• Wednesday, January 13, 2010 Understanding Teen Stress, Cascade Ridge Elementary Coyote Café, 7:00-8:30
• Monday, January 18, 2010 (MLK Day – NO school) PTSA Focus Day, Olympia WA
• Friday, April 16, 2010 SAVE THE DATE! PLMS BINGO Night
• Register to vote online at
• To join the PLMS PTSA go to for a membership form.

“Thanks to your generosity at Taking Care of Business Day through the "Pass the Hat" program and shopping tote bag sales, the PTSA Curriculum Grant Committee was able to gift $10,000 in Curriculum Grants to teachers this fall.

The committee received creative and insightful grant applications which reflect the strong standard of excellence and talent teachers that are such a part of PLMS. An evaluation criteria/process including need, sustainability and number of students impacted was used by the committee. Applicants were asked to set goals with relationship to the curriculum, and how measurement and results will be communicated. Teachers applied for grant money and grants were reviewed by a committee as well as Principal Adler, and applicants were given the opportunity to present to the grant committee. Grant items are 'hard goods' which were well researched and to be used for several subsequent years. Items will be in place for use this school year...by February, 2010, if not before.

Items included: Cooking Club supplies, microphone amplifiers (standard in all new schools) high interest novels and magazines for disinterested readers, software, camera and microphone for documenting class activities/projects, DVD's to replace outdated materials, an oscillating sander, library books to correlate with curriculum materials, Ping Pong tables for use during lunch and for PE curriculum, group projection equipment for science classes, CD's to support new curriculum.

The grant monies awarded are truly incredible during tough economic times that affect us all, and speaks to the fact that PLMS parents value the wonderful teaching and learning opportunities provided to students at Pine Lake. The creativity and forethought shown in the applications simply speaks to the wonderful level of teaching and learning occurring on a daily basis at PLMS. The applicants were very appreciative!

Thank you to committee members Kim Klinke, Diane Laucius and Joanne Wrightson”.

Cyn Baumert and Julie Siefkes
Co-Chairs Curriculum Grants

The PTSA has set up a new fund to provide basic scholarships/financial help to PLMS students. Some examples of how this fund is intended to be utilized are: club fees, planner cost, directory cost, PE clothes, and yearbook and science goggles). Given the difficult economic times that many of our families are encountering, we established this fund to ensure NO PLMS student feels left out of school programs and activities. More specific details of the program will be in our October newsletter but in the meantime if your child needs financial help to participate in school activities, please contact the appropriate school counselor: Kristen Brittain (A-K) brittaink[at]issaquah.wednet.edu or Meagan Elliot (L-Z) elliotm[at]issaquah.wednet.edu. They will work as a confidential liaison with the PTSA on your behalf.

Please register your Safeway card! This is a terrific fundraiser that requires very little. Register your card and Safeway will donate anywhere from 2-4% back to the PLMS PTSA for each purchase you make throughout the year. Here is the link to signup: https://secure.escrip.com/jsp/supporter/registration/step1.jsp (enter PINE LAKE PTSA). If you no longer have your card (or don’t know your card number), you can call Safeway at 877-723-3929 and give them your phone number. They will give you your card number to register. Once your card is registered, there is nothing else to do but shop!

Papa Murphy’s Discount Cards are available for purchase. These cards feature over $28.00 in savings, but only cost $5.00. You may purchase as many as you would like and they never expire. This is terrifically tasty way to save money and help your school.

Have you seen the cute bags people are toting around? We still have some available - These aren’t just any old’ bags, these come in 3 sizes and several fun patterns and colors. The bags are made from 100% polypropylene and can hold up to 40 pounds. They are priced at $5, $10 and $15. You will find all kinds of uses for these bags (our “product testers” already have)! Please contact Fran Clairmont at fclairmont@hotmail.com for available styles. We will be stopping sales of these bags very soon.

Visit our website www.pinelakeptsa.org or visit the WA State PTA site at www.wastatepta.org

Parents, many of you already have heard that on February 9th, 2010 Issaquah voters will vote by absentee ballot to approve or reject 3 levies. The levies directly impact Issaquah Schools, including PLMS, therefore we encourage you to learn what you can about the levies, make sure you are registered to vote, and send in your ballot in February. Click here to register »

Shop for Issaquah Schools Foundation
Did you know that you could support the Issaquah Schools Foundation every time you shop at amazon.com? Simply go to the ISF website at www.issaquahschoolsfoundation.org and click on the apple icon to enter amazon.com. ISF will earn up to 8% on every purchase you make. There is no cost or obligation to you, yet your purchases will automatically raise funds for ISF!

Make ISF Your Facebook Friend!
ISF is becoming social media savvy! Thanks to the volunteer efforts of Krista Mui , ISF has a Facebook page. Take a moment to join our family. You’ll be privy to pictures, fun tidbits, and behind-the-scenes information. Find us at www.facebook.com.

Nourish Every Mind
It’s not gone…we’ve just moved it to the Spring. Keep reading your PTSA newsletter and watch the ISF website for the date and location.

PTSA Nominating Committee: The upcoming 2010-2011 school year will be a big one – for EVERYONE. Not only will some of the PLMS families move to PCMS but we will welcome some BLMS families here. With all this change in store, the PTSA Executive Board will play a crucial role in unifying and leading the new PLMS community. Do you want to be part of forming this wonderful new PTSA Board? Or do you know parents of incoming Discovery, Sunny Hills, or BLMS students that you think would be perfect for the nominating committee? If so, email Ina Ghangurde at inamukund@yahoo.com or Sara Blessington at sara@blessington.org as soon as possible to let them know you're interested or know someone. You can serve on the committee and still nominate yourself for a Board position…hurry and sign up to serve on the PTSA Nominating Committee. Thanks in advance!

Transition Liaison: We are looking for a parent to represent PLMS on a district-wide Transition Committee. Your role would be to attend meetings regarding the Issaquah School District school transition and report new developments and updates to the PLMS PTSA Board. If you’re interested contact Lorrie Schleg at lorrieschleg@comcast.net

General Help: Like working with students? Prefer managing a program? There are many volunteer opportunities to fit the time you have to give to PLMS. After all, one of the best ways to get to know your child’s school and become connected with the school community is to get involved. We have many jobs for you, big and small; also, many PTSA jobs can be done from home, or in the evenings. If you’re interested in chairing or being on one of the committees listed in the student directory and/or would you like more information about one of these, please contact either Ina Ghangurde or Sarah Blessington, VPs of Volunteers at either inamukund@yahoo.com (for Ina) or sara@blessington.org (for Sara).

The Reflections art contest results are in. The judges have selected the twelve entries that best expressed the theme, “Beauty Is…” Congratulations to these students who will represent Pine Lake Middle School at the District Reflections competition in January (the full list of winners is available in the office). There were four Honorable Mention awards handed out as well. We had outstanding participation this year with forty nine art entries! Thank you to everybody who participated and to the 10 judges who volunteered their time. The finalist entries will be displayed during lunch on Friday, Nov. 20th. All students can pick up their entries at that time (or in the office any time after that.) Thanks again for an outstanding Reflections year! Be thinking about next year’s Reflections theme, “Together We Can…”

This is a segment of the PTSA Monthly Newsletter born from a meeting where some PTSA Board members realized they don’t know everything (surprise, surprise). So, given the PTSA’s committed role as a conduit of information for all its members, posting these questions and answers in the Monthly NewFlash might serve to enlighten us all. If you have a “Dumb Question” you would like answered for the entire community or just simply answered via email, please contact Stacy Heller at onesmartcookie@comcast.net

Q: It’s middle school and so much is different…do I still get teachers a holiday gift?
A:Naturally, that’s a personal choice based on your finances and your student’s relationship with their teachers. That being said, it is nice to acknowledge any teachers that you or your student feel a connection with in particular.

A special note of "Thanks" to the following people that volunteered on November 20th, to help make our first Pine Lake Staff Luncheon a huge success. The Pine Lake staff and teachers sincerely appreciated all of your time and contributions and absolutely loved everything! I'm still receiving so many compliments and requests for the recipes we used. Thank you again to the following for helping put together this amazing function: Deb Rossman, Sydney Holderness, Michell Jensen, Kay Westlake, Cari Copner, Ellen Owen, Linday McGarvey, Kathy Heneghan, Emily Honig, Rachel Guzzetti, Gretchen Roeder, Laurie Saxe, Angela Chriest, Colette Dow, Tammie Tranhant, Sarah Major,Tara Johnson, Stacy Heller, Kim Spataro, Susan Sullivan, Beth Newkirk, Sabina Aghamirzadeh, and Levirina Krempl. Thanks again for volunteering...you're all amazing! - Sincerely, Sabina Aghamirzadeh, Staff Appreciation Chair and Levirina Krempl and Beth Newkirk, Co-Chairs.

Thank you Barb Cluff for chairing Reflections this year. She had little time to coordinate and organize this program at PLMS, but she did it wonderfully. Reflections was a great success (see above for more details). Thank you to the following Reflections judges: Susan Stockman, Dan Plastina, Doug Siefkes, Julie Siefkes, Jo Ann Pennock, Donna Bartholomew, Maureen Doherty, Kelly Morgan, Ron Sebrowski, Rose Ann Frechette, and Dirk Simon. In addition, Randee Anderson and Jan Bennet in the office were a tremendous help. They went the extra mile to help and were absolutely wonderful. Thank you, also to Mike (one of our awesome custodians), for setting up tables and for helping carefully cut down an entry that was too big (he brought his box cutter and helped a student make her entry fit within the restrictions for size). He also went above and beyond to help. Finally, thank you to Karen Worth who helped with publicity by making a beautiful flyer and posting it around the school. She did this all on her own and was so willing to offer to help with anything.

Pine Lake Middle School takes pride in the Community Outreach program that it has provided to our local community for the past 10 years. Please contact JoAnn Spears at 425-392-3506 or jtsspears[at]hotmail.com if you are interested in signing up for any of the below opportunities.

The FEED THE HUNGRY PROGRAM allows PLMS families to prepare and serve a meal to the patrons in need at the Issaquah Fire Station. The meal is served the 2nd Wednesday of each month. The dates for PLMS to serve are Wednesdays: January 13, 2010, March 10, 2010 and May 12, 2010. Please contact JoAnn to participate.

COMMUNITY PASSES are available to any PLMS families in need of a scholarship to the Issaquah Swimming Pool and/or the Issaquah Community Center. Each year PLMS earns hundreds of community service hours which are turned into complimentary passes to local families.

Lorrie Schleg, President
Diane Laucius, Secretary
Monica De Raspe-Bolles, Treasurer
Stacy Heller, VP Communications
Ina Ghangurde, VP Volunteers
Sara Blessington, VP Volunteers
Fran Clairmont, VP Fundraising

If you have questions, or would like to make a submission, please fill out the form below: