UPDATED: Baccalaureate Co-Chair previews RHS PTSA Meeting

BREAKING NEWS:  I'm still waiting to hear more official results of the meeting, but I can report that a large majority vote was taken to keep the RHS-PTSA as the sponsor for Baccalaureate and to name it "Baccalaureate."  The RHS-PTSA board is yet to announce the location for Baccalaureate 2013.  Over 100 parents attended, including two State PTSA officials to help out with the voting process.  Conversations lasted for about an hour and a half before the votes were taken.  BY  9-27

Dear friends of Redmond High,

You may have heard by now that on Wednesday, September 26 at 7 pm in the RHS
PAC, the RHS PTSA is holding a special General Membership meeting to
determine the fate of Baccalaureate 2013.

As one of the co-chairs of Baccalaureate 2013, I wanted to give you a brief
preview of the issues at hand. A vocal portion of the PTSA Board of
Directors believes that Baccalaureate should be changed as follows:   READ MORE >>

Redmond High PTSA Co-Presidents give KUDOS for school's community volunteerism

We all need help sometimes...

By Jan LaFond and Shelley Flores, Co-Presidents, RHS PTSA

We like to think of Redmond High as not only a great school for learning, but also an important member of a larger caring community. Our students, staff and volunteers actively support community organizations that help others and contribute to the greater good.  Read More >>

LWSD Administrator Jane Todd holds Town Hall Meeting at Evergreen Junior High

RHS Principal Jane Todd at the podium w/ associates
 addressing the LWSD Board, 2009.  Her speech topic:
"Building culture at RHS" 

from the desk of  RHS District Principal Jane Todd to the Redmond High Community...

I had the pleasure of meeting with all the 8th and 9th graders at Evergreen Junior High School a couple
of weeks ago (don't worry, RJHS, your turn will come in early 2012.) Other administrators from both
EHS and RHS participated with me in a Town Meeting format. I have to first tell you I was absolutely
charmed by all their questions, but my favorite was: Student: "So, tell me about the parking lot
situation at Redmond High." Me: (after a significant pause in which I tried to determine the seriousness of the question) "Well, if you can drive - with a license to do so - you can get a parking pass." The student was in the 8th grade. Never let it be said these students do not plan ahead.

At the end of each session, we were asked by Jan Olson, Principal at EJHS, to give one piece of advice
that students could act on now. Mine was, "Reflect on who you are, what you have done to date to
meet the goals you have for yourself and what changes you may need to make for the future because
you will have a fresh start next fall." I went on to mention that there are only a few times in our lives
when we have the opportunity to start over with a fresh slate. Read More >>

Redmond High Principal Todd writes parents about the power of community in addressing drug abuse

Principal Jane Todd, Redmond HS writes in the November issue of the "Mustang Messenger"

"....I know the world has changed.  As an example, as I write this, on October 31, 2011, we are projected to reach 7 billion people worldwide today. In the 60's, the world population was 2 billion. But I also know that people are pretty much the same, albeit a bit more harried. I experienced the power of community growing up, but I have also experienced the power of community time after time as an adult.  Read More >>

Redmond High School PTSA Presidents' Fall Letter announces "Much Ado About Nothing"

"From the desk of Jan LaFond and Shelley Flores, Presidents' RHS-PTSA"...

Hello to all,

As we move through the fall season, many have settled into school year routines. It's a busy period at Redmond High as students learn to deal with their new academic demands, participate in fall sports, after school clubs, and other creative activities. It's also an exciting time when new friendships begin and students come across old acquaintances from earlier years.

The fall has brought some highlights. Redmond High was involved in the Nick of Time event in early October, a community based screening for heart-related conditions in youth. Your PTSA was involved in the effort, providing food and beverages to the professional volunteers.

RHS students celebrated Homecoming in mid-October with a fabulously fun assembly, a close football game and a wonderful dance the next evening. The Leadership students, in conjunction with the PTSA, put together this great weekend! Many clubs created or contributed unique items for sale at the annual Homecoming Round-up. All funds raised benefit the specific goals of each of these very diverse and committed clubs.

The bands and orchestra have presented their fall concerts. The theater arts production of "Much Ado about Nothing" is right around the corner, beginning in early November.

This is but a sampling of the activity at RHS this fall. We hope it's been a positive and productive time for all RHS students and families!

Sincerely,

Jan LaFond and Shelley Flores
Presidents, RHS-PTSA
Mustang Messenger, November 3

Contact us at rhs.ptsa.news@gmail.com. For more information about the PTSA, please visit our web site at http://www.redmondhsptsa.org/. Many thanks to our members and our community partners. 

Discover Yoga, Roos Orthodontics, Regal Finance Bank are a few of the RHS-PTSA community partners.  B.Y.

Redmond High School PTSA holds General Membership and Awards meeting June 8.

Redmond High PTSA General Membership Meeting, June 8. 

PLEASE JOIN US!  The  Redmond High PTSA will be holding a General Membship meeting this Wednesday, June 8th from 7:00-8:30 PM.

We need you: please join us! We will be honoring our scholarship recipients and volunteers, and voting on ways to help students in need in our community. Please join us. We will be in the  Redmond High school's Career Center.

Congratulations to the 2011-2012

RHS PTSA slate of officers

Co-Presidents: Shelley Flores and Jan LaFond
1st Vice President of Program: Peg Hunt
2nd Vice President of Services: Karen Figurelle
Treasurer: Susan Seabrooks
Secretary: Marie Kent

REDMOND HIGH SCHOOL PTSA AWARDS

Redmond High School 2011 award recipients will be announced soon

Golden Acorn, Golden Mustang, Outstanding Educator, Outstanding Advocate.

Congratulations to our Reflections winners!

Excellence in Film - Pierce Adler
Outstanding in Literature - Samvit Jain
Excellence in Literature - Maya Balakrishnan

Redmond High PTSA website

LW - PTSA - Community Digest for the Week

COMMUNITY DIGEST

Here's the latest LW - PTSA Topics for the Week

Family Facing Problems?
College Sorority Information Forum
Plant Trees for Pearl Jam
Leadership Workshop.  The Power of Hope
Digital Arts Festival
Ride Shakedown Ride
Fifth Annual Classic Rockathon
Whiz Kids Wanted
Soccer Spring Training Workshop

To learn more about any of these topics, Read More >>

PTSA Parent News and Education

from the desk of Joanne Hall ...

MUSTANG WEEKLY:  PTSA Parent News and Education, 2/14

• Preparing your AD/HD and LD teen for success in college - February 15, 6:30 pm, Evergreen Hosp.
• Roadblocks to achievement - "the Misorganized child", two sessions, February 26, 10 am, Senior Ctr
• Raising an emotionally challenging child - Dr. John Gottman, March 2, 7-9 pm, Washington Cathedral
• What is it about our boys? - Micheal Thompson, PhD, March 7, 11 am.  Mercer Island Boys Club 

DO ANY OF THESE PROGRAMS INTEREST YOU?  READ THE DETAILS >>
Read More >>

Redmond High School PTSA endorses levy measure

PLEASE VOTE FOR THE LWSD LEVY. The Lake Washington School District is facing overcrowding at all levels in our schools, including at RHS. In response, the District has placed a levy measure on the ballot on February 8th. The levy measure will fund additional space at RHS, as well as other needed improvements. The RHS PTSA has endorsed this measure and urges your support. Want to learn more? Please read about levy myths and facts.
 
Redmond High School PTSA
Mustang Weekly, 1/31

PTSA News and Parent Education

from the desk of Joanne Hall.... Council PTSA Chair of Parent Education

NOMINATIONS FOR PTSA AWARDS. Each year the LWPTSA Council highlights eight very special awards given to individuals who continually contribute their time toward our schools, PTSAs and the Lake Washington School District. The PTSA Council wants your nominations of people who are actively involved in the community, contributing beyond the borders of a local school. Awards are: Community Service, Outstanding Service, Outstanding Advocate, Certificate of Special Service, Outstanding Educator, Golden Acorn, Honorary Life Membership, and Community Outreach. Nominations are due by January 14th. For more information on awards, nomination forms, and submission instructions, please see the PTSA Council's Awards page.

GREAT CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN PARENTS & TEENS. One of the greatest balancing acts parents face in today's world is knowing when to step forward to help and guide their teens' lives and when to let their teens make independent decisions and choices for themselves. How do families work together in a partnership of trust and respect as children and parents encounter new experiences? In this presentation, you will learn: How to distinguish between hype, myth and facts around potentially risky choices? What are the right questions to ask? What information do your students need? Presenter: Julie Metzger, RN on Monday, January 24th from 7 - 9 PM at the RHS PAC. Sponsored by the Lake Washington PTSA Council. Questions? Contact Joanne Hall, Chair, Parent Education.  Read More >>

Annual Horace Mann Pancake fundraiser not so ordinary!

HORACE MANN PTSA ANNUAL
PANCAKE BREAKFAST FUNDRAISER

Dad's have to get up at  5:30 a.m. to start whipping up the batter.  (Moms sleep in?) 

The grill is just outside the school kitchen.  Other dads are in back frying up some bacon and cutting orange wedges. 

This year the gate opened at 7 a.m. The kids were treated to ring-side seats of the Greatest Saturday Morning City Show On Earth!

A large contingent of police and fire workers turned-out!  They all bought tickets to support the PTSA and fill up on cakes.  Then John Marchione, our Mayor, stepped in.  Four  councilmembers came too!  On the left with hat, is Council VP Pat Vache', Mayor John Marchione is in the middle and on the right is John Stilin - our newest councilmember.  Mr. Stilin brought his two sons.  He's the Council Chair of Parks & Trails.  Not seen is Council President Richard Cole and Councilmember Hank Margeson.  Hank Chairs the Finance Committee.  Hank had to leave early to get to a baseball  Referee Certification Progam.   Hank informed us about the breakfast when he announced the event on RC-TV during a council meeting. Thanks, Hank!

The kids got a huge bonus when the fire trucks stopped by.  "Hey, this is better than chocolate milk"!

I can't remember my daughter Lexie ever sitting down with her pancakes to an event of this proportion.  Wow.  What a treat!

The PTSA mom's were happy, too!   

By Bob Yoder
Photos by Yoder

Do any other Horace Mann parents remember these times?   Do you want to share a memory?  Or, comment on the fundraiser experience of your school? 

UPDATED, 9/19, As City Council "scratches" for issues, my reporting will drill deeper in LWSD news & community comment.

How many chickens should the city let us have in our backyard?

Believe it or not,  zoning  for backyard chickens was cause for 20 minutes of deliberations by our city councilmembers in their Tuesday evening Special Meeting.

The issue of urban sustainablity has aparently brought urban chicken zoning to the forefront of several cities across the country. Read about the Missoula, MT story of the couple pictured here.

As one councilmember said, you never know, food may someday get scarce and we'd be smart to plan for sustainable food sources; and living closer to our food sources is desirable.  Another councilmember said the eggs are as important as the meat.  The Council majority finally concluded chickens would be a neighorhood backyard nuisance and didn't want to change the ordniance.

According to the local Reporter newspaper, the City of Redmond currently allows up to 10 chickens per half acre.  

An Ombudsman letter initiated the discussion and decision for a council zoning vote.  The same citizen sent the Redmond Blog their letter, but I read it in disbelief.  In short, the citizen claimed Seattle allows 3 hens per lot and Bellevue allows 6 chickens per urban lot, so why not Redmond?   Hens are quieter than chickens.

Council concluded  most residents wouldn't want chickens scratching and cockadoodling in their neighbors backyard and advised NO to a zoning change.  Guess it's time to load up on canned meats!

Mayor Marchione is doing a very good job in his first year and a half.  Don't you think?   Council is now left with "scratching" for issues for their Tuesday night City Hall meetings, for this moment.   Thus my coverage is shifting to their Council Committee Meetings - in which it now appears many of their decisions are made.  (Further review reveals voting in Committee Meetings are "advisory" only).  I am starting to cover Lake Washington School Board Meetings, as well.

by Bob Yoder