The Mercer Island Preschool Association serves as an advocate and information clearinghouse for both children and…More preschools on Mercer Island. The association hosts a number of popular holiday events year-round, including the Preschool Fair — a chance to meet representatives from each of the Island's preschools — held every January.</p> <p>Historically, MIPA has worked to better the well-being and education of young children. It was instrumental in starting a library on Mercer Island, bringing kindergarten to local elementary schools and building playgrounds in Mercerdale Park and the lower level of the Community Center at Mercer View.</p>

Kids Company at West Mercer serves students of West Mercer Elementary School, route: {:controller=>"listings",…More :action=>"show", :id=>"west-mercer-elementary-school"} --> with before- and after-school care and summer day camp. West Mercer Kid's Company also offers child care services to students of Island Park Elementary School for the 2011-2012 school year with pick-up and drop-off available between sites. </p> <p>Kids Company also runs a sister child care program at <!-- name: Lakeridge Elementary School.</p> <p>As school locations change frequently, please check their website for the most current information regarding services. </p>

Mercer Island Montessori is a small pre-school in a private home on the South End of the island. Owner and head…More teacher, Susan Locke, closely tracks the progress of students in a non-competitive learning atmosphere.</p> <p>The school is focused on engaging children with a sensorial curriculum which involves the natural habitat, speech, movement, science, math, and social normalization.</p> <p> </p>

West Mercer Elementary is located on the west side of the island just south of the First Hill, route:…More {:controller=>"listings", :action=>"show", :id=>"first-hill-park"} --> neighborhood, along the roadway that shares its name. State MSP test results are very high, with 85 percent of students achieving math standards and 94 percent achieving reading standards in 2009. The school's classrooms (2009 staffing) are managed by 32 teachers and 35 specialist teachers and other staff are listed as faculty. West Mercer Elementary hosts the school district's gifted student and preschool programs, and features a before- and after-school day care run by a private contractor, <!-- name: Kids Company, for the 2011-2012 school year.</p> <p>Extracurricular activities include an emphasis on music, culminating in a school music concert in the fall and a school musical in the spring. The West Mercer PTA is also very involved in supporting extracurricular activities, including the sponsorship of weekly after-school art classes at West Mercer. West Mercer Elementary school is led by principal Rich Mellish.</p>

Retail, office and storage, route: {:controller=>"listings", :action=>"show",…More :id=>"storage-court-of-mercer-island-self-storage"} --> businesses make up the open-air Mercer Village Shopping Center, located in the South-End of Mercer Island. The shopping center has a wide mix of grocery, dining and service retailers. The shopping center is within walking distance of Islander Middle School, Pioneer Park, Fire Station 92, Mercer Island Country Club and the South Mercer Playfields.</p> <p>Anchored by <!-- name: QFC and Rite Aid (with a post office branch inside), the shopping center also includes a gas station, a popular Starbucks location, dry cleaner, dance school, karate school, beauty spa, real estate agency and several restaurants offering a variety of cuisine.</p>

The Mercer Island Schools Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to maintaining and improving education in…More Mercer Island public schools.</p> <p>The Foundation holds several community fundraisers a year to support the schools, such as the annual Phone-a-Thon Campaign and the Breakfast of Champions event in April. Money raised from those events are invested in hiring more educators for the school district, investing in a new curriculum, buying new textbooks, classroom materials and supporting classroom enrichment and professional development. Last year, the popular Bridge the Gap campaign raised more than $850,000.</p>

St. Monica is one of Mercer Island's largest religious congregations and it administers the neighboring K-8 school,…More both located just to the south of Mercer Island High School.</p> <p>The church property occupies over eight acres, and is composed of a large sanctuary, a family center, chapel, and rectory. The well-manicured grounds include a grotto which surrounds the Madonna of Mercer Island.</p> <p>The church sponsors several ministries, including the popular Friends of the Needy program, which feeds 100-150 people across the Seattle Metro area every day.</p> <p>The parish church is led Father Patrick Freitag since 2008.</p>

Mercer Island Youth and Family Services is a unique public/private partnership with the City of Mercer Island to…More provide human services and assistance to residents and families in need. The organization is largely supported by a non-profit foundation and proceeds from sales at the Mercer Island Thrift Shop.</p> <p>Formerly the site of a the Boys Parental boarding school, the MIYFS is based inside the Luther Burbank Building. Many classes and services are provided here or at the Island's public schools. Community-based services include loss and grief counseling, alcohol and drug prevention and youth development. MIYFS also contracts with other providers to help with domestic violence, sexual abuse and other legal aid. Emergency services, such as a food bank and rent assistance, are also available.</p> <p>MIYFS also provides student counseling services inside Mercer Island's public schools.</p>