Parent Association Newsletters
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A Final Note from our President, Jessica Lin
Another exciting school year has come to an end and it’s time to give thanks and do a short reflection… Thank you to the 2023-2024 Board (Darla Watanabe, David Forrester, Daniel Steinberg, Emily Nelson, Heather Sabotta, Hila Alkalay, Mully Samrith, Sid Kulkarni, and Taryn Rathbone-Daub) for all of your contributions to the board and the community this year! You all brought so many new passions and events to the community, many of which I know will be continued in future years to come. To the entire parent community, thank you for showing up to the events we sponsored, engaging with us and one another, and making generous donations. We feel the love and hope you do too! Thanks to the 26% of you who voted in the Board of Directors elections, I’m happy to announce that the 5 people going up for election (including yours truly) have all been elected and confirmed for next year’s board. While I’ll still be active on the board, I’m excited to pass the torch to Daniel Steinberg, who will be the next Parent Association President! Daniel has been such an integral part of the board the past 2 years that I know the board will flourish under his leadership. It has truly been an honor to serve as President of the Parent Association for the past 2 years. I’ve been able to meet so many dedicated board members and families in our community, and it has been such a joy to see such a large amount of activity and community development blossom again in and around campus. Thank you for letting me be a part of this magic. And with that, the current board is done for the year (after camping). I hope you all have a fun-filled and well-deserved break over the summer! The newsletter will be on hiatus and will be back to welcome you into the new school year in September, along with the new board. Signing out, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association Camping Weekend is Here! Only a few days to go until our annual MCH PA camping weekend at the Tolt MacDonald campground, June 21st-23rd! Even if you are not joining us overnight, we would love to see you during the day on Saturday, particularly for the live performance of local band, The Cowallas! Come join our dance party and stay for the campfire and s’mores. We are expecting around 100 of you to join us over the two days! All waitlisted people were given camping spaces, and all participants should have now received final instructions from David. The schedule of Saturday activities that are open to all MCH families is as follows:
The weather is going to be beautiful, so come celebrate the end of the school year with friends! More details about the camping weekend can be found here. Feel free to email or text David if you have any questions! [email protected] // 305-905-9135 A Look Back at the 2023-2024 School Year… As a Parent Association, and with your generous donations of time, food & money, we were able to accomplish so much! A few highlights:
All of this is made possible because of people like you. Thank you. Wishing you a wonderful summer break. See you in the Fall!
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A Quick Look Ahead…
MCH Parent Association Special Meeting Each year the MCH Parent Assocation holds an election for our Board of Directors. Our bylaws dictate that 25% of the MCH Parent Community must participate in the election to be valid. Emails with information on how to vote will be sent out next Wednesday, May 29th, so please be on the lookout for it. On Monday June 10th at 7:30pm, we’ll be holding a special meeting to certify and announce the election results over Zoom. This meeting usually takes about five minutes and we encourage you to join us and meet the new board of the MCH Parent Association. Email us for the Zoom meeting link.
Staff Appreciation Week Recap Thanks to your generous contributions, the PA was able to deliver an incredible Staff Appreciation Week. We showered the teachers and staff with gratitude on a number of fronts. Special shout out to extraordinary Board Member, Daniel Steinberg, for leading this effort - he went above and beyond to make SAW memorable. The unlimited coffee and beverage cart kicked things off on Monday morning alongside baked goods and other breakfast treats, plus we rolled out two 3-tier staff appreciation stations and two baskets of goodies to ensure teachers and staff campus-wide had a convenient source of treats and surprises. Parents dropped off 20+ dishes in the morning Tuesday and we put on a delicious finger food themed lunch. Staff enjoyed the nice weather, eating outside or packing up food for later in a to-go container. From Darla’s famous lemon bars, to veggie spring rolls and gyoza, to kimbap and even pizzas delivered fresh by a parent, the meal offered a little bit of everything and the teachers and staff were thrilled Members of the PA stopped by twice a day to ensure all of the staff appreciation stations were well stocked, bringing new types of snacks and surprises (like succulents, air plants, sheet masks, lip balm, and enamel pins) to keep things exciting. We did a second Costco run mid-week to so we could be sure the carts and baskets would be full through Friday afternoon.
Mid-week we also highlighted the Wall of Gratitude we built with all of your wonderful notes of thanks to teachers. We took over the main wall in the staff lounge and displayed more than 100 notes of appreciation. Thank you for coming through on this front – it was so rewarding to see folks gathered around reading all of the notes, finding the ones from their own students and admiring those from others’. Thursday’s weather paired absolutely perfectly with the smoothie bar. Featuring four berry, pineapple mango, and mocha frappe smoothies, teachers and staff were treated to made-to-order smoothies in the afternoon. This was a new treat this year and we think we’ll do it again next year – it was a huge hit. As a small token of our appreciation, the PA wrote thank you notes to each of the teachers and staff members. Inside of these envelopes were $50 gift cards to one of a number of local shops or restaurants like Spark Pizza, Brick & Mortar Books, Molly Moon’s, and Ben Franklin Crafts (plus Amazon for those who don’t live on the Eastside).
Finally, we wrapped up Staff Appreciation Week on Friday with the second potluck, this time with comfort foods. The mac and cheese, BBQ pulled pork on Hawaiian rolls, and Indian vegetable biriani were crowd pleasers, though the spread including things like Shanghai scallion oil noodles, Brazilian cheese bread, serrano & rosemary guacamole and cashew queso, and vegan cupcakes gave everyone plenty to try. While we did pause the staff lounge renovation project, we’re working with the school to pick that back up during the summer once things have settled down a bit and they have a better sense of what they need for the space.
 The MCH team’s smiles all week were infectious – they really did feel appreciated. We’re working on ways to continue to spread this joy and gratitude throughout the year, though you can be sure, with your help, we’ll be bringing our A game for Staff Appreciation Week next year too. It’s one of the biggest highlights of the year for the PA and for teachers and staff and we’re so happy we were able to represent the parents in showing the MCH team how incredibly grateful we are for all that they do for our kiddos. Camping Weekend is just around the corner… CAMPING IS FULL. However, David is coordinating a reserve list, so reach out directly to [email protected] to get your name on this For those of you who have signed up for camping, please respond to David’s latest email so we can be sure to accommodate any dietary restrictions and order you a properly sized shirt. Can’t wait!   In Awe of the Chainsaw Artist
The PA was THRILLED to sponsor Leigh Woody to come to campus to create four beautiful carvings; an owl, sunflower, bunny and mushrooms. We hope you were able to tune into the live stream. Leigh certainly carved her way into our children’s hearts! Events like this are only possible because of your support during our annual SEED fundraising drive, so thank you! The Redmond Fire Department is coming by school on Friday May 31st from 11AM-12PM. The kids will have a chance to see the big & shiny firetruck up close and ask the firefighters questions. Thank you for making all of these events possible!  A Quick Look Ahead…
Join the Parent Association Board! The Parent Association is recruiting new board members to join us next year. The strength of our community is based on our families joining and creating a space for all of us to shine and help our children become the best versions of themselves. Do ANY of the following sound like you?
Join us by submitting your application to [email protected] by Friday May 3rd.  Something EXCITING is happening tomorrow! In celebration of Earth Week at MCH, the PA is sponsoring Leigh Woody, a remarkably talented Chainsaw Artist, to come to campus to create FOUR beautiful carvings. The kids will watch the work and learn about her process throughout the day. The school will live stream the event on Facebook from 9:30-9:50am for you all to join in on the fun (and we’ll share pictures next month). Leigh’s artistry serves as a powerful reminder that creativity and sustainability go hand in hand. You can check out her art here.  Thank you to everyone who so generously gave to our SAW fundraiser last week! All the ideas we shared with you were fully funded! We're pretty thrilled to get to work on it all. We have a few ways you can participate directly, and we’re excited to see what folks bring to the table - literally and figuratively. 1. Make a Dish for the Potluck Lunches The potluck lunch last year was such a hit (for both staff and the parents who volunteered) that we're doing two separate potluck lunches this year! Please sign up for one or more slots by Friday, May 3rd. Sign Up for Potluck Lunch (Finger Foods): Tuesday, May 7th Sign Up for Potluck Lunch (Comfort Foods): Friday, May 10th 2. Share a Story of Teachers/Staff Making a Difference If you have a story you’d like to share about a teacher or MCH staff member making a real difference or going above and beyond for you and/or your child, we'd love to hear about it! We’ll share these stories during Staff Appreciation Week each day as a reminder of why their work is so important and so impactful. Simply email your story to [email protected] and we'll take it from there! And if you'd like your note to be anonymous, just mention that in the email and we'll happily do so. 3. Write a Note for the Gratitude Wall Blank notes should be coming home today or tomorrow with each student, and we ask that you return your child’s completed note(s) of gratitude by Friday, May 4th. These notes are incredibly meaningful to teachers and staff, and we absolutely love seeing everyone's contributions to this effort.  We Can’t Wait for Camping Weekend! O.M.G... You folks just love the annual MCH PA camping weekend! The event (June 21st to 23rd at the Tolt MacDonald Campground) is almost fully booked already! BUT... We do still have a few tent-sites available, so if you’re interested then please let us know here. For those who have already signed-up, you should have received a confirmation email from your trail guide, David, in the last couple of weeks. The PA will be sending out additional information (activity schedule, meal plan, kit list, waiver forms, etc.) in the month of May, so keep a look out for these emails. Any questions, call 305-905-9135 or email [email protected].  Do you hear those sirens? Guess who is coming for a visit? In response to your feedback, the PA will be organizing a visit from the Fire Department! Kids will get to explore the fire truck and talk to the firefighters about safety tips and what their jobs are like. We’re coordinating a date with the school, so stay tuned.  May Nature Walk & Play
Join us for the next installment of our monthly nature walk and play! Taking place on Saturday, May 11th (psst the day before Monther’s Day), join fellow MCH parents and friends for a gentle walk through Beaver Lake Park, located about a mile to the east of Sammamish City Center. Meet at 10:30am in the parking lot off SE 24th Street, near the lodge and native totem pole. It’s a flat 20 minute walk to the playground, where we can spend as much time as needed, before walking back for a picnic. Questions? reach out to your trail guide, David (green jacket below), at 305-905-9135. Robotics Series Recap: Over the past several weeks, upper school students have enjoyed learning basic programing skills from Ms. Sulafa during the PA sponsored Robotics Series. In one comical exercise, teachers pretended to be robots while the children gave them instructions for how to make a PB&J sandwich. The children quickly learned the importance of using unambiguous instructions when talking to robots! Students also spent time using the Edison Robots to complete a variety of tasks. The PA would like to extend a big thank you to Ms. Sulafa and the parent volunteers for making this robotics series a success! That’s all for now…Happy Spring! A Quick Look Ahead…
1st Annual International Day was SO MUCH FUN!! Thank you to the parents & teachers who so thoughtfully put together a booth and/or did a performance – it was so much fun learning about different cultures and sampling delicious snacks. Thank you to all the families who joined us to celebrate; it was a wonderful day and fun to see so many families participate. A special shout out to board member, Hila, for spearheading this inaugural event. We look forward to the 2nd Annual International Day sometime in early 2025. Stay tuned for more details! The PA is excited to sponsor the second annual Robotics Series for the upper school! Students will be using Edison Robots to explore introductory programming skills. If you are interested in helping with this event, please keep an eye out for volunteer signups via ParentSquare, and save the date: March 19 & 21: Cascara - Tuesday/Thursday (10:00-11:00) March 26 & 28: Sitka Spruce - Tuesday/Wednesday (9:30-10:30) April 1 & 2: Horsetail - Monday/Tuesday (9:30-10:30) April 16 & 18: Red Alder - Tuesday/Thursday (9:30-10:30) Get ready! Next week is when we will collect items that your family has outgrown during drop off/pick up. Simply pass your bag of goods (see instructions below) to staff who will be there to collect them. All items must be collected at school prior to the event. Items that will be accepted for this year’s swap:
Gently used, recently washed, great condition items for infants through teens are welcome. Items don't need to be folded but should be in a paper bag (preferred over plastic) and labeled with the age or age range on the outside. Please be sure to pair any socks and ensure there are no holes, and please secure pairs of shoes together either with zip ties or the shoelaces. Then join us to pick out items: Sunday, March 24th, from 1:00 - 3:00 PM at the Sammamish Boys and Girls Club Even if you don’t drop off any items, you are still welcome to come and pick out items. Any items that are left over will be donated to KidVantage. The Spring Swap will be jointly held with a family game day, so everyone can play games while you pick out new items to take home (feel free to bring your family’s favorite board or card game). There will also be some fun dancing for those that are interested! Let’s Go Camping! Spots are filling up quickly… Back by popular demand, we have made a group reservation at the Tolt-MacDonald Campsite from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd June. Located near Carnation, on the beautiful Snoqualmie River, this campsite is only 15mins drive east of the school, yet feels sufficiently outdoorsy to keep all campers happy! Packed with fun activities, games, nature walks, and group cook-outs, this weekend will fill-up fast! The PA has reserved space for 100 people, on a first-come basis. There are two categories of camping available:
For more campsite details, click here. For campsite location, click here. Help Us Pick a PA Sponsored Enrichment Specialist/Program This year, the PA will sponsor one enrichment specialist to visit the school for an engaging, hands-on experience for the kids (and staff!). So, we’d love to hear from you, which extracurricular activity do you think would excite your kids the most? And if you have a different recommendation, please let us know that too! https://forms.office.com/r/tTXJ2Uk7sQ National Staff Appreciation Week (SAW)is Coming in May… On April 15th, the PA will be kicking off a special campaign to raise funds for this special week. More news to come on the amazing plans we have in the works, but we’ll be showering the MCH staff with love, gratitude and food, thanks to your generous donations. To get into the spirit of appreciation, the PA surprised staff with a pop up snack cart loaded with fun treats last week… Join the MCH PA Board! Do you enjoy coming to Parent Association Sponsored events? Do you have something you’re passionate about that you want to bring to the community? Then the Parent Association is looking for you to join us on the board! See our page at https://www.mch-pa.org/board-recruiting.html for more information on what joining the board entails. Have questions? Then speak to any one of the current board members or email us at pa@mch-pa.org. Applications will be due Friday, May 3rd. President’s Letter Hope everyone had a great Valentine’s day last week! I know my kids certainly did with the pizza party as well as the bag of goodies and cards they brought home. It’s always so great to see the community come together in creating beautiful things for the kids to share. We’re doing a lot of firsts this year for the Parent Association. We sponsored a pizza day honoring International Pizza Day and Valentine’s Day, hosted a bonfire party, are having our first ever International Day, and are creating a community cookbook. This, on top of community favorites such as family nature walks, camping, spring swap, and parent workshops. All this is only possible through the volunteer work of dedicated members of the board and community. If you have something you’re passionate about and want to share with the community, please consider becoming a Parent Association board member. More information will be coming in March on what it entails and how to sign up. We hope you all had a wonderful mid-winter break! Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association We hope your kids loved the Pizza Party last week! We enjoyed seeing their happy faces during the delivery and we even heard one class shouting “pizza party” as they were getting ready for lunch. We’re hopeful that we can do it again sometime in the future! Mark your calendars for International Day, where we'll celebrate the traditions that enrich our MCH community. There are a few great ways to participate – the more representation we have, the better! Volunteer for a Table/Booth Teach others about your country through food, a poster, clothing – the options are endless. We're thrilled to announce that we already have people volunteering for a diverse selection of booths representing Iraq, Samoa, Vietnam, India, Israel, Brazil, Argentina, and Korea. But our global map is far from complete! Sign Up for a Performance Express your culture through the language of movement and music! Whether it's a traditional folk dance or a contemporary interpretation, your performance enriches our celebration! Share it with us. We already have India and Israel performing, and we would love to see more kids and adults representing other traditions. Sign up to volunteer by February 22nd at https://forms.office.com/r/30a7gmRbz0. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Hila at [email protected]. RSVP to Attend the Event The event will take place on March 3rd from 2:30 - 4:30 PM at the Boys and Girls club in Sammamish – we’d love to see you there! The excitement is already contagious, with RSVPs pouring in! To help us prepare for this incredible journey, please RSVP through the Parent Square post. We can't wait to celebrate with you! LAST CHANCE to contribute your favorite family recipe(s)! Read all the details HERE. If you contribute a recipe, you will receive a complimentary cookbook!* *one per family Submit Online Log in: Mchpa Password: simmer036 Questions? [email protected]Nature Walk & Family Picnic Join us for our next stroll through the woods (about 1 mile), followed by kids' playtime, and a family picnic! This month we will visit St. Edward State Park (located between Juanita and Kenmore) for an out-and-back trail to the shore of Lake Washington. This easy route is tree lined, so great for all weather conditions. Plus, there is a lovely climbing frame and swing-set for when we get back. For those who want, we will stay a while longer and enjoy a picnic and chat with friends. Meet us in the parking lot at 10.30am on Sunday 17th March. For more information, call or text your trail guide – David, aka Ella’s Daddy (Snowberry), on 305 905 9135. Friendly reminder that we will collect items that your family has outgrown during drop off/pick up from March 18th to March 22nd. Items included in the swap: lightly used children’s clothing (clothes, outerwear, boots, shoes, costumes), and books. Please note that toys and kids’ furniture is not included in the swap. And we hope to see you on Sunday, March 24th from 1-3pm at the Sammamish Boys and Girls Club to select and pick out items to bring home! Annual MCH Camping Weekend! The time has come to sign-up for our annual family camping trip! Back by popular demand, we have made a group reservation at the Tolt-MacDonald Campsite from Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd June. Located near Carnation, on the beautiful Snoqualmie River, this campsite is only 15mins drive east of the school, yet feels sufficiently outdoorsy to keep all campers happy! Packed with fun activities, games, nature walks, and group cook-outs, this weekend will fill-up fast! The PA has reserved space for 100 people, on a first-come basis. There are two categories of camping available:
For more campsite details, click here. For campsite location, click here. Thank you to those who were able to join us on February 8th for our second annual Positive Discipline Workshop. What a fabulous community of parents! We shared stories, ideas, challenges, and lots of laughter, too. Our dynamic activities and conversations focused on common parenting strategies that don’t exactly teach our kiddos what we intend to teach them, as well as the art and practice of letting go. While we don’t often have specific answers in raising our children, we have one another to learn and grown with. Many thanks to Angela Spayde, Head of School and Julie Zivah, MS, RDN, CPC, Founder Zivah Coaching, LLC for leading this event! We all look forward to our next workshop. Five Criteria for Positive Discipline:
Upcoming Events:
 President’s Letter
Hope everyone has had a great start to a new year, despite the cold! Here on the PA, we’re super excited to kick off our second half of programming. Below is a summary of what we have planned. Mark your calendars!
We look forward to seeing you at these events! If you have any questions for feedback, feel free to check out the Parent Association website or email us at pa@mch-pa.org. Warmly, Jessica Lin First Annual MCH International Day! When: Sunday, March 3rd from 2:30-4:30PM Where: Boys and Girls Club of Sammamish For the first time at MCH, you will have the chance to share your culture and traditions with our community! To celebrate the rich diversity we have at our beloved school, the PA will be organizing an International Day! We will have booths with food, performances, and more! Imagine the feeling of traveling around the world, by moving from one booth to the next, exploring the rich assortment of food, music, and customs each one showcases. For more information, click HERE. if you haven’t already, please click HERE sign up for a booth, a performance, or both! The MCH Community Cookbook Contribute your family’s favorite recipes to the MCH Community Cookbook! Read all the details HERE. Deadline is February 15, 2023 Submit Online Log in: Mchpa Password: simmer036 Great news! If you contribute a recipe, you will receive a complimentary MCH Community Cookbook!* *1 cookbook per family Questions? emily@mch-pa.org February Family Walk & Play Join Us! President’s Letter Hope everyone has had a great start to a new year, despite the cold! Here on the PA, we’re super excited to kick off our second half of programming. Below is a summary of what we have planned. Mark your calendars!
We look forward to seeing you at these events! If you have any questions for feedback, feel free to check out the Parent Association website or email us at pa@mch-pa.org. Warmly, Jessica Lin First Annual MCH International Day! When: Sunday, March 3rd from 2:30-4:30PM Where: Boys and Girls Club of Sammamish For the first time at MCH, you will have the chance to share your culture and traditions with our community! To celebrate the rich diversity we have at our beloved school, the PA will be organizing an International Day! We will have booths with food, performances, and more! Imagine the feeling of traveling around the world, by moving from one booth to the next, exploring the rich assortment of food, music, and customs each one showcases. For more information, click HERE. if you haven’t already, please click HERE sign up for a booth, a performance, or both! The MCH Community Cookbook Contribute your family’s favorite recipes to the MCH Community Cookbook! Read all the details HERE. Deadline is February 15, 2023 Submit Online Log in: Mchpa Password: simmer036 Great news! If you contribute a recipe, you will receive a complimentary MCH Community Cookbook!* *1 cookbook per family Questions? emily@mch-pa.org February Family Walk & Play Join Us! Date: Saturday, February 3rd Time: 10:30AM-11:30AM Location: Evan's Creek Preserve (entrance off of 202) Second Annual Positive Discipline Parenting Workshop The word “discipline” is from the Latin word disciplina, meaning “instruction and training.” It is derived from the root word discere— “to learn.” Relatable for all ages, Positive Discipline is a guide for both caregivers and teachers as they support children on their journeys! Join Head of School, Angela Spayde, and Parent Coach, Julie Zivah, for an illuminating conversation about connection and community. This year will offer new insights as we discuss how Positive Discipline can inspire educators in the classroom and caregivers in the home, while helping you identify your personal parenting values. We look forward to learning in person with you! When: Thursday, February 8th from 6:30-8:15pm Where: Lily Pad, near MCH. Additional location details will be provided to those who RSVP. Please RSVP via ParentSquare. NOTE: This event is for adults only. Childcare will be offered on campus for early childhood students and older. Please RSVP for childcare when confirming. Pizza Party! Did you know that February 9th is National Pizza Day? In order to celebrate this momentous day and to spread some love, the PA is sponsoring a pizza party for all students and staff on Wednesday, February 14th! That's right, that means that you don’t need to pack lunch that day for your child(ren)! We will provide cheese pizza (including gluten-free and vegan for those with allergies/dietary restrictions), a fruit, and a vegetable. Toddlers up to middle school will be included (sorry infants), as well as staff. If you would like to opt your child out, please add your child's name and classroom to the OPT-OUT list in ParentSquare. You do not need to respond to be included, we are only asking to be informed if you would like your child to not be served pizza. If your child has an allergy or dietary restriction that is not already on record with the school, please email [email protected] to have that updated. Spring Swap is Back! Last year we up-cycled lots of clothing and books to other families within our MCH community, and donated the rest to KidVantage (formerly Eastside Baby Center) in Issaquah. We will collect items that your family has outgrown during drop off/pick up from March 18th to March 22nd. Then on Sunday, March 24 (1-3pm), all families are invited to the Sammamish Boys and Girls Club to select and pick out any available items to bring home. Anything that’s left over will be donated to local organizations. We will send out more details later, but wanted to get this message out early so you can start putting aside items that may no longer be a good fit for your family. Items included in the swap: lightly used children’s clothing (clothes, outerwear, boots, shoes, costumes), and books. Please note that toys and kids’ furniture is not included in the swap. Upcoming Events:
We hope 2024 is off to a great start for your family… Donate to the MCH Parent Association Date: Saturday, February 3rd Time: 10:30AM-11:30AM Location: Evan's Creek Preserve (entrance off of 202) Second Annual Positive Discipline Parenting Workshop The word “discipline” is from the Latin word disciplina, meaning “instruction and training.” It is derived from the root word discere— “to learn.” Relatable for all ages, Positive Discipline is a guide for both caregivers and teachers as they support children on their journeys! Join Head of School, Angela Spayde, and Parent Coach, Julie Zivah, for an illuminating conversation about connection and community. This year will offer new insights as we discuss how Positive Discipline can inspire educators in the classroom and caregivers in the home, while helping you identify your personal parenting values. We look forward to learning in person with you! When: Thursday, February 8th from 6:30-8:15pm Where: Lily Pad, near MCH. Additional location details will be provided to those who RSVP. Please RSVP via ParentSquare. NOTE: This event is for adults only. Childcare will be offered on campus for early childhood students and older. Please RSVP for childcare when confirming. Pizza Party! Did you know that February 9th is National Pizza Day? In order to celebrate this momentous day and to spread some love, the PA is sponsoring a pizza party for all students and staff on Wednesday, February 14th! That's right, that means that you don’t need to pack lunch that day for your child(ren)! We will provide cheese pizza (including gluten-free and vegan for those with allergies/dietary restrictions), a fruit, and a vegetable. Toddlers up to middle school will be included (sorry infants), as well as staff. If you would like to opt your child out, please add your child's name and classroom to the OPT-OUT list in ParentSquare. You do not need to respond to be included, we are only asking to be informed if you would like your child to not be served pizza. If your child has an allergy or dietary restriction that is not already on record with the school, please email [email protected] to have that updated. Spring Swap is Back! Last year we up-cycled lots of clothing and books to other families within our MCH community, and donated the rest to KidVantage (formerly Eastside Baby Center) in Issaquah. We will collect items that your family has outgrown during drop off/pick up from March 18th to March 22nd. Then on Sunday, March 24 (1-3pm), all families are invited to the Sammamish Boys and Girls Club to select and pick out any available items to bring home. Anything that’s left over will be donated to local organizations. We will send out more details later, but wanted to get this message out early so you can start putting aside items that may no longer be a good fit for your family. Items included in the swap: lightly used children’s clothing (clothes, outerwear, boots, shoes, costumes), and books. Please note that toys and kids’ furniture is not included in the swap. Upcoming Events:
We hope 2024 is off to a great start for your family… Donate to the MCH Parent Association Season of Gratitude… Thank you to everyone who donated to the SEED campaign! Your support is what funds the Parent Association and all the programs we put on, so thank you! And a special shoutout to Heather Sabotta from the board, who spearheaded the fundraising efforts and who you may have seen braving the cold during drop-off to promote our SEED campaign. Thank you, Heather for your leadership and dedication!   We also have great gratitude for the staff at MCH! This past weekend the board got together to write holiday cards for the staff, that were delivered on Tuesday. And due to the generosity of the parent community, the PA once again sponsored a portion of the staff holiday party, and gave each staff member a gift card to one of their preferred merchants. On behalf of the board, I wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season, filled with laughter and joy. Sincerely, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association SEED Update: Between October 29 and November 17th, you all raised $24,433! Even though the campaign is over, it’s never too late to donate! Many companies run an employee giving campaign during the month of December and payroll deduction makes giving easy! Please consider adding the MCH PA SEED Fund to your list of non-profit organizations receiving tax-deductible donations directly out of your paycheck. You can usually find us by our EIN or Tax ID number: 91-1960800. Your gift will help fund special events like international night, pizza parties, the MCH cookbook, robotics day, parent educational opportunities, school enrichment specialists, holiday gifts, teacher training and accreditations, and more! Were you one of the 84 families that decided not to give this year? The PA would love to know why! Please send your anonymous feedback via this survey so that we may improve our communication in future campaigns. International Day Coming in February… For the first time at MCH, you will have the chance to share your culture and traditions with our community. To celebrate the rich diversity we have at our beloved school, the PA will be organizing an International Day! We will have booths, food, performances and more. We’re imagining the feeling of traveling around the world, by moving from one booth to the next, exploring the rich assortment of food, music, and customs each one showcases. Please go to this link to sign up and help us choose the date. We hope these photos inspire you!
We are cookin’ up an MCH Community Cookbook & you are invited to submit recipes! We are thrilled to be putting together a one-of-a-kind Community Cookbook filled with cherished recipes where we aim to showcase the diverse and delicious tapestry of Montessori Children's House through your favorite recipes. What is the "thing" you bring to family meals? Whether it's passed down from your great-great-great grandpa OR on the back of the Frank's Red-Hot bottle (the Buffalo Chicken Dip is SO delicious)...Your contribution doesn't need to be fancy or sophisticated (or it can be, and we love it)... This cookbook is all about sharing the recipes that bring us joy. So, click below and help us bring the cookbook to life: https://www.typensave.com/get-started/ Log In: Mchpa Password: simmer036 Don't be afraid to enter your email after you log in (you won't get spammed). Click "Add Recipes" and channel your inner chef...the more recipes the merrier. Note: If you are pulling the recipe from your favorite website/cookbook and want to give credit, wonderful! Simply add to the note section something like: "this is my favorite weeknight recipe from Smitten Kitchen", or this is "inspired by the classic Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie recipe.", etc. Questions? [email protected] Join Us! January Family Walk & Play Date: Saturday, January 13th Time: 10:30AM-11:30AM Location: Evan’s Creek Preserve (entrance off 202) Picture from December’s meet up at the Redmond Watershed — the rain didn’t stop us from a great time in the forest!  Bonfire Follow Up Thank you to the many families that joined us last month for our community bonfire! The crisp afternoon was filled with outdoor play, cozy conversations by the fire, and many s'mores. It was a great way to welcome the cooler weather!   Rosetta Lee Workshop Follow Up
Last month we had a very productive session with Rosetta Lee on talking to our kids and youth about complicated and heated topics. Here are a couple of nuggets from the session:
Here are resources from the session: Slides Resources Thank you to all the families that attended, and we hope to see everyone at our Positive Discipline workshop on Thursday, February 8, 2024. Upcoming Events: January Family Walk & Play: Saturday, 1/13 Positive Discipline Workshop: Thursday, 2/8 Many of you may be deciding how much tax-deductible money you can give to worthy causes before the end of the year. Whether it's $5, $50 or $100, whatever you're able to do, the Parent Association would be most grateful to be included in your end-of-year giving plan. And of course, don't forget to check if your employer does matching contributions for a larger impact. Donate to the MCH Parent Association Wishing your family a festive & relaxing holiday season  President’s Letter I hope all of your families have enjoyed and are settling into the new school year. The fun is just beginning! We’re happy to announce that our events will soon be added to the school’s Parent Square calendar so that you can see all school and PA events in one place. We will regularly be adding events or save the dates as our details get confirmed. Upcoming events are also listed at the bottom of this newsletter for your convenience. Thank you to all the families that filled out the Parent Association annual survey. We had a record high number of responses, and we’re excited to share the results below. It really is so energizing to see all of your feedback and interests, as it helps drive the direction and programming of the board sponsors. Needless to say, none of this happens automatically. All of our events are driven by our volunteer board members, and our funding comes completely from the community. As we prepare to kick off the SEED campaign at the end of October, we ask that you remember the MCH Parent Association and contribute what you’re comfortable with. We look forward to seeing you and your families at Harvest Fest and our first annual bonfire (highest rated in our survey) in the coming weeks! Sincerely, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association 2023 Parent Survey Results With nearly 30% of MCH families participating, we had our largest turnout ever and collected tons of helpful feedback. The distribution across the programs (infant & toddler, early childhood, elementary, and middle school) was roughly proportional to those at the school, making for a very representative set of results. Parents’ spending priorities have a huge impact on how we approach our work for the year. In addition to a number of great events and initiatives, staff appreciation and development projects in the pipeline, we’re working with the school to identify extracurricular student activities and classroom enrichment material that will enhance our children’s experience at school. You can be sure we’ll have more for you as soon as we have updates on those fronts. We have a calendar packed with exciting events - from the Community Bonfire in November (more on that below), to our first ever International Night in February, and an even bigger Camping Weekend in June. Just as we’re doing with the responses to the spending question above, you will find that our community events programming for the year is nicely aligned with the community’s wishes. Beyond the two primary questions, we also found that parents:
Finally, we had almost 20 parents ask to be added to our brand new volunteer list and we’re so grateful for that. We’ll reach out to those individuals as opportunities become available. Thank you again to everyone who completed the 2023 survey!    Join us for a Community Bonfire! When: Saturday, November 18th 1:30PM-4:30PM Where: Lake Sammamish State Park * The fire pit is located within a covered structure, so come warm up, and toast marshmallows with us rain or shine! *Parking is free with a Discover Pass, or you can purchase a parking pass at the park. HarvestFest See you at HarvestFest! As is tradition, the Parent Association will be hosting the Pumpkin Patch in the EC Playground. Come say hi, get creative with pumpkin (and gourd!) decorating, and discover more about our exciting initiatives. We can't wait to connect with you! 2023 SEED Fundraiser Campaign Starts Sunday, October 29th! The SEED campaign entirely funds our operations and activities throughout the year. Please be on the lookout for the kickoff of our fundraising campaign the day after HarvestFest, and consider supporting our mission to enrich the MCH community in service to you as parents and our children.   Feel free to contact us at [email protected] with questions or concerns. Stay tuned for more information about an amazing parent education opportunity happening on Friday, November 10th with renowned diversity speaker and trainer, Rosetta Lee.  Upcoming Events:
Harvest Fest: Saturday, 10/28, 10am-12pm SEED campaign starts: Sunday, 10/29 Rosetta Lee Workshop: Friday, 11/10, 5-7pm Bonfire: Saturday, 11/18, 1:30pm-4:30pm Wishing your family a peaceful & joy-filled fall season  Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! We hope you and your family had a great summer and are enjoying this beautiful weather at the start of the school year. As a parent/guardian of an MCH student, you are automatically a member of the Parent Association. We are so excited about the things we are planning for this year and hope you are too! The Parent Association is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to building community at MCH, supporting the staff and enriching the student experience through supplementary programming. In addition to hosting staff appreciation week and sponsoring some teachers to the AMS conference, last year we also sponsored community events like parent workshops, game days, spring swap, robotics week, and an end of year camping trip, among other events. This year we’re building on our momentum and have even more programs in the works! All of the programs we put on are only made possible through the generous gifts we have received from you to our annual SEED fund. Our fundraising campaign will kick off this fall, which you can read more about below. To find out more about board sponsored events or to learn more about the board members, visit the Parent Association website at: https://www.mch-pa.org/ I'm Jessica Lin, and I’m honored to be serving my second year as President of the Parent Association. I’ve been a parent at the school since 2018 and I currently have one child in the toddler program and another in the early childhood program, who is a kindergartner. As someone who has been at the school pre, during, and post pandemic, I can honestly say that I am more excited about this school year than any previous year, especially now that snacks are back! In all seriousness, we have an amazing board this year full of enthusiasm, ideas, and the desire to build our community! It is my hope that the MCH community is one where you can find connections that bring you joy and friendship, as we go on our collective journey to help our children thrive. Sincerely, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association  Thank you to those that joined us last month for the Family Walk! October’s Family Walk & Play: Perrigo Park on October 7th from 10:30am-1:30pm. Whether you have little ones that like toddler swings, or older kids that want to play volleyball, tennis, or basketball, Perrigo Park has us covered. Don’t forget a nourishing sack lunch to keep your energy up.  The 2023 SEED Fundraiser Campaign Starts Sunday, October 29th! The SEED campaign entirely funds our operations and activities throughout the year. We have so many great ideas building off of the Parent Survey that this PA Board is eager to make happen. Please be on the lookout for the kickoff of our fundraising campaign the day after HarvestFest, and consider supporting our mission to enrich the MCH community in service to you as parents and our children. If you have been hesitant to give in years past, feel free to contact us at [email protected] with feedback.  2023 Parent Survey We Still Want to Hear From You! We've already heard from a number of parents but we'd love to get input from an even larger group. If you haven't already completed the very brief survey, please take a minute or two and let us know what kind of community programs and events you'd like us to offer. We appreciate your feedback! CLICK HERE to take the 2023 Parents Survey  Parent Association Annual Meeting Please join the Parent Association for our annual meeting. This short get together will provide members of the Parent Association an opportunity to review the previous year’s financial report and learn about the current year’s budget and board priorities. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 13th, from 7:30 PM to 7:45 PM via Zoom. Please contact us for Zoom login details. We hope you can join us! We hope everyone is having a successful start to the school year!
Welcome (Back) to School! As the Montessori Children's House community comes to life once again, we extend a heartfelt welcome to our returning families and an enthusiastic greeting to those joining us for the first time. For those of you who are receiving this monthly newsletter for the first time, we wanted to take a minute to introduce the Parent Association. We are a group of parent volunteers dedicated to building community at MCH, supporting the staff and enriching the student experience through supplementary programming. We operate independently from, but in support of, MCH as an exclusively community funded 501c3 non-profit organization. Our current board is made up of 12 passionate parents (and grandparent!), with diverse backgrounds and experiences. You can read more about us here, and you will have a chance to meet us at many upcoming school events including the Back to School Picnic, Parent Nights, and HarvestFest. The Parent Association eagerly looks forward to fostering connections and shared experiences through engaging events. Just to give you a taste of what’s to come, we’ve already reserved the campsite at Tolt-MacDonald Park for June 21-23, 2024 – so save the date! Let's embrace this enriching adventure of education and community, united in our commitment to our children's development. Warmly, The MCH Parent Association  MCH PA Walk & Talk at Farrel-McWhirter Park You are invited to join us for a family walk and sack lunch at Farrel-McWhirter Park on Saturday, September 9th from 10:30am to 1:30pm. There are family friendly trails, farm animals, and space to run and roam. Feel free to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the fields after the walk (please note there is very limited seating so be prepared to sit on the ground). This is a chance for new and returning families to meet while enjoying simple outdoor activities accessible to all of us in the Redmond area. Please meet us at the red barn. (Google Maps)  2023 MCH PA Parent Survey - We Want to Hear From You! It's time for the annual MCH PA Parent Survey and we're excited to hear what you're looking forward to this year! Every parent is part of the MCH PA and as such, we would like to encourage your involvement with the Parent Association and the community. We are thrilled to get back to school, meet new families and see old friends, and have a number of activities planned - though your input is crucial in directing where our attention and funding goes. Please take a minute or two and let us know what kind of community programs and events you'd like us to offer. We appreciate your feedback! CLICK HERE to take the 2023 Parents Survey  The 2023 SEED Fundraiser Campaign is Coming Soon! Every fall, we run a fundraiser to raise the money we need to operate. The funds raised by our community will determine what events we can organize and how much we can support various MCH projects. The SEED campaign (Sponsorship, Extracurricular, Enrichment, and Development) entirely funds our activities throughout the year, and we have many great ideas that this PA Board is eager to run with! So, please be on the lookout for the kickoff of our fundraising campaign this fall and consider supporting our mission to enrich the MCH community in service to you as parents and our children. We look forward to seeing everyone on campus!
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