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ICS PTSA NEWSLETTER

June 19, 2022

See the ICS Calendar for more upcoming event dates.

August 24

Back to Business

ICS

August 27

Summer Work Party

ICS

FROM THE DEI COMMITTEE

The ICS Cookbook is Here!

 

The Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) Committee at ICS is honored to present Volume One of the first-ever ICS Cookbook. This past spring, we solicited recipes and stories from you to represent and celebrate the diverse tapestry of our ICS community. 

 

Food, people and culture are inseparable. We come from diverse backgrounds, varied experiences and different cultures—all with distinct traditions and customs—but food is the equalizer and binder. Food allows us to learn and discover, to connect and grow, and to gather at a communal table and break bread together. 

 

We hope this cookbook inspires you to try new foods, flavors and dishes and break bread with your fellow ICS families and staff.


The thing I absolutely love about food is it’s a common thread that connects us no matter what culture we come from. 

—Poh Ling Yeow, Malaysian-Australian Artist


Download your copy of the cookbook here.


DEI Family Survey 

 

The DEI Committee was begun in 2021 to ensure ICS and the ICS PTSA provide fair and inclusive access to ICS programs, resources, and services as well as to foster and maintain a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for our students and the greater ICS community. 


To that end, we’d respectfully ask that you and your student complete a short survey about your experience at ICS this past school year, especially as it pertains to DEI.


Some of the below questions are of a personal nature and may require a deeper discussion with your student. These questions surround serious topics of racism, inappropriate behavior and discrimination. We appreciate your efforts to answer the questions as openly and honestly as possible. All responses to the survey are anonymous.


Please reach out to DEI Committee Chair Mireille Baumoel at mbaumoel@icsptsa.org with further questions. Thank you! Fill out the survey here.


VOLUNTEERING

Back to Business 2022-2023 (Registration): Volunteers Needed


Please mark your calendars - ICS registration for the 2022-2023 school year will be held on Wednesday, August 24th from 8:30am - 2pm (these are the tentative times). More details will be provided in future newsletter releases.


We need parents to help us with registration! If you are available from 8:30am - 2pm (approximately) on Wednesday, August 24th, please consider helping us. Please send a note to our Volunteer Committee if you would like to volunteer. (We are still in the planning stages for registration and do not have all the details yet; when the details have been finalized, we will send out the information to the volunteers). For now, we are collecting names and email addresses of parents who would like to assist. Please fill out this form.


ICS Summer Clean Up Party


Let's plan for next year already. We will have work clean up party on August 27 from 9a.m. to 12p.m. Rain or shine. Bring your gloves and garden tools. This counts for up to 3 hours of volunteering per person 10 years old and above. Sign up here.

REPEATED ARTICLES

News from the ICS Library: Summer Book Challenge


I’m so excited to announce the Phoenix Summer Book Challenge! This is a just-for-fun summer reading activity for students, teachers, and families. Participants are asked to read books in ten different categories including a graphic novel, a book chosen for the cover, an old favorite, a book with a movie-worthy plot, etc. I ask that participants try their best to fill all the boxes, but I will accept partial forms as well. Students will get a copy of the challenge form in homerooms on June 16. You can download copies from the Library Web Page to start reading now. More information about the challenge is there too. We'll have a drawing for free books in the Fall for all participants, so make sure your student’s name is on the back. If this is an entry from a parent or sibling, please note that too and the age of sibling so I can have appropriate books available.   


Thanks for supporting the library! Wishing you a wonderful summer full of adventure, rejuvenation, and lots of great books.


Amber Peterson 📚

ICS Teacher-Librarian

Twitter: @MrsPetersonLib

Instagram: Mrs.Peterson_Librarian

ICS Library Website

New Board Member Election Results

Co-President

Srini Venugopal

Co-President

Mark Kauffman

VP-Curriculum Support

Lei Kou

VP-Activities Support

Himani Gupta (Interim)

VP-Community and Facilities

Sanjeevini Mittal

VP-Information Support

Sivagami Arunachalam

Co-Treasurer

Janet Chee

Co-Treasurer

Hanyue Jiang

Co-Secretary

Tom Resing

Co-Secretary

Nilam Bhagalia

LGBTQ Pride month & Juneteenth

  

What is LGBTQ Pride month? LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) Pride Month is celebrated in June of each year. The first celebration was hosted in New York City on June 28, 1970, when thousands marched in the streets celebrating what was originally called “Gay Pride Day.” Gay Pride Day soon grew to encompass an entire month focused on uniting public displays of gay pride and social activism. Today, Pride Month is celebrated with parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia, concerts, and marches. Millions of people flock to cities to participate in massive displays of pride.


What is Juneteenth? Juneteenth is celebrated/observed on Sunday, June 19 this year. Juneteenth marks the freedom of enslaved Black people in the US. It's also known as Freedom Day or Jubilee Day. 2022 will mark the second year it's been an official federal holiday. Last year, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making it the first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Juneteenth is observed on June 19 each year commemorating the emancipation of the enslaved African Americans back in 1865. President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law on June 17, 2021. 

 

Want to learn more or attend some Pride or Juneteenth Events? 


Events in Seattle - Events | Seattle Pride & Juneteenth in the Seattle-Tacoma area 



Books:


Amazon.com: This Book Is Gay eBook : Dawson, Juno, Levithan, David: Kindle Store 


The Big Book of Pride Flags: Milton, Jem: 9781839972584: Amazon.com: Books 


The History of Juneteenth: A History Book for New Readers (The History of: A History Series for New Readers): Norwood PhD, Arlisha: 9781685394417: Amazon.com: Books 


What Is Juneteenth? (What Was?): Jewel, Kirsti, Who HQ, Gutierrez, Manuel:  9780593384695: Books: Amazon.com