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Northshore Council PTSA participated in Focus on Advocacy Week January 17-21!
Every meeting started with the number one priority of the Washington State PTA, Mental Health. Advocates asked that representatives work to fund and create policies that support mental health in our schools and communities. Additional Asks Included:
Throughout Focus on Advocacy Week, in addition to meeting with legislators, PTA advocates were asked to email their elected officials to advocate for children. Council and many of our local PTAs promoted Focus on Advocacy Week using social media accounts, websites, and newsletters to encourage members to participate as well. Throughout the next sixty days, the Washington State Senate and House will debate and vote on issues that directly affect children and families in Washington State. If you would like to be kept up to date on these issues, please subscribe to Action Alerts.  Northshore Council would like to thank the legislators and their assistants who met with us during Focus on Advocacy Week!
Council would also like to recognize the PTA Advocates who took time out of their week to participate in the meetings:
If you would like to learn more about Council's Advocacy work or how you can get involved, visit our Advocacy page.
Calling All PTA Advocates for Mental Health Awareness  Council's Mental Health Committee has been noticing inconsistencies with the accessibility to a school's mental health resources. We are asking our local leaders to take a few minutes to check out the website for their school to determine the following:
After checking out your school's website, if you find these things hard to locate or not available, we encourage you to advocate with your school office staff and principal to get these things included. If your school is already doing a great job at making mental health information accessible, we would love to know! Please email the link to your school's website so we can share it as a resource with other PTA leaders and schools looking to improve their mental health accessibility and awareness.  Congratulations to all our talented Northshore artists who participated in Reflections this year! We had 267 entries from 28 schools. The students rhymed, painted, drew, colored, composed, danced, filmed and photographed with creativity and passion - while keeping in mind the 2021-22 theme of "I Will Change the World By..." Judging Results: There were 59 State Qualifiers (SQ) who continued on to Washington State PTA for further judging. There were also 15 pieces that received the honorable Judge's Choice Award (JC). Congrats to all the students who made it to the Council Level for judging!!  With Gratitude...
Council is in the process of creating a website to showcase the many creative Northshore student artists! We plan to launch our 2021-2022 Reflections Virtual Art Showcase website this February where we will display all 267 pieces of artwork. Details will be posted once the website is available for viewing.
Northshore Council is looking for awesome leaders! Put all the PTA/PTSA knowledge you have to good use by becoming a Northshore Council Executive Team Member 
Northshore Council PTSA is made up of volunteers from our Local PTAs and community that have chosen to use their skills to assist our community. The Nominating Committee is seeking interested candidates for Northshore Council PTSA's 2022-2023 Executive team. Positions include:
Are you ready to nominate yourself or someone else? Click here for the Nomination Form.
Nominations are due by February 18th, 2022. Questions? Contact Council's Nominating Committee at [email protected]
Qualification Requirements
Per the 2021-2022 Council Standing Rules: All Candidates:
Candidates for the office of President and First Vice President shall also:
Candidates for the offices of VP of Elementary Support and VP of Secondary Support shall also:
Below is a brief job descriptions of Council positions. For a more detailed job description, click here.
President: The President has many important jobs including serving as the official contact, communicator and representative of Council. They oversee and coordinate the work of the executive board, preside over meetings, are ex-officio members of all committees (except Nominating Committee) and are designated as an authorized signer for checks, contracts and authorizations for payment. But, most importantly, they work to connect PTAs which in turn helps them support families, schools and the community to work towards overall student success. 1st VP: Must be familiar with the Council president’s duties and responsibilities. Act as an aide to the president and perform the duties of the president in his or her absence. Is in charge of advertising and organizing the Council Grant Program and yearly Awards. Treasurer: Is the authorized custodian of the funds of the association and receives and disburses all monies in accordance with the budget as approved by the membership. Secretary: Keeps an accurate record of meetings, which become part of the permanent history of the PTA. Also responsible for taking attendance and monitoring quorum at meetings. VP of Events: Plans and coordinates Councils yearly events including Presidents and Principals Brunch, Reflections Celebration and Spring Recognition Event. VP of Communications: Works to facilitate Northshore Council PTSA communications in order to inform, engage, educate and inspire local PTAs and beyond. VP of Advocacy: Help to educate local PTA's and disseminate information about current WSPTA and National PTA legislative priorities. VP of Elementary Support: Act as a conduit of information for local elementary PTAs. Helps to answer questions local PTA's may have and works to recognize and celebrate local PTA's. VP of Secondary Support: Act as a conduit of information for local secondary (high school and middle school) PTAs. Helps to answer questions local PTA's may have and works to recognize and celebrate local PTA's.  Last night at the January 20th General Membership Meeting Council's Board of Directors put forward the issue of supporting the bond and levies that are on the February ballot. During this meeting we presented both the pro and con positions on the issue before calling for a motion to determine our PTSA’s support of or opposition to the bond and levies. Council would like to announce that the motion to support the Northshore School District Bond & Levies on the February 8th Ballot was passed unanimously. Resources to Learn More about the Bond & Levies, including the Pro and Con Positions General Bond & Levies Info: https://www.nsd.org/our-district/overview/bond-levies Pro Position Info: https://citizensfornorthshoreschools.org/ Con Position Info: https://www.nsdstudentsfirst.com/home Voter Information & Resources February 8th, 2022 Special Election Dates & Voter Registration Information January 21st - Ballots are mailed out and Accessible Voting Units (AVUs) are available at voting centers. January 31st - Last day for voters to register or update voter information online February 8th - Last day for voters to register or update voter information in person by 8pm February 8th - *Special Election Day* Deposit your ballot in an official drop box by 8pm Additional Resources King County Ballot Information Snohomish County Ballot Information  Voter information and registration can be found at http://vote.wa.gov/.
The Final Deadline has been Extended for Council's Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant Program!  The Northshore Council PTSA’s Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant Program is designed to help support local PTAs in hosting relevant and timely speakers for our district families and to encourage them to create engaging events for our community.
ALL local PTAs, within the Northshore School District and in good standing, may apply for a grant through a simple application process. EXTENDED Final deadline is February 1, 2022! Not sure what to apply for? Check out some of the programs supported through this grant program on our past recipients page. Learn more about our grants program by clicking here. Download & Print the 2021-2022 Grants Application Form. Questions? Email us! Happy 2022! With the new year brings new opportunities to ask someone to join your PTA!
Take advantage of the new year enthusiasm as we head into the second semester of the school year. Tell your school community about the new opportunities to get involved in & be a part of your PTA!
BONUS: Washington State PTA is offering a "Keep those members coming!" contest. Add 7 new members to your PTA between February 1 and March 14 to qualify. One fun way to increase membership is by promoting joining your PTA with a gift basket giveaway. Have questions on how to run a membership giveaway or help with your membership campaign? Contact Council's Membership Co-Chairs, Hanisha Bakshani & Melissa Kline.  Northshore Council PTSA is proud to announce the recipients of our 2nd round of Educational Speakers & Community Events Grants for 2021-2022!
Local PTAs/PTSAs interested in partnering with Northshore Council PTSA to host speakers or events are able to apply for a Northshore Council PTSA Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant. 2021-2022 grants are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis and applications will be reviewed by the Northshore Council PTSA until the Council Programs budget is used in its entirety. The submission deadline for the final round of Educational Speakers & Community Events Grants has been extended to February 1st, 2022. For more information about the grants program, visit our Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant Program page.  Northshore Council PTSA will be holding online elections for the three (3) positions on its 2021-22 Nominating Committee on Thursday, January 20, 2022.
The Nominating Committee is a special committee that holds the key to a successful PTSA. It is responsible for presenting the best qualified candidates to serve as the elected officers who will lead Northshore Council PTSA in 2022-23. The slated candidates are as follows:
The period for self-declared nominations for these positions closed on Friday, January 7th, 2022. Qualification Requirements:
Election Information: As there are only three candidates, the election will be conducted via voice vote at the next General Membership Meeting, on Thursday, January 20, 2022: 1/20 General Meeting Zoom Information Topic: Northshore Council PTSA General Meeting Time: Jan 20, 2022 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81657900888 Meeting ID: 816 5790 0888 Passcode: *Available upon request. One tap mobile +12532158782,,81657900888#,,,,*462403# US (Tacoma) +13462487799,,81657900888#,,,,*462403# US (Houston) Dial by your location +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 720 707 2699 US (Denver) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) Meeting ID: 816 5790 0888 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kcX2YUWjGJ Information about Northshore Council PTSA online elections procedures is available in its Electronic Voting (E-Voting) Policy. Questions? Please contact Northshore Council PTSA President Jane Chiodo. *A meeting passcode is required to join. It will be sent to local leaders via email. You can also request the passcode by emailing Council PTSA Communications VP, Rachel Fitzgerald. 
Legislative session is upon us and starting Monday, January 17th, it's
WSPTA's Focus on Advocacy Week!!
Here's a brief run-down on what you can expect out of this week long event and how you can get involved!
When is Focus on Advocacy Week? This week long event runs Monday, January 17th through Friday, January 21st Who should participate? Anyone who wants to advocate for students, teachers, or their school community! Advocacy is for everyone and now is the perfect time to get involved. Where does this take place? This year, Focus on Advocacy Week is virtual! That means anyone wanting to participate can do so from their phone or computer. What is the Legislative Session? The Legislative session is the time when our senators and representatives work on bills. They will be debating, reading emails, and holding meetings about current bills for the session. What is Focus on Advocacy Week? Focus on Advocacy Week is the week where we as PTA members focus on calling, writing, and having meetings with our legislators. We do this to get our Legislative Priorities into the hearts and minds of our elected officials and to educate them on what our members need and want. Why does Focus on Advocacy Week matter? This is the best time to get our priorities heard by our representatives. Washington State PTA members voted and approved our top 5 issues that we believe lawmakers should work on. Now is the time that we bring these issues to the forefront of their work. See below for a list of our Top 5 Issues as well as how PTA plans to put equity at the center of everything we do with our 2020-2022 Legislative Priorities. How can someone participate? 1. Sign up for the WSPTA's Action Network Group to get timely alerts. 2. Find your Washington State Legislature Representatives. 3. Fill out this Focus Day Interest Google Form to schedule meetings with legislators 3. Set aside time during Focus on Advocacy Week to call and email. WSPTA has designated each day next week to a different focus topic: ◘ Monday, January 17 – Call to Action: Focus on dismantling racism ◘ Tuesday, January 18 – Call to Action: Focus on equity ◘ Wednesday, January 19 – Call to Action: Focus on mental health and wellness ◘ Thursday, January 20 – Call to Action: Focus on preserving and flexing funding ◘ Friday, January 21 – Call to Action: Focus on safety and emergency preparedness 4. Join Marie Sullivan, Washington State PTA’s legislative consultant, on January 11th from 7-8pm over Zoom as she presents Preparing for the 2022 Legislative Session - Your Questions Answered. 5. Check out the awesome videos and one page issue documents available on Washington State PTA’s Advocacy page about each of the priorities. 6. Spread the word! Invite others from your PTA community to join you in connecting with state legislative leaders. Use the hashtag #WSPTAOneVoice to share about Focus on Advocacy Week through your PTA's, and even your own, social media accounts. Remember to share updates via your PTA's other channels such as website or emails.
Check out the image below from WSPTA to see how PTA is putting Equity at the Center of Everything We Do with our 2020-2022 Legislative Priorities. Click here for a printable version.
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Northshore Council PTSA is a welcoming organization that works to support our Local PTAs and serve the children and youth of our community through advocacy, collaboration, education, engagement, leadership, and mentorship.