LMS MAY PTSA Newsletter

Newsletter for the week of May 17, 2023

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In this issue:

TONIGHT: Celebrate at PTSA meeting!
Reflections winners
If you missed the DC trip meeting...
Reimbursement requests due
Speakers needed for Career Day
Staff Appreciation signups
Thank you, sponsors

News & events

Stay informed about what’s happening at Leota

Last PTSA meeting of the year: May 17!

Join your fellow Leota parents for the final PTSA General Membership meeting of the year. We have lots to celebrate and vote on, so you don’t want to miss this one.

The meeting will be Wednesday, May 17, at 7 pm. You can attend in-person in the Leota library OR on Zoom. (Zoom link will be shared closer to the date.) Meeting agenda:

· Celebrate Reflections Award winners

· Announce PTSA Award recipients

· Vote in next year’s PTSA Board

· Vote in next year’s PTSA preliminary budget

· And more!

See you there! If you have questions, please email presidentleotaptsa@hotmail.com.

Celebrating our Reflections artists!

Congratulations to this year’s Reflections artists! Leota Lions had a strong showing in this year’s competition. Kudos to 8th grader Kerys Peacock, who earned national accolades for her video-production entry, a stop-motion film entitled “Be Yourself.”

We will celebrate the following Council, State, and National Qualifiers and Winners at the Leota PTSA General Membership meeting on Wednesday evening. Attendees may join in-person in the Leota library or on Zoom. (See above for meeting details.)

National PTA Qualifier

Kerys Peacock: Film Production; Winner of National Merit Award

State PTA Qualifiers

Kerys Peacock: Film Production; Winner of State PTA Outstanding Interpretation Award

Azure Huang: Visual Arts

Council-Level Qualifiers

Kerys Peacock: Film Production

Kavya Subramanian: Visual Arts

Anabel Kramer: Visual Arts

Azure Huang: Visual Arts

Divyata Bhattarai: Visual Arts

Divyata Bhattarai: Literature

Divyata Bhattarai: Music Composition

Shrita Palla: Literature

If you missed the DC trip meeting...

Is your current 6th or 7th grader interested in going to Washington, DC, with a group of Leota students? Recently Mrs. Van Avery and Mrs. Flowers held a Zoom meeting to share details about this awesome opportunity with interested parents. The meeting was recorded, so don’t worry if you missed it.

Lots of spots are still available for students and their family members, but organizers encourage you to register soon. The trip happens only every 2 years. Spring Break 2024 will be the current 6th and 7th graders’ only chance to go. It will not be offered again until April 2026.

Please contact Mrs. Van Avery (lookingforwardtodc@hotmail.com) or Mrs. Flowers (Room 606) if you have questions.

Watch the recorded Zoom meeting here. Use passcode FiGBVm$1.

Specific trip details:

Trip price includes all flights, hotels, transportation, entrance fees, and meals.
Travel will occur April 6-11, 2024 (aka Spring Break 2024).
Registration deadline is the last day of school (or once 40 students and parents are signed up, whichever comes first).
Register at https://applestudenttours.com/register. Use tour code HHFTMP.

Note: This trip is an independently sponsored event by Apple Student Tours and Mrs. Van Avery/Mrs. Flowers. This trip is NOT affiliated with, nor sponsored by, Leota Middle School, Leota Middle School PTSA, or the Northshore School District.

Pictured above: Leota students visited the U.S. Supreme Court on a previous trip to DC.

Reimbursement requests due May 30

A message from the Treasurer, Angela La Tourette:

Please be sure to turn in all Leota PTSA expenses by May 30--sooner if you are able. We need to complete reimbursements by June, and we need to have time to write checks and answer any questions. If you have expenses that need to be reimbursed by the PTSA, fill out the Leota PTSA Check Request Form and email it to lalatourette@gmail.com. Be sure to include receipts.

I know the 8th Grade Party committee is still in the midst of planning. You will be spending money very close to the cutoff date. Don’t worry, just let me know as soon as you have an expense and I’ll make sure you are reimbursed.

Thank you for your cooperation and please reach out to me if you have questions!

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Volunteers needed

Learn how you can help make Leota more awesome

Help organize Cultural Night

Sadly, Leota had to cancel this year’s Cultural Night, but the school will reschedule it for 2023-24. Mr. Kim is on the lookout for volunteers to help organize next year’s event. If you would like to help, please reach out to him at jkim@nsd.org.

Staff Appreciation events

We’re planning one more Staff Appreciation event for this school year. Your Leota PTSA will be providing the bagels and cream cheese spreads, but we need your help. Please take a look at the signup and see what you can bring to make our final lunch a huge success!

June 7: Bagels and treats

Thanks to all the volunteers who contributed to the extensive spread at last month’s Taco Bar (pictured here).

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Reminder: Volunteer background checks

To volunteer on campus at Leota or any other facility in the Northshore School District, you’ll need to submit an online application for a Level 1 background check. Volunteers must update the application every year, and it must be completed before the first day of volunteering. To begin the process, visit the district’s Become a Volunteer webpage.

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Thank you, sponsors

We couldn’t do this without you

The Leota PTSA would like to thank all of the Paving the Way donors, and especially this year’s sponsors (listed below). Our programs and events are possible because of you all!

Lionheart Champion: Sylvia Bagley

Lionheart Hero: Cheng Peng

Lionheart Friends: Theresa Held, Monique Coleman, Fleur Tanner

Your generosity is already at work! To date, projects and programs include:

· Improving the sound system during emergencies

· Fixing the refrigerator door in the nurse’s office

· WEB T-shirts

· Choir

· ASB

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Let’s get social

For the latest news and opportunities, follow us on social media:

· Join the Facebook page Leota Middle School PTSA

· Join the Facebook private group Leota PTSA Volunteers and Info

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About us

Leota PTSA is a parent, teacher, staff, and student membership organization that advocates for all students. We make a variety of educational and community programs possible at Leota. For more information, visit www.leotaptsa.com.

We hope this biweekly newsletter is a valuable resource to learn about the events, programs, and opportunities available to all Leota families. Thanks for reading!

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for the PTSA Newsletter. Please email them to communications@leotaptsa.com.

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