October is when the year stops being new. Clubs start meeting, the first concerts land on the calendar, and the PTSA's student arts program has a real deadline. Reflections asks every RMS student one question this year, "What does my culture mean to me?", and the answers are due Friday, October 30. Four weeks is plenty of time for a poem, a photo, a song or a short film, and not much time at all if nobody starts. Also in this edition: two school days that need volunteers, a club that needs co-chairs, and fundraisers for the band and the choir.

At a glance:

• ➗ Math Club Needs Co-Chairs
• 🚗 RMS Band Car Wash Fundraiser
• 🎁 School and Teacher Grants Drive
• 🔬 Oct 7: Science Club, Last Open Spots
• 🍕 Oct 14: Choir Dine Out at MOD Pizza
• 🐻 Oct 20: PTSA Board Meeting, All Invited
• 🎨 Oct 30: Reflections Entries Due
• 🧠 Oct 30: Quiz Bowl Registration Closes
• 🎭 Drama Club Announces Frozen Jr.
• 📣 Meet Our New VP of Communications
• 📅 Mark Your Calendar
• ✍️ Youth for History Writing Contest
• 💪 Volunteer Opportunities: Oct 13 Screening, Oct 23 Picture Retakes
• 🐻 Join RMS PTSA

As always, remember to check out our PTSA website rmsptsa.org and RMS Facebook page for the latest news, programs, and information. Send email inquiries to board@rmsptsa.org. And now... on to the good stuff!

🇲🇽 Lea las traducciones al español de este boletín en nuestro sitio web en los archivos.

PTSA Math Club coaches RMS students for math competitions all year, and this year it is adding after-school training. Right now one parent runs the whole club. It needs two or three more parents to share the work.

You do not need to be a math expert. The club needs people who can organize, communicate with families, and help on competition days.

• Interested? Email mathclubchair@rmsptsa.org
• Registration for 2026-27 is open: register for Math Club
• Math Club site: schedule and competitions

The Redmond Mustang Band Boosters are selling Brown Bear car wash tickets, and the money goes to the RMS band program.

• Tickets are $12 and the band keeps $9.50 of each one. They are good at any Brown Bear Car Wash in the Puget Sound area and never expire.
• Buy car wash tickets. Put your student's name in the form so the boosters know who gets the tickets.
• Or donate to the RMS band directly. The band keeps every dollar.
• Questions? Ms. Ashlyn Stoddard, astoddard@lwsd.org

Our grants drive pays for the things RMS classrooms ask for and the district budget does not cover.

• Donate to the School and Teacher Grants Drive
• You can also give to Music Program Support, the Library Book Purchasing Committee, or Staff Appreciation.

The RMS Science Club is almost full, but a few teams still have space.

• Science Olympiad: only a few spots left, and a waitlist opens next. Contact us as soon as you can.
• National Science Bowl: registration open until Wednesday, October 7
• You Be The Solution: extra spots until Friday, October 30
• Interested? Email scienceteam@rmsptsa.org for next steps.
• Already registered? Your team manager will reach out this week.

National Science Bowl selection test, Wednesday, October 21 at RMS. It is a 90-minute online test of about 200 multiple-choice questions in math, physics, chemistry, biology, earth and space science, and energy. The results decide the two or three RMS teams that go on to the state rounds. 6th graders are especially encouraged to sign up: it is a great chance to learn and to represent RMS.

• RMS PTSA Science Team page

Eat at MOD Pizza on Wednesday, October 14 and part of your bill goes to the RMS Choir.

• MOD Pizza, 8900 161st Ave NE, Suite 165, Redmond
• In the restaurant, mention the Redmond Middle School Choir or show the flyer at checkout.
• Ordering online or in the MOD app? Use the fundraiser code MODGIVES25.

Every PTSA board meeting is open to all members, and you are welcome to come and listen, ask questions, or bring an idea.

• Tuesday, October 20, 6:30 to 7:30 PM, in the RMS Library or online on Teams
• Meeting details and how to join
• The next meeting after that is Tuesday, November 17.

Reflections is National PTA's student arts program, and it is open to every RMS student. This year's theme is "What My Culture Means to Me." Culture can mean a family tradition, a language, a food, a neighborhood, a team, or anything else that makes you who you are.

Students can enter in any of six categories: dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. Visual arts entries must be 2D only this year. Students can enter several categories, one piece in each.

• Due Friday, October 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM. Fill in the RMS Reflections entry form, then email the project to reflections@rmsptsa.org and copy sreerupab@rmsptsa.org.
• Read your category's rules carefully: keep the artist statement to 100 words or fewer and keep the student's name off the artwork.
• The drop-off date for physical artwork will be announced.
• The top 10 RMS entries move on to the Lake Washington PTSA Council round in November.
• RMS PTSA Reflections page: full rules, category guides and the consent form

Quiz Bowl is academic competition with a buzzer. Two teams go head to head, and the first player to buzz in with the right answer scores for the team. Questions cover history, science, literature, math, geography, fine arts, mythology and current events, often well beyond grade level. Students build quick recall and study habits, make connections across subjects, and find other kids who love to learn.

RMS had a big 2025-26:

• Top 21 of 192 middle school teams at the NAQT Middle School National Championship Tournament
• Quarterfinal and semifinal runs at IAC Nationals in History, Geography, Science and Math Bee, with RMS students ranked in the top 30 to 40 nationally in individual subjects
• Top-bracket and medal finishes at monthly NAQT invitationals and IAC Pacific Northwest regional qualifiers

How it works this year:

• Open to 6th, 7th and 8th graders, as individuals or as teams. Multiple teams per grade are welcome.
• The PTSA runs practice events through the year, and current RHS players mentor RMS students.
• Registration includes a year of prep material under the school's license.
• Students can then enter local, regional and national tournaments run by NAQT and IAC. Tournament entry fees are paid by families, not the PTSA.

Registration is open now and closes Friday, October 30. To sign up, email quiz@rmsptsa.org. The fee is $100 per student. No RMS student will be turned away for being unable to pay; email the chair to talk through options.

Parent volunteers needed to score events, read questions and coach teams as the club grows. Volunteers must be RMS PTSA members and LWSD volunteer approved.

• RMS PTSA Quiz Bowl page | Questions, fee help or volunteering: quiz@rmsptsa.org

The RMS PTSA Drama Club has picked this year's show: Frozen Jr. Performances are Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20, 2027.

• The required parent meeting is Tuesday, December 1 at 7 PM in the RMS Commons. Online registration opens after the meeting.
• Sign up for Drama Club email updates
• Drama Club page

Aditi Raman is the PTSA's new Vice President of Communications and is now the main contact for our website and communications. Cindy Goulding moves to VP of Volunteers.

• Questions about the website, social media or this newsletter: comms@rmsptsa.org
• Volunteer questions: volunteers@rmsptsa.org

The short version of what's coming at RMS. The school posts full details on ParentSquare.

• Wednesdays: Grizz Den. A supervised space in the cafeteria after early release. No sign-up. Students must be in the cafeteria by 1:00 PM, stay until 1:50 PM, and have a ride home at 1:50.
• Clubs start meeting in October. All RMS clubs require a 2026-27 ASB membership ($35). See ParentSquare for the link.
• Free tutoring from KCLS, 1 to 11 PM every day, by chat or audio, for math, writing, languages and more. On a school laptop, open ClassLink, then Library & Research Tools, then KCLS, then Brainfuse. The username is 414 followed by the student ID number (for example 4141234567), and the password is the last 4 digits of the student ID (for example 4567). Questions? RMS librarian Amy Fields, amfields@lwsd.org. About KCLS tutoring
• Oct 7, 14, 21 and 28: Realignment information sessions, noon, online. The district is studying school boundaries and capacity. Changes would take effect in September 2028 at the earliest. Session list and recordings
• Oct 13: Hearing and vision screening for all 7th graders. Students who wear glasses or contacts should wear them that day. To opt out, email school nurse Daryl Yao, dyao@lwsd.org, by Friday, October 9.
• Oct 13: RMS Fall Choir Concert, 7 PM, RHS Performing Arts Center.
• Oct 14: Orchestra Concert, 7 PM, RHS Performing Arts Center.
• Oct 16: No school (LEAP Day).
• Oct 20: Fall Band Concert, 7 PM.
• Oct 23: Picture retakes, 8 to 11 AM, RMS Commons.
• Nov 3: Last day of the first quarter.

New to RMS? ParentSquare · Skyward Family Access · Daily Bell Schedules

Washington students in grades 5 to 12 can enter Youth for History's America's 250th writing contest. It is free. Write on one of three themes: We the People, Power of Place, or Sharing History. Entries are due Saturday, October 31 at 11:59 PM. Cash prizes go to the top three.

• Contest details and entry

Two school days in October need parent help, and screening day alone needs about 40 volunteers. Both run in short shifts, so one shift fits around most work days.

• Tuesday, October 13: Hearing and Vision Screening, 8 AM to 2 PM, in shifts of about two hours. Training happens at the start of each shift, so please arrive on time and stay the whole shift. Full-day volunteers get lunch. Sign up for screening day
• Friday, October 23: Picture Retakes, 8 AM to noon, in two-hour shifts. Sign up for picture retakes
• Still open: Spelling Bee chair. Without a chair, RMS has no spelling bee this year. Contact us to ask what is involved.
• Find more RMS PTSA opportunities | Questions? volunteers@rmsptsa.org

Before you sign up, you need to be LWSD-Volunteer-Approved. This is for the safety of our students and staff; approval status is verified before every event. The online application takes 5 to 8 minutes and all you need is some personal info and an electronic copy or photo of your ID. Approval can take a week or more to come through, and it's valid for two years, so apply or renew now.

• Start or renew your LWSD volunteer application
• Volunteering in LWSD: application process, checking whether your approval is still valid, and other district opportunities

Bear Tracks Newsletter is produced by RMS PTSA as a benefit to the Redmond Middle School Community. Bear Tracks is edited by Neil C. Obremski. Please submit articles via the Bear Tracks Online Submission Form. Articles are due on Thursdays, by 5:00 PM for publication the following Sunday. Direct all inquiries to beartracks@rmsptsa.org.