ICS PTSA NEWSLETTER

October 15, 2023

See the ICS Calendar for more upcoming event dates.

SPORTS CLUB SEEKING PARENT VOLUNTEERS

We are hard at work putting together an afterschool sports activities club. There is so much interest! The next step is gathering parents who can commit a few afternoons a month to either lead or just supervise. The club will meet Mondays and Thursdays. We would like to gather some interested parents to solidify the plan and begin playing together soon! Interested in volunteering for Sports Club? Please fill out this form. Contact vpactivities@icsptsa.org, or presidents@icsptsa.org for more information.

SKI BUS UPDATES

The Sign-up for the Ski Bus 2024 is now open. To learn more, reserve your seat, purchase lessons, and pay for the bus, join the WhatsApp group or email Boris Baryshnikov.

NEW ICS ORIENTEERING CLUB STARTS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25

On October 25, we are launching an Orienteering club at ICS. The club will meet on Thursdays, directly after school, and will run until 4 PM. Prompt pick up at 4 PM is required. Students should bring athletic shoes and dress for being active outdoors – rain or shine.

We will launch with an orienteering offering – which mixes interval running or walking with a scavenger hunt. We will learn skills on campus, at Bridle Trails State Park, and Taylor Fields. Students will learn to read an orienteering map, navigate trails and woods, and pace themselves over a course.

There is an optional, non-school sponsored, opportunity to participate in a competitive league through Cascade Orienteering, which also includes an opportunity to earn volunteer hours for those who need them.

This club will run for at least 4 weeks and possibly through March if there is sufficient interest. For questions, contact vpactivities@icsptsa.org.

REFLECTIONS ART COMPETITION

Reflections is a National PTA arts recognition program that helps students explore their thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence, and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful not only in school, but in life. The 2023-24 theme is “I am Hopeful Because.”

Student Entry Form is here.

Rules and Quick Reference are here.

Submission Details: Students will take photos or scan their finished work and Submit Online. Physical Entries will be required in the later part of the competition.

Due Date: November 1, 2023, by 10 PM.

Additional theme search contest: Complete the online form to enter contest by November 1, 12 PM. The student who submits the winning entry will receive $100 and the theme will be presented at the annual National PTA Convention in 2024. Repeat themes will not be considered.

Art Day is on 1/29/24 and Looking for Volunteers!

The Art Day Movement and Dance Chair is still open. This position involves coordinating movement and dance classes and helping class instructors.

You can also run a class! Art Day classes are learning sessions that offer art experiences from different cultures. Each Art Day class runs for three 90-minute sessions, with about 20 students per session. Parents can submit Art Day ideas at Art Day 2024. Please don’t forget to leave your email address along with your idea to help us contact you. 

Please contact artday@icsptsa.org or Albert Li (ali@icsptsa.org), if you are interested in volunteering opportunities or have any questions.

An Update from the Math Club

Registration for the Math competitions below is still open. The Math Club had an information session last week on the competition formats, registration process, competition preparation, and the competition date time. Please refer to the presentation slides for details and stay tuned via the math club web page for any future updates. 

Mathletes who are participating in MIC team competitions are encouraged to build up teams by reaching out to the classmates of the same grade and starting to practice together. In the registration form, if you select the option "Team," please indicate whether you already have (or are going to have) a team to join, or if you are open to be selected into a team. You may come back to the registration form later to update your options by entering a new record while the registration is still open.

1. MATHCOUNTS provides engaging math programs to US middle school students of all ability levels to build confidence and improve attitudes about math and problem solving.
2. Math Is Cool is a fun and popular mathematics competitions in Washington State emphasizing mental math, problem solving with speed and accuracy, and teamwork collaborations.
3. Math Kangaroo is designed to make math more engaging and enjoyable for students. It aims to foster students’ interest in mathematics by providing a fun and challenging environment and opportunities for them to showcase their problem-solving skills.

The ICS PTSA Math club is sponsored by the PTSA. Parents of the mathletes are expected to join the PTSA as members. Volunteer time with Math Club (participating in the info session, proctoring competitions, and more), counts towards required volunteer hours, and is eligible for employer matching fund programs. Please contact the Math Club (mathclub68@icsptsa.org) if you have questions.