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BEAR TRACKS WEEKLY NEWS & UPDATES
Monday, May 1, 2017
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Links to Every Article in This Week's Bear Tracks
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UPCOMING EVENTS for RMS 
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Monday, May 1
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No events scheduled today
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Tuesday, May 2
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No events scheduled today
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Wednesday, May 3
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FULL SCHOOL DAY (No 1.5 Hour Early Release)
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Thursday, May 4
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No events scheduled today
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Friday, May 5
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No events scheduled today
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Monday, May 1 - Friday, May 5
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Staff Appreciation Week
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ACADEMIC NEWS
(Core classes, Band, Choir, Orchestra)
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SBA Testing Begins in May
The leadership classes are working on a first day of testing pick me up for all students at the school and they need donated snacks. Families who are willing and able should bring a large sized box of shelf-stable, individually wrapped healthy snacks to school on or before Monday, May first. Some good examples of things to bring are granola or power bars, & dried fruit. If you write your student's name and 1st period teacher on the box your student will receive one of the items you donated in their bag. This way we'll be able to meet their dietary need, if there is one. Items are being collected in the main office by Mr. Clark.
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RMS PTSA ACADEMIC TEAMS
(Math, Science, NatGeo)
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WA State Science Olympiad Results
Redmond Middle school students represented their school at the Washington State tournament of Science Olympiad on 4/15/17. Science Olympiad tournaments are rigorous academic interscholastic competitions that consist of a series of team events which students prepare for during the year. Events are well balanced between the various science disciplines of biology, earth science, chemistry, physics and technology. The 16 participants of this event were the winners from the regional science competition that was held last month in Yakima.
RMS team was ranked a 9th overall & 7 students were recognized for the individual achievements:
- Sohil Bhatia and Kinner Parikh - 3rd place in Dynamic Planet
- Sayan Bhatia and Aaryan Jain - 3rd place in Hovercraft
- Krish Jain and Neha Venkatesh- 4th place in Food Science
- Sayan Bhatia and Aaryan Jain - 5th place in Ecology
- Sohil Bhatia and Nishil Vankamamidi - 5th place in Disease detectives
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ASB CLUBS / EVENTS
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ASB STUDENT COUNCIL
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Meets once per month, scheduled by students. Please email Kelly Konicki with questions.
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D.I. CLUB (Destination Imagination)
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Meeting time & location TBD. Please email Paul Neet with questions.
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DR. WHO CLUB
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Meets Thursdays 2:30 - 3:30 pm in room 214. Please email Liz Dunsire with questions.
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DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (AND OTHER GAMES) CLUB
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Meets Fridays 2:30 - 3:30 pm in room 162. Please email Craig Patterson with questions.
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GLEE CLUB
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Meets Wednesdays, 1:00 - 2:30 pm in room 119. Please email Jackson Pinder with questions.
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GREEN TEAM
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Meets Fridays 2:30 - 3:30 pm in room 160. Please email Carlene Dowling with questions.
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LGBTQ+ CLUB
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Meets Fridays 2:30 - 3:30 pm in room 214. Please email Danielle Potter with questions.
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NATIONAL HISTORY DAY CLUB
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Meets Tuesdays 2:30 - 3:30 pm in room 222. Please email Liz Dunsire with questions.
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NJHS (NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY)
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Meeting times & locations TBD. Please email Kas Morris with questions.
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SAFE SCHOOLS AMBASSADORS CLUB
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Meeting times & locations TBD. Please email Kas Morris with questions.
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YEARBOOK CLUB
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Meets Thursdays 2:30 - 3:30 pm in room 202. Please email Emily Jacobson-Ross with questions. |
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E
XTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
(Drama)
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RMS SPORTS
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UPCOMING RMS SPORTING EVENTS
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Mon, May 1
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Tues, May 2
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Wed, May 3
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No sports today
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Thurs, May 4
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Friday, May 5
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No sports today
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**NOTE** Unless practices and games are either uploaded to the Tandem Calendar or sent to the Bear Tracks, we do not have access to those dates/times.
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Sports and Activities in Redmond (Non-School Sponsored)
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Links to local
sports and activities for middle-school aged kids.
Redmond PTSA is providing these links only as a resource for our families, not as an endorsement of any particular site. If you know of any other local sports or activities for middle-school-aged kids,
please email us
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Student News Summary
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STUDENT ANNOUNCEMENTS RECAP
(Week of April 24-28, 2017)
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LEGO CHALLENGE: 2nd Annual Lego Challenge will begin the Week of May 1st in the library! There will be three weeks of challenges. You can enter solo, or with a group of up to 4. Two winners for each challenge will have their creations placed in the library display window. AT the end, a "Best in Show" winner will be announced! See flyers near the Lego Wall in the library.
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OTAKU CON: Kamiakin Middle School will be hosting Otaku Con 2017 on May 2. All manga and anime fans are welcome! There will be Cosplay, Japanese etiquette and language basics, a Naruto Fan Booth, music and more! See the flyers in the library near the graphic novel and manga section.
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STUDENT PURCHASING COMMITTEE: We have the last of the books coming in throughout this week. Stop by the library and check with Ms. Metcalf or Mrs. Bachman about what needs to be done. We need to plan a time to have a group photo and set up the book display. Check your email for information.
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SAFE SCHOOL AMBASSADORS: we will have an important all-ambassador meeting this Friday at 7:00 in the library. See you then!
- GRAB & GO BREAKFAST PROGRAM: Ever run late, no time for breakfast? Or maybe you just weren't hungry when you left the house? Before school you will be able to participate in a new Grab and Go breakfast program. There will be a portable serving area in the Great Hall so that you can quickly grab a breakfast or snack to put in your back pack to save for later. Each breakfast will include a grab and go breakfast item, such as: Muffin & Cheese stick, Bagel and Cream cheese, Apple turnover, Cereal & Graham crackers or PB&J Sandwich. Every breakfast comes with a choice of fruit and the option of milk, and only costs $1.50 for the complete meal. If you qualify for the free and reduced lunch program there is no charge. Come check it out and grab a snack for later!
- PACE OLYMPICS: Grizzlies! We have two PACE Olympics preliminary events coming up today during PACE! If you are participating in the event of Dance and Lip Sync, please come quickly down to the commons at the start of PACE so we could get started right away. For the event of Through the Hoops, please come down to the gym. Good luck!
- GREEN TEAM: Interested in lessening your environmental footprint? Join the Green Team. We are a student club focused on doing what we can at RMS to have a sustainable, environmentally friendly school. Recently we cleaned the habitat around the water retention pond to ensure wildlife would have a safe place to live. Meetings are on Fridays in Ms. Dowling's room.
- PACE OLYMPICS RESULTS: And now for some PACE Olympics results. We had a busy day of dancing and through the hoop-ing. All dance teams did not get a chance to perform so will need to be ready to go on Thursday to make sure we have teams ready for our Olympics finals on Friday. Remember, your teams should also be showing their PACE pride with their awesome PACE flags! Back to the results: moving forward in the Through the Hoops event are teams from these PACE classes: Koon, Fleharty, Pinneo, Long, Hannay, and Fredlund. Congratulations to all our competitors, it's been a fun two weeks of Olympic qualifying events, we can't wait for the final event!
- MORE PACE OLYMPICS RESULTS: And now for some PACE Olympics results. All dance teams did not get a chance to perform so will need to be ready to go today to make sure we have teams ready for our Olympics finals on Friday. Remember, your teams should also be showing their PACE pride with their awesome PACE flags!
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LQBTQ+ CLUB will be held Friday after school in room 214.
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DR. WHO CLUB: will meet today in room 214.
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LEADERSHIP STUDENTS, PAST & PRESENT: Calling all current and former leadership students of RMS. Do you like t-shirts? Well, we now have student leader t-shirts available for purchase from now until May 10th. T-shirts can be ordered online and are only $18. For more details, pick up a flyer at the student services window, see Ms. Konicki or Hall, or check out the RMS activities page on Haiku for a link to the order form. You won't regret showing your Grizzly pride in these awesome, student designed t-shirts.
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PACE OLYMPICS FINALS: The day is here....... PACE Olympics finals are happening today in the gym after 6th period. We had one more qualifying event yesterday during PACE. Moving on to the finals in the dance competition are classes from these PACE classes: Jacobson-Ross, Dowling, Wujick, Stoddard, Thompson and Pinneo. Congratulations to all of our PACIANS, we wish you the best of luck today in our final event!
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Students: now is the time to get your fines/fees paid and return any overdue materials. All students who don't have any fines or overdue materials will get a small prize on Friday, May 5!
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If you are concerned about being able to pay your fines/fees, please contact your counselor or an administrator and we can help you.
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YEARBOOKS: Also, this year, the yearbooks are scheduled to be passed out on the last day of school. However, as a bonus, students without any fines or overdue materials will get their yearbooks early: 8th graders on the day of the 8th grade celebration and 6th and 7th graders the next day. Students who still have fines and/or overdue materials will be get theirs on the last day.
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Be Kind, Be Honest, and Be Proud.
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**NEW**
Please Join Us at the General Meeting May 9
The final General Meeting of the year is Tuesday, May 9th at 7 pm in the library. Please attend the meeting to vote on next year's officers and budget and also approve the end of year spending for this year. Have an idea for next year? Now's the time to start planning/talking to the board. Children welcome.
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**NEW**
Nominations for RMS PTSA 2017-18
The 2016-2017 Redmond Middle School PTSA 2.8.80 nominating committee places the following names in nomination:
For office of 1st Co-President Felice Nightengale
For office of 2nd Co-President Werona Armstrong
For office of 1ST Vice President Lisa Wheeler
For office of 2nd Vice President ____open______
For office of Secretary Michele Obenaus
For office of Treasurer Venkat Ganti
The nominating committee has confirmed that all nominees have been a member of a PTA for at least 15 days prior to the election, and meet other requirements as stated in the WSPTA Uniform Bylaws.
Elections will occur, and nominations will be accepted from the floor at the General Membership meeting on May 9th, 2017 at 7 pm in the RMS Library.
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**NEW**
AVID Tutors Needed at RMS and RHS
Facilitate a small group of students once or twice a week. Training is provided. AVID students learn writing skills, inquiry processes, collaboration techniques, organization skills, and critical reading skills.
Tutors needed at both RMS and Redmond High School.
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**NEW**
Redmond Middle School students in AVID Program learn it's never too early to prepare for college
"The library really caught my eye because it was so big and looked like Hogwarts," said Redmond Middle School (RMS) student Ali Ruziev while touring the University of Washington (UW). On Tuesday, April 25, 55 students in the RMS AVID program visited UW. Many of these students will be the first person in their family to go to college. During their visit to UW, the students met with an admissions counselor. They learned what UW looks for when reviewing applications and about the cost to attend the university. They learned about possible scholarships and how to start preparing now, in middle school, for their college applications. Eighth grade student Tiffani Mejia learned that, when applying, "the University not only cares about high grades but about your life."
The RMS students also went on a tour of the campus, led by current UW students. Students enjoyed seeing Suzzallo library, big lecture halls and the oldest building on campus. RMS students had a chance to ask the UW students questions during the tour.
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**NEW**
Awards Committee Volunteers Needed
Do you have 2-3 hours available in May? Our RMS PTSA presents awards to volunteers and staff each spring and we're looking for committee members. If you're interested in helping to decide the winners from the submitted applications, contact RMS PTA here
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**NEW**
Do You Have Your Membership Card?
PTSA member benefits last throughout the summer. If you need a copy of your membership card please email RMS Membership
. Don't miss out on summer benefits from WildWaves, Silverwood, and other amazing venues.
Interested in helping out next year? We're recruiting a membership chair. Most of the volunteer time for this position can be fulfilled at home. Contact RMS PTSA President
for more information about this position.
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**NEW**
May is for Redmond School Pool
RMS is doing our part to help with traffic on the hill. Please work with your neighbors and family to cut down the drive-alone trips to RMS before and after school. Any trip taken to school by foot, bicycle, bus, or carpool counts as a school pool trip. Students will receive calendars in PACE to be turned in at month-end. RMS can earn up to $2,500 by participating in this month-long event.
Save the date -
Wednesday, May 10th is bike to school day. Plan to bicycle to school, wear a helmet, and qualify for a prize.
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Parents, we need your help to make the week of May 1-5 a special one for our 88 RMS staff! Our theme this year is "Gratitude is Universal."
Please sign up here
for various volunteering opportunities and one (or more!) care packets. Gather the five goodies listed below (no need to wrap or put in a gift bag) and drop them off with Carol in the front office before 9 am Monday, May 1, 2017. Each day, one of the 5 items will be distributed to the teachers and staff.
- One individual packet of chips.
- One canned drink.
- One large chocolate bar.
- One package of candy.
- One hand written thank you card addressed "Dear Redmond Middle School staff member" you may choose to sign it or not.
Thank you parents for the support, we could not do this without you. I will make sure to post pictures and feedback on the whole experience after the week is done.
~~Meirav (Staff Appreciation Chair)
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Language Accessibility
Did you notice that the school has started adding information about school closures to the sign out front in Spanish? Have you had a chance to stop by the school and see the new screen in the lobby? Our school and PTSA welcomes all families and are making some adjustments to be more transparent about available resources. For example, did you know that there are Spanish language versions of the fliers on the entry kiosk available in the student services office?
Notice of Interpretation Services Paragraph Translation
Do you read/speak any of the languages below? We need someone to check the translation of a 38 word paragraph about telephone translation services at the school. Please contact
president@rmsptsa.org if you are willing and able to help. The telephone translation service can be used to help explain problems with the written translation if explaining them in English is a challenge.
| Amharic |
Cambodian |
Hebrew |
Hindi |
| Punjabi |
Romanian |
Samoan |
Somali |
| Tagalog |
Telugu |
Tigrinya |
Urdu |
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8
th Grade Parents & "Very Last Time" events
June 21 - 8th Grade Celebration |
June 22 - Field Day |
Your student will soon be saying goodbye to Redmond Middle School and there are a few 'very last time' events coming up that need volunteers.
RMS PTSA would like to invite 8th grade parents to volunteer for these events.
There is the big
8
th
Grade Celebration on June 21
. Sign-ups will begin at the end of April.
Our Chairperson is Keoki Sears. Thank you Keoki!!
Your child's 'very last'
Field Day is June 22. Volunteers are needed to serve BBQ lunch, chaperone, and hand out Otter Pops.
Volunteer here!
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Welcome to RMS - Great Hall TV
Redmond Middle School Welcomes You! Thanks to the generosity of our families the PTSA was able to support the purchase of a large format TV and accompanying technology/software to update the signage in the great hall and commons. We're still working on getting some more languages added but right now we have thirteen!
More photos may be viewed on the RMS Facebook page as an album.
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Backpack Awareness Day Workshop, May 9
The Backpack Committee is a group started at Kirkland Middle School in 2015, and focused on raising awareness about backpack safety. Efforts include education/outreach, problem-solving and collaboration at the local and district level to identify and implement ways to lighten our kids' backpack weight.
According to the National Institute of Health, backpacks should not weigh more than 10-15% of a student's body weight. Last fall, 96% of KiMS were carrying more than that.
You are invited to a Backpack Awareness Day workshop on Tuesday, May 9th, from 10-11:30 am in the Redmond Library Conference Room.
15990 NE 85th St.
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Upcoming LWPTSA Special Needs Group Meetings
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Redmond High School News and Events
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New College Admissions Guidelines
(From Jane Todd, RHS Principal) I thought that many of you might find the attached report "Turning the Tide" relevant. It has just been published, and, as you see, while initiated by Harvard, it was produced by a think tank of representatives from many universities in the country. It looks to us like those universities have committed to begin changing their admissions policies and criteria based on this report, and the work on these changes will take place over the next two years. I hope you find it as interesting as I did.
Turning the Tide
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**NEW**
RHS Football Kickoff Meeting - May 4, 7 pm
ATTENTION ALL 8th GRADE FOOTBALL PARENTS-
Please mark your calendars for the Football Spring Kickoff Meeting and a chance to get $50 off of team camp!
Thursday May 4th, 7 PM in the Redmond High School cafeteria
This is a meeting for parents to learn about the program and get their football player signed up for Spring football and team camp.
Please come at 7:00 so that you can hear Coach Rimkus talk about what Redmond football means and what is expected from the boys, followed by a presentation about the responsibilities of the booster club.
After the presentations you can walk around and talk to people at various tables. We'll have tables where you can:
- Talk to the coaches about strength and conditioning
- Pick up forms and/or pay for Team Camp, Strength and Conditioning and Spring Football
- Learn about volunteer opportunities and other great aspects of the program
- Join the boosters
- Purchase football gear, including Strength and Conditioning shirts and shorts and more...
And you don't want to miss the drawing ... 2 lucky families will get $50 off of team camp! You must be present to win.
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**NEW**
RHS Girls Soccer Parent/Player Meeting - 5/23
Interested in playing girls soccer this fall? There is a parent/player informational meeting on May 23rd from 7:30-8:30 in the RHS Cafeteria.
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**NEW**
RHS Girls Slow-pitch Softball
RHS will be offering a new sport in the fall of 2017. Beginning August 21, 2017, Redmond High School will be offering girls slowpitch softball. Please see Mr. Pudwill in the RHS athletic office if you are interested and would like more information!
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**NEW**
RHS Dance Team Registration Open
Interested in being part of the 2017-2018 RHS Dance Team? Registration is now open. Please plan ahead and get cleared early. Registration closes May 30th. Tryouts begin May 31st. For more information and to get your Tryout Packet visit the RHS Athletics Page.
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FUNDRAISING NEWS
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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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PTSA Donations and Tax Deductions
If you're preparing your 2016 taxes, your donations to PTSA and ASB/School are generally tax deductible. You can find a copy of your "order" on the RMS PTSA site
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Lake Washington School District News/Events
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UPCOMING Lake Washington School District EVENTS
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**NEW**
Redmond Area Boundary Process Update
The boundary committee is preparing multiple new attendance boundary options. Attendees will view the options in an open house format. Committee members will be present to discuss these scenarios and answer questions. Both meetings will present the same information. Learn more here
May 4, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Redmond Middle School Cafeteria
May 9, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Evergreen Middle School Cafeteria
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Last Day of School Now Friday, June 23!
LWSD Adds 2 Days, Extends 4 Early Release Days to Make Up Snow Days
The last day of school, a half day, will move from Wednesday, June 21, to Friday, June 23. To make up the third snow day, and the following early-release Wednesdays will now be regular full school days.
- Wednesday, May 3 and
- Wednesday, May 31
In addition, the LWSD calendar has been updated as follows:
- Wednesday, June 21 and Thursday June 22 will now be full school days for students. Wednesday, June 21 will NOT be an early release day.
- Friday, June 23 will be the last day of school. It will be a half (1/2) day for students and a full day for staff.
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**NEW**
Outdoor Expeditions
Saturdays, May 13th, May 20th, and June 3rd
$45, students ages 11-14
The Teen Outdoor Expeditions program combines outdoor excursions and exploration with fun activities that teach valuable skills. Whether you are an avid outdoors enthusiast or an amateur hiker, this three-part series will challenge your inner naturalist in the best of ways. Each day features a lesson and a trip/hike. Adventure locations include Redmond Watershed Preserve, Cougar Mountain, and Boulder Garden. Click here to register!
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**NEW**
Martial Arts Teen Camp
July 24th-28th, 9:00 am-3:00 pm $195
Teens of all levels will enjoy practicing martial arts, learning about its history, and creating arts and crafts such as origami. Arts from Korea (Tai Kwon Do, Hapkido), Japan (Aikido) and China (Tai chi) will be explored in a safe, fun, empowering and active environment! A great workout and a opportunity for cross-training and conditioning for other sports as well as self-defense. Register here
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**NEW**
Teen Audio Recording
July 12th-14th, 9:00am- 3:00pm $230
Learn the basics and beyond of sound recording along with some tips for at home recording with an experienced Recording Engineer. An introduction the basic set-up and operation of Pro Tools and outboard recording equipment, the basics of sound editing and microphone placement, and an introduction to mixing and signal processing techniques. Register here
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**NEW**
Recognizing Community Heroes
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**NEW**
Q&A: School-Based Counseling
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**NEW**
Remembering Dr. Lee Vincent
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**NEW**
YES In the News
Parenting can be overwhelming and confusing. We talk about how you can simplify while laying a foundation that allows your child to thrive not just now, but far into the future. Read our column in the Redmond Reporter.
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**NEW**
May 10: Get Ready to GiveBIG
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Redmond Area Events and Activities
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What's going on in the area?
Redmond PTSA is providing these links only as a resource for our families, not as an endorsement of any particular site. If you know of a calendar or website featuring local events and activities suitable for families,
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SUBMIT YOUR NEWS TO BEAR TRACKS!
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Submit on THURSDAY for Bear Tracks!
Got something to say? Shout it from email inboxes with the RMS Bear Tracks newsletter!
The Bear Tracks newsletter accepts articles from parents, students and staff on a variety of subjects for our school and community,
to be published at the discretion of the editor
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