Our first 'Coffee with Christina' will take place today at 9am (Wed, Oct 4th) in the Career and Counseling Center which is adjacent to the Commons on the first floor. Come join other LW parents for a time to connect with each other and participate in Q&A with Principal Christina Thomas. These coffees last about an hour, but you are free to come late or leave early as your schedule requires. Future Coffees are planned for Dec. 6, Feb. 7, and April 11.
LWHS PTSA and ASB team up to lead our fall Beautification Day on Saturday, October 14, from 8:30-12:30(parents arriving at 8:30 will help organize for the students arriving at 9:00.) Students will be on campus 9a-12p and will be able to sign up through their coach/club advisor. Parent volunteers, please sign up for a shift to help direct students and/or join in the tasks of weeding, pruning, removing dead plants, picking up trash, sweeping and mulching. And, if you have them, don't forget to bring well-labelled garden tools and gloves to share. Motivating music, scrumptious snacks and delightful drinks will be provided. Community service hours will be honored!!
Oct. 11 (7:30-8:15am) volunteers are needed to pass out agendas for the PSAT/HSBP and Oct. 18 (12:15-2:00pm) for photo retake day! Please remember that if you volunteer for photo retakes, your student will get a free picture package!
Does your student enjoy visual arts, music composition, photography, literature, film production or dance choreography? Is a National Award Winning entry "within reach" for a creative and talented LWHS student?
These are the six categories where they can showcase their talents in the Reflections arts competition, a National PTA program. There is also a Special Artist Division (for students with disabilities).
All grades and abilities are encouraged to participate. The entry form and rules are on the PTSA website Programs page by selecting "Reflections". Turn in your entry to the LWHS office. Deadline for submissions is Wednesday, November 1st at 2:30pm. Questions? Contact Reflections Chair, Pam Hay.
Advocacy means to speak up, to plead a cause, or to make a case for another.
Parents can advocate for students at the classroom, school, and district levels and beyond. Our PTA is looking for someone who is excited about advocacy and wants to share that enthusiasm with others. Come join our PTA leadership team and help all parents be more effective advocates by sharing relevant information and timely action items!
Interested in Game Development? Volunteer Opportunity
Are you a game developer or hobbyist? Washington State PTA introduced a Game Development Competition last year to encourage and support STEM-based student success. Students in grades 9-12 may participate and share their knowledge of computer science based on an assigned theme.
LWHS PTSA would love help promoting this contest to our student body and help with mentoring any interested teams. Time commitment should be minimal and all contest requirements are managed by WSPTA. More on the contest here. Interested? Contact VP Programs, Colette Ulloa or Valerie Horvath at lwhsptsaVPPrograms@gmail.com
PTSA Membership Drive
Our membership drive is going superbly! Thank you so much to the more than 450 people who have joined this year. There's still plenty of time to become a member, and when you do you show your commitment to building a strong school community.
Our goal this school year is 625 members. Will you help us get there? TO JOIN, simply click this link or pick up a form in the office and pay by check. Questions? Contact PTSA Membership Chair Meredith Goldstein.
On behalf of the entire LWHS PTSA Board we are so grateful to all the families who contributed to the Pass the Pouch Campaign. We have received record donations to date and will be able to fund and expand items in our budget thanks to the generosity of our community.
LW window decals were mailed out in late September. If you joined and/or donated to the PTSA via our website, a window decal has been mailed to your home. If you joined via our paper form, parents who provided their address will receive a window decal in the mail. If you joined, but did not provide your address, please contact Karen Tipp at karentipp@gmail.com with that information, and we will send a decal to you in the mail.
Again, a huge thank you to our generous community.
We are ready for another year of FEAR FREE SAT and ACT Practice Tests with the Princeton Review. The Fear Free tests are a great way to get comfortable with the format and style of the SAT or ACT in a stress free environment. These practice tests are available for all students but Juniors and interested Sophomores are highly encouraged to attend.
Upcoming test date: ACT on October 21st
All tests are taken in the library from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm and will give you the complete testing simulation.
High School and Beyond Day PSAT Registration is NOW OPEN
Wednesday, October 11th is Lake Washington High School's annual High School and Beyond Day.
During High School and Beyond Day, Freshmen and Seniors will participate in a series of graduation-required workshops, Sophomores will take the PSAT (free of charge), and Juniors will have the option to take the PSAT for a fee of $16 or participate in the ASVAB Career Exploration Program, which is free of charge. Seniors may also opt to take the PSAT, however, the results will not satisfy the college admission requirement.
This year, Lake Washington High School will also offer the PSAT to Seniors who are interested in taking the Preliminary, or practice test for the National SAT College Entrance Exam as an alternative to the graduation-required workshops.
Please note: the PSAT for 11th and 12th graders is optional, and students will be required to pay a fee of $16.
Space for 11th and 12th graders is limited, and interested students are required to pay the registration fee by the District-Wide deadline of October 4th.
Payment can be made via credit card on Parent Access, or at the Cashiers office before school or during lunch.
"Fear Free" SAT/ACT testing is looking for 1 or 2 volunteers for 3 Saturdays from 8am-1:30pm:
October 21st, February 10th and March 24th.
The volunteer would be there to check in students who have already registered for the test, stay for the duration of the test to be a chaperone and Lake Washington HS PTSA representative. There are rest breaks during the test. Interested? Email lwhsptsaVPPrograms@lwhsptsa.com.
All 2018 LWHS seniors are invited to the annual all-night Senior Party. Scheduled for the night of graduation, Senior Party is a way for graduates to celebrate with their classmates in a fun, safe way: alcohol-free, tobacco-free, drug-free, and well-chaperoned. This is an LWHS tradition, and it's a once-in-a-lifetime evening for our students. Last year we had close to 200 students attend!
College Application Workshop provides trained volunteers to assist with essay and personal statement editing every Wednesday after school (12:30) in the College and Career Center AND every Thursday ROO Time (9:31) in the Bistro.
--Hey, where's the Bistro?! This space goes by many names...a favorite of ours is "Outside the Library", also known as "Upstairs Commons" and "2nd Floor Commons"...regardless of its name, that's where we'll be to offer support (and snacks).
Please encourage your student drop by on Wednesdays and to use Flexisched to sign up for Thursday ROO Time.
LW's College Financial Aid Presentation: Today at 6:30
The LWHS Counseling Department's annual Financial Aid Information Night is set for Wednesday, October 4th. Parents and students are invited to come hear from the University of Washington Financial Aid Office as they discuss the financial aid process and explain the different types of aid available.
The presentation will begin at 6:30pm in the LWHS theater. Please be sure to arrive a few minutes early to secure a seat.
The annual Homecoming festivities will take place October 6th and 7th this year. Events include the Friday night varsity football game and a dance on Saturday. The ASB leadership would very much appreciate parents help in donating food and refreshments for the dance. You can view a list of needed items and sign up here.
Friday night's football game will feature a battle for Kirkland bragging rights between Lake Washington and Juanita High School beginning at 7pm. Go Kangs!
The Homecoming Dance will take place Saturday evening from 8 - 10pm in the LWHS Commons. The theme this year is James Bond/007. Suggested attire is formal but casual attire is fine too. Tickets for the dance will be sold at the school's cashier before school and during lunch break. Tickets are $20 per person with ASB card and $25 without card and will NOT be available for purchase at the door. Students are reminded that a coat check will be available for coats and purses but backpacks and other bags are generally not allowed.
Parents/community members needed for LWSD Student Academic Success Committees
The district is seeking parents/community members for each of these committees: K-12 Sexual Health Review, Secondary Math Pathways, High School Science Pathways, K-12 Arts Refinement, K-12 Health and Fitness Refinement, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support, Co-Teaching, Capital Technology Review
You can learn more about these committees and have the option to apply to serve on one of these committees in this survey. Volunteer members will be selected based upon geographic location and diverse representation. Applications are due by Monday, October 2. Learn more about the LWSD Student Academic Success Committees.
News from the Counseling Office
Students are now all settled (and happy!) in their classes and, hopefully, have found a routine that works well for them. Whether students are in multiple Advanced Placement classes or none at all, students need to study every night. By using a daily planner and not falling behind, students will be better prepared for both daily class discussion and those frustrating surprise quizzes or bigger unit tests. With homework, extracurricular commitments like athletic practice or club/organization duties, community volunteering, family obligations, or employment responsibilities, students can easily become overwhelmed and stressed. If they encounter difficulties in their classes, students need to meet with their teachers as soon as possible. Students can also join or form a study group to help their understanding. If students find themselves over committed, they need to scale back on their out of school commitments. It's better to do well in fewer commitments than mediocre in many. One of the many valuable lessons students have an opportunity to learn in high school is how to problem solve: how to figure out what to do to make their situation work, how to use self-discipline and a strong work ethic to be successful, how to access resources. This helps to build resilience which is necessary in their road to becoming independent.
CLICK HERE for counselor assignments and services available.
