Newsletter for the week of Nov. 14, 2022 In this issue:
Paving the Way winners
Food drive
Science Olympiad
Volunteer signups
Staff Spotlight
Thank you, sponsors
News & events
Stay informed about what's happening at Leota
Paving the Way winners
Congratulations to the Pride classes that raised the most money to support the Paving the Way Together annual fund! The following Prides have earned themselves a pizza party on Nov. 18:
Ventre
Duffy
Bohannan
Warhol
Horst
Olson
Myers
Mann
Butz
Orellana
Congratulations also go to raffle winner Rayan Alam, who was randomly selected to receive 4 tickets to the Seattle Seahawks vs. San Francisco 49ers game on Dec. 15! Have fun, Rayan!
Food drive this week
Leota is collecting donations for the Families Helping Families Food Pantry at Woodin Elementary. This NSD food bank is currently in need of vital supplies, namely nonperishable food and toiletries.
Students may bring donations to their Pride classrooms through Nov. 18. The Prides with the highest point totals will earn a pizza party from the ASB. Items that are in highest demand at the food bank receive 5 points each, while everything else will be counted as 1 point each. The 5-point items are:
Dried beans
Cereal
Soap/cleaning supplies
Feminine hygiene products
Pastas
Please donate nonperishable items that have not expired.
All donations are appreciated and will benefit a good cause. About 20 families consistently use this food bank, but many others use it intermittently as well. This is about double what it was before the pandemic. Please help support this important resource in our community.
Science Olympiad kicks off
Would your student like to use their STEM skills to build a robust boomilever? Or craft a battery buggy that defies speed yet can run precisely to the millimeter? Then register your student for the 2022-23 Science Olympiad!
With almost 25 topics in the curriculum, students will dive into a variety of scientific studies and learn to develop creative and innovative ideas. They will get to apply book learning to hands-on experiments and see scientific lessons in action.
Science Olympiad is open to all Leota students. To register, go to www.leotaptsa.com and, in the left-hand column, look for "Science Olympiad." If you don't see a registration link, hang tight, it will be live soon!
Science Olympiad is an in-person after-school activity starting in December. It is not a class or a teacher-led activity; instead, it is student-directed and parent-mentored. Adult volunteers are needed and appreciated. If you are interested in volunteering as a coach, please email scienceolympiad@leotaptsa.com.
For more information about Science Olympiad, visit www.soinc.org.
Volunteers needed
Learn how you can help make Leota more awesome
Help with pizza parties
Several Pride classes earned pizza parties thanks to their fundraising prowess during Paving the Way (see announcement above). We need volunteers to help make these pizza parties happen! If you can be at Leota on Nov. 18 from 1:50 pm to 2:35 pm, please sign up here to volunteer: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e4ca8ad2ca1fc1-pizza.
Volunteers will meet in the main office to organize pizzas, plates, and napkins, then distribute everything to the winning classrooms. The work goes by fast, and you can imagine the joy that comes with delivering fresh, hot pizzas to a roomful of middle schoolers!
If you have questions about this project, please contact Angela La Tourette at lalatourette@gmail.com.
Staff Appreciation events
Hey there, awesome Leota volunteers! We still have a number of spots to fill for the upcoming holiday-themed Staff Appreciation event. Please view the following signup and see if you can help:
We have almost 90 staff at Leota this year, and we want to show each and every one of them how much we value their contributions to our school. Thank you for signing up!
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.
NEW: As of Nov. 1, 2022, proof of Covid vaccination is no longer required for NSD volunteers. The district change is in response to the governor's repeal of Covid emergency proclamations and state of emergency.
Staff Spotlight
Get to know the teachers and staff who make Leota a great place
Scott Leick
Principal
Favorite meal? Steak and potatoes.
What do you like to do on weekends? The best weekend is a trip to the family cabin, just outside of Ocean Shores. If there isn't time to take a trip, I enjoy watching sporting events, including the Mariners, Seahawks, or Husky football. The other best thing about the weekend is, unless I have something specific planned, I don't have to set my alarm for my normal 4 am wake-up call. Sleeping in past 8 am is a treat.
Do you have pets? I currently have two dogs. Molly is a 13-year-old black lab. Elsa--yes, my daughter named her 8 years ago--is a wire-haired pointing griffon.
Why did you decide to work in education? I have always liked kids. Even when I was young, I thought I would have several kids. I am really glad I stopped at two, because after spending the day with hundreds of kids, I am ready for a little quiet time. Even with just two, that isn't a guarantee. I also enjoy helping students achieve their goals and finding out who they want to be when they grow up. I don't take graduation for granted. High school graduation was never in jeopardy for me, but as it is for many others, there were ups and downs. I have found schools to be safe places to explore and learn who we are. I know that isn't the case for everyone, so hopefully I can create an environment where others feel like they belong.
Who's your celebrity lookalike? If you are a sports fan, you might know the head coach for the Tennessee Titans, Mike Vrabel. We have a similar look: short hair, grey beard, and a similar nose.
What have you crossed off your bucket list? Watching my son graduate from college was a treat--plus, no more tuition bills.
Favorite travel destinations? I love to cruise. I really enjoy the Caribbean. The sun and the sand is my type of traveling.
Favorite words to live by? Treat others how you would want to be treated.
Keri Molitor
Computer Science, School Success
Favorite meal? Chicken teriyaki.
What do you like to do on weekends? Be outside and hang out with my family.
Why did you decide to work in education? I had great teachers in my life, and I wanted to be that person for other students.
What sports do you follow? Kraken, Seahawks.
Favorite TV shows? Stranger Things, Cobra Kai.
Favorite travel destination? Hawaii.
Favorite words to live by? Think smarter, not harder! Anne Davidson
6th and 7th Grade Math
What are you known for being really, really good at? I learn all students' names the first day in just minutes!
Favorite meal? Most any Italian food.
Favorite TV show? The Great British Baking Show.
Why did you decide to work in education? I loved school, and I want others to love it too.
What do you like to do on weekends? Go to soccer/softball games, cook, read.
Do you have pets? Kitty and Gus. Kitty is the boss. Gus is the lovable dog.
If you could meet any historical figure, who would that be? Michelle Obama.
What kind of books do you like to read? Historical fiction, mystery.
What have you crossed off your bucket list? Seeing Toots and the Maytals in concert.
What is your go-to karaoke song? Oh, you don't want to get me started...I'll sing anything! :) Be sure to check out the next PTSA Newsletter for another Staff Spotlight!
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!
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
Let's get social
For the latest news and opportunities, follow "Leota Middle School PTSA" on Facebook and join the "Leota PTSA Volunteers and Info" private group on Facebook. Just click the links below:
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.
Favorite meal? Steak and potatoes.
Favorite meal? Chicken teriyaki.
What are you known for being really, really good at? I learn all students' names the first day in just minutes!
