December 9, 2019

Here’s a rundown of the important information you’ll need in the coming weeks.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

NEXT NEW FAMILY AMBASSADOR MEET & GREET – 12/10

December’s IMS New Family Ambassador Program Meet and Greet will be held Tuesday, December 10th from 9:30 am to 11:00 am at the Starbucks located at 1460 NW Gilman Blvd, Issaquah WA 98027.  Hope to see you there! Questions?  Contact us at familyambassadors@issaquahmiddleptsa.org.

THE IMS FALL PLAY – 12/11

The IMS Fall Play Club performance of A Rendition of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is this Wednesday!  Come support your peers and see this amazing show for free at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, December 11th after school in the IMS Commons. See you there!

PLEASE HELP WITH THE HOLIDAY STAFF BREAKFAST – 12/18

Please help us celebrate our wonderful IMS staff with a Holiday Breakfast provided by PTSA on December 18th!  A wide range of food options is available to choose from in the sign up HERE.  Drop off instructions will be included in your confirmation email.

IMPORTANT: There are no ovens to keep your dishes hot! They can either come warm (and we'll try to keep warm) or we can microwave (if you drop a cooked casserole the day before).  We will wash your dishes and leave them at the front office for your child to grab at the end of the day or for you to pick up. Thank you for your generosity!!!

TELL YOUR STORY AT IMS ANNUAL CAREER DAY – 2/7

IMS is looking for parents, guardians and community members to give a short presentation about their current or past career and pathway.  Please share this with family and friends who have interesting or unusual careers or have a unique story of how they ended up there.  The school needs a wide variety of professionals to make this a well-rounded event for students to learn about something they might like to pursue in the future. Everyone is welcome to come and share.

Please contact Oracio Valdez at valdezo@issaquah.wednet.edu for more information or to sign up. 

BECOME A PTSA MEMBER TODAY!

Even if you don’t want to volunteer at the school, becoming a PTSA member makes a lot of sense!

(1) Up-to-Date Info:  First, you get access to up-to-date information about what’s going on at IMS.  In addition to our weekly E-news, you can hear the principal personally provide updates on issues of importance to you and your child and answer questions at every monthly PTSA meeting.

(2) Get Access to the Student Directory: As a PTSA member, you get exclusive access to the online PTSA Student Directory. 

(3) Retail Benefits: Members can take advantage of discounts at state and national companies like Great Wolf Lodge, Wild Waves, Office Depot, and car rental companies including Avis, Hertz, and Budget.

(4) Your $ Support Programs for Your Child: Your membership fee and your donations help support a wide variety of PTSA programs that support and enrich our students, families, and staff members.

It’s easy to join online today – CLICK HERE!

VOLUNTEERING AT IMS

We would love to have you consider volunteering at IMS.  All volunteers must complete the District’s online registration and be approved before they can volunteer at school.  If you were approved to volunteer last year, you still need to sign in to the District’s online system, complete the training, and update the required information.  Please remember there is a delay between completing the volunteer application and getting approval, so don’t wait till the last minute to start the process.  Click here to sign in.

FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT:  THE VOICE MENTOR PROGRAM NEEDS YOU!

Volunteers of Issaquah Changing Education (VOICE) is an in-school, volunteer mentoring program that pairs caring community members with Issaquah School District students.  VOICE mentors work one-on-one with students throughout the school year. Some students may need academic help; others may need emotional support or a friend and role model. All benefit from a positive, supportive relationship with an adult role model.  VOICE currently has 200+ students on the waitlist.  We need mentors!  Can you help?  Here's what’s involved:

• Complete a screening process, including a mandatory, in-depth, pre-match training.
• Time commitment of once/week (30–60 minutes) throughout the school year. Schedule and choice of school are flexible to accommodate mentor availability.
• Optional supplemental trainings plus support provided by your mentee’s school and the VOICE team.
• Most importantly, develop a meaningful relationship with a young person and help them thrive.

If you would like to become a VOICE mentor, please apply here.  To learn more, email VOICE@issaquah.wednet.edu, view our VOICE Website, or call us at 425-837-7222.

ISD RENEWAL LEVY WILL BE ON THE FEBRUARY 2020 BALLOT – 2/11/20

The Issaquah School District will be asking voters to approve the renewal of the EP&O levy in February which to allow the district to continue to support the programs and services funded by the previous two-year levy which is expiring in 2020.  Like a subscription, local school levies must be renewed, or the funding will be lost.

The 2020 EP&O Levy Renewal Levy continues support for:

• Career & Technical Education
• Mental Health Counselors
• Special Education
• Safety & Security
• Dual Language Program
• Early Childhood Learning & Preschool Opportunities
• Highly Capable Program
• Professional Development for Teachers
• Expanded High School Schedules (7 periods instead of 6) at Issaquah and Skyline High Schools

The Issaquah School District is asking for less than it is legally allowed to collect. This maintains its current programs, while remaining fiscally responsible and sensitive to the overall tax rate. This is NOT a new tax. The proposed two-year levy replaces the expiring 2018 levy at a lower overall tax rate.

Please remember to VOTE and if you have a student who will be 18 by the next election, please have them register to vote!

Thank you!