March 8, 2022 | Issue #14 |
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LWHS PTSA Virtual General Membership Meeting |
Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at 7:00 pm
Our March Virtual General Membership Meeting will be Wednesday, March 16 beginning at 7:00 pm. Our guest speaker is Nichole Swanger, LWHS College and Career Specialist, who will be talking about summer jobs and volunteer opportunities for high schoolers; Q&A to follow.
We’ll be presenting our mid-year financial review results. There will be time to socialize with and ask questions of fellow parents/guardians after the meeting.
The meeting link will be posted on our website calendar closer to the meeting date. Meeting documents will be posted on our Meeting Documents page. We hope you can join us!
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LWHS PTSA Nomination Committee Seeking New Board Members for 2022-2023 School Year |
The LWHS PTSA Nominating Committee has started the process of selecting new PTSA Board members for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in serving or want to take a more active role in the LWHS community, this is a great opportunity! Most positions require 5-10 hours per month. If you are concerned about time commitment, consider co-chairing with another person.
A description of the positions and associated responsibilities can be found here. Please email NomCom@lwhsptsa.org to volunteer or to nominate someone you know!
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Virtual Coffee With Christine |
The next PTSA-sponsored “Coffee with Christine” will be Thursday, March 24 at 9:00 am. Come login and join other LWHS parents and community members for an open Q&A discussion with LWHS Principal Christine Bell. The meetings last about an hour, but you are free to join late or leave early.
The next Coffee is scheduled for Wednesday April 14 from 9:00-10:00 am and will be in-person in the LWHS College and Career Center.
Please be sure to read Principal Bell's letter in the "School" section below.
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Parent Ed Night: ALICE Exercise Explained |
LWHS staff and students practice emergency drills throughout the year. In March, LWHS staff and students will be learning specifically about the ALICE method. Join LWHS PTSA and School Resource Officer Storm Gehrke to learn more about this and other aspects of LWSD's safety and security plan. Q&A to follow.
Drop in when you can, stay as long as you’d like. We welcome your questions!
When: Wednesday, March 30 at 7:00 pm, virtual
Where: Link will be on the PTSA calendar closer to the date of the presentation.
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March SAT and ACT Practice Tests |
Back by popular demand! LWHS PTSA is pleased to offer additional sessions for the SAT and ACT practice tests with Princeton Review. The practice tests will continue to be conducted online due to COVID restrictions. Students are given an access code that begins on the dates below – but the access code is good for 30 days.
The practice tests are created from original SAT/ACT tests from past years. They are a great way for your student to get comfortable with the format and style of the SAT or ACT. Students who take the test will also be invited to a Strategy Session that provides tips and tricks for better performance in the actual test.
These are the last practice tests for this academic year!
The online practice tests will occur:
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SAT: Saturday, March 19
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ACT: Saturday, March 26
Note: If your student has taken an earlier practice test, they can take it again. However, please note that the set of questions will be the same.
Don’t let your student miss this opportunity! Sign up for free! Registration must be completed by March 14!!
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Soup & Salad Luncheon for our Teachers and Staff |
On March 16, we are bringing a St. Paddy's lunch to our staff. It's been over 2 years since we've been able to do this and we are so excited to provide this for our wonderful staff! Please consider participating in this fun event. Click on this Sign Up Genius link for all of the details.
Please contact us if you would like to be on our committee for future events.
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Sustainability: Earth Day Slogan and Graphic Contest |
Create a Slogan + Graphic for Earth Day (April 22)
The LWHS PTSA Sustainability Chair is looking for a slogan to highlight the “green” goal for the year: Reuse. This is a great opportunity for students to inspire and remind others to think “green.” This contest is open to all students. To enter, students are asked to create a slogan + graphic based on the theme: Reuse. The slogan should represent how students, their school or community can help reduce the amount of waste we produce and how that action can lead to change. As well, the student will submit a graphic depicting their slogan.
Entries are due Friday, April 1 to the Sustainability Chair. The winner will be announced the week of April 18 to celebrate Earth Day and receive a prize. And the winning entry will be made into a poster to be displayed in the school.
For more details, rules and how to enter, click here.
Questions? Contact Pam Hay, LWHS PTSA Sustainability Chair
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Congratulations to Three Kang Students and LWHS Librarian! |
Last week, PTA leaders, administrators, staff, and teachers from across LWSD celebrated Founders’ Day, the anniversary of the founding of National PTA. Every year at this event, we honor staff and volunteers who have gone above and beyond to improve our district and enrich the learning experience of our students. This year, a staff member and a student from LWHS were recognized during the event:
Liz Courage, our LWHS Librarian, was honored with the 2022 Outstanding Advocate Award. Not only is she very active here at LWHS, running the library and serving as advisor for 2 student groups and the school newsletter The Pouch, but she advocates for all students in our state “through her award-winning work in creating the WA Digital TeachKit with a team of educators from across the state. This resource teaches librarians and educators how to use digital tools for remote and hybrid learning – a hugely impactful tool during the pandemic.” Read more about Liz Courage in the LWPTSA Council Founders’ Day program here.
Andy Alkin (10th grade) sang and played guitar while performing his original work “The World Will Change.” His musical composition won Outstanding Interpretation (1st Place) at the Council/district level in this year’s Reflections program (national PTA fine and creative arts competition) and has advanced to the state level.
Two other LWHS students have also placed at the Council-level Reflections contest:
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Claire Pike won an Award of Merit (third place) for her photography entry “the shining stars inside us.”
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Monisha Krothapalli won an Award of Merit (third place) for her “game changing butterfly” entry in the Visual Arts category.
Well done! If this has piqued your interest in the Reflections arts program, you can read more about it here. We’d welcome more entries – and winners from LWHS – for next year’s contest!
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LWPTSA Council Lunch & Learn: School Transitions for Parents |
Please join LWPTSA Council for a discussion with LWPTSA Council EVP Mindy Lincicome about what is helpful for parents to know as their child transitions from elementary to middle school or middle to high school.
When: March 17 at noon
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LWPTSA Council Special Education Group Meeting |
The LWPTSA Special Education Group (SEG) meets monthly on the third Tuesday from 7:00-8:00 pm, with family networking from 6:30-7:00 pm. Special Education Chairs at our local PTAs; families with children who have IEPs, 504 or Individualized Health Plans; and anyone who is interested in learning more about LWSD special education services are welcome to attend.
In our March meeting we will learn about guardianship and special needs trusts from local expert Christy Thompson Ibrahim of Jones & Ibrahim PLLC. Christy had a brother with Down Syndrome, has taught Disability Law at the UW Law school for over 15 years, and is the editor and co-editor of three disability law textbooks.
When: Tuesday, March 15 at 7:00 pm; family networking begins at 6:30 pm
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From the Desk of LWHS Principal Christine Bell |
Dear Kang Families,
As I write this letter I am in Tacoma and our Girls Basketball Team just won their first game at State. It has been so fun to see the success of our student athletes this year and I cannot wait to see our spring sports teams compete. I am impressed with the number of athletes we have turning out this season--there are 170 who turned out for Track & Field alone! I also understand the rigorous schedules our students have each day, on top of their extracurricular activities. The level of work they put in is remarkable.
Speaking of extracurricular activities, over the past week our Band program held a concert, our DECA Teams competed in State competition in Bellevue, and our Choir program is gearing up to perform this week (March 9). ASB also held elections and our leaders shone. I want to congratulate you on your successful children. They are a joy to work with and I am so proud of their successes.
I recently read an article about achievement in Washington State. Comparisons in test scores statewide showed that our district has the highest English/Language Arts SBA scores in the state (Fall 2021). To me this is not a surprise. I know that our students are excellent readers and writers, and the evidence is in their work. Students at Lake Washington High School email me regularly and I have to say, their ability to articulate their thoughts in a concise way is impressive. The credit for this goes to you and to the teachers these students have had since pre-kindergarten.
The success in our learning community is truly astounding. Case in point: today I was in an English 9 classroom. I observed the teacher presenting a lesson, engaging students in peer editing conversations, and I saw students working on a written assignment. All of that is standard. What stood out to me, though, was when students engaged in truly understanding the work. They asked questions of the teacher and of each other. These questions were clarifying, deepening and they helped students get to the greatest level of learning possible. The ability to ask critical questions is a skill that will serve students well in their post-secondary pathways.
Both in the classroom and in all the places where our students gather for extracurricular activities there are changes coming. On March 12th the mask mandate will be lifted. Not only will students be able to choose to take off their masks at school, we will also see restrictions on activities begin to lift. I am so happy to say this to you now: We have every reason to believe that end of year activities and celebrations will be back to what they were pre-Covid. This pandemic has been exhausting for us as adults and for our teenagers it has been a roller coaster of hope and disappointment. They have complied with changing regulations. They have been limited in their activity. They have missed out on so much, and now we are back and as we move into spring things are looking up.
I wish you all a wonderful week and I thank you for your support of the Lake Washington High School Community. Go Kangs!
LWHS Principal
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LWHS ASB Raises Money to Support Crisis in Ukraine |
Our leadership students felt compelled last week to conduct a charitable fundraiser in support of people displaced by the crisis in Ukraine. More specifically, they want to donate to UNICEF, an organization that is working right now to help children suffering in Ukraine by providing safe water, nutrition, education, and protection. See their website for more information: UNICEF: Children in Crossfire of Ukraine Crisis| UNICEF USA
How can students support this cause? ASB will have orange ribbons available at lunches this week. These orange ribbons stand for refugee support. They will be available for a suggested donation at lunches starting today through next Friday. If you or your student would like to support this cause please stop by the ASB table at all lunches this week.
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Free Peer Tutoring Available All Year Long |
The LWHS chapter of the National Honor Society offers Peer Tutoring throughout the year. They have trained peer tutors who can help in a variety of subjects, either in person during ROO time or online. A Peer Tutor can help students with technology, organization, research, and more.
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College and Career Center Live Wednesday Sessions |
The LWHS College & Career Center continues their Live Wednesday Virtual Career Panels with an Education Panel. Join a panel of teachers and administrators as they discuss their pathways and educational requirements that led to their careers. At the end of our panel, our presenters will answer questions for students interested in education as a career. To join the Live Wednesday presentations, follow this link: https://linktr.ee/lwsdcollegecareercenter
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Clean Out Your Closets for LWHS Theatre! |
Lake Washington Theatre Boosters is holding a clothing drive as a fundraiser for our wonderful theatre program. Lake Washington High School Theatre has played an important role in the school and in our community since 1922. Your clothing donations will support theatrical productions including costumes, props, sets, musicians and more.
We Are Collecting:
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Clothes - men's, women's and children's clothes, coats, shoes, scarves, handbags, wallets, fashion accessories, ties, belts, backpacks, etc.
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Household Textiles - bedding, comforters, blankets, sheets, towels, linen, tablecloths, curtains, pillows, etc.
Donations can be dropped off at LWHS parking lot on the following dates:
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Sat, March 12, 11:00 am-3:00 pm
Please place all donations in bags. All items must be clean and in sellable condition.
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LWHS Class of 2022 Senior Party - Scholarships Available |
Are you concerned with the cost of Senior Party? Scholarships or installment plans are available. Contact Jodee Hull at jhull@lwsd.org for more information.
We want every Senior who would like to attend to join the
party!
What is Senior Party?
It is a safe and fun-filled post-graduation all-night party presented by the LWHS PTSA. We provide transportation to two venues, entertainment, food and a memorable end-of-the year experience.
When: Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Start Time: check-in will be determined once graduation time has been announced but is
generally after 9:30 pm.
End Time: 5:30 am on Wednesday, June 15, at LWHS
Ticket prices:
- $200 between February 1 and April 15
- $210 between April 16 and June 1
- Ticket sales end June 1, 2022
- All ticket purchases are non-refundable.
How do you sign up your Senior? Click here to purchase Senior Party Tickets. You can
also click here for additional information. You do not need to be a PTSA member to purchase tickets.
Questions? Do you want to help chaperone or plan the event? Contact the Senior Party Co-Chairs at seniorparty@lwhsptsa.org
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Scholarships Available through LWPTSA Council |
The Lake Washington PTSA Council is pleased to roll out its 2022 Scholarship Program! Council offers several student scholarships and two $500 staff scholarships every spring. This year’s Student Scholarship Program will include 13 scholarships of $1,250 each:
- 8 Merit scholarships
- 1 LWEA/Teeley scholarship (funded by the LWEA)
- 1 Perseverance scholarship
- 1 Turn Around scholarship
- 1 L.E. Scarr 2 year, technical or vocational scholarship
- 1 At-large scholarship
Applications for both staff and student scholarships are due by midnight on March 25, 2022.
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Unspoken Truths Traveling Museum |
Lake Washington High School would like to invite you to the national award-winning Unspoken Truths Traveling Museum on March 16, 2022. This American History Traveling Museum is hosted by Delbert Richardson, who will be presenting earlier in the day to LW’s American history students. Mr. Richardson visited LW in 2020, and feedback was extremely positive. Students wrote:
- I found his understanding and compassion toward people’s identities was very respectful.
- I found it valuable to see objects and pictures from the time period, because that makes the history seem all the more real and tangible. I also found the organization of the museum (where I come from, what I want to become, what prevented me from doing that) was meaningful.
- I found the displays about persecution the most valuable. A lot of people know about the KKK but I don't think they always realize just how violent they were. I think the photos of lynchings and fact sheets will help people to truly understand. I also think the display about the incarceration of innocent POC people was valuable because that still happens today. Society needs to realize that racism in America is not all history.
Community members may sign up online to attend the after-school presentation from 1:30-3:00 pm in the main gym with Mr. Richardson, along with club members. If you cannot attend the 90-minute presentation, you are welcome to browse the artifacts before school (7:30-8:00 am), during lunch (1:00-1:30 pm) or after school from 3:00-4:00 pm. Funding for the event has been provided by the Lake Washington PTSA, along with the Kirkland Youth Council.
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Lake Washington School Foundation News |
Save the Date for Our Annual "Be The Bridge" Spring Benefit
Mark your calendar! On Thursday, April 28 at noon, join us for an engaging livestream experience to hear inspirational stories, laugh with entertaining speakers, and learn how your contribution can "be the bridge" to success for students in our community! Learn more at www.lwsf.org/be-the-bridge. Registration opens soon!
Free College Planning Webinars for High School Students and Parents
Let us help you get ready and feel confident about the college application process! Register for the upcoming Find Your Fit webinar:
Parent Chat Webinar: Well Body, Well Mind
At the next Parent Chat on March 9, learn our how our thoughts, feelings, and attitudes affect our physical health and how what we do for our body (sleep, nutrition, exercise) affects our mind. Guest speakers include Sage Wheeler and Marrie Ketchum at Sage Med. Register at www.tinyurl.com/BIMWinter2022.
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March 11: LEAP Day (No School)
March 16: PTSA Virtual General Membership Meeting, 7:00 pm
March 24: Virtual Coffee with Christine, 9:00 am
April 4-8: Spring Break (No School)
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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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