, as a lot of hard work and time has gone into this. Please continue to participate and encourage your friends to participate in the upcoming year.
REPEATED ARTICLES
Volunteering at ICS - Reminder
We are coming to the end of the first semester this year. Have you been volunteering and reporting your hours to the website? This is a great time to think about volunteering - the end of the year will be upon us in no time, and then it is very difficult to find opportunities to fill the 30 hour annual commitment.
A few reminders:
  • Focus Week is May 22-26. Parent volunteers will be needed and requests for assistance will be posted in future newsletters.
  • Volunteer hours cannot be gifted or transferred between families.
  • Hours can be earned by adult family members or caregivers.
  • Site Work Parties/Clean up hours count for ALL family members who attend - students, siblings, parents, etc.
If you need help finding opportunities, please read the weekly newsletter - this is where volunteer opportunities are advertised. You can also contact committee chairs directly if you'd like to work with a particular committee. Their contact information can be found in the school directory, or at this link on the PTSA website. If you still need help identifying opportunities or have questions, please contact Kathy Thompson and Julie Kotler. Thank you in advance for supporting our school, staff and students!

Reporting Volunteer Hours 
Here is how to record your volunteer hours: 
  1. Log into the PTSA website using the log in form on the right side of the homepage.
  2. Click on Input Volunteer Hours under the Volunteering menu item on the left side of the screen.
  3. Complete all of the required information and click on the 'Submit' button. If you've already entered volunteer hours in the past, your last entry will be pre-populated on the screen. Simply edit the 'Category', 'Hours', and 'Comments' (if necessary) and click on the 'Submit' button once. If you do not click on the 'Submit' button, your hours will not be recorded.

Please note: You must first create an account on the website in order to record your hours. Once you've registered and 'confirmed' your registration, please allow 24 hours for your account to be approved. You will need an active account to enable you to post your volunteer hours. If you have questions about reporting your hours on the website or have trouble with logging on, please contact the PTSA webmaster for assistance.

 
ICS Office Volunteer Opportunity
The ICS office is looking for help on Friday mornings from 7:15 - 9:30 AM to answer phones and assist students and parents who come to the front desk. It would be best to have the same person volunteering each week. Good communication skills and attention to detail are necessary. They would like to have someone ready to start as soon as possible. If you are interested or want more information, please email our Volunteer Coordinators.
The Student Study Center is Open! 
Need someone to practice Spanish with for an upcoming test or just need feedback or ideas on a paper you've been working on? Student tutors are ready to help with all subjects. This is a great opportunity to get insight from fellow students who have been through the academic material before, it's free and there are snacks to ensure that the brain is fed. 
The Student Study Center is open every day during lunch in the Library and every day except Wednesday in Room 157 from 2:05 - 3:00 PM. Walk-ins welcome or you can sign up here.

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