 REGISTRATION IS LIVE! Washington’s First Teen-Led Mental Health Summit is officially open for registration! For the first time in Washington State, this student-led, action-driven summit brings youth and adults together to move beyond awareness and into real solutions for mental health in our schools and communities. Action starts here. ACTION STARTS WITH US.
LEARN MORE & REGISTER @ http://nexusforschools.com/summit Event Details: Date & Time: Saturday, March 21st 2026 | 10:00 AM-4:00 PM Location: Aura Event Center (3100 East Valley Rd, Renton, WA 98057) Attendees: Youth (grades 6-12) & Adults (parents, educators, school staff, community members, and advocates) Reach out to mailto:[email protected] for FREE Registration supported by Donors.  Congratulations to all the PTAs that participated in this year’s Reflections art program, and to every student artist whose work advanced to the State level. It was great celebrating your creativity at our open house on January 24, 2026 at North Creek High School. This year, 56 entries were selected as State Qualifiers and will move on to Washington State PTA for the next round of judging. Another 20 pieces received the Judges Choice Award for outstanding artistic merit. A special thank-you to Laura Templeton, our Northshore School District Reflections Chair, for her leadership and for making this year’s program run so smoothly. And thank you to everyone who helped make the event possible: • The Reflections chairs at each participating school • All of our talented student artists who shared their work • North Creek High School for the beautiful space • Your support, time, and creativity made this year’s Reflections celebration a success. • North Creek High School’s National Honor Society students, who helped set up the exhibit, supported the event, and handled clean-up Check out pictures from the event below!
On MLK Day, the Northshore Council PTSA Advocacy team visited Olympia with local PTA members, students, and district leaders to urge legislators to keep K–12 funding a priority this session. We met with Senator Lovick, Representative Berg, and Representative Donaghy from the 44th District, Senator Stanford, Representative Kloba, and Representative Duerr from the 1st LD, and Senator Dhingra’s legislative aide, as well as Representative Springer and Representative Goodman from the 45th LD. We spoke up about how NSD’s budget cuts over the last 3 years have left our students in overcrowded classrooms with loss of preferred classes, electives, and enrichment. We asked them to remember our Kids are an Investment- Not an Expense! If you would like to sign up for action alerts, visit https://actionnetwork.org/forms/subscribe-to-wsptas-action-network-group If you would like to learn more about Council's Advocacy work or how you can get involved, visit our Advocacy page. Council would also like to recognize the PTA Advocates who took time out to participate on focus day:
Council Fees - Upcoming Vote! Send your PTA’s delegates to the next General Membership meeting
Northshore Council PTSA General Meeting | 7pm | Online **Council Meet & Greet @ 6:30pm After many years, it’s time for a change of fees. For the past 15+ years, Northshore Council PTSA charged a fee of $1.50 per member plus a $100 restricted fee* for Northshore Council PTSA’s Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant Program. For this year only, in response to National PTAs’ membership fee increase, Northshore Council waived membership fees and only collected a $50 grant fee. Last spring, Council fees were changed to an annual flat fee of $200 for local PTAs except for Title 1 schools, which would pay an annual fee of $100 [Northshore Special Education Community PTSA (NSEC) and Sorenson PTA would not pay a fee]. Some members felt that the year-end bank account carryover had a high balance and that it was time to spend it down. To spend down some of this balance, Northshore Council was able to fund additional signage to Northshore School District for Emergency Preparation, co-sponsor with Northshore School Foundation a parent map education speaker series, make a $1000 donation to Threads and Treads, and is in the process of giving $100 to each school campus for nutritional assistance. With further discussion, Council's Board of Directors created a Fee Structure committee tasked with researching various fee structure models to recommend a sustainable option that will carry Northshore Council PTSA forward for several years. Members of the committee reached out to the surrounding area’s PTA councils to see what their fee structures are and discussed the pros and cons of various fee rates, which were then modeled out by Council Treasurer Abby Polasko. After reviewing the forecasting models and much discussion of Council's goals with the fee structure, the committee made a recommendation to the board. At their most recent meeting the Northshore Council PTSA Board of Directors voted to recommend a combination of a per member fee and a flat fee as this combination will give Council the most sustainable option. Whereas our flat fee was a restricted fee in prior years, this new flat fee would go into Council’s general budget allowing Council to more easily react to needs outside of the grant program. The Fee Structure Committee moves to change our council fees to be: $2.00 per member and an unrestricted flat fee of $100 per year for each Northshore PTAs except for Northshore Special Education Community PTSA (NSEC) and Sorenson PTA who will be exempt from the flat fee. *the restricted fee was originally $150, designated for Northshore Council PTSA’s Scholarship Awards, a program that ended with the opening of North Creek High School in 2017, replaced by the Educational Speakers and Community Grants Program.  Reflections Reception – Come celebrate our student artists! Join us for the Reflections Reception to celebrate the creativity and hard work of our Northshore students. We will transform the North Creek High School cafeteria into an art gallery, showcasing the artwork, videos, music, and dance pieces of our talented students. Date: Saturday, January 24 Time: 3:30–6:00 PM (Open House format) Location: North Creek High School Cafeteria. Park in the student parking lot on 188th St.
Huge Congratulations to our Reflections State Qualifiers!State Qualifiers This year, 56 incredible students advanced to the Washington State Reflections competition, showcasing creativity, courage, and imagination across every category. We’re so proud of their hard work and artistic spirit.  Judges ChoiceAnd we also want to call out the great work of other students. While these students didn't qualify for State, the judges wanted to highlight their work with a Judges' Choice award.  2026-2027 ThemeNext school year's theme will be: "What My Culture Means to Me," submitted by Sophia Partola from Wilton High School PTSA in Connecticut. The National PTA will provide new images for this theme in late August. Celebrate creativity- join the 2026 Reflections team  Don’t you just love seeing the incredible artwork our students create through Reflections? This program thrives because of volunteers, and we’d love your support next school year too. In addition to having Reflections leads at each school, we’re looking for a few volunteers to help coordinate the program at the district level. District coordinators play a key role in keeping Reflections running smoothly—they manage communications, oversee online forms, support school leads, help with judging, and organize the annual Reflections Reception. Getting involved now is a wonderful way to gain experience with the reception and see firsthand the joy this program brings to students and families. If you’d like to learn more, please contact [email protected] Reflections is truly a volunteer‑powered celebration of student creativity, and we’d love to have you join us!
 Thank you for all your help this year! We really appreciated you coordinating this special program and collecting all the delightful artwork. (Isn't the best part, getting to see the student's creativity?) We have 257 entries from budding artists across the school district, thanks to you. Judging Our judges are hard at work reviewing the submissions, and the top pieces will be sent to State for the next level of competition. We’ll share the State qualifiers by January 14. Reflections Reception Mark your calendars for Saturday, January 24th from 3:30–6:00! We’ll be gathering at the North Creek High School Commons for our Reflections Reception—a colorful showcase of student creativity. All submitted artwork will be on display, and we’ll feature the videos, music, and dance pieces our talented students have created. It’s a wonderful chance to celebrate their imagination and hard work. Everyone is invited, so please spread the word to your Reflections students and school community. Location: North Creek High School Cafeteria. Park in the student parking lot on 188th St. Collecting last-minute artworkIf students didn't turn in their physical artwork but would like their artwork included in the Reflections Reception, there’s still time! They can:
 Celebrate creativity- join the 2026 Reflections
Don’t you just love seeing the incredible artwork our students create through Reflections? This program thrives because of volunteers, and we’d love your support next school year too. In addition to having Reflections leads at each school, we’re looking for a few volunteers to help coordinate the program at the district level. District coordinators play a key role in keeping Reflections running smoothly—they manage communications, oversee online forms, support school leads, help with judging, and organize the annual Reflections Reception. Getting involved now is a wonderful way to gain experience with the reception and see firsthand the joy this program brings to students and families. If you’d like to learn more, please contact [email protected] Reflections is truly a volunteer‑powered celebration of student creativity, and we’d love to have you join us!  Are you concerned about the larger class sizes, lack of student and special education support, cuts to activity bus, sports, music programs or other shortfalls caused by lack of state funding for education? Now is the time to advocate! There are several important opportunities to stay informed and engaged before the 2026 Washington State’s Legislative session begins. In preparation for Focus Day, WSPTA will host Legislative Preview Zoom Calls on Dec. 10, 2025 and Jan. 8, 2026. We encourage you to attend the School Funding Crisis Town Hall in Bellevue on Jan. 7, 2026 to amplify our voices and hear from our legislators. By attending WSTPA Focus Day in Olympia on Jan. 19, 2026 you can voice your concerns directly with your legislators. They appreciate hearing first hand from students and their constituents. The number of advocates matter to our legislators, so please be sure to sign up with Northshore Council PTSA to attend Focus Day, as we are coordinating meetings with legislators in the 1st, 45th, and 44th districts. We hope to see you at these events! If you are unable to attend Focus Day, but would like Northshore Council to share your concerns about the impact of budget cuts or other advocacy topics with our legislators, please Click here to share your advocacy story PTAs please share this widely in your school and newsletters. Thank you for all you do to advocate for our kids and ensure their voices are heard. 📅 FOCUS DAY – January 19, 2026 Join Northshore advocates in Olympia for WSPTA’s Focus Day and “Go to Bat for Kids”. This is a powerful opportunity to meet with our legislators, share our priorities, and advocate for closing funding gaps in public education. All WSPTA members are welcome. Bring your kids/teens to join in the fun! STEP 1: Click here to SIGN UP to attend FOCUS DAY with Northshore PTAS Carpool opportunities are available. STEP 2: Register with WSPTA for Focus Day today! The event is free. Sign up for a Capitol tour (limited space available). Date/Time: Mon. Jan. 19, 2026 Location: Olympia  LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW ZOOM CALLS 📅 Legislative Preview – December 10, 2025 (Educational Zoom call) Join Legislative Consultant Marie Sullivan and leaders of the Washington State legislature for a discussion about priorities during the 2026 legislative session. Date/Time: Wed. Dec. 10, 2025 7:00–8:30 PM Location: Zoom – Sign up to attend the session. 📅 “What to Expect” Legislative Session – January 8, 2026 (Educational Zoom call) Join WSPTA Legislative Consultant Marie Sullivan for an overview of what to expect in the 2026 legislative session, including post-election changes in the legislature, known session protocols, and how to best engage with the 2026 legislature during this short session. Date/Time: Thurs. Jan. 8, 2026 7:00–8:00 PM Location: Zoom – Sign up to attend the session. Help take action during the 2026 legislative session: Subscribe to WSPTA's Action Network Group  📅 SCHOOL FUNDING CRISIS: Town Hall - January 7, 2026 Washington State continues to fall short of fully funding K–12 education, and our students feel the impact every day. The School Funding Crisis Regional Town Hall on Wednesday, January 7, 2026 brings families, educators, and community members together from 10 school districts. With student testimonies of funding gaps, expert insights, and a legislative panel, this event amplifies our collective commitment to accelerating progress for Washington’s public schools. When we show up as a community, we strengthen our schools and our future. Date/Time: Wed. Jan. 7, 2026 7:00–9:00 PM Location: Newport High School Gym, 4333 Factoria Blvd SE, Bellevue, WA 98006 📝 Pre-submit your questions to Legislators for the Q&A panel. February 2026 Election – NSD Funding Measures Northshore School District will run three funding measures. District staff are prepared to present details to PTAs, HOAs, Faith Communities, Senior Centers, Rotaries, and more.
  Below you will find resources to help you learn more about the Northshore School Board Director candidates, our candidate forum and the upcoming election. Disclaimer: Northshore Council PTSA does not support or oppose any candidate (appointed or elected) for public office. This blog post is to assist the community in making informed judgments in the election.  Northshore Council PTSA School Board Candidate Forum 2025  Photo Left to Right: Carson Sanderson, Sandy Hayes, Kimberlee Kelly   The Northshore School board is made up of five Board members who are elected at large for four-year terms on a staggered basis. The board is the policy-making body for the district and makes decisions regarding school district priorities, policies, personnel, textbooks, expenditures, and growth management. The Board adopts the annual budget and also proposes levy and bond issues for community consideration. This November 2025, School Board Director positions 1, 4 and 5 will be up for election for terms ending in 2029. (Links for each candidate below is from King County Elections website) District No. 1 Carson Sanderson District No. 4 Sandy R Hayes JoAnn Tolentino District No. 5 Kimberlee Kelly Lynda Schram Northshore Director District Map Board members represent the district at large although they must reside in specific geographical areas of the district. Voters within the Northshore School District boundaries are able to vote for all school board director positions.   2025 Online Voters' Pamphlets:King County pamphlets in additional languages:
If you are turning 18 prior to the November Election it is not too late to register. Sign up online at VoteWA.gov with your Washington state driver’s license, permit, or ID – or - fill out a paper registration form using the last four digits of your Social Security number and mail it in.  Visit our Advocacy Page to learn more about Northshore Council PTSA's advocacy efforts.
Questions? Please contact Council Co-VPs of Advocacy, Brenae Brix & Stephanie Sullivan, at [email protected] 
Online Meeting Hosting can be used by any local PTA/PTSA that wants Council to host a Zoom meeting for them. Please note that max number of attendees is 100 and that this service is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis.
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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.