Join Washington State PTA for Focus Day on Monday, February 11th and meet with our legislators in Olympia! Let's join together to show lawmakers that parents and students support excellence in education!

This year we will begin at The United Churches of Olympia located at 110 Eleventh Ave SE (the corner of Capitol Way and 11th, across the street from the Capitol grounds).

The Focus Day program will begin at 9:00 am with a presentation designed to help you better understand WSPTA priorities, the legislative process, and tips for talking to legislators. The program should end around 10:30 am.

Register for Focus Day here: www.eventbrite.com/e/wspta-focus-day-2019-tickets-55040539736

Don't want to drive??? Once again, Northshore Council PTSA will be offering a "bus" for members who wish to attend Focus Day in Olympia on Monday, February 11th. We'll be leaving from the NSD Admin building at 7:30am with a planned return time of 3:30pm.

Email FocusDay@northshorecouncilptsa.org to save your seat on the bus!

There is a wealth of information about Focus Day available via Washington State PTA. Resources include:

• Invitation to PTA Members to Attend Focus Day (YouTube)
  
• Focus Day/Advocacy Week Event Page
• Advocacy in Olympia: Show Up to Speak Up on Focus Day February 11, 2019
• Focus Day Postcard (pdf)
• Washington State PTA's 2019 Legislative Platform (pdf)
  

Imagine you woke up this morning and had trouble seeing. Over the next few months your vision kept fading away…

Students, families and community members are invited to come hear the inspiring true story of Clark Roberts, who lost his sight at 24 but gained a new outlook on life. Join us on Thursday, March 21, 2019, at 7:00pm at Bothell High School Commons for this amazing, unique evening. This event is FREE! Refreshments will be provided. And of course…come meet his service dog!

This event is co-sponsored by Bothell High School PTSA and Northshore Council PTSA.

Clark Roberts is the founder of Ultimate Vision, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire others to see in new ways, educating and motivating all ages to celebrate their differences, reach beyond their limitations, learn to overcome challenges or adversity to live a life that is full and rewarding, inspiring others to do the same.

Download the flyer:

The Region 6 Winter Conference has been rescheduled to take place on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at Dearborn Park International Elementary School (2820 South Orcas Street, Seattle, WA 98108). The event is 10:00am - 3:30pm and includes classes (including PTA & the Law), roundtable discussions, and more! This FREE training and leadership development event is for all PTA leaders! Come learn, network with your fellow PTA leaders, and meet part of your PTA support team. Learn more and register online...

As of January 1, 2019, the following Northshore PTAs/PTSAs have earned 2018-19 WSPTA Membership Awards:

Northshore Council PTAs/PTSAs have 7,546 members so far this year. We need your help to meet our Council goal of 8,600! There is still time to make that happen and to earn an award for your PTA as well! Think about what you can do to promote membership this winter and remind your community about the value and importance of joining PTA! Questions? Need ideas? Contact our Council Membership Chiars, Sherry Rudolph and Mary Khouzam.

Technology and social media are capturing the time and attention of our children. Families need to keep pace with the cyber world in order to keep our kids safe!

Parents/guardians and community members are invited to attend a FREE presentation by Stefanie Thomas, "Child Internet Safety," on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 from 6:30-7:30pm at the Woodmoor Elementary Library.  Ms. Thomas worked 6 years on the Internet Task Force for the Seattle Police Department working both internet crime against children and the commercial sexual exploitation of children as a victim advocate. She uses this experience to education parents about internet safety.

Topics of discussion include:

• Cyberbullying
  
• Social networking/online gaming
  
• Online posting
  
• Sexting
  
• The reality of kids as targets
  
• Cell phone & internet safety tips
  

FREE childcare provided by YMCA by reservation. Please RSVP for childcare to woodmoorptsachair@gmail.com.

This event is co-sponsored by Woodmoor PTSA and Northshore Council PTSA.

Many thanks to all who attended our General Membership Meeting on January 7, 2019! It was wonderful to see so many Northshore leaders in attendance this month. Also great gratitude to our featured presenters, Dr. Charla Griffy-Brown and Janice Kutzera.

In addition to reviewing the November minutes as well as the November and December financial reports, we heard from a number of Council leaders regarding upcoming events. First VP Cindy Jensen encouraged all to attend the Reflections Celebration on January 12th (details available here). Council Advocacy VP Nancy Chamberlain invited everyone to participate in Focus Day on February 11th, noting that Council will again be providing free transportation to Olympia for any interested Northshore PTA/PTSA members (details available here). She also passed out postcards that local leaders could use and/or take back to their PTAs that their members can use to write to their legislators. She noted that completed postcards can be returned to Council via the district's interdepartmental mail and we will hand deliver them to legislators on Focus Day. Printable postcards are available on the WSPTA's Focus Day event page (scroll down to "Resources" at the bottom of the page). Advocacy Week will be February 11-14 and all are encouraged to sign-up for WSPTA Action Alerts to facilitate contacting legislators about WSPTA's current platform issues (details available here). Sue Freeman then shared information about the Nominating Committee and encouraged people to ask questions and to nominate potential candidates for next year's Executive Board roles. She noted that the hope is to have a full slate by March 2nd (details available here).  Finally, Cindy Jensen stepped up to encourage local PTAs to participate in this year's WSPTA Awards of Excellence program, noting that applications are due March 1 (details available here).

District Partnerships Coordinator Natalie Campbell shared a number of upcoming district events and also announced availability of an updated PTSA/PTA District Resource Guide, now available online. She noted that the Resource Guide is an ongoing effort and will be added-to over time as needed. Local PTA leaders will be able to find information there regarding facilities, communications, district policies relevant to PTAs, and more. Download a copy by clicking on the blue "PTA/PTSA Resource Guide" button on the PTA & PTSA page on the NSD website.

Carmin Dalziel of the Northshore School Foundation introduced their new crowdfunding program, Northshore Gives, noting that they are piloting the program with a number of different funding opportunities. She also invited all to consider attending the upcoming All in for Kids Luncheon on April 4, 2019.

Guest speaker, Dr. Charla Griffy-Brown, joined the meeting virtually and gave an informative presentation on "Cybersecurity 101: for Non-Profits." WSPTA Finance Officer Janice Kutzera followed with a talk about electronic banking safeguards and online financial safety for PTAs.  There are many resources available on the Leadership Guides page of the WSPTA website (note: login/password is available via WSPTA's Leadership News). Then a local leader came forward and shared a powerful story about their personal experience in dealing with fraud. During the Q&A session, it was noted that there will be an upcoming in-person PTA & the Law training on February 7, 2019 at Woodinville Fire Station #31 from 6-9pm (details available here).

Our PTA Spotlight this month highlighted Hollywood Hill PTA. Their PTA's Special Ed. Representative, Denise Need, joined us to share their "sensory box." The large storage tote lives between their school gym and music room, and is accessible to anyone during school assemblies and evening events. The box includes items such as headphones, ear plugs, a teddy bear, bumpy seat pad, activity books and crayons, fidget spinners and other items for kids of all ages. Directions are simply to use as needed to ease discomfort of any child then return items, wiped down, to the box when done. It is such wonderful idea that works to help create an inclusive and welcoming environment at events at their school. Great job Hollywood Hill PTA!

Finally, we closed the meeting with some awesome doorprize drawings.