September 8, 2020 | Issue #2 |
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PTSA General Membership Virtual Meeting and LWHS Principal Update |
Our first General Membership Meeting of the year will be Wednesday, September 16 beginning at 7:00pm. This virtual meeting will be hosted on GotoMeeting. The log in information can be found below. We will be approving our revised budget (draft to be posted on our website), updating our standing rules and also look forward to hearing your ideas about how to support our community during online learning. We will try and keep the meeting portion short so there is plenty of time for our guest speaker, Principal Thomas, to provide a school update and answer your questions. We may also have a chance to “meet” some of our newest administrators. We would appreciate questions for Ms. Thomas in advance – please email them to info@lwhsptsa.org by September 15.
Hope you can join us!
LWHS PTSA President
Please join from your computer, tablet or smartphone:
You can also dial in using your phone:
Access Code: 286-709-437
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Welcome to LWHS! A High School Primer - For Parents From Parents |
Event for New Students and Families of LWHS
Tomorrow, September 9, 7:00 pm or Thursday, September 10, 7:00 pm
LWHS PTSA is pleased to present a live, virtual presentation designed for families of Freshmen and others new to our school community, although all Kangs are welcome to attend. We will cover lots of information about the High School experience, both district wide and specific to LWHS, and answer common questions, including:
- What is different between middle and high school?
- Parent to school communication
- What to expect: keeping track of student work, assignments, grades and fees
- Academics and tests during the school year
- Counseling Office Services
- After school clubs and competitions (school/ASB/PTA run)
- Sports and social activities (school/ASB/PTA run)
- Parent volunteering
- And much more!
Following the presentation, we will have a panel of experienced parents and a current student available to answer your specific questions.
Please plan to join us! The presentation will occur on Wednesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 10 (same content both evenings). RSVP below to receive instructions on how to join the meeting or check our website for further info.
Please note: this presentation is geared around a “normal” school year but most information still applies. It is not designed to address questions about current virtual school format or issues that are best addressed by school administration.
LWHS PTSA FACE VP
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Your Membership allows us to help support even more of our students and teachers!
PTSA at LWHS is supporting our students and staff in new ways in a virtual world, as well as maintaining some of our family favorite programs. We’ll continue to support teachers, staff, students and families, even when we aren’t in physical classrooms.
What’s New? This year, for the first time ever, we are offering Student Membership for only $10! You now have three options: a family membership for two people, an individual membership, and a student membership. Choose the membership that is right for your family. There’s no wrong way to PTSA! You can join as a parent, grandparent, student, family member, neighbor – anyone can join!
Invest Your Interest and Resources in Our Community
Our PTSA is an active part of the LWHS community. In addition to membership fees, the main PTSA fundraiser of the year is our "Pass the Pouch" fundraiser. Through this initiative, the LWHS PTSA has invested more than $20,000 a year in our students, teachers/staff, and community. Your membership and donations support:
- Students: over $15,000 in grants for classroom and club activities, enrichment programs (College Prep workshops, College Application support, practice SAT and ACT tests), recognition, scholarship assistance and supplies
- Teachers/staff: $6,000 in classroom grants and staff appreciation events
- Parents & community: $4,000 in Emergency Prep supplies, newsletters, community events and meetings
Membership Prize Drawing! Every membership purchased before September 30 will be entered in a drawing for a “School From Home” basket. Your basket will include a Ring Light, a Power Bank, various school-from-home office supplies, and some fun surprises!
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LWPTSA Council Special Education Group Virtual Meeting |
Tuesday, September 15--Networking at 6:30pm, Meeting at 7:00pm
Council's Special Education Group will host its first monthly meeting Tuesday, September 15. Parent networking starts at 6:30pm. At 7:00pm, LWSD's Dr. Shannon Hitch will talk about what is happening with LWSD Special Services in 2020-2021 and introduce the administrative team that supports all schools in the district.
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When: Tuesday, September 15 -- networking at 6:30pm, meeting at 7:00pm
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Where: Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/867643477
- You can also dial in using your phone: +1 (646) 749-3122 with Access Code: 867-643-477
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LWPTSA Annual Welcome Event for New and International Families |
Announcing LWPTSA’s 4th annual Welcome Event for new and international families. This year there will be two shorter online sessions on September 16 and September 23. Live captions for both sessions will be available in Chinese, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Session 1: Wednesday, September 16, 4:00-6:00pm
Topics: Social, Emotional & Community Support for Students & Families
Session 2: Wednesday, September 23, 4:00-6:00pm
Topics: Navigating the School System: Academics in LWSD
Questions? Contact Danit Erlich, LWPTSA Council’s VP of Family and Community Engagement at FACE@lwptsa.net
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Advocacy - Take Action!
National PTA Advocacy News
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National Voter Registration Day is September 22 - Are you #VoteReady?
Did you know that 60% of eligible voters are never asked to register? If you are eligible to vote, go to Voter Portal to register or update your voter registration.
Voter registration is critical in order to have your voices heard in our democracy. Important voting-related dates to keep in mind:
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September 22: National Voter Registration Day
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October 16: Start of the 18-day voting period; ballots mailed to voters
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October 26: Online and mail registrations must be received 8 days before Election Day
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November 3: General election
National PTA's Commitment to Building a More Diverse, Equitable & Inclusive PTA
An organization that recognizes diversity values differences and similarities among people through its actions and accountability. These characteristics include age, ethnicity, gender, language and culture, socioeconomic status, among many different things. When PTAs respect differences yet acknowledge shared commonalities uniting their communities, and then develop meaningful priorities based upon their knowledge, they genuinely represent their communities. When PTAs represent their communities, they gain strength and effectiveness through increased volunteer and resource support. The LWHS PTSA is committed to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion, consistent with that of the National PTA. For more information on this important topic, click here.
LWHS PTSA Advocacy Chair
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From the Counseling Center |
Nuts and Bolts
Normally, students who wish to see their counselor sign up on a clipboard in the Counseling Center. But now that we are remote, students need to email their counselor. Students are assigned alphabetically by their last name. Please check carefully since counselor assignments shifted a bit from last year, and we have two new counselors to LWHS!
- Lenore Gallucci (A-CLA)
- Cameron Miller (CLE-GOO)
- Dawn Lamance (GOP-JAC)
- Cameron McGinnis (JAD-LAD)
- Taylor Reuhl (LA-NGO)
- Kelsey Cummings (NGP-SIL)
- Marilyn Hargraves (SIM-Z)
Allison Henry and Christina Meehan are our school psychologists. Sarah Mebust is our Counseling Secretary/Registrar and can be reached at 425-936-1702. To update addresses or phone numbers, contact our Data Processor Angela Jalobeanu. Mina Kirilov is our Youth Eastside Services Prevention Interventionist and Lindsay McMeins is our Evergreen Health social worker (see her introduction below).
Marilyn Hargraves
LWHS Counselor
Evergreen Health Services
Welcome back to school (virtually) for Fall 2020! My name is Lindsay McMeins, and I am the LWHS social worker through Evergreen Health.
I understand uncertainty can feel stressful. I want you to know that even though we aren’t attending school onsite, we are still here to support you and your students. I am available for phone and video chat appointments Monday-Friday from 9:00am-4:00pm. My team will also be facilitating a variety of groups for parents/guardians and students so please keep an eye out for more information.
Video Chat appointment overview:
- Brief emotional support and resources provided via virtual appointments through BlueJeans, a secure and HIPAA-compliant web platform
- Participants must be willing to provide first and last name, a call back number, and current location in the event of an emergency
- A link will be sent once a meeting time is set
Social Worker
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Tomorrow, September 9 at 6:00pm
Have your junior or senior student join our LWSD College & Career Specialists, along with Christina Winstead from the Washington Student Achievement Counsel, for a virtual event to find out more information on financial aid, loans and the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Parents are encouraged to join!
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When: September 9, 2020
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Time: 6:00pm
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Join by MS Teams
LWHS College & Career Specialist
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Advanced Placement Exams Registration Information for 2020-21 School Year |
College Board has new ordering deadlines, late fees and cancellation fees. To meet the College Board ordering deadlines, Lake Washington School District students will register for AP exams from September 1, 2020 to the end of lunch on September 25. The payment window for all exams will be October 1 through October 30, 2020. We encourage all students wanting to take May 2021 AP exams to complete the registration and pay for their exams during this registration window. CollegeBoard has suspended the cancellation fee for the 2020-21 school year. Students may cancel an exam at any time throughout the course!
Students will also have the option to register in February 2021, but late registration fees will still apply.
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With some creativity and technology, LWHS Theatre will continue this fall!
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Students interested in finding out more, please join our weekly Theatre Club meeting every Friday from 3:00-4:00pm on Microsoft Teams. Email Ms. Heetbrink for the invite to Teams, any questions about shows, or the theatre program.
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If you're interested in our parent Theatre Boosters, email our president, Linda Leste.
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Want to stay up to date on shows and events? Sign up here and follow us on social media (FB, Insta, Twitter)
Thank you for your support of the arts and our amazing students!
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Fall Grab and Go Meals -- Free for All Children Age 1-18 |
Lake Washington School District is offering free meals to enrolled Lake Washington School District students (Grades K through 12). The menu is available here.
Meals should be ordered in advance and will be available for pickup on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:15am to 1:00pm. Each pickup will include multiple meals. Tuesday meal pickups will be meals for Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday meal pickups will be for Thursday, Friday and Monday.
Meals will be available at the following schools:
If you are unable to pick up meals at one of our six distribution schools, please fill out this survey regarding future pickup locations. Please note, by filling out this survey you are providing information that will help us in making decisions and does not guarantee your requested delivery location will be added.
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College Application Workshop Update |
Like every other program during the pandemic, we are working hard to find the best options available so we can continue to provide essay and personal statement support to college-bound seniors through the College Application Workshop program. We hope to have a solution that follows the guidelines set forth by the district in terms of safety, supervision and accessibility in time to meet the students' needs.
Parents of Seniors: We will reach out to you specifically with information as we have program updates.
In the meantime, there are plenty of online resources available. Here are a few to get you started:
Thank you for your patience and we hope to meet your student soon!
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September 9 & 10: LWHS PTSA "Welcome to LWHS!" Presentation
September 9: LWSD Financial Aid Night
September 15: LWSD Special Education Group Virtual Meeting
September 16: LWHS PTSA Virtual 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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