Lakeridge Families - Book Fair Week is Almost Here!

When: May 6-10, 2024

Family Event: Wednesday, May 8, 2:05-5:00 p.m.

Where: Lakeridge Library

Please consider setting up an ewallet for your child so they are ready to shop cash free! No more lost money!  Click on the Book Fair homepage here to learn all about the details of the fair and how to set up an ewallet.

We are also looking for a few more volunteers to make the fair a success. If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up here.

Students will visit the Book Fair ONCE with their class during their designated shopping day below:

Monday, May 6: Allard, Anderson, Aguilera, Olson, Holland, Reid, Wold, Hummel

Tuesday, May 7: Bobst, Pettigrew, McLyman

Wednesday, May 8: Davis, Knowles, Wytaske, Tisdel, Harnish, Diederich/Pacecca

Thursday, May 9 and Friday, May 10: Reserved for appointment only, revisit shopping or students who missed their original library time

**Families are invited to shop at our FAMILY SHOPPING EVENT after school on Wednesday, May 8 from 2:05-5:00 p.m.**

FAIR CLOSES FRIDAY, May 12 at NOON

Can't make it to the fair? No problem. You can shop the fair ONLINE between May 6-19, 2024.

Thank you for supporting the Lakeridge Library!

Please join us in showing some love for our wonderful Lakeridge teachers and staff for Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week! Lakeridge will be celebrating it this year the week of May 13-17, 2024. Each day that week (with your help), we hope to make our children’s teachers and staff feel a little extra special. 

Please sign-up here to donate something for one of the days! 

If you have questions please contact Charlene Matukaitis (programs@lakeridgepta.org).

May 13: Donut/Bagel Breakfast

[“Donut Know What We Would Do Without You!”]

May 14: Popcorn & Candy

[“You’re The Sweetest Bunch!”]

May 15: Ice Cream Social

[“Here’s the Scoop - We Love Our Staff!]

May 16: Lemonade & Cookies/Treats

[“Thanks for Making Us Smart Cookies!”]

May 17: Taco Bar Luncheon & Raffle

[“Nacho Average Staff!”]

Spring Enrichment programs are updated and ready for enrollment!  Please visit the Lakeridge PTA website for more information and to sign up.

Please find Superintendent Rundle's April message on Exciting Data at Elementary Level, Days of Cultural Significance, & Student Celebrations here. 

Mercer Island School District is seeking substitute and route drivers for the 2024-25 school year.  

Paid training provided.  

Questions, see our FAQ or call 206-236-3337.  

To Apply:  Route Driver or Substitute Driver.  

Testimonials from our parent drivers:

"I am a parent of 4 Mercer Island school age children.  I love contributing to our community by being a school bus driver.  I find it rewarding and a privilege to drive our children to and from the school safely."  --Connie R. (parent and bus driver)

"As a parent of kids in the Mercer Island School district, I love bus driving!  I am serving my community, staying in touch with the schools, and interacting with kids on a daily basis.  It’s fun to establish personal connections with the kids and then run into them and their families on the island.  The work culture of MISD is great and driving the bus itself has been genuinely enjoyable!"  -- Dave M. (parent and bus driver)

Current MISD Director of Special Services Dr. Sue Ann Bube has announced she will be resigning from her position at the end of this school year.

We have started the process to find our next Director of Special Services.

One of the first steps in this process is to ask our community to provide input and perspective to inform the interview and selection process for our next Director of Special Services. We have created a brief survey, linked below, we hope you will be able to complete to help us find the best candidate.

MISD Director of Special Services Candidate Selection Survey

The survey responses will be used to help screen candidates, develop interview questions, and ultimately select our next leader.

We greatly appreciate your input and feedback.

Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides with Dr. Geoffrey Cohen

As a PTA and community, we uphold the values of Belonging and Mattering by making it a priority to create spaces for our kids and families to experience that they truly belong and matter. Superintendent Fred Rundle has been emphasizing "Belonging" and "Mattering" as themes for our school district.

With this in mind, we are excited to present to our community the opportunity to hear from Dr. Geoffrey Cohen, whose study on Belonging has helped to shape our school district's philosophy. 

In Belonging: The Science of Creating Connection and Bridging Divides, Stanford University psychology professor Geoffrey L. Cohen draws on groundbreaking scientific research to offer simple, concrete solutions for fostering a sense of belonging in our children, homes, and schools.

When: April 30, 2024, 5:30-6:30 p.m. PT

RSVPhere (free, live virtual event)

The Emotional Lives of Teenagers with Dr. Lisa Damour

Join us for a special live virtual event with Dr. Lisa Damour on Thursday, May 2 as she speaks on "The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Competent, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents."

With clear, research-informed explanations and real-life examples, The Emotional Lives of Teenagers gives families the concrete, practical information they need to guide their teens through the bumpy yet transformational journey into adulthood.

When: May 2, 2024, 12:00-1:00 p.m. PT

RSVPhere (free, live virtual event)

Now is the time to order 2024 Congratulatory Grad Grams!

For the past 30 years, family, friends, businesses, and community organizations have sent Grad Grams to Mercer Island students.

Beginning in 2024, this program will focus exclusively on 8th and 12th grade graduates. Each Grad Gram is printed on parchment paper, personalized with your congratulatory message, and mailed directly to the graduate's home. All proceeds from the sales of Grad Grams go to the Mercer Island Community Scholarship Program, which recognizes outstanding MIHS graduating seniors. You can support this program by purchasing Grad Grams or by donating directly to the MI Community Scholarship Program. Your contributions allow our community to provide 27 students with scholarship funds, up to $500 each, for future educational expenses. Your support makes a difference!

Deadline to purchase Grad Grams is Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

Click here to purchase Grad Grams.

Introducing Parenting Mercer Island - a comprehensive tool to address everyday parenting challenges.

Mercer Island Youth and Family Services and the MI Healthy Youth Initiative are excited to share Parenting Mercer Island with MI parents and caregivers. The ParentingMercerIsland.orgtool is intentional in promoting the healthy mental, emotional, and behavioral development of Mercer Island’s children and youth by actively growing their social and emotional skills.

The resource provides tools and information for parents and those in a parenting role to bolster their parenting skills in growing the social and emotional skills of children. The tools are appropriate for birth through the teen years. Users can access tools to address everyday parenting challenges by age and issue. 

Tools are based on an easy-to-use 5-step process including actions to take and the words to say to engage children. Topics include: Bullying, Confidence, Conflict, Child Trauma, Discipline, Empathy, Establishing Rules About Alcohol, Establishing Rules About Cannabis, Friends, Mixed Messages About Alcohol, Mixed Messages About Cannabis, Peer Pressure, Responsibility, Routines, Stress and Anxiety, and Talking About Differences 

The online resource also includes in-depth information on various topics in the “I Want to Know More” resources. Topics include: Communication, Development, Discipline, Parenting Process, Relationships, and Risky Behavior

Please visit ParentingMercerIsland.org for more information.

We encourage families to enroll as soon as possible. This helps forecast class sizes and staffing needs for the coming school year.

Children must be 5 years old by August 31, 2024, to register for kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year. 

For more information on kindergarten enrollment visit the Kindergarten Registration page. 

Passover, also called Pesach, is a major Jewish holiday, one of the three pilgrimage festivals, that celebrates the Biblical story of the Israelites' escape from slavery in Egypt.

The festival of Passover is one of great joy. A special family meal called a seder is held on the first and sometimes the second night of Passover. Before the meal, the story of Passover is told through the songs and prayer of the Haggadah, which is the book used during the seder. The most important food of the holiday is matzo, which is a bread made with only flour and water. It is unleavened, which means that it is flat. This reminds the Jews of the bread the Israelites took with them when they fled Egypt for freedom. They did not have time to let it rise because they were in a hurry to leave.

Books:

• The Story of Passover by  David A. Adler 
• Pippa's Passover Plate by Vivian Kirkfield 
• The Passover Story: A Celebration of Freedom by Sarah Mazor
• Around the Passover Table by Tracy Newman

National Arab American Heritage Month is celebrated each April, and we celebrate the vibrant culture and rich contributions of Arab Americans to our society. It's a time to honor their resilience, achievements, and diverse heritage, which have enriched the fabric of our nation. Among others, I would like to spotlight important Arab Americans such as Helen Thomas, the first female member of the White House Correspondents' Association and the first female officer of the National Press Club and Dr. Elias Zerhouni, a renowned Algerian-American radiologist and former director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Let us embrace the values of inclusion, respect, and understanding as we recognize and appreciate the valuable contributions of Arab Americans to our communities. 

As we embark on World Autism Month, it is essential to acknowledge the historical significance of this global observance. Initially April 2nd was designated by the United Nations in 2007, World Autism Awareness Day, serving as a beacon of advocacy and understanding for individuals on the autism spectrum. Over the years, this single day has evolved into a month-long campaign, engaging communities worldwide in initiatives aimed at raising awareness, promoting acceptance, and advocating for the rights of individuals with autism. As we honor this tradition, let us reflect on the strides we've made and the work that lies ahead in ensuring inclusivity and belonging for all members of our very own community here on Mercer Island. Our commitment to embracing diversity and fostering empathy not only defines us but also continues to shape Mercer Island into a place where every individual's unique talents and perspectives are celebrated. 

Dive into a summer of FUN with Boys & Girls Club! Make friends, explore Mercer Island parks, local events, hit the beach, and embark on epic field trips to the zoo, ballpark, aquarium, and so much more!

Grouped by grade: K/1st, 2nd/3rd, 4th/5th

Each week is a new adventure!

Preview of available camps:

• Lego Building
• Bakeshop
• Athletic Camps (Basketball, cheer, volleyball, etc.)
• Wild About Animals
• Local Explorers
• Carnival Extravaganza
• ..and many more!

Go to http://www.positiveplace.org for more details.

Our camps and events are fun AND academic. Your campers will be reading, writing, and doing math every day of camp! We make learning fun! 

Camps: 

Week 1: July 15-19

Week 2: July 22-26

Special Events:

May 1: Star Wars-Themed STEM Night

June 15: Pokemon-Themed STEM Night

Ages 4 years old through 8th grade.

Go to wisecamps.com for more details. 

Pairing elementary students and high schoolers in a mentorship program! Free tutoring in any subject for elementary students and volunteer hours for high schoolers. 

Fun and flexible meetings! Tutees can work with their paired tutors to schedule meetings based on availability and work on any subject you wish!

Sign up here.