Schools

Wearing PJs to School: Pancake & Pajamas Breakfast at Island Park Elementary (Photo Gallery)

The Friday morning PTA fundraiser for Island Park Elementary School is tied to the Mercer Island Schools Foundation Bridge the Gap effort to raise $1.2 million to fill a state funding shortfall.

Parents and school children still dressed in pajamas arrived early Friday morning at  for a pancake breakfast fundraiser, organized by the school PTA.

Island Park PTA President Deb Hanson said over 600 students and parents had RSVP'ed for the event, which features a trio from the , a video production of the  2020 Vision mission statement. Over $14,000 has already been raised by the Island Park PTA before the event began.

The main event proved to be Island Park Principal Dr. Nancy Loorem's new hairstyle, which was spray-dyed "in rainbow colors" by fellow teachers, to the delight of students.

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"This is awesome," said Island Park 5th grade student Jessie Stenberg. "Delicious food, watching our teachers and principal getting their hair sprayed — it's amazing."

Fifth-grade classmates Ali Kimball, Jackie Airut Murphy, Fiona Smith and Shelby Burr from Mrs. John-Lewis's class also chimed in.

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"It's a great cause," Ali said.

"We get to wear out PJs to school and it helps our teachers out," Shelby said.

"It was such a blast of energy!" Jackie exclaimed.

"It's so great that you can just roll out of bed and come to school," Fiona said.

The fundraiser is part of an effort by Mercer Island PTAs and the Mercer Island Schools Foundation to raise a total of $1.2 million to offset a state funding shortfall. 

, and the  furnished the pancakes and coffee, and even the "Leap the Frog" was in attendance.

"There's no charge, we're just encouraging parents to donate what they can," said PTA board member and breakfast volunteer Amy Melick.


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