Superintendent Rundle December Community Message Highlights Student Achievements

Superintendent Rundle with Mercer Island Rotary Islanders of the Month for November and December, from left to right, Liam Chester, Salome Grandmougin, Merrick Loeffler, and Chloe Yang at the Mercer Island Community Center where they were recognized.

Dear Mercer Island School District Community,

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful weekend with friends and family celebrating Thanksgiving. As we welcome December, I want to share a heartfelt message of hope, holiday wishes, and gratitude for our students, staff, and the entire Mercer Island community.

During my nearly 16 years serving the Mercer Island community, I learned and experienced the shared commitment to our schools and students. Our district has a proud history of excellence, made possible by our partnerships, dedication to student growth, professional development, and community engagement. These principles transcend politics and various ideologies; they are rooted in our fundamental belief in education. The support for our schools on Mercer Island has never been stronger during my tenure than it is right now, and this will remain true no matter the changes in leadership in Olympia or D.C. We will benefit from our collective efforts to help us through the challenging opportunities ahead. 

While our nation endured another election filled with emotion, distraction, and division, our students did not waver, reminding us through action what is really important. While we as adults may have been clouded by politics, our students spent the past couple of months:

• The MIHS cross country team had an epic performance in winning both the girls and boys team 3A State Championship and senior Owen Powell and sophomore Sophia Rodriguez each won their second consecutive individual 3A State Championship. Prior to the State Championship, Chris Egan from KING 5 had a really good story on a trio MIHS runners. 
• KMIH 88.9 The Bridge was named the Best High School Radio Station in the nation at the annual John Drury High School Radio Awards ceremony. In addition to best station, KMIH.org was also named the Top High School Radio Website and senior Chloe Yang was honored as the country's Top Student Podcaster for her series Emerald City Echoes.
• The MIHS girls swim and dive team won their third consecutive 3A State Championship with a dominating performance.
• MIHS junior Mia Tamarkin received a Honorable Mention award in the 2024 National Public Radio (NPR) Student Podcast Challenge for her podcast titled Flipping the 'For You Page': TikTok's Ownership Rethinked.
• The MIHS girls soccer team was named the 3A Academic State Champions for their combined 3.94 GPA.
• Fourth and fifth graders in Amber Bobst’s class at Lakeridge took a deep dive into the inner workings of the Electoral College. 
• The MIHS football team defeated Kelso High School 40-30 in a 3A State Championship Play-In Game to advance to the 16-team State Tournament. They lost to O'Dea in the first round but finished the season with an awesome 10-1 record. 
• Slippery Penguin, the MIHS freshman VEX Robotics team, won a tournament at Lake Stevens High School.
• MIHS Drama students put on an excellent production of The Little Shop of Horrors in the MIHS Performing Arts Center. 
• The MIHS Group the Gift of Music Project was recognized by the Hershey’s Heartwarming Project 2024 as one of 134 changemaking projects worldwide.
• Island Park students celebrated Dia de los Muertos by decorating the main hallway display case at the school to celebrate family members, loved ones, and pets who have passed. 
• MIHS junior James Young was named a Student Representative to the Puget Sound Educational Services District Board of Directors. 

Amidst the uncertainties in our world, I have tremendous hope. Our students, supported by our dedicated educators and families, show creativity, resilience, and the capability to lead us forward. In the week’s ahead we look forward to more opportunities for students, staff, and the community to show us the way forward and propel us into 2025:

• Scroll By Choice
  • Our partner Scroll By Choice is hosting a Digital Wellness Roundtable for MIHS families on December 12 from 5:30pm-7pm in the MIHS Commons. This roundtable is a great opportunity to connect with fellow parents, share successes and challenges, and learn practical strategies for creating healthier screen habits at home. You may even win a prize! You can register here.
• MISD Community Budget Webinar - Save The Date
  • We will be hosting a Budget Webinar on Thursday, January 9 from 6-7pm where we will update our community on the current status of the district’s budget. Please look for additional information in the coming weeks. 
• Future Islander Night - Save The Date
  • MIHS is hosting their second annual Future Islander Night on January 16 from 5:30-7:30pm. We and MIHS will also have more information on Future Islander Night in the coming weeks. 

December offers a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the traditions of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, and more. In a serendipitous way, many of the holidays align this year, occurring between December 24 and January 2. Let’s embrace this unique alignment of holidays as a chance to foster unity and find common ground as we transition into 2025.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Warm regards,

Fred Rundle