School news in Mercer Island.
Ty Bergstrom joins district executive team
Ty Bergstrom has joined the Mercer Island School District as executive director of finance and chief financial officer, beginning Oct. 3.
Bergstrom comes to Mercer Island most recently from Zions Bancorporation in Salt Lake City, where he worked as an internal auditor assisting with risk identification and control activity evaluations. Previously, Bergstrom worked for the Washington State Auditor’s Office as an assistant state auditor and fraud specialist, and was assigned to perform the district’s annual audit just two years ago.
“What impressed me about Ty is his unwavering commitment to public service, his keen insights and knowledge about public finance, and his desire to give back to his community,” said Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano.
Bergstrom earned his masters of professional accountancy with Seattle University in 2014, and is presently working on his CPA license. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and near Eastern languages and civilization with the University of Washington.
“Dean Mack will be training Ty in the coming months, so the transition will be seamless,” Plano said. “We are excited to have Mr. Bergstrom join a highly talented team of school leaders.”
MIHS Wind Ensemble invited to perform at music conference
The Mercer Island High School Wind Ensemble has been selected to perform at the National Association for Music Education Northwest Conference, to be held on Feb. 17 and 18, 2017 at the Bellevue Hyatt and Westin.
The wind ensemble was chosen for this immense honor from a pool of applicants consisting of collegiate, high school, middle school and elementary performing ensembles from Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon and Alaska.
Made up of 53 student musicians and directed by Parker Bixby, the MIHS group was invited to perform during a concert hour at the Bellevue Westin on Feb. 17 and as a test ensemble for a session demonstrating music education on Feb. 18.
“This opportunity is a recognition of the dedication, talent and commitment that our music educators have for their students and their programs,” Dr. Plano said.
Held biennially, the conference attracts music educators from the six states in the Northwest region to participate in professional development and attend workshops. Each day, a number of outstanding groups are featured during a concert hour in order to highlight excellence in music performance at all levels.
The MIHS Wind Ensemble will be performing a variety of music, featuring a piece for wind band and technology written by professor of composition at Washington University in St. Louis, Dr. Christopher Stark. Stark will join the group the week prior to the performance to work with the students, discuss the compositional process and attend the performance.
Nominations open for second year of Pathfinder Awards
The Mercer Island School District is now seeking nominations for its second annual Pathfinder Awards. The award celebrates graduates of Mercer Island High School whose achievements, strength of character and citizenship inspire and challenge today’s youth. The deadline to submit nominations online is Jan. 15, 2017.
“The inaugural 2016 Pathfinder Awards were such a great success, honoring four outstanding graduates,” Dr. Plano said. “These men and women and countless others have made significant contributions to society in meaningful ways through their service, leadership and creativity in communities both local and national.”
MIHS alumni have impacted the world in a variety of fields, including arts and athletics, business, education, entertainment, law, medicine, the military, philanthropy and volunteerism, politics and public service, religion, scholarship and science, to name a few.
Visit www.mercerislandschools.org/alumni to view the selection criteria and submit a nomination online. Winners will be honored at the Mercer Island Schools Foundation’s Breakfast of Champions on April 25, 2017.
