IN THIS ISSUE
New Family Coffee | Talent Show | MI Parent Edge | Plastic Pollution Crisis
Volunteer Opportunities | From the Librarian | Counselor's Corner |
MI School District News | Advocacy Update | Thank You | Community Events |
MI Activities for Kids |
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| March 4 | New Family Coffee
9 | Welcome Daylight Savings Staff Appreciation Lunch
12 | Talent Show
20 | Grading Day - No school
View Full Calendar |
| New Family Coffee Wednesday, March 4 | 9:30-10:30 am | South End Starbucks 
New to Island Park? Join us after drop-off for our last informal New Family Coffee of the school year! This is a fun, low-key hour to grab a coffee, chat, and dish on life on MI and Island Park! If you are interested in connecting with a family buddy, e-mail Carmela Wood or Nina Cuneo. More information on the PTA website. |
"Starry Starry Night" Talent Show Thursday, March 12 | 6-8 pm | IP MPR  Come join us for Island Park's "Starry Starry Night" Talent Show and get ready to see the amazingly talented Island Park community show its stuff!
Come support your friends and get ready to cheer on the
wonderful performances.
Questions? Contact community@islandparkpta.org. |
Who We Are: Identity, Inclusion, and Allyship Monday, March 23 | 7-9 pm | Islander M.S.  How do we learn about our various group identities? From whom do we learn the meaning of these terms? What messages have we internalized about ourselves and others? Learn how we co-author peers’ identity as well as our own, how the cycle of oppression and cycle of bullying pressure us to reinforce stereotypes, and what we can do as allies to break these cycles and work toward inclusion of all. For adults, parents of children of all ages, and middle and high school students. For more information and to register, click here.
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Plastic Pollution Crisis: Contaminating Our Oceans and Our Health 
Since the consumerism boom of the 1950s, 8 billion tons of plastic have been produced, but less than 9% has actually been recycled. Over the years, many countries, including ours, have dumped garbage into the oceans as a cheap way to remove waste from our cities, and now we are starting to pay the price. Island nations and coastlines around the world have tons of plastic garbage washing up on beaches. Plastics are also swirling in the ocean currents and have collected in massive patches bigger than some countries. Sea turtles, seals, whales, fish, and sea birds mistake plastic debris for food or are caught in discarded fishing lines and nets, killing millions of fish and animals. Plastics will never dissolve in the ocean and go away like paper or metal; instead plastic debris breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics.
There are simple things you can do today to help our oceans and marine life and reduce your exposure to microplastics. Read the full article, watch a video summary, and learn what you can do here. Follow the motto: rethink, reduce, reuse, and recycle. If we all do our part, we can start making a difference.
Brought to you by MISD Green Team and parent-led Action Committee for Environmental Sustainability. Join us! |
AmazonSmile  Did you know? Every time you shop at Amazon.com, you can also donate to Island Park PTA at the same time! Select "Island Park PTA" as your charity every time when you shop at smile.Amazon.com, and a percentage of your purchase comes back to the Island Park PTA!
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| Welcome Daylight Savings Staff Appreciation Lunch Monday, March 9 | Staff Lounge 
We might be losing an hour of sleep, but we will be gaining an hour of sunshine (fingers crossed)! Please help the Staff Appreciation Committee provide a "Spring Forward" lunch in the Staff Lounge by clicking below to volunteer. Tea sandwiches, fresh fruit, cheese & crackers, and delicious sweets will brighten our staff's day. Thank you for all you do to make our staff feel so appreciated! |
Yearbook Lead
 At the end of every school year, students at Island Park are super excited to flip through the yearbook to look at photos from throughout the year and to have their friends sign and leave messages. Be a part of this annual tradition by taking over the lead in putting together Island Park's yearbook! If you're interested, contact Shelly Johnson, who can give you more details and walk you through the online software. |
Library Volunteers
 Interested in getting involved in your child's reading? The library relies on an amazing pool of library volunteers to help out in the library all year long. Many enjoy interacting with their child's class as they come to the library to check out books; others volunteer for special projects or the book fairs. Come enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and help promote reading. No experience necessary. Sign-ups for March available below. |
Visiting Author
 Visiting author Jessixa Bagley will be presenting to students Thursday, March 5 in the library. Jessixa attended the University of Washington and Cornish College of the Arts with a BFA in painting and printmaking. Her career has been a mix of comics, fine art, and illustration. She has worked with publications such as: The Chicago Reader, The Seattle Weekly, The Stranger, Nickelodeon Magazine, and Highlights. She says, "[M]y love of picture books has been the constant goal of my entire life and has always been a working focus." She has published 8 books, and we look forward to learning about her craft. Special thanks to the Foundation and PTA for sponsoring this event.
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 Hello from the new Island Park Elementary Counselor!
I wanted to take this opportunity to say hi to all the Island Park students and families. I have felt very welcome and am thankful for the opportunity I have to be a part of this community. From what I can tell, it seems everyone loves Liana, and I have some big shoes to fill, but I will do my best to be a support to everyone and get to know all of you. Growing up and managing academic challenges can be very stressful for kids, and my goal is to collaborate with families and school staff to best help kids navigate life’s challenges. I’m hoping to provide a safe and supportive environment where they feel like they can come and be themselves and relax. I am looking forward to getting to know all the students and being a part of their support system. Feel free to reach out to me just to say hi or with any concerns you all have. Thank you all! Best, Polly DeBron, LICSW |
Mercer Island School District News |
Educational Effectiveness Survey Deadline: Tuesday, March 31  Each year, we ask that you participate in our Educational Effectiveness Survey to help us determine areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. School and district administrators truly value this data, as we use it with teachers to plan for the improvement of our system.
This year, we ask that you take the time again to complete the survey at the link below. Thank you to those who have already done so! As always, thank you for your participation, and we appreciate your support! |
 PTA has a long history of advocating for our children. On Monday, January 20, parents and students from Mercer Island PTAs went to Olympia to attend hearings, meet with our legislators, and advocate on behalf of our children for WSPTA Focus Day. In particular, we talked about the Washington State PTA's top five legislative issues, including school funding and gun violence prevention. You can learn more about the WSPTA platform here, or sign up for e-mail legislative action alerts from WSPTA. You can learn more about what is happening this session in Olympia, contact our legislators, or comment on bills here. Want to get involved? Contact us at advocacy@islandparkpta.org.
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Calls to Action
 Please consider connecting with state-elected officials about how you feel on the following important issues in our community. For more information and to contact your legislators on these issues, just click on the links below. - Best Practices for School Meals: Schools play a critical role in providing access to adequate nutrition and in the formation of healthy eating habits that are a cornerstone to health, well-being, learning, and academic achievement. For too many Washington students, meals at school are their only food for the day.
- Equity in the Identifying of Highly Capable Students: Highly Capable programs across the state do not currently reflect the demographic makeup of the communities in which they reside. Children in poverty and from minority groups are 2.5 times less likely to be identified for, and in, highly capable programs.
- Paraeducator Funding: Paraeducators are the only educators who spend their entire workday with students, directly assisting them in learning, growing, and navigating the world around them.
- Equity Regardless of Student Immigration Status: Nearly 40 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that undocumented school-aged children have the right to a high-quality public education. Help us advocate on behalf of these children.
- Special Education Funding Remains Insufficient: Remind our legislators that until every student with disabilities receives ample and equitable funding to meet their individual learning needs, special education is NOT fully funded.
Want the latest advocacy news from WSPTA? During the Washington State Legislative Sessions, WSPTA sends action alerts and informational broadcasts to WSPTA members who have subscribed to WSPTA's Action Network Group. These action alerts are quick, easy ways to communicate with our legislators on topics they are actively working on. Subscribe by clicking here. |
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You |
A big thank you to Jen Riley for chairing and Adam Roodman for being the MC for Bingo Night and to all the volunteers who helped put on the event! |
| Parenting with Courage and Connection
Tuesday, March 10 | 6:30-8:30 pm | Northwood E.S. Parents are often challenged by power struggles and whining, arguments over chores, sibling fights, bedtime problems, clashes over homework and screen time, and other issues. This fun and interactive workshop provides an introduction to the skills and tools needed to get to the core of conflict and bring more peace and joy to your home. Space is limited in this FREE workshop. Please RSVP ASAP here. |
Wednesday Walks Taking a walk in nature has amazing health benefits. Simple forest walks have been shown to reduce stress, control depression, boost immunity, lower blood pressure, and improve memory. It’s also a great way to build community! If you’d like to join other Island Park parents and caregivers on a walk around Pioneer Park, meet us on Wednesday mornings after drop-off (around 9:20 am), rain or shine, at 84th Ave. SE and SE 68th St. (southwest corner of the northwest quadrant of Pioneer Park, across from the South End Starbucks). Have questions? Concerns about accessibility? Please contact Linda Kercher. |
Tips Up! Mid-Week Skiing Who wants to occasionally play hooky from adulting this winter? If the thought of dropping the kids off at school and heading to the mountains makes you say, “Aw, heck yeah!†then e-mail Linda Kercher. We’ll make a plan based on the snow and everyone’s availability! |
Community-Building Activities Island Park PTA Community Building promotes events and activities designed to help IP parents and caregivers get to know each other better, have fun, and build a stronger school community. If you have suggestions for activities, please e-mail us!
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| Mercer Island Eastside Dream Elite Dream Team
Tuesdays, February 25 - March 31 | 5:30-7 pm | MI Community & Event Center
Mercer Island Boys Lacrosse Spring Season (March-May). Click here for more information and to register or e-mail with questions.
Family & Kid Yoga -NEW! Sunday, March 29 | 1-2 pm | Yogabliss Click here for more information and to register.
SJCC Spring After-School Classes Monday, March 30 - Friday, June 12 Click here for more information and to register.
Spring Break Recess Fun Camp Monday-Thursday, April 6-9 | 9 am - noon | Island Crest Park | $195 Click here for more information and to register.
Junior Learn-to-Curl Clinic Saturdays, April 11, 18, 25 | 9:30-11 am | Granite Curling Club | $60 | Ages 7-21 Click here for more information and to register. Click here for more information. Kids Corps tutoringClick here for the application for new tutees or e-mail for more information. Kidstown at the SJCCClick here for more information.
Mathnasium of Mercer Island Click here for more information.
Mercer Island Martial Arts Click here for more information.
MI Library Study Zone Contact Carrie or call the Library at (206) 236-3537 for more information.
Youth Theatre Northwest - After-School Classes Click here for more information and to register.
SUMMER CAMPS Click on the links below for more information and to register.
Island Park Elementary (IPE) PTA and the Mercer Island School District have neither reviewed nor approved the programs, personnel, activities, or organizations announced in these flyers or websites. The participants agree to protect, indemnify, and hold harmless the District and IPE PTA, including elected and appointed officials, employees, agents, staff, and volunteers, from any and all claims, liabilities, damages, expenses, or rights of action, directly or indirectly attributed to the activities. Permission to distribute this information and/or flyers should not be considered a recommendation of the programs by the school district or by the IPE PTA. These are neither school district nor IPE PTA-sponsored activities. |
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HUGE changes this year!!! Box Tops has gone digital! No more clipping. No more sending baggies of Box Tops to school!! It adds up! To learn more, visit the Box Top$ for Education page.
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