Thursday, June 8 | 5:30-7:30 pm | Lakeridge Gym

One true thing we all have in common is our diversity - we come from different backgrounds. Through various cuisines, dance forms, music, and art from around the world, explore and immerse in it, and enrich our experiences. So, let’s come together to share our similarities and celebrate our diversity.

Join Lakeridge students and teachers, families, and friends on June 8 for Lakeridge Heritage Night and foster an appreciation for the many cultures within the community and worldwide. 

Click here to join and share your heritage. For further information, check out the Heritage Night webpage or send an email to Reetchatha and Shweta. 

Saturday, June 10 | 2-4pm | Lakeridge Playground

Our last playdate was so successful that we are having another one! The next districtwide SSALD (Special Services and Learning Differences) playdate for elementary school children with Special Services and learning differences, including IEPs and 504s, will be on Saturday, June 10, from 2-4pm, at the Lakeridge Elementary School playground. 

This will be a great way for SSALD children, siblings, and parents in the district to connect and meet other families from West Mercer, Lakeridge, Northwood, and Island Park elementary schools. A variety of snacks and toys will be provided.

Families are welcome to stay for the whole playdate time, but if you can only stay for a short time, we encourage students in grades K-2 to join us from 2pm-3pm, and Grades 3-5 to be there from 3pm-4 pm. 

Please contact Ashley Sternberg, West Mercer SSALD representative, if you have questions.

Wednesday, June 14 | 9:45-10:30am | Lakeridge Gym

You are invited to the Lakeridge End of the Year Concert on Wednesday, June 14. Every student in our school is involved! At this event, our students will share their musical accomplishments with each other and celebrate a great school year by featuring the diverse and exciting music from islands around the world! Students will also perform for each other at an assembly on Tuesday, June 13.  

Students will color-coordinate their shirts/tops to represent their grade! They should wear these colors to both performances on Tuesday and Wednesday:

Kindergarten: Blue | 1st Grade: Green | 2nd Grade: Red | 3rd Grade: Yellow/Orange | 4th Grade: Pink/Purple/Maroon | 5th grade: 5th grade sweatshirts

Don’t have that color at home? Plain black is fine!

NOTE: There is no after school performance. We will record the performance and distribute to families afterwards.

There’s a new kind of lion, the Lakeridge Garden Water Lion!

The garden needs families to water over the summer. Can you help your student(s) water for a dedicated week or two? You’ll help your student(s) water 3x a week, spraying 19-beds (~45 min per watering day). Please sign up for one or two weeks here. 

Water is needed to keep the garden ready for fall harvest. As thanks, your family will have a special page in the Lakeridge Garden Yearbook. Your student(s) will also be honored at an assembly, and they can also be a Harvest Leader when school starts in the fall. 

Questions? Please text Julie (206-369-0426) or send email.

Parent Volunteers Needed!

A few more weeks of Spring Walkers/Runners club! The spring session of Walker's Club will be held on Tuesdays from May 16 - June 13 during lunch recesses.

Runners/walkers club is a great alternative activity at lunch recess especially for those looking for something structured to do or for those who just want to get some extra exercise. Students will earn charms and other fun incentives for completing laps throughout the session. 

Click here for the volunteer sign-up. Volunteers will track laps, monitor kids as they participate, and hand out incentives at the end of each session. It is a great opportunity to interact with your student during the school day! 

Please save the date on Monday, June 19 | 12pm-4pm, for Mercer Island’s Juneteenth Community Celebration at Mercerdale Park. At this event, we will also recognize the Black Student Union Mentorship Program with elementary and high school students. There will be an upcoming communication with more details about the mentorship celebration.

The Juneteenth celebration is being organized by Mercer Island High School’s Black Student Union (BSU) in partnership with the City of Mercer Island. It will be a fun community event for all with kids’ activities, live music, food trucks, and the MIHS dance team performance. 

For questions, contact diversity@westmercerpta.org.

June 16 | 5:30-7:30pm | MIHS Commons

Join us for an evening of student art, music, education, and breaking bread to support the Red Blanket Fund! This Fundraiser, researched and chosen by the High School Ceramics program, helps support families of missing and murdered indigenous women who disappear at 10x the rate of white women. $30/bowl/meal. Click here to pre-register.

Registration and information are now available online from MIVAL's website. FINAL ENTRY DEADLINE: Monday, June 19, 2023 | entry fee $10 | cash prizes awarded. The show will be on view at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center (MICEC) from June 26-August 18, 2023.

JOIN THE MIHS GIRLS SOCCER PLAYERS AND COACHES FOR CAMP AT THE HIGH SCHOOL STADIUM

DoMInate Soccer Camp July 10-12, from 10am-1pm. Rising 1st-5th grade girls and boys of all ability levels welcome. Players will learn new skills, sharpen their overall game, make new friendships and have fun in a positive and encouraging environment. Register at positiveplace.org.

3rd through 6th graders! Do you want to dance this summer? The Boys and Girls club is hosting the Mercer Island High School Drill Team as they put on a summer dance camp Monday through Friday July 10 - 14 from 10am-1pm. Learn skills and choreography from the drill team! Take home a t-shirt and your own poms to keep! End of camp performance for families on Friday, July 14. Spaces are limited - sign up today! 

Mercer Island Parks & Recreation is pleased to offer a variety of summer camps through our dedicated partners. All registrations are taken through each organization's website and can be contacted directly for additional information and questions. Click here for more information.

Kicking off the first week will be:

Island Fundamentals Basketball Camp for grades K-4 and 5-8; Footwork, shooting, ball handling, finishing and team play will all be emphasized. Older players will be doing shooting, ball handling, passing, attack moves, post play, individual defense, moving without the ball and rebounding/fast break.

Yellow Yoga; Run by certified kids yoga teacher, Heather Feldman. Our camp will include yoga, journaling, drawing, arts and crafts, yoga games, outdoor time, and relaxation. Kids will enjoy a fantastic week in our non-competitive and supportive environment. 

Boost Baseball; BOOST Baseball Camp will focus on building fundamental habits that will take your swings and throwing mechanics to a new level. Join coaches Andre Marshall and Sean White for individual and team drills that focus on development of youth aged players.

UW Softball Camp; Come and take part in this awesome softball camp ran by UW softball athletes! This camp is for all players grades 2nd-8th any and all skill levels welcome. Players will be grouped by age/skill.

Mercer Island Cheer Camp; A fun Three-day camp of jumps, dances and cheers! All cheerleaders will perform on Wednesday at 4pm. Each member registered before June 15th will receive a set of pom-poms and Camp Cheer T Shirts.

Sign up now for our summer athletic camps hosted by the Mercer Island Boys & Girls Club! Link to register here.

Looking for a Summer STEM Activity for your student?

Consider SeaVuria’s  Summer STEM Camp. Summer STEM Camp is a comprehensive 5-day engagement where students take on the role of a scientist to solve a community problem. Click here for more information.

*PETRI is a student directed club of Mercer Island High School and WEE, a club of MI graduates whose mission is twofold:

1. Provide scholarships for girls in rural Kenya who would not otherwise have the chance to attend school. (Scholarships that range from $300-$600/yr for HS and $1500/yr for university change lives forever!)

2. Promote STEM experiences for students here and in Kenya. 

Wise Summer Camps are now open for registration!  We will be offering exciting new STEAM stations this summer for returners (and of course bringing back all the favorites like "Dazzling Demos!") that will be sure to excite our campers! All campers will receive a catered lunch each day as well as a camp t-shirt and plenty of souvenirs! Ages: Pre-K through entering 8th grade, scholarships available (scholarship form available on our website!). Camps are full day: 8:30-3:30 p.m., with after care available.  Click here for more information and to register.

With more than 50 camps to choose from, you can build your own experience with Summer J Camp! From Core Camps to Specialty Camps, you can create a summer schedule that works best for your family.  Click here for more information and to register!