Join families and community members to help ready schools for the start of the 2022 - 2023 school year. Community Serve Day is on Sunday, August 21, 2022 from 9am - 1pm.  Volunteers can help teachers set up their classrooms, and help improve the campus through painting, weeding and more!  There are indoor and outside volunteer opportunities available. This year there are 25 Northshore elementary and middle schools participating. If you do not see your school, we encourage you to help at a participating school near you.
 
Sign up and learn more here: https://communityserveday.org/

As you are filling your executive board and committee chair positions, please have each member of your 2022-2023 PTA/PTSA complete the Contact Information for 2022-2023 Northshore PTA/PTSA Leaders form to ensure no missed communications from Council. Thank you to those who have already completed the form. 
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This includes positions such as the executive committee (aka: elected positions), board members, committee chairs, etc.

​Council gathers this information in order to support all Northshore Local PTA/PTSA Leaders. Contact information is used to connect with leaders including receiving our twice a month eNews, sending invites to Council events, relaying important and timely information about program specific areas (such as Advocacy or Reflections), and more!

Link to form to share with your leaders: ​https://forms.gle/nqa7PGFYeT8iWsYx8

Questions? Contact our VP of Communications at communicationsvp@northshorecouncilptsa.org.
​Remember to update officers into memberplanet as well!

Meet Mary:
My name is Mary Khouzam, and I have two children who attend North Creek High School, and one at Skyview Middle School. I'm honored to serve as Northshore Council’s Co-President, having previously served as Council VP. I have been an active member of PTSA for the better part of eight years, holding different local board positions, including president, as well as serving on various committees over the years. I’m excited to put my previous experience to work for Council for the benefit of all students in our community.

Welcome Letter

​Council leaders know first-hand how many curveballs were thrown our way – as community leaders and as parents – over the last few years. And we have continually been amazed at our local leaders for overcoming obstacles, creating community, supporting students and schools, and showing everyone exactly what it means to be #PTAFlexible. We know this year will continue to show growth among our PTA membership and the programs and supports Northshore PTAs provide for their communities.

We also know that it’s not always easy to do it alone. This is why we want to let you know that Council is always here for you. Our mission as your Northshore PTSA Council is to support the work you do at the local PTA level. We have many resources that can help you navigate the day-to-day PTA work, as well as the unexpected, including:

• Many position specific Facebook groups for Northshore PTA leaders to make connections and ask questions;
• Office Hours & Roundtables so that we can share and learn from one another;
• A bi-weekly newsletter, website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to help keep you informed;
• Trainings so you can learn how to run your non-profit and become a stronger PTA leader;
• Meetings to share information and connect you with district and community leaders;
• Grants to support your PTA’s next educational speaker or community event; and, of course;
• Personalized, one-on-one support​ - we’re just an email or zoom meeting away!

Our 2022-2023 Council team is ready to help you continue to do amazing things for our students, families, schools, and communities.

​Wishing you a fantastic school year!

​
Rachel Fitzgerald & Mary Khouzam
Co-Presidents, Northshore Council PTSA 6.10
president@northshorecouncilptsa.org

Council will be holding Summer Office Hours on Tuesday, August 16th, from 6:30PM to 7:30PM. This is the perfect time to connect with Council, ask questions about the upcoming year, or even just stop in to say hello!

This time is designed to support our local PTA/PTSA leaders as you begin to navigate membership, programs, and managing your organization for the upcoming year. We hope you will join us!

Join Zoom Meeting
​https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84468327314...

Meeting ID: 844 6832 7314
Passcode: *available upon request*

If you have questions and need to connect with Council before this, please visit our Contact Page for a list of Council Officers and their emails.

*Please see calendar for future Office Hours dates and times. 

Great retreats also include a few key social elements that serve as ways to allow board members to connect, bond, and get to know each other, all of which work to help build a more cohesive team:
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• ​Include at least one “getting to know you” activity.
• Have name tags, if even one member of the group is new. For virtual meetings, ask that all participants use their correct name when signing into the meeting.
• For a virtual retreat, get everyone chatting with a whimsical poll - such as "does pineapple belong on pizza" or "what superpower would you want". Menti.com is an easy tool to use for creating a live poll.
• Include a group social activity, such as a potluck or bowling. There are activities you can do to energize your online meeting as well.

​​The extended nature of a retreat means that a board can have time for conversations and discussions with more breadth and depth. Consider some of the following discussion areas and questions as you build your board retreat agenda:

• What norms do we want for our board? Consider creating your own Standards of Conduct (example from Council).
• Build your calendar (check both the Northshore School District Calendar and WA State PTA's Multicultural Calendar for conflicts)
• Develop a communication plan for the year
• Start planning your Membership Campaign
• Brainstorm
• Strengths of our PTA?
• Challenges of our PTA?
• Opportunities?
• How can we connect, welcome, and inspire our community?
• What do you want people to say about your PTA's achievements at the end of the year?
• How will you work together?
• What does success look like?
• What resources, training, or other outside help do we need to succeed?

Finally, remember that some of the most important work will happen after the retreat ends as ideas are put into action. Take time through the year to reflect and check-in with one another regarding discussions, action items, and progress toward goals.

This summer, Council will be holding Office Hours on Wednesday, July 13th, from 12:00PM (noon) to 1:00PM. This is the perfect time to connect with Council, ask questions about the upcoming year, or even just stop in to say hello!

This time is designed to support our local PTA/PTSA leaders as you begin to navigate membership, programs, and managing your organization for the upcoming year. We hope you will join us!

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86598668645

Meeting ID: 865 9866 8645
Passcode: *available upon request*

If you have questions and need to connect with Council prior to this, please visit our Contact Page for a list Council Officers and their emails.

Phew! We’ve made it through another year! Oh, how we all could use time to recharge our bodies and minds. Our kids have gone through the wringer this year, with changing Covid protocols, school shootings, and other unpredictable events. These things quickly add up and take their toll on our mental health.

School is almost out, making this a good time to focus on recharging our bodies and minds. These upcoming summer months are a great time to revisit some mindfulness and self-care practices.  

Mindfulness practice is an excellent (and simple!) way to ground ourselves in a busy world, to stay fresh, and to simplify our lives. Who couldn’t use that? When you focus on right now, this very moment and not the past or what is coming up tomorrow (or even in the fall), you can be more open-minded, intentional, have gratitude and grace.  

One way to practice mindfulness is to start your day with a purpose. When you set an intention, it is more likely that your actions, words, and responses, especially during tough moments, will be more mindful and compassionate. This practice is best done first thing in the morning, before turning on screens or checking social media.

​Here are some additional mindfulness exercises to try:

• Mindful Breathing: Sit comfortably or lie down on your back. Take slow, deep breaths, noticing your lungs expanding. Release the breath slowly. Repeat at least 4 more times. As you breath in and out, you can try imagining going up a hill and then back down a hill, swinging in slow-motion, or visualizing colors using Color Mindfulness.
• Mindful Observation: Step outside for a few moments. Focus on a flower, a cloud, or the trees in the distance. Notice only that item, as if it were the first time you’ve ever seen it.
• Mindful Awareness: Pay attention to what you are doing and focus on one task at a time - do not multi-task. Ever forget where you set your phone? It’s probably because you set it down while walking through the house to do something else.
• Mindful Listening: Listen without judgement or other influences. Listen to your child, your friend, your partner. Listen to nature.
• Mindful Immersion: Be fully present and immersed in what you are doing. Don’t think of the past or the future. Just the here and now.
• Mindful Appreciation: Find gratitude in and appreciation for every day things. These can be small things such as the smell of rain that watered your garden or the electricity that turns your coffee pot on in the morning.

Remember: the purpose of these mindful exercises is to be intentional and focus on one thing at a time. By doing so, you will see improved balance and happiness in your daily lives.

Summer is the perfect time to slow down and smell the roses, as the saying goes. Play that extra board game with your kids before bed. Jump on the trampoline with them after lunch. Take a walk with your partner at sunset. Notice the little things that bring you joy. By being intentional and focusing on one thing at a time, you will see improved balance and happiness in your daily lives.  

Be mindful. You, your family, and your mental health deserve it.

Awards are a great way for PTAs to show their community how much they appreciate them and to celebrate the dedication of those who support your PTA's mission and goals!

Many PTA's do this through WSPTA's formal volunteer award recognition program which allows for local PTAs to award for outstanding educator, advocate, student advocate, and volunteer (Golden Acorn), as well as the honorary life membership award.

Because volunteers are at the heart of everything PTA, Council is excited to share in the celebration of our local Northshore PTA Award Winners!

Please note, we know this is a busy time of year and many PTAs have not yet had the chance to submit their award winners to us for recognition. If you would like to add to our list, email communications@northshorecouncilptsa.org.