April 21, 2020 | Issue #17
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PTSA Virtual General Membership Meeting
May 20, 7:00 pm
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Coronavirus or no coronavirus, the PTSA still must conduct important business this year including approval of our budget and election of officers so we can continue to bring our programming and vital support to our students and staff. We will be holding our next meeting on
May 20 at 7:00 pm
via video conferencing. More info to follow, but please plan on joining us so we can continue to serve you!
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LWHS PTSA Seeking Board Members for 2020-2021
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Connect and Be a Part of the LWHS Community
Want to put your skills to good use? Want to make a difference? Want greater insight
into your student’s school? The LWHS PTSA Nominating Committee is looking for people
to serve on the 2020-2021 PTSA Board.
We are especially looking to fill the following Board positions:
- Executive Vice President
- VP Student Programs
- VP Student Support
- VP Ways and Means
There are other opportunities to get involved, so don't hesitate to contact us if you're interested. All positions can be shared by more than one person.
Click here
for complete job descriptions.
If interested and/or would like more information, contact the Nominating Committee at
nomcom@lwhsptsa.org
Denise Ferguson, Barbie Collins Young, Dan Olson
LWHS PTSA Nominating Committee
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National PTA Offers Notes from the Backpack: A PTA Podcast
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Tune in to the latest episode: Tackling COVID-19 Anxiety Together. National PTA talked with psychologist, author and professor Dr. Turner to learn how we can keep our families happy, healthy and learning during this difficult time.
Listen now.
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A Note from LWHS PTSA Inclusion and Awareness Chair
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Current school closures are hard on all of us but those with disabilities may be experiencing even more disruption to their all important routine. Many societies have COVID-19 resources and information on their websites. A few examples are:
LWHS PTSA Inclusion and Awareness Chair
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Special Education Group Meeting - Online Tonight
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LWPTSA Council Special Education Group is holding their April 2020 meeting and presentation online due to the Washington school closures. Persons needing accommodations or translations or who have questions about access may email us at
specialeducation@lwptsa.net
in advance of the meeting.
Topic:
Building Community - Sharing Experiences: Our previously scheduled speaker needs to postpone her presentation, so we're going to use this time to gather as a community of parents with students receiving Special Education services to talk about how we're navigating these unique times. Please join us to share your questions, successes and challenges.
When:
Tuesday, April 21, 2020 at 7:00 pm
You can also dial in using your phone:
United States: +1 (872) 240-3212, Access Code: 262-087-173
New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
For questions or additional information please contact
Laurel Spaeth
, Special Education Chair
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PTSA Award Nominations Now Being Accepted
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Do You Want to Honor a FABULOUS Educator, Volunteer, or Student?
We are now accepting nominations for our four LWHS PTSA awards:
- Golden Kang / Outstanding Educator - for an outstanding teacher or staff member
- Golden Acorn - for an outstanding volunteer
- Outstanding Advocate - for an outstanding advocate of all children
- Outstanding Student Advocate - for a student who has made significant contributions in leadership and service
Feel free to nominate more than one person. Please use one form per nominee. Deadline for nominations is Wednesday, May 20, 2020.
LWHS PTSA Awards Committee
Colette Ulloa, Pam Hay and Anne Buck
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Sustainability at LWHS: Celebrating Earth Day
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Appreciating Our Surroundings
Tomorrow is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day! In past Kang Criers, I have talked about rethinking our impact by Recycling and Reducing Waste. But for Wednesday, let’s celebrate the day by looking at our surroundings. We are fortunate to live in a beautiful place. Look west, look east and you can see amazing snow-capped mountain ranges. Look up into the trees and admire their height, trunks and foliage. Look down and see what spring is bringing forth from the ground (okay, some may be weeds). It’s the perfect time to appreciate the beauty outside our doors.
I also want to recommend the film,
The Biggest Little Farm
. This documentary follows two dreamers and a dog on an odyssey to bring harmony to both their lives and the land they are farming. It is a testament to the immense complexity of nature and how everything is related and intertwined. (Rated PG. It’s available on many streaming services.)
If you would like to do more to celebrate Earth Day, check out the Daily Challenges at
earthday.org
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STAY WELL and TAKE A MOMENT TO ENJOY YOUR SURROUNDINGS
For Questions & Comments, Contact
Pam Hay
LWHS PTSA Sustainability Chair
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LWPTSA Scholarships Extended
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Due to the King County school closures, LWPTSA Council has extended its scholarship submission deadline to May 1, 2020, and is now accepting applications via email. Please see the revised applications and instructions below.
The Lake Washington PTSA Council is pleased offer 13 student scholarships of $1,250 each and two $500 staff scholarships. The Scholarship Program is funded by money raised at the Council’s annual Scholarship Basket Auction, by annual donations from the 44 PTSAs in the LWSD and LWEA, and by donations from the greater community.
For more information, contact Scholarships Co-Chairs Andrea Stoppani and Reva Racmachandran at
scholarships@lwptsa.net
.
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Finding Post-Graduation Path Presentation Now Available Online
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Find out what supports and services are available to your student and learn about the college admissions process. Please send questions to LWPTSA Council’s
Parent Education Chair Irene Neumann.
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Washington State PTA Advocacy Platform Submissions Now Being Accepted
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Any PTA member is encouraged to submit an issue, resolution, or principle that addresses concerns that affect children on a state-wide level. As a grassroots association, we rely on our members to provide the priorities that we will advocate for at the state-level and within our communities. Learn more about our legislative priorities
here
and the history of our advocacy efforts
here
.
The submission process is now open.
To assist you in the process, WSPTA has developed a series of four videos, "The Savvy Submitter's Guide to Issues, Resolutions, and Principles", to walk you through the required steps:
The current legislative issue platform will be replaced at the 2020 Legislative Assembly. Members will adopt a new Top 5 platform including the additional issues that will comprise the "also supported" list.
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LWSD Resources During School Closures
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Lake Washington School District is working to provide services during the school closures. For the most up-to-date information, please visit the
LWSD Coronavirus (COVID-19) website
.
Meals:
Grab and Go student meals
for students are available at six middle school sites across the district.
Delivered meals
are also available at 24 sites across the district. Pantry Packs will distribute weekend packs on Fridays at the middle school meal sites. Please check the
Pantry Packs website
for the latest information in case of changes.
Childcare
:
The YMCA and Bellevue Boys & Girls Clubs are providing care for families in our district that need care. They have multiple locations to choose from. First responders and health care providers of direct services can use this program for free. More
details and instructions
.
Education
:
Find supplemental educational resources with supports for at-home learning. Please read the
March 27 update
for details about LWSD's plans for Curriculum-Based Remote Learning.
Community Resources
:
Find resources including health, wellness, food, finances, technology, Internet, legal and more.
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From the Counseling Center
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Important Statement from Washington State Colleges and Universities
Just a few days ago, Washington’s colleges and universities released the following:
“Students who complete high school coursework in spring 2020 and receive a “pass” in lieu of a letter grade will not be negatively affected in the admission process at Washington’s public and private, not-for-profit four-year colleges and universities. This includes 8-12 grade students taking high school coursework during this term at a high school in the State of Washington. Washington’s public four-year and Independent Colleges of Washington member colleges and universities do not re-calculate pass/no pass scores into numeric grade equivalents.”
Advanced Placement Exam Updates
College Board has completely reconfigured the content and exam process due to COVID 19. Please remind your student to check out the
LWHS Counseling Center webpage
and Power School Learning for updates to the AP Exam process.
LWHS Counseling Center
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Strive Virtual College Exploration Week Program
Now through April 23
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While we may not be able to explore colleges in person for the time being, many colleges are working to develop ways to share their experiences with students and families virtually! One fantastic opportunity coming up is the
Strive Virtual College Exploration Week program.
This free event, for
high school Juniors,
allows students to learn about various colleges as well as issues related to the college process. With our spring college fair cancelled, this will be a great event!
The event includes:
- 300+ colleges from 45 states and 10 countries
- 96 sessions over 4 days
- Day and evening options
- Panel presentations on a range of topics for juniors and underclassmen
- Free and open to students nationwide!
Registration for students and parents is still open!
LWHS College and Career Specialist
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Attention Spring Athletes: The Yearbook Committee Needs Your Help!
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Please submit photos of your spring sports athletes for LWHS yearbook. We are all disappointed that this season barely got underway but we know YOU have some great photos of your student playing at home, practicing, or playing in events from seasons past. Please send your photos to
hkreutz@lwsd.org
by April 27. Be sure to include name and grade.
Many thanks, Rick O’Leary, LWHS Athletic Director and Janis Rabuchin, LWHS Booster Club President
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Follow the LWHS Booster Club on Social Media
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LWHS Booster Club President
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To Seniors and Their Families
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We know the school closure through the end of the year is heartbreaking for you and there are many questions about traditional senior activities and events. We all want to make sure that somehow our Class of 2020 is given the recognition they have worked so hard to achieve and has a chance to celebrate their graduation.
LWHS PTSA Board requests your input as to how we can achieve this during these unusual and trying times. Please reply to the survey link at the end of this email by April 29. We are also collecting feedback in a closed group chat on
our Facebook page
.
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Purchase Yard Signs to Celebrate the Class of 2020
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As the LWHS community continues to seek ways to celebrate our seniors and their accomplishments, the LWHS PTSA is excited to offer
LW Class of 2020 Signs
for display in your yards or windows. These signs are 18 x 24 in size with an H-stake at $10.00 per sign and can include your student’s name. You can view a
design sample here
.
To purchase a sign, please visit the
LWHS PTSA website
. You can also elect to place an order to purchase a non-customized sign for a family in need which will be distributed to families via appropriate school channels.
Please place your order by
Wednesday, April 29
. We hope to distribute signs the week of May 11. Exact distribution details will follow as we find ways to comply with social distancing guidelines. We will communicate more information to all purchasers once signs are available.
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Lake Washington Schools Foundation
Balance in Mind Chats and Webinars
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Balance in Mind is supporting parents and teens with weekly chats. Check one out this week:
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April 21: Special Education Group Meeting
May 1: LWPTSA Scholarship Applications Due
May 20: LWHS PTSA General Membership Meeting
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Information distributed in the Kang Crier does not imply endorsement by Lake Washington High School PTSA. We assume no responsibility for any content that does not originate from lwhsptsa.org, nor do we independently verify or exert editorial control over information not specifically endorsed by LWHS PTSA. Lake Washington High School PTSA shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused by the use of this content.
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