Newsletter for the week of Jan. 17, 2023 In this issue:
Tonight: PTSA meeting!
Reflections qualifiers
Wish list for nurse's office
Staff Appreciation signups
Staff Spotlight
Thank you, sponsors
News & events
Stay informed about what's happening at Leota
PTSA meeting is tonight!
All families are welcome at Leota's next PTSA General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 7 pm. The meeting will be held on Zoom. Topics that we'll discuss:
2nd semester activities: Career Day, 8th grade celebration, Staff Appreciation events, and more
Emergency prep for families options
President's and Treasurer's reports
Principal's report: Hear the latest on plans for the new building
We're working on a hybrid format for General Membership meetings going forward. We hope to give you the option to attend in person or via Zoom this spring. In the meantime, we'll gather over Zoom. See you tonight!
Congrats to our Reflections qualifiers
The Leota PTSA proudly congratulates the following students for qualifying for the Northshore PTSA Council and Washington State PTA Reflections competition. These students submitted several inspired works of art across the categories of Visual Arts, Photography, Literature, Music Composition, and Film Production. Bravo to these talented Lions! State judging will begin in early February.
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
State PTA qualifiers
Kerys Peacock: Film Production Azure Huang: Visual Arts
Supplies are running very low in the Health Room. The nurse would appreciate help restocking the shelves with necessities such as socks, underwear, and hygiene products. She would also love to build a library to help visiting students pass the time. Please take a look at Nurse Vicki's wish list on Amazon and see if you can help!
Staff Appreciation events
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our previous lunches. The staff are always so grateful, and they often comment how fortunate they feel to be part of our Leota community.
Please take a look at these signups and see how you can contribute to the next lunches:
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.
Note: Effective 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
Kirsten Adams
6th and 7th grade Science
Favorite meal? Pizza or tacos.
What's your superpower? Being kind and calm. Kids often have said they have a hard time being mean in my class because of it. I like to think I'm funny, too.
Why did you decide to work in education? I love learning, and helping people see the joy and wonder in everyday life. I love seeing kids learn new things and gain confidence in their skills as curious investigators. It is also a job where I get to be creative, innovative, and a helpful part of the community, and I am constantly learning. I find that really fulfilling.
If you could meet any historical figure, who would that person be? I think Cleopatra would be a fascinating person to meet. She seems like such a dynamic, powerful, and interesting leader.
What sports do you follow? Huskies anything. Women's soccer. I generally just enjoy watching most sports.
What do you like to do on weekends? Go to parks with my kids, read, and bake.
Who's your celebrity lookalike? Drew Barrymore.
What's on your bucket list? Visiting Costa Rica, traveling around Southeast Asia, golfing in Scotland.
Favorite words to live by? The more you know, the more you know how little you know. Linda Nelson
6th grade Social Studies & 6th grade World Cultures
Favorite meal? Fresh crab and broccolini.
Why did you decide to work in education? I love working with kids, and celebrating those "lightbulb" moments. Middle school is such a fun age when they begin to figure out who they are as people.
What's your superpower? Being creative at making learning fun but productive. Also, I'm a finder: I find things that my family loses.
What sports do you follow? Go Cougs! I also love the Mariners and Seahawks and playing Fantasy Football.
What kind of books do you like to read? True crime.
If you could meet any historical figure, who would that person be? Neil Armstrong. I would love a firsthand account of his travels to the moon.
What jobs did you have before you started working at Leota? Restaurant manager at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Washington, Oregon, and California. Fifth- and sixth-grade teacher at Bear Creek Elementary.
Favorite TV shows? "Survivor," "Yellowstone," "Only Murders in the Building," "Stranger Things."
Favorite travel destinations? Anywhere warm!
Favorite words to live by? Live one day at a time; you may not have tomorrow. 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? Pizza or tacos.
Favorite meal? Fresh crab and broccolini.
