Mercer

Mercer is now using a new website!  Our new address is:

http://mercerms.seattleschools.org/

Please use the new site for current information and calendar dates.

Greetings families, just a few things to share. The Mercer PTSA recently provided our support to BEACON B.I.K.E.S., an organization that is working with SDOT to create safer and more bike and pedestrian pathways to our Beacon Hill schools. Spring will be busy and we will be reaching out for volunteers to help with teacher/staff appreciation (May); spring landscape clean-up (Apr/May); 8th grade promotion (June); and a nominating committee for 2012/2013 Mercer PTSA executive committee. We will also be sending out a questionnaire in the next few weeks for in-put on how best to allocate PTSA funds earned through donations and the fundraiser this year. Lastly, there are a few events coming up: Region 6 PTSA workshops (March 22 at Nathan Hale) and the WA PTSA conference (May 4-6 in Seatac).

Students will not have school on Friday March 16 due to a Professional Development Day.

http://www.seattle.assistanceleague.org/ps.projects.cfm?ID=2459

The Assistance League of Seattle is pleased to offer extracurricular Enrichment Scholarships to students who are currently enrolled in grades 6 through 11 in Seattle Public Schools, and this includes home schooled students with public school affiliation.  Almost any area in which students display a keen interest will be considered but preference will be given to applications for programs in music, art, science, debate, mathematics, language, drama, technology, leadership and journalism.  Exceptions not covered by the program include religious studies, sports exclusive camps, foreign study or exchange programs, private lessons or any transportation affiliated with a program.

All applications will be evaluated on a competitive and impartial basis by Assistance League members.  Thought must be given to the cost of the program and how much funding will be needed by a student for a given program.  The maximum award will be $500.00.  Before applying, the student should be sure they are committed to the program and be prepared to pay any additional costs, if there are any.  In some cases, partial scholarships will be awarded.

Thanks to all who participated in our 2011 program. We received and funded 70 applications from fourteen middle and high schools in the Seattle School District for a total of $32,000. Students attended various programs including Marrowstone Music, UW Young Scholars Program, dance, art and theater programs, technical programs and many more. We hope all the winners had a rewarding summer experience.

We look forward to hearing from you and your students soon.  The deadline for applications is Thursday, April 12, 2012.  Please go to our website, www.seattle.assistanceleague.org, for the application package and feel free to contact either one of us if you have any questions or need help.

Sincerely,

Carol Singler

simone4@comcast.net

206-782-2984

Joyce Winter

lester-winter@q.com

206-285-8928

Our School-Based Health Center is now open!

The Mercer Wellness Center is a full service health clinic that provides physical and mental health care to the students of Mercer Middle School at no cost to their families. We are designed to be “Kid Friendly” and offer convenient appointment times during school hours.

Our nurse practitioner, Erica Spielman, has a history of providing healthcare to children throughout Africa; Natalie Wonder, our mental health therapist, comes to us from several years of counseling students at Madrona K-8; and Caitlin Gerity, our clinic coordinator, has worked with kids in Montana and in China.

The Health Center is operated by Neighborcare Health and partially supported by the Families and Education Levy and the City of Seattle. Neighborcare Health staff work in partnership with the school nurse, Jill Eckerdt, at each school-based health center site. Stop by, pick up a registration packet, and say hello today! If you have any questions feel free to call Caitlin at (206) 762-2394.

Link to great article in the Seattle Times about Mercer!

How Mercer MS Soared

Great News to Share about Our Fantastic School!

Mercer was very recently highlighted in Dr. Enfield’s State of the District Address. We were featured because of our school’s performance and our continued growth in achievement! We know that this is a result of hard work and our focus on what’s most important- learning a tremendous amount every single day.

Your children work really hard! Our staff works really hard! While we won’t stop working hard, it’s also important that we also take a moment to celebrate our accomplishments along the way.

You’ll find a link to our school’s report card and to the school district news release below. Please feel free to talk with our principal, Susan Toth, if you have any questions about this information.

http://www.seattleschools.org/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/1583136/File/Departmental%20Content/communications/documents/State_of_District_report_11-16-FINAL.pdf?sessionid=1eaa74feb6cd1384f950b8d29617a75f

For the third straight year, Mercer MS has been named a School of Distinction for outstanding academic improvements in math and reading.

Five public schools from Seattle have been recognized for outstanding academic improvements in math and reading that put them in the top 5 percent of the highest-improving schools in the state. The schools are:
• Alki Elementary School

• Hamilton International Middle Shool

• Madison Middle School

• Mercer Middle School

• Orca K-8 School

Madison Middle School has received a School of Distinction Award for four straight years, from 2008- 2011, while Mercer Middle and Orca K-8 have won the award three years in a row, from 2009-2011. Hamilton International Middle School has won for the past two years, 2010 and 2011.

All five Seattle Public Schools named will receive their awards during a regional ceremony to be announced at a later date.

“We are proud to have five schools recognized with this prestigious award,” said Dr. Susan Enfield, interim superintendent of Seattle Public Schools. “It reflects the academic gains our students are making in math and reading, thanks to strong teaching and instructional leadership.”

The SPS schools were among 99 statewide that met the Schools of Distinction performance criteria for the 20010-11 school year.

These Schools of Distinction were announced by the Center for Educational Effectiveness and The Center for Educational Effectiveness, the Association of Educational Service Districts, the Association of Washington School Principals, Phi Delta Kappa-Washington Chapter, Washington Association of School Administrators, Washington State ASCD and Washington State School Directors’ Association.