September 7, 2021 | Issue #2 |
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PTSA General Membership Virtual Meeting |
Our first General Membership Meeting of the year will be Wednesday, September 15 beginning at 7:00 pm. During the virtual meeting, we will approve our budget and our standing rules. Following that, our guest speaker, LWHS Principal Christine Bell, will provide a school update and answer your questions. We would appreciate questions for Principal Bell in advance – please email them to info@lwhsptsa.org by September 14.
LWHS PTSA President
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Welcome to LWHS! A High School Primer - For Parents, From Parents |
Event for New Students and Families of LWHS
Wednesday, September 22, 7:00 pm or Thursday, September 23, 7:00 pm
Same Content Both Evenings
LWHS PTSA is pleased to present a live, virtual presentation designed for families of Freshmen and others who are 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!
Principal Bell and several members of her admin team, as well as some experienced parents, will be joining us. Click your preferred date below to RSVP!
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Coffee With Christine - Two Options to Attend! |
The first PTSA-sponsored “Coffee with Christine” will be Thursday, September 30. Come join other LWHS parents and community members for an open Q&A discussion with new LWHS Principal Christine Bell. These informal gatherings will be held both virtually and in-person, with one in the morning and one in the evening (details below). The meetings last about an hour, but you are free to join late or leave early. Choose the attendance option that works best for you!
Coffee with Christine - Thursday, September 30:
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8:30-9:30am: Virtual Teams Meeting Click to join
- 6:00-7:00pm: In-Person at LWHS Library
Please be sure to read Principal Bell's letter in the "School" section below.
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Help Get the News Out to Our New Kangs |
The Kang Crier Newsletter is the primary communication method used by LWHS PTSA to communicate with LWHS families. The district distribution lists are not updated and available until late October, meaning families new to LWHS are missing out on the information we distribute. If you know of a family who is new to LWHS, please have them subscribe to this newsletter by visiting lwhsptsa.org or forward this newsletter so they can click here to subscribe.
LWHS PTSA Kang Crier Editor
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Invest in the Kang Community |
LWHS PTSA is an active part of the Kang community. We spend over $20,000 a year to support our students, teachers/staff, and community in various ways:
- Students: over $18,000 in grants for classroom and club activities, enrichment programs (such as College Prep workshops, College Application support, practice SAT and ACT tests), scholarships and supplies
- Teachers/staff: $7,000 in classroom grants and staff appreciation events
- Parents & community: $4,000 in Emergency Prep supplies, newsletters, and community events
But we can’t do it without you! Memberships and donations are our main source of income and our “Pass the Pouch” request for donations is our only fundraiser of the year. Anyone – parents, grandparents, students, teachers – can join and donate. Just click the button below to get started.
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LWHS PTSA Board & Committee Chairs Needed
Your PTSA is getting prepared for another great year and we invite you to get involved! We are still looking to fill a few board positions and have quite a few PTSA chair positions still open. Curious? Click here for more information. Training provided! If a role sounds interesting to you, or you'd like to learn about other volunteer possibilities, email info@lwhsptsa.org.
Open board positions:
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Executive VP: Assists the President with all responsibilities related to the PTSA Board of Directors. In the absence of a Communications Chair, will assume the responsibilities of this chair position.
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Ways and Means: Organize and coordinate the fundraising efforts for the LWHS PTSA including the main “Pass the Pouch” fundraiser that occurs in September. Oversee the distribution of funds as determined by the annual budget to include grants to staff and school groups. In other words, help raise funds…and then help spend them!
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Advocacy: Work to inform members about legislative issues; help members determine our statewide platform; and help members speak up when it matters most. The Advocacy chair should be nonpartisan and work closely with the LWHS PTSA Board on focus and efforts.
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Membership: Set a membership goal for the year. Help with membership drives. Collect the forms and submit online information to the state organization. Largely entails data entry that can be done at home on your own time.
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Senior Party: Responsible for overseeing all aspects of the preparation of the senior party. This position requires attendance at monthly board meetings and, ideally, membership meetings as well. Per LWHS PTSA Standing Rules, the Senior Party chair must attend PTA & the Law at least once during their term.
Open chair positions:
- SAT/ACT Practice Tests
- School Beautification
- Senior Salute
- Special Ed Inclusion and Awareness
- Sustainability - current chair is seeking a co-chair to train
- Webmaster
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Volunteer with College Application Workshop! |
LWHS PTSA's award-winning College Application Workshop program provides LW seniors with college application essay and personal statement support. We also steer students in the right direction for any additional support they may need. This is a great way to connect with students and help them achieve their goals.
Volunteers are needed for Fall 2021 school year as we continue this successful program. We ask for a once-a-week commitment for the months of October and November.
In-person workshops are held Wednesdays during ROO time, as well as Wednesdays and Thursdays after school. Both in person and virtual options are available. With after school activities currently under review due to Covid, be aware that we might meet only virtually.
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LWHS Staff Appreciation Welcomes Back LW Staff |
To kick off the new school year, our LWHS PTSA Staff Appreciation Committee welcomed all LW staff back with fun little gift bags filled with a few things to kick-start their first day. Around 170 staff members enjoyed the treats.
Thank you to all of our PTSA members for making this event possible! If you are interested in participating in the next appreciation event, contact appreciation@lwhsptsa.org.
LWHS PTSA Staff Appreciation Chairs
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LWPTSA Council Welcomes New & International Families |
The LWPTSA Council's 5th annual welcome event for new and international families takes place virtually on Saturday, September 18, 2021 from 10am to 1pm. Join the event for information about navigating the LWSD school system - topics include academic support, social-emotional support, PTSA support and more.
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A Letter From LWHS Principal Christine Bell |
Dear Kang Families,
As I write this, we are wrapping up our first week of the 2021-22 school year. Our focus at LWHS this year is "Each Student, Every Day, Connected and Belonging in our Community." As we welcome our students back we are focused on grace and we want to carry this forward in our work throughout the year.
Grace for our students extends beyond the classroom. We know how difficult it is to wear a mask all day and to adjust to changes in requirements. We do not know what this year will bring but one thing is for certain--we are all glad to be back to in person learning and are grateful for the opportunities this provides to connect with one another again. This week I have been visiting classrooms and I cannot overstate how wonderful it is to have our students engaging in collaborative learning again, working in groups and having fun while demonstrating understanding of concepts in a hands-on way. At LWHS we have a world-class staff, and that makes for outstanding opportunities for all students.
As changes happen in response to updated health department and state mandates we will do our best to communicate with you so that you can prepare. On Tuesday of next week we will be ready to meet the new masking requirements for gatherings of 500 or more outdoors. This means that our fans will be masked up at football games starting next week.
I would like to highlight the work of our Fine and Performing Arts Department. Our band is preparing to hype up crowds and our drama program is gearing up for our fall performance of Chicago. In addition, Dance and Cheer teams have been hard at work getting ready to perform and cheer on our student body. These students and student athletes and their teachers, coaches and advisors put a lot of effort into creating a positive school climate and we appreciate them! If you haven't already, please encourage your student to get involved in any way they can. Again, we want all students connected and belonging in the Kang Community.
There is so much to be shared here, but space is short. Please consider joining the PTSA Virtual Parent Information Nights and plan on attending Coffee with Christine if you would like to spend time with me.
LWHS is a community that could not succeed without the support of our parents. Thank you for staying connected to our school!
Principal, Lake Washington High School
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Sign Up Now Open to Audition for LWHS Fall Musical, Chicago!
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Auditions for Chicago are open now through September 8. Students can submit their pre-recorded audition through flipgrid. There will be rolling callbacks--so the earlier they submit, the earlier they'll know what callback they may have.
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LWHS New Scoreboard Ready for Action! |
Promote your business on our scoreboard!
LW’s new scoreboard is installed and ready for action! Do you have a business that you’d like to advertise on the big screen to support our Kangs? Hundreds of our local families and fans will consume your messages at our home events. Your LWHS Booster Club is developing long term sponsorship and individual ad opportunities, available in both the stadium and in the new gym. We even have students that can help you with content creation! Email us at advertising@lwhsboosters.org for more info.
A big Kangaroo-sized thanks to all the local businesses, our PTSA, our ASB, alums, and the many families and community members that generously contributed to funding this new scoreboard!
LWHS Booster Club President
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Please continue to check both pages for information regularly, as updates will be made in conjunction with guidance from the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), Office of the Superintendent of Instruction (OSPI) and Seattle-King County Public Health.
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Parents of Seniors, We Need You! |
LWHS PTSA has a some volunteer positions available that are specific to events for senior students. If you are interested in helping out, please email Stacy Mehlberg, LWHS PTSA VP of Student Programs. We’d love to hear from you!
Senior Party (appointed board position): Responsible for overseeing all aspects of the preparation of the senior party. This position requires attendance at monthly board meetings and, ideally, membership meetings as well. Per LWHS PTSA Standing Rules, the Senior Party chair must attend PTA & the Law at least once during their term.
Senior Salute (chair position): The chair/chairs organize a senior baccalaureate evening of inspiration right before graduation which is focused on a more personal level with students, staff, and families. If permitted to take place in-person, the event includes the coordination of school building space, student and staff speakers, student art, refreshments and student music while maintaining a budget. It is an evening to celebrate the graduating class of the year.
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Youth Eastside Services Resources and Support Groups |
Did you know? Youth Eastside Services provides many resources and support groups to our community. Support can be found for a variety of issues and concerns.
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September 8: Early Release Wednesdays Schedule Begins
September 22 and 23: Welcome to LWHS events, 7:00pm
September 30: Coffee with Christine, 8:30am (virtual) and 6:00pm (in person)
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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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