• Monday, May 24 – Wednesday, May 26, 2010 The PLMS Library Book Fair

• May 24th 10:25 to 12:15
• May 25th and 27th 10:37 to 12:23
• May 26th 11:40 to 1:10

**Please contact Ina Ghangurde at inamukund@yahoo.com if you can help.
• Tuesday, June 15, 2010 8th Grade Promotion

2010-2011 School Year:
• Wednesday, August 4, 2010 Taking Care of Business Prep
Preparation involves copying, collating, folding, labeling, and sorting of all the forms and information that goes out the parents prior to TCBDs. If we have enough volunteers, it should not take too long. Please contact Ina at
inamukund@yahoo.com if you can help. Thank you.

• Tuesday and Wednesday, August 17 & 18, 2010 PLMS Taking Care of Business Days We need a lot of volunteers to make these days run as smoothly as possible. These are the days that students get their photos taken, turn in all the school forms, purchase PE uniforms, and join the PTSA. Please contact Ina at inamukund@yahoo.com if you can help. Any and all is help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Community-Wide Events:
• TODAY! Friday, May 21, 2010 Pine Lake Middle School, 4:30-8:30PM HOOPS OF HOPE FUNDRAISER FOR SEEDS OF HOPE

As we wind up another fabulous year at PLMS, I thought I would remind you of how we raise our money and how we spend it. As you can see most of the PLMS PTSA income comes from our Pass the Hat (40%), Membership (23%), and Emergency Prep Replenishment fees (7%) that are collected at our Taking Care of Business Days. Our total income for the Year (as of April 30, 2009) was approximately $48,000.

2009/2010 PLMS Income 2009/2010 PLMS Expenses
Pass the Hat 40% School & Curriculum Grants 51%
Membership Fees 23% Membership Fees 14%
Hoe Down & Bingo 15% Programs 15%
Emergency Prep 7% Grants to other Schools 9%
Corporate Matching 5% Administration 6%
Misc Fundraising Inc 10% Issaquah Schools Foundation Grant 3% Bond & Levy Support 3%


We take great care and responsibility in how and where we spend the money you generously give to our PTSA. This past year, we granted 52% of our income to Pine Lake Middle School and individual teachers. !4% of our income is paid to the local, state, and national PTA organizations. This year, we gave 9% to other schools in the district, including $4,000 to PCMS and $250 to the Whatcom Middle School that endured a serious fire last fall. Finally, we spend about 13% on our Programs such as Staff Appreciation, Student Recognition, Reflections, 6th grade Parent Tea, 8th Grade Promotion, and many more.

I want to thank you again for your support. I am sad that so many of you will not be a PLMS next year, but know you will find PCMS, Skyline High School, or Issaquah School as wonderful in their own ways, as PLMS is.

Lorrie Schleg
PTSA President

PLMS is blessed to have an amazing staff that cares deeply; not only about the learning that occurs during the school day, but also cares a great deal about kid’s student life and experiences at Pine Lake. The enthusiasm and energy that an educator brings to the classroom directly influences the success of their students.

The Outstanding Educator for the 2009-2010 school year is a teacher that inspires students to learn and improve, as well as engage in the curriculum and connect it to their personal lives.
This teacher makes a point to make class time and the curriculum engaging and interesting. Students and parents expressed that curriculum is brought to a “real life” level that they can relate to.

This teacher’s passion is contagious, and pride in student progress is touted. A number of times the concept of “lit a fire”…” and “created enthusiasm” for the curriculum was expressed. Progress systems and learning models give wonderful and immediate feedback to the students. This teacher teaches not only concepts, but also that each and every student should believe in themselves and can succeed across the curriculum. This teacher is both kind and a mentor to other teachers, as if the daily teaching schedule isn’t packed enough.

This year’s PTSA Outstanding Educator Award goes to Jeff Burgard. His name has been added to the PTSA plaque, he received a state recognition pin, and a financial scholarship grant in his name has been given by the PLMS PTSA to the state PTSA which supports students pursuing post-secondary education.

Congratulations Mr. Burgard!
Pine Lake Middle School PTSA

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!

*QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? PLEASE CONTACT Fran Clairmont ABOUT ANY OF THE ABOVE PASSIVE FUNDRAISING DRIVES fclairmont@hotmail.com

Visit our legislative page or visit the WA State PTA site at www.wastatepta.org

Thank you to the nearly 800 parents, businesses, and PTSA members for contributing to the success of Nourish Every Mind 2010! Our 12th Annual Benefit Luncheon, held on Thursday May 13, raised a record $406,000. The generous support of our attendees will ensure that students across the District have the resources to develop and achieve the promise of their academic potential.

It was truly satisfying to see the level of PTSA participation at the Luncheon. PTSA’s were well represented with tables from Beaver Lake, Briarwood, Cascade Ridge, Challenger, Clark, Cougar Ridge, Endeavour, Grand Ridge, Issaquah Valley Elementary, Issaquah Middle, Issaquah High, Liberty, Maple Hills, Maywood, Newcastle , Pine Lake, Skyline, Sunset and Sunny Hills. What a terrific reminder of the power of the ISF/PTSA partnership to make positive changes for our students and schools.

If you were unable to attend Nourish Every Mind, please go to www.issaquahschoolsfoundation.org to view pictures, a time-lapse video of the Issaquah Community Center transformation or to make a donation.

Why Pay a Tutor?
As we head into the final weeks of school, remind your student to get any additional help they need to ace end-of-year tests at the Foundation’s FREE After-School Homework Clubs and Labs at middle and high schools. Both offer teacher-assisted tutoring. Contact your school for its After-School Homework Club/Lab schedule.

This year’s ISF/PTSA Liaison at PLMS is Brenda Wagner and she can be reached at 425-392-2062.

President (or Co-Presidents) Needed for PLMS PTSA! Please consider getting involved…it’s fun, a great way to stay connected (at a time your child is pulling away) and it’s not nearly as time-consuming as you think. It’s also a good way to meet other parents (especially if you’re new to PLMS or middle school in general). We look forward to hearing from you… If you are interested or know someone coming from Discovery, Sunny Hills or Beaver Lake that would be interested, contact Nominating Committee Member Gina Jannetto at gjannetto@comcast.net

Special thanks to teacher Rich Butler for leading a great discussion of the book, Boys Adrift by Dr. Leonard Sax at this past Monday’s PTSA General Meeting. Boys Adrift was chosen by a large group of PLMS staff to read as part of an in-school book group. They have discussed the book over several months and have explored the truths behind it and how to implement change as a result of what they learned. Rich broke the book down into chapters and touched on all the key points. It brought up many concerns parents face when relating to, and engaging in, their sons social and academic lives. The conversation was lively and clearly touched a nerve for many of those in attendance. Thank you Rich for taking the time to share this relevant book and your insights as they relate to our kids at PLMS and beyond.

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.

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@issaquah.wednet.edu or Meagan Elliot (L-Z) elliotm@issaquah.wednet.edu. They will work as a confidential liaison with the PTSA on your behalf.

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: