School news in Mercer Island.
Foundation ‘All in for Kids’ Phone-A-Thon is Nov. 15-16
On Nov. 15 and 16, phones across Mercer Island will be ringing when volunteers make calls to friends and neighbors on behalf of the Mercer Island Schools Foundation, asking them to make an investment in the tradition of excellence for schools and students.
The Mercer Island Schools Foundation connects the resources of the community to the academic needs of Mercer Island public schools. The district receives revenue from both the state and federal levels in addition to what is collected via property taxes locally.
The Mercer Island School District receives about $6,581 per student from the state of Washington. That puts the district in 291st position out of 300 districts, with the No. 1 position receiving the most school funding from the state. Consequently, the district relies on grant dollars from the Mercer Island Schools Foundation for its support, and is immensely grateful.
The fall “All in for Kids” Phone-A-Thon campaign has a goal to raise $484,300 for strategic K-12 programs in core academics and enrichment in the Mercer Island School District. For more information, to volunteer or to donate, visit www.mercerislandschoolsfoundation.com.
Apple recognizes MISD for technology innovation and excellence
The Mercer Island School District has again been recognized as an Apple Distinguished Program for its implementation of iPad in the classroom.
The Apple Distinguished Program designation is reserved for programs that meet criteria for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence, and demonstrate a clear vision of exemplary learning environments.
MISD’s 1:1 iPad program currently extends from grades four through 12, with 3,000 devices now in use district-wide. Professional development has been a cornerstone of the 1:1 iPad implementation. Teachers attend the annual Tech Training Day and at least two professional development workshops during the school year. The district’s technology specialists, Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs) who are master teachers themselves, have been able to support, guide and change many teaching practices that better support student learning.
“Our selection again as an Apple Distinguished Program highlights our district’s continued success toward implementing our 2020 Vision of personalized learning,” said Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano.
Mercer Island schools will have the opportunity to host and be hosted by other innovative school districts and share learning with districts around the region and world.
Schools provide lessons about bullying, disability awareness in October
Every October, Mercer Island schools and organizations across the country join together in observing National Bullying Prevention Month. The goal is to encourage communities to work together to stop bullying and cyber bullying by increasing awareness of the prevalence and impact that bullying and harassment has on all children of all ages. This year each school also conducted activities that provided awareness and understanding of disability history and people with disabilities.
Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano gave a summary of each school’s activities during his report at the Oct. 27 School Board meeting, from the elementary to high school level.
• At the high school, during BRIDGES, a lesson focused on dispelling the myth that a student’s disability defines who they are.
Discussion questions prompted students to reflect on how people with disabilities are viewed by non-disabled people, which led to conversations that challenged students’ beliefs and perceptions.
Students also completed a survey from the New York Times, then anonymously wrote an experience where they were bullied, where they did the bullying, or where they witnessed someone getting bullied at any point during their schooling in the Mercer Island School District. If the student felt comfortable, they shared their situation and read it out loud.
• At the middle school, on Unity Day students were encouraged to wear orange to support “IMS Gators Who Chomp Out Bullying.” In addition, the school created a bulletin board to highlight different abilities rather than focusing just on disabilities.
Sixth grade students watched and participated in the “Let’s Get Real” presentation, which highlighted diversity: racial, cultural, ability/disability and sexual orientation.
Kindness was the IMS character trait “Strong Pillar of the Month” for October. This included student activities such as going to a busy location and holding the door open for anyone who walks through that area, or to give genuine compliments to five people students noticed throughout the week.
• Anti-bullying lessons were given in all elementary classrooms. These targeted lessons will be delivered throughout the fall.
• At West Mercer, Taproot Theatre Company presented a bullying prevention assembly, “Camp Super Friend,” to make students aware of bullying and friendship issues.
• At Island Park, friendship groups, lunch buddies, and recess buddies were developed and will be used throughout the year to build a positive climate for all and work toward eliminating bullying in the school. In addition, physical education classes taught students appropriate ways to choose teams during PE/recess and encouraged students to play games that reduce bullying. Mentor buddies were developed between 5th grade students and special needs students to support positive interactions and experiences on the playground.
• At Lakeridge, empathy building and noticing similarities and differences have been the character-building trait and goal for the month. Teachers taught what it means to be empathetic towards others and handed out “Lion PRIDE” slips commending those who went above and beyond to show empathy.
• At Northwood, “Alexandra and the Dragon,” a bullying education and prevention production from Taproot Theater Company, was performed for the entire school. All students also watched an online presentation from Mattie Stepanek, child poet and activist who also had a disability. This was done in conjunction with the school’s monthly focus on a character trait, cooperation.
