 Congratulations to all the students who made it to the Council Level for judging!! CONGRATULATIONS to all our talented Northshore artists who participated in Reflections this year! We had 215 entries from 27 schools. The students demonstrated creativity and passion while keeping with the 2022-23 theme of "Show Your Voice". Judging Results: There were 57 State Qualifiers who continued on to Washington State PTA for further judging. There were also 12 pieces that received the honorable Judge's Choice Award.
 2023 Virtual College and Career Fair Thursday, February 9, 2023 | 6:30 - 8:30 pm Register & More Information Here Northshore School District is proud to host the 2023 Virtual College & Career Fair on Thursday, February 9 from 6:30-8:30 PM. This event will be filled with valuable information to help families plan and navigate post high school options, and is intended for all Northshore High School students and families, but is open to all. Participants can attend 3 live sessions on February 9th. There will be an opportunity for Questions & Answers. Over 15 virtual sessions will be offered, and topics include:
Questions Regarding Registration? Email Lisa Allen at [email protected]. This event is proudly sponsored in partnership with Northshore Council PTSA's Secondary Support and Northshore Schools Foundation.
 Northshore Council PTSA is proud to announce the recipients of our second round of Educational Speakers & Community Events Grants for 2022-2023!
Local PTAs/PTSAs interested in partnering with Northshore Council PTSA to host speakers or community events are invited to apply for a Northshore Council PTSA Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant. 2022-2023 grants are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis and applications are reviewed by the Northshore Council PTSA. The submission deadline for the third and last round of Educational Speakers & Community Events Grants is Friday, January 27, 2023. For more information about the grants program, visit our Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant Program page or contact email [email protected].  Council's VP of Advocacy, Jennifer Drury is scheduling virtual appointments with our legislators leading up to Focus Week. Please indicate your interest in participating in any or all of these activities by completing this short survey by February 5, 2023. Focus on Advocacy Week is scheduled for February 6 - 10, 2023. During this week, members can participate in daily calls to actions. Subscribe to WSPTA Action Network. Focus Day will be Monday, February 20, 2023 (Presidents Day), in Olympia and members are encouraged to meet with their legislators about our 2023-2024 Legislative Priorities. Washington State PTA is planning speakers and tours. 2023 Legislative Panel Preview Key leaders of the Washington State Legislature provided a preview of priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session. You can watch the 2023 Legislative Panel Preview on WSPTA's YouTube page. Focus on Advocacy - Q&A "Office Hours" is being offered by WSPTA. This is an open opportunity to have your questions answered by experienced WSPTA Advocates and learn how to best hold effective meetings with legislators. There is no formal program, please just come by and let us help you. Register to receive meeting link. Would you like to discuss more on how your PTA can participate this year? Please contact Northshore Council's VP of Advocacy, Jennifer Drury. More on Advocacy:
WSPTA February Membership Growth Contest New Membership Growth Contest: Share the love of PTA and grow by 14 new members between February 1st and February 28th! By adding members, all PTAs will be automatically entered into this contest. WSPTA Membership contests are held throughout the year. Upcoming contests will be March Member Madness and Spring into Membership. WSPTA Membership Growth AwardsTo highlight the importance of membership growth, Washington State PTA recognizes local PTAs for enrolling more members than they did in the previous year and for continuous growth year over year. As PTAs achieve incremental increases in membership growth, they are recognized for each milestone they reach. Below is the list of Northshore PTAs that have received a growth membership award as of December 31, 2022.  2 Years Continuous Growth Canyon Creek PTA Maywood Hills PTSA Shelton View PTA Sorenson PTA Timbercrest Middle School PTSA Woodinville High School PTSA Woodmoor PTSA
Membership Growth Awards Membership Growth Awards are calculated monthly (no application needed) and announced via the WSPTA website and social media outlets. PTAs that reach each level receive a digital publicity kit containing graphics and ideas for sharing their achievement.
2023 Virtual College and Career FairSave the date for Northshore School District's 2023 Virtual College & Career Fair on Thursday, February 9 from 6:30-8:30 PM. This event will be filled with valuable information to help families plan and navigate post-high school options. Register Here
This event is proudly sponsored in partnership with Northshore Council PTSA's Secondary Support and Northshore Schools Foundation. 
 The Washington State Legislative Session starts Monday, January 9th, so Northshore Council PTSA is gearing up for Washington State PTA Focus Week: February 20th - 24th. (Update 1/17/23: Focus week is now February 6-10th) Mark your calendar to join us on February 20th (Presidents Day) to meet with our legislators. We'll be sharing our Legislative priorities and personal stories to help our lawmakers understand how policies impact our students and families. In preparation for our advocacy work, sign up for a free zoom with our Legislative Consultant, Marie Sullivan, this Thursday, January 11, 2023. More details below. If you have questions or would like to discuss advocacy issues with Northshore VP Advocacy, Jennifer Drury, email her at [email protected].
What is Focus on Advocacy Day? February 20th kicks off a full week of member advocacy! We need WSPTA leaders and members to meet with their state representatives and senators to share the PTA mission and priorities. Let’s make sure the PTA voice is loud and proud on this day! You will be provided with everything you need to know in order to schedule and hold a successful meeting with your legislators. While these meetings would ideally be on Monday (Focus on Advocacy Day), they may need to be scheduled throughout the week to accommodate your legislators’ schedules. What is Focus on Advocacy Week? Your actions throughout the week of February 20 - 24th (Update: rescheduled February 6-10th) will be quick and easy, but will make a tremendous impact. It will be so easy that you can take action from home, while waiting for a coffee order, or sitting in your child’s pick-up line! WSPTA will be asking members to act virtually throughout Focus on Advocacy Week. Each day will focus on an important part of the WSPTA platform. The best way to participate is by subscribing to the WSPTA Action Network so that you receive the daily calls to action for this week and periodically throughout the legislative session. You will be provided with easily customizable messages that the action alert system will automatically send to your legislators. It is easy to do and only takes a few minutes! We also encourage you to share your advocacy work on your personal and PTA social media accounts throughout the week using the hashtag #WSPTAOneVoice. 2023 Legislative Panel Preview Key leaders of the Washington State Legislature provided a preview of priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session. This was an interactive meeting where attendees had the opportunity to learn how policy and budget priorities may align with WSPTA’s adopted legislative platform and get the most current information about how to participate in the process this year. You can watch the 2023 Legislative Panel Preview on WSPTA's YouTube page. More on Advocacy:
 Northshore Council PTSA will be holding online elections for the three (3) positions on its 2022-23 Nominating Committee on Thursday, January 19, 2023. 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 2023-2024. The slated candidates are as follows: Jane Chiodo Cherry Holmes Laura Staneff The period for self-declared nominations for these positions closed on Friday, December 16, 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 19, 2023. Northshore Council PTSA General Meeting Information Thursday, January 19, 2023 6:30 PM Meet & Greet 7 PM Meeting Begins Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88665634062 Meeting ID: 886 6563 4062 Passcode: Available Upon Request Information about Northshore Council PTSA online elections procedures is available in its Electronic Voting (E-Voting) Policy. Questions? Please contact Northshore Council PTSA Co-Presidents, Rachel Fitzgerald and Mary Khouzam. *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, Jennifer Snyder. 
In our area of the Pacific Northwest, many of us suffer from the “winter blues”, or it's more severe type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Often when the seasons change to fall and winter and the days get shorter and darker, we might feel sad and not ourselves. We may also get into a slump after the fun and festivities of the holidays have ended. This may cause us to have trouble sleeping, overeating, and have low motivation. Not only is SAD common in people with depressive disorders, but also those with anxiety, panic and eating disorders, and also ADHD. SAD affects mostly women, and generally the onset is between ages 20-30 years of age. This means it may not affect our children as much as us caregivers. We need to take care of ourselves so that we can take care of our loved ones. While it is not fully known what causes SAD, research shows that low levels of the brain chemical serotonin plays a large role, as well as high levels of melatonin. Both of these help maintain daily body rhythms, along with sufficient levels of vitamin D. Traditional treatments include light therapy, vitamin D, talking to a therapist, and possibly some medications. 
Here are some more ideas for beating the winter blues:
~Get plenty of sleep ~Keep routines ~Exercise, even a little ~Lean into your relationships ~Sit by a sunny window ~Keep things simple ~Eat a well-balanced diet ~Set reasonable expectations and boundaries ~Do things that make you happy ~Take time for yourself to recharge ~Don’t overschedule If these coping strategies do not help, consider talking to your doctor or your mental health professional. And remember, there is the new 9-8-8 hotline if you need someone to talk to right away. 
Check out these links for more information: This article was brought to you by Northshore Council PTSA's Mental Health Committee.
For past articles and more resources, please visit our Mental Health Awareness page. |
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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.