Thank you to all our amazing 2023-2024 EMS PTSA volunteers and members! Whether you chaired or served on a PTSA committee, coached an enrichment team, brought delicious food for staff appreciation events, supported the theater production, donated funds, attended membership meetings, volunteered your time in other ways to help our school and students, or were simply a member of the Evergreen PTSA - without your support none of what we do would be possible! On behalf of the 2023-2024 Evergreen PTSA Middle School Board of Directors, we thank you!!
When Evergreen Jr. High (now Evergreen Middle School) opened its doors in the fall of 1982, Mr. Ferguson was the principal who had been chosen to lead the new staff and students. He began teaching at Kirkland Jr. High in 1956 after receiving a degree in history from Western Washington University. After earning a Master’s Degree he became a vice principal, then principal of KJH. In 1972 he moved to Rose Hill Jr. High to serve as their principal, where he remained until he was chosen to be Evergreen’s planning principal. Not only was Mr. Ferguson admired and respected within our school district, but he also provided leadership at the state level as president of the Washington Jr. High and Middle School Principals Association.
The Walter J. Ferguson Service Award is awarded to a teacher or staff member who exemplifies the high standards the first Evergreen principal set. Mr. Fergeson believed that learning should be enjoyable and that Evergreen students should receive the very best educational opportunity possible.
2023-24 Award Winner:
Mr. Peterson gives 150% to his students every year and works tirelessly inside and outside of school, to provide amazing opportunities for students. For example, this school year Mr. Peterson and Mr. Beise hosted the District’s Solo/Ensemble Festival for hundreds of 6th, 7th and 8th graders from across the district, and then the very next weekend, Mr. Peterson took his students on a weekend overnight trip to Portland for an amazing Jazz Band Festival.
In addition to teaching guitar class and band to both middle school and elementary students, he coaches the Cross-Country team, and this spring also coached Track & Field. Last summer, he chose to get his Commerical Driver’s License, in hopes that it might help with some of the transportation issues impacting student field trips and meets.
Mr. Peterson is a positive influence and truly cares about all his students. He knows their stories and can both joke and be serious with them. In the words of one student “he teaches life skills through band, he’s funny and makes us want to be there every day.”
Thank you, Mr. Peterson, for your hard work, dedication, commitment and service to the students and families of Evergreen Middle School.
The Outstanding Advocate Award was established in 2004 to recognize an individual for their advocacy and commitment in helping to create strong policies relating to the health, welfare, safety and education of children and youth. Recipients receive a certificate and pin, and a contribution is made in their name to the WSPTA Scholarship Program that benefits students.
2023-2024 Award Winners:
Mr. Dahl is deeply dedicated to the positive environment at Evergreen. One parent wrote,“From the minute you enter the school you can feel the camaraderie among the staff. They seem to truly enjoy working at Evergreen. This, in turn, creates an uplifting environment that it is noticed and felt by, not just Evergreen students and families, but by surrounding Middle Schools. There is envy among LWSD for those whose kids "get" to go to Evergreen Middle School. Happy Staff=Happy Kids. Our teachers are amazing, our kids learn discipline and respect and the parents know our kids are spending every day in a safe environment.”
Though, Mr. Dahl is deserving of many of the awards presented, the committee chose to honor him this year with the award for Outstanding Advocate. When Mr. Dahl sees or hears about concerns, he doesn’t hesitate to do something, try something or contact someone to try to fix the issue. Sometimes, it doesn’t always work (like having everyone turn right out of the parking lot during pick-up and drop-off times), but we are appreciative of the action taken and the bravery shown to try new things.
We also learned from the Lake Washington School Foundation President, Katy Philips, that EMS was the only school this year to make the time to have its entire teaching staff participate in the new suicide prevention and intervention training. Thank you!
It is clear that Mr. Dahl cares and is willing to stick his neck out for his school. The result is the greatest middle school in the Lake Washington School District.
For the past two years, Aspen has been tirelessly advocating for our school and our students at the school, district and county level - standing up at school board meetings and meeting with district leaders to bring about change in air quality, water quality, traffic safety, field maintenance and sustainability.
This fall, Aspen traveled around the district to gather data to compare EMS’s fields with those of other middles schools and demand equitable maintenance from the district.
This winter and spring she has been working tirelessly to provide possible solutions to reduce the number of cars traveling to and from EMS each day in order to reduce road congestion and improve safety. For example, Aspen created surveys, spent several mornings standing by the entrance to school counting cars, attended and spoke at School Board meetings, communicated on our behalf with King County Road Division, and connected with King County Metro about participating in their pilot Van Pool for schools and School Pool program.
In addition to serving as the VP of Advocacy for EMS PTSA, she also serves on the LWPTSA Council as the Sustainability Chair, as the Sustainability Chair at Alcott Elementary, and is member of the Lake Washington Citizen Levy Committee.
Aspen exemplifies what an outstanding advocate is and we sincerely appreciate all that she is doing to bring positive change to our community.
This unique Washington State PTA award recognizes any school or community member who does an exceptional job of providing educational opportunities for our students. An educator may be defined as a teacher, assistant, custodian, bus driver, administrator, or PTSA/community member. This person is a positive role model for our students who goes beyond the normal scope of their job to create an outstanding educational environment. Evergreen PTSA will make a donation in the name of the recipient of this award to the Washington State PTA Grant Foundation for post secondary education scholarships.
2023-2024 Award Winner:
Mr. McMurtry is a teacher that is liked and respected by students and staff at Evergreen. He does not hesitate to step up and help in any manner that may be necessary. He is a history teacher, but I regularly see him helping in the boys locker room, the cafeteria or the gym.
Outstanding educator. Mr. McMurtry is one of the teachers whose name gets whispered in the hallways before schedules come out. "You should hope to get Mr. McMurtry. He's awesome!". There are two things to this statement. 1) Kids really like him. He's a tough teacher but a teacher whose expectations kids want to live up to, 2) He makes History a class that middle school kids look forward to attending. He challenges the kids in ways that make class fun. For example, extra credit was given to those who sang the preamble to the constitution vs. simply recite it. One just never knows what exciting history facts may get shared at the dinner table. Mr. McMurtry has created a learning environment that no doctor, dentist or dermatologist can compete with. Per Kid's requests, those appointments take second stage to Mr. McMurtry's class. A teacher can truly "make or break" a history class. Mr. McMurtry "makes" it.
Mr. McMurtry exemplifies how to make learning fun for their students. He knows how to engage every student, and not just his favorites, in a way that makes their students want to learn and come to class. It is not just my son who loves him. When I ask other students, they feel the same way as well.
"My son was also not a big fan of history until now. In fact, it was his least favorite subject. However, this year, he’s really enjoying learning from Mr. McMurtry and thriving in his class. Mr. McMurtry selects topics that keep his students interested and wanting to dig deeper."
This award is unique to our school community. It was established in 1995 to recognize those individuals who have demonstrated excellence in their continued and dedicated service to students at EMS. An individual receiving this award is a positive role model. He or she goes above and beyond the call to encourage the success of our students, in turn making Evergreen a better place for all.
2023-2024 Award Winner:
As one parent wrote, “Mr. Olsen is an educator with heart. He genuinely cares about the welfare and development of the EMS students and has such an outstanding way of connecting with them.”
Not only is he a friendly face at school but he has a mission to instill a sense of right and wrong and make a difference in these formative years of adolescence. Our students come home with many stories and life lessons that Mr. Olson has told.
Mr. Olson is a wonderful example of standing for the values of EMS, and we are honored to present him with the Golden Eagle Award this year. We are truly grateful that he has chosen to be an educator at Evergreen. Thank you for your kindness and wisdom, and for being an Evergreen Eagle.
This is the highest award the PTSA gives to honor an individual who has consistently demonstrated outstanding service to all children in the Evergreen community. This award recipient has made the commitment to helping children and youth in many areas of the community, over and above the responsibilities of an office or job. A contribution will be made by our PTSA in the name of the Golden Acorn Award recipient to the Washington State PTA Grant Foundation which in turn funds scholarships to high school seniors for post-secondary education.
2023-2024 Award Winner:
This year’s recipient for the Golden Acorn Award, Manda Mangrai, has been described as a leader, articulate, graceful, knowledgeable, organized, dedicated, and irreplaceable.
“Manda is the reason every program and every event sponsored by the PTSA is done and done well”, a parent volunteer stated.
Manda has been the absolute rock of the EMS PTSA for the past three years. She has been integral in helping to build a strong PTA-school relationship that supports the students, staff and community of Evergreen.
Another parent noted that, “Manda goes above and beyond for EMS - volunteering and helping with what seems like everything!!” Indeed, in this last year alone, she’s organized volunteers, answered countless email questions, lead meetings, took meeting minutes, baked countless delicious desserts for staff, volunteers and families, co-produced the theater program, purchased and organized dance concessions, landscaped around the school, passed out Eagle prizes, and more!
Manda’s dedication, passion and tireless efforts have enriched our school community in countless ways over the last three years, and we are immensely grateful for her contributions. Thank you, Manda, for your outstanding service and commitment to Evergreen. Thank you for your service and the incredible legacy you are leaving behind.
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PTSA# 2.8.68 | 6900 208th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98053 | 425 936-2320 | Lake Washington School District
