A yearly financial review completed in July is necessary to ensure that the board has engaged in responsible fiscal oversight and that good financial practices have been followed. It is a formal examination of the financial books and records of your PTA and serves to certify that receipts and expenditures, as authorized in the minutes, conform with bylaws, standing rules, and budget limitations. The annual financial review is also a PTA/PTSA insurance requirement. Additionally, completing a mid-year review in January can make the year-end review easier to process and allows your PTA to catch any problems early on so that they are addressed as soon as possible. As a treasurer, you want to make sure your review committee can easily access all documents. As the review committee, you want to stay organized and have a good system for including all committee members in the process. Did you know that financial reviews can be done in person or virtually over a video call? Offering a digital option allows for more flexibility in how volunteers meet and can even make it more accessible with tools such as closed captioning during video calls. Below, you will find pointers for both treasurers and financial review committees on how to organize, prepare, and complete an online financial review. Following the guidance below will help treasurers feel confident when handing over the books for review and help empower the financial committee members to fulfill their duties. Who Can Serve on the Finanical Review Committee: The financial review committee shall consist of no fewer than three members appointed by the president. The financial review committee shall not include officers with signatory authority or individuals living within the same household as those authorized to sign on the bank account for the period being reviewed. Further information about financial reviews may be found in the Managing Your Nonprofit PTA Handbook. TREASURERS
You want to make sure you are continuing to maintain your physical binder while also putting together a digital binder. The entire review committee will need access to the digital binder, but it’s recommended that at least one member of the review committee be given access to the physical binder as well. Note: Before you hand over your binder, remove anything you store in it that shouldn’t be shared, such as passwords. Also, if it is at all possible, give at least one person on your review team viewing access to your financial software. Steps to creating a simple and easy-to-use online binder:
FINANCIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS If you’ve volunteered to be a part of your PTA’s Financial Review Committee and are not sure where to begin, check out these 3 steps:
IMPORTANT REMINDER: The annual Financial Review is a requirement of your PTA/PTSA’s insurance. It is also a helpful tool meant to assist the treasurer and the rest of the board of directors in establishing and refining best practices. During a Financial Review, the policies and procedures are reviewed, and the committee’s feedback is important in providing guidance on those policies. If you still have questions about preparing for or completing a Financial Review, contact Council Treasurer, Brenae Brix. If you have ever asked someone to support your PTA by becoming a member, volunteering at an event, or attending a meeting, then you’ve probably been asked this one simple question: “Why?” And likely you’ve responded with a list of events your PTA hosts or the different ways your PTA provides funding for your school. Both are great things to share, but there is one aspect that is often overlooked: the value being part of PTA has given to you as a volunteer. PTA is rewarding for those involved and it’s great to highlight this to your members. It not only demonstrates another way your PTA brings value, but also showcases that additional value, which can inspire other families to support your PTA. Looking for an idea of how to do this? Look no further! Northshore Council PTSA recently held our annual Presidents and Principals Luncheon and used this opportunity to highlight why different Council board members have gotten involved in PTA and what they have gained along the way. As this year’s P&P event was road trip themed, we framed our answers as a “PTA Journey” – showing where we started, what we gathered at pit stops along the way, and sharing our favorite PTA road trip memories. You can view Council’s PTA Journey in the video and slides below. Bonus Tip: Having members of your board create something similar to showcase their PTA Journey not only shows the value of your PTA, but also helps to introduce your board members to the community! If you are interested in making your own slides/video and would like help, reach out to Council President, Rachel Fitzgerald, by emailing [email protected]. View Council's Video on Northshore Council's YouTube channel! On November 14, 2023, Northshore Council PTSA held a virtual General Membership Meeting. We would like to say thank you to all of the local leaders from across the Northshore School District, as well as community and school partners for taking the time to join us! Continue reading below for a recap of the meeting. Announcements
Council Business We elected our 2023-2024 Nominating Committee Anna Jensen, Holly Muenchow, and Laura Staneff. If you are interested in joining Council's Executive Board next year, please reach out to [email protected]. Online nomination form and more information coming soon. Learn more about what is a Nominating Committe on our blog post Everything You Have Wanted to Know About Nominating Committees. Presentation by Innovation Lab High School (ILHS) Climate Action Club
Community Partners
Council Committee Updates
Calendar Reminders
The President ended the meeting with a review of the upcoming events. All of the events dates and times are listed on the Northshore Council’s Calendar.
Reflections 2023-24 Student Entry Form for Local Reflections Chairs
Each PTA may submit 20 pieces plus 6 Special Artist pieces to the Northshore Council PTA. Friendly reminder: Each Reflections category comes with specific rules. Please ensure your Reflections piece adheres to these guidelines when submitting to Council PTSA. Unfortunately, if a submission is non-compliant, we won't be able to forward it to the State PTA for additional judging, regardless of its exceptional quality. Thank you for your attention to detail! SAVE THE DATE Districtwide Council Showcase March 14, 2024 We are excited to announce that our in-person celebration of our Northshore Reflections participants will be held on March 14. We are still in the early planning stages and will provide more information soon. Resources:
Northshore Council PTSA Reflections Co-Chairs: Jasmine Lee Fry and Foram Shah
Streamline Your Membership Process with memberplanet's "Packets" If your PTA/PTSA has embraced online membership through memberplanet, congratulations are in order! You're not only making it super easy for your members to join but also lightening the load of mundane paperwork for you (the membership chair)! Setting up online membership through memberplanet is a breeze. Once set up, you can share your MemberPlanet online membership link on your website, social media, newsletters, and even create a QR code. However, there's a common challenge we've noticed when assisting Membership chairs across the district. Some PTAs/PTSAs are using the "Payment Form" function for taking online membership, when they should be utilizing the "Packets." Let us clarify why Packets are the way to go when it comes to membership management. Packets vs. Payment Forms The purpose of Packets is crystal clear: it's designed for taking memberships directly. Moreover, it's your secret weapon to keep your member database in perfect sync. On the other hand, the Payment Forms function is primarily intended for collecting payments, like for spirit wear, though some PTAs do use it for "donated" memberships. Here's the key difference: Payment Forms don't automatically connect to your member database. This means that if you use Payment Forms for memberships, you'll need to manually upload to the member database. This can be a real hassle and might lead to an inaccurate count of paid members in your database. It's understandable that you may think you need a payment form to manage memberships because, after all, you do need to collect a payment. But here's the deal: Packets offer so many more benefits, making them the smarter choice. The Power of Combining Functions with Packets One of the great things about memberplanet is that you can combine different functions to suit your needs. Packets can work hand in hand with other features, making it easier than ever to manage your PTA/PTSA. You can combine Surveys, Donation Sites or Payment Forms in combination with collecting membership through the Packets to streamline the whole process. Of course, Surveys, Donation Sites and Payment forms can stand alone (not be combined with the Packet) also. In conclusion, choosing Packets for your online membership management not only simplifies the process but also keeps your member database up to date automatically. While it may seem a bit confusing at first, the benefits far outweigh any initial hesitation. Make the switch today and streamline your PTA/PTSA membership experience for everyone involved. Questions or difficulties with memberplanet? Email: [email protected]
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 your PTA next school year. What is a Nominating Committee?
The nominating committee is a group of 3 PTA members who are elected for the purpose of finding enthusiastic and qualified volunteers to serve on the PTA’s executive committee! The Nominating Committee members must be elected at a general membership meeting at least 30 days before the officer elections. Members of the committee cannot be appointed by the PTA President or the Board of Directors. The PTA president nor the principal may serve on the committee or participate in the committee deliberations. Why Do We Need a Nominating Committee? Every year the executive committee roles on local PTAs are re-elected. This means new PTA officers are entering into leadership every year! Having a nominating committee is the best way to make sure that each volunteer is qualified, excited, and ready to serve. The goal of the committee is to seek the most qualified candidates for each elected position for the next school year (beginning July 1). It is a vital committee because it has the power to shape the nature of your PTA and to set you up for future success. Please note that although an officer may serve two years in a position they must be re-elected every year. Who Should Be On The Nominating Committee? Nominating committee members should:
When Should We Elect Our Nominating Committee? Elect the committee early in the school year so they have time to locate the best candidates! State guidance suggests that the Nominating Committee be elected at the first meeting of the school year. If you have not done that yet, make it a goal to elect the committee at your next General Membership meeting. The nominating committee is discharged from service after the executive officers are declared elected.
During the School Year - While serving on the nominating committee, members:
At the Elections: The chair (or another member) of the nominating committee reports the committees’ recommendations to the membership during a membership meeting. A script of what should be said and how to conduct elections can be found in the Washington State PTA Nominating Committee Handbook. Who Can Be Nominated: The candidate should be the person the committee thinks will best fill the role! Additionally, the candidate must:
Additional Things to Consider: * Candidates who wish to have co-officer positions can be considered together if both candidates agree to prior to the election. * Individuals should not be nominated by the committee just because someone is interested in or has volunteered for a position. The nominating committee should only nominate candidates whom they believe would be qualified candidates as described above. * Current officers should be evaluated just as you would any candidate. If the committee finds a more qualified candidate, the committee should nominate the more qualified person. People are not guaranteed a nomination the second year. What Is A Nominating Committee Report?
Can a Member of the Nominating Committee Run for a Position? Yes! But the member should recuse themselves from all discussion about their nominations and discussion of other potential nominees for that same position. What If You Cannot Find a Candidate for a Position? The committee can leave the position vacant by writing Open on the report. Someone may self-nominate during the election or during the self-nomination period. Additionally, your PTA may appoint a person to fill in until a long-term candidate can be elected. Here are a couple of ideas to broaden your reach when searching for candidates:
What if you STILL can’t find a candidate for a position?
More Questions? Contact your VPs of Support! Secondary - Jennifer Drury [email protected] Elementary - Diana Christiansen [email protected] Connect with Council and other PTA leaders during the next virtual Office Hours.This time is designed to support our local PTA/PTSA leaders as you navigate membership, programs, and managing your organization. We hope you will join us! Council will be holding virtual Office Hours on:
Thursday, November 9, 2023 12:30PM to 1:30PM. and Tuesday, November 28, 2023 6:30pm - 7:30pm Register for Zoom link: https://bit.ly/FallOfficeHours2023 The Zoom link you receive will be unique to your registration. Please have each person attending register for a Zoom link. Thank you. This is the perfect time to connect with Council, ask questions, or even just stop in to say hello! Come to one or both sessions. There is no formal agenda. Stay as long or as little as your schedule permits. 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.
Our first presentation included a short video by North Creek High School student Blue G. about the Period Peeps project which started in the summer of 2020. This project was initiated by Blue, her older sister Syndey, and their mom Susan Griner. High school students from across the district volunteered to collect supplies and make period kits for those with limited resources. Council VP of Events, Melissa Bennett shared the project's history and its future plans. The Period Peeps project is a great example of community collaboration. What started out as an idea from one Northshore family soon became a much needed resource for those experiencing period poverty with the support of student volunteers & district leadership, flexibility of school administration, and communications & grants from PTSAs. Period Peeps hopes to see this project continue to grow and be able to provide even more period kits by expanding to middle school participation as well. If you are interested in finding out how you can help, email [email protected]. The room was beautifully decorated to kickstart the journey, with road maps placed at each table and markers of inspiration. Council President, Rachel Fitzgerald shared a sample of student projects across Northshore schools including the Ruby Bridges Elementary's Peer Program, Canyon Creek Elementary's S.O.A.R. (Students Organized Against Racism), Northshore Middle's Watch D.O.G.S., North Creek High /Skyview Middle Food Pantry, and Woodinville High's Latinos Unidos. Rachel also shared about the Northshore School District’s new Family Engagement and Resource Center and the Art Docent Program. If you have a PTA program, you would like to share with Council, please give a shout-out by completing this form: https://bit.ly/PTAProud2023. We want to hear what you are doing and celebrate it. Attendees at the event engaged in an interactive activity throughout the event and had time to share their ideas. Council members, Holly Muenchow and Allison Torgesen, facilitated the sharing portion of our event (and gave out lots of treats while doing so!). You can download the Activities Worksheets and use them when planning your PTA programs with your board. Once the ideas were flowing amongst guests, Council Vice President, Grace Jurado presented about the Northshore Council PTSA Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant Program available to PTAs to obtain assistance in funding their projects. This program is a great way for Northshore PTAs to collaborate with each other and our Council in order to bring programming to the local community. The next grant cycle closes on Friday, December 08. Visit our website to learn more and submit your application. Many thanks to the PTA leaders, Northshore School District staff, and School Board for attending. We hope you found the event inspiring and relevant to your work in our schools. We also want to thank Council VP of Events, Melissa Bennett who chaired the event and our Presidents and Principals committee members, Angela Dawson, Rachel Fitzgerald, Anna Jensen, Mary Khouzam, and Jenn Snyder. It was a day filled with inspiration and collaboration! Your Feedback is Important to Us!
We want to continue to improve this annual event and make sure it's both accessible and meaningful to those who attend. We kindly request a few moments of your time to complete this survey. Your responses will remain anonymous. Your input, whether you attended or not, will aid us in shaping future events. Please complete the survey by Friday, November 10th. Click to play Council Members' PTA Journey.
Washington's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Chris Reykdal, opened by sharing many of the challenges facing our schools this year and next, especially budget shortfalls. We also heard from OSPI and superintendents across the state how challenging it is to get school buildings funded, built, and updated with the latest safety features. And of course, we added and updated the WSPTA platform for legislative issues and resolutions on topics including:
Updated 2023 - 2024 Legislative Priorities
October 2023 Important Advocacy Dates:New or Amended Resolutions for Consideration Deadline: The deadline to submit new or amended resolutions for consideration at the business meeting held in May during convention is noon on November 15, 2023. Find more information and the submission form on the WSPTA Resolutions webpage. Upcoming Advocacy Dates: December 13, 2023 Legislative Session Preview – Legislator Panel January 3, 2024 What to Expect in the 2024 Legislative Session – Marie Sullivan, WSPTA Legislative Consultant January 15, 2024 Focus Day in Olympia (kids welcome!) January 15 – 19, 2024 Advocacy Week (virtual) Please note Focus on Advocacy is happening a month earlier this year. Visit WSPTA Focus on Advocacy page for more information and an advocacy toolkit. More on Advocacy:
Northshore Council PTSA will be holding online elections for the three (3) positions on its 2023-24 Nominating Committee at the General Membership Meeting on Tuesday, November 14, 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 2024-2025. The slated candidates are as follows: Anna A. Jensen Holly Muenchow Laura Staneff The period for self-declared nominations for these positions closed on Wednesday, November 01, 2023. 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 Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Northshore Council PTSA General Meeting Information Tuesday, November 14, 2023 6:30 PM Meet & Greet 7 PM Meeting Begins Register for Zoom Meeting Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUtduqorjgrGdVXE-PHC18F7bvkuHv8VUuK The Zoom link you receive will be unique to your registration. Please have each person attending register for a Zoom link. Thank you. Information about Northshore Council PTSA online elections procedures is available in its Electronic Voting (E-Voting) Policy. Questions? Please contact Northshore Council PTSA President Rachel Fitzgerald. |
Archives
October 2024
Categories
All
|
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.