Due to public meeting limitations, Northshore Council PTSA's 2021-2022 Nominating Committee elections will be taking place electronically. We are currently accepting self-nominations for the three (3) Nominating Committee positions. Interested candidates can self-nominate by emailing Jane Chiodo by Friday, November 5th. Please note: You do not need to be a Northshore Council PTSA Officer to be on the Nominating Committee. We encourage any interested and qualified Northshore PTA/PTSA member to volunteer for this vital role that will help shape the future of Northshore Council PTSA! If there are only three candidates, the election will be held at the November 15th, 2021 General Membership Meeting via Zoom. If there are more than three candidates, the election will be conducted by electronic ballot and detailed information will be available within the second notice of election on November 8th, 2021. To learn more about serving on the Nominating Committee, eligibility requirements, or for more information on what makes an effective NomCom Candidate, click here. What happens if you have a vacant officer position? If your nominating committee has had no luck finding a candidate to fill a position, if you have started the year with an empty officer position, or if one of your officers resigns from their position mid-year, here is the WSPTA recommended procedure that you should follow. NOTE: You do not have to create a nominating committee to find someone for this empty position! A nominating committee is only formed to find qualified nominees for the election that happens in the Spring for your next school year. Your executive committee can appoint a person to fill the vacant office. The appointed officer acts in an "interim" capacity until you can find a person that wants to step into the position in an official capacity and you can elect them OR until the appointed interim officer can be officially elected into their position at the next membership meeting. An interim officer at a local PTA/PTSA has no limitations on what they can/cannot do. An interim officer assumes all the rights and duties of that position. From the WSPTA Uniform Bylaws: If a vacancy occurs in a local PTA or council office, the executive committee may appoint a member to fill the vacancy until the next membership meeting. At the next membership meeting, nominations shall be made from the floor with the consent of the nominee. The election shall be by ballot vote. A majority vote is necessary to elect. The election may be by voice vote if only one candidate is nominated for an office. The newly elected officer shall immediately assume the duties of the office. To learn more about nominating committee, elections, and officer resignations or removals see:
If you are still have questions or are in need of guidance, please reach out to Council - we are here to help! Northshore Council PTSA is seeking three (3) volunteers to serve on its 2021-2022 Nominating Committee. 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 2021-2022. Effective candidates for nominating committee: • Are familiar with the needs and goals of Northshore Council PTSA. • Are enthusiastic about Northshore Council PTSA's mission, vision, and goals. • Are willing to work and devote considerable time to furthering the purposes and programs of Northshore Council PTSA. • Possess tact, integrity, discretion, and the ability to hold their own counsel. • Have the courage to express their ideas and defend their convictions • Demonstrate sound judgment and skill in evaluating potential nominees. • Are capable of understanding and maintaining complete confidentiality. • Represent the diversity that is present in the community and student population. • Should be elected on merit and ability – never on popularity. Members of the nominating committee are eligible to become nominees for elected office. No person may serve on this committee for more than two consecutive one-year terms. A candidate for a council nominating committee must be a member of a local PTA/PTSA in the council for at least 15 days preceding their election. If you are interested in serving on Northshore Council PTSA’s 2021-2022 Nominating Committee, please contact Jane Chiodo by Friday, November 5th. Please note: You do not need to be a Northshore Council PTSA Officer to be on the Nominating Committee. We encourage any interested and qualified Northshore PTA/PTSA member to volunteer for this vital role that will help shape the future of Northshore Council PTSA! The 2021-2022 school year is upon us and the PTA year is about to get into full swing! By now your PTA has held its summer board retreat and has begun planning a membership campaign. So what's next? Now it's time to plan your first general membership meeting of the year! While some PTAs may be planning for in person meetings, many will plan for their meeting to be held virtually, which may require a little additional preparation. If you are new to hosting virtual meetings, get to know your virtual meeting tool’s online support – there should be tips for setup for all the features, including screen sharing, enabling closed captioning, and login requirements. TIP: Host one or more practice meetings with a few board members ahead of time to get accustomed to the online meeting tools and platform you'll be using. Whether the PTA meets virtually or in person, the same items of business must be done.
Bonus Tip: Plan on having something additional to offer your members once the business is complete. The first meeting is a great opportunity for your principal to give an update on the start of the year – there are lots of things about this school year that are different! Plan ahead with your principal and make sure you know what format for taking questions they are comfortable with. During the meeting, act as the moderator by setting ground rules and expectations for how members will participate and ask their questions. Questions about planning your 1st general membership meeting of the year? Contact Council - We are here to help! Information provided in this blog was originally posted by WSPTA in a 2020 article. Click here to read that article. Are you new to your PTA role this year? Are you on a Nominating Committee and looking for the best candidate? Is your PTA looking to fill a role or create a new one? Then you might find our newest resource helpful: PTA Job Descriptions! We've added a new section to our Forms, Documents, & Procedures page that now includes PTA Job Descriptions. These descriptions are provided by Council to help your PTA better understand some of the different roles within PTA. We recommend that you create these for your specific PTA as well. Providing a job description is a great starting place for someone new to the role or when you are working on recruiting a new volunteer to your board.
Have a PTA job description for your local PTA that you don't see listed on our site? Feel free to share it with Council so we can share it with our local PTAs! Email communications@northshorecouncilptsa.org. Northshore Council PTSA will be holding online elections for the eleven (11) positions on its 2021-22 Executive Committee on Monday, March 15, 2021.
Slate of Candidates: In the 2021 Nominating Committee Report, the following slate of candidates were put forward for 2021-2022:
The period for self-declared nominations for these positions closed on Friday, March 5, 2021. Qualification Requirements Per the 2020-2021 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:
Each of the slated candidates meets all qualification requirements. Election Information: As there is only one candidate per position, the election will be conducted via voice vote at the next General Membership Meeting, on Monday, March 15, 2021: Topic: March 15, 2021 - Membership Meeting - Northshore Council PTSA Time: March 15, 2021 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95442068687 Meeting ID: 954 4206 8687 Passcode: *Available upon request. One tap mobile +12532158782,,95442068687# US (Tacoma) +16699009128,,95442068687# US (San Jose) Dial by your location +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) Meeting ID: 954 4206 8687 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/adRhsyzKXK 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 password is required to join. It will be sent to local leaders via email. You can also request the password by emailing Council PTSA Communications VP, Rachel Fitzgerald. Northshore Council PTSA will be holding its 2021-2022 elections online. Since “nominations from the floor” can’t work as they normally would at an in-person meeting, Northshore Council PTSA is opening up the floor virtually by using an online submission form. If you are interested in joining the 2021-2022 Northshore Council PTSA Executive Board, now is the time to self declare! Anyone who would like to nominate themselves for an elected position on Northshore Council PTSA for 2021-2022 can do so at: https://forms.gle/6qJ5M9FveDAjvGYp8 Deadline for submission is Friday, March 5th, 2021 Election Information: At the close of the self-nomination period, if there is any contested position we will send out an electronic voting method to Northshore PTA/PTSA presidents and vice-presidents. If no position is contested, we will hold the election by voice vote during our next General Meeting, on Monday, March 15th, 2021. Click here for meeting information. Slate of Candidates: In the 2021 Nominating Committee Report, the following slate of candidates were put forward for 2021-2022:
Anyone self declaring for a 2021-2022 Northshore Council Elected Board Position must meet the following qualification requirements. Qualification Requirements Per the 2020-2021 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. Questions about Self Declaring or Virtual Elections? Contact Council President, Jane Chiodo.
Below, please find the report from the Northshore Council PTSA Nominating Committee which lists the nominees for each of the officer positions for the 2021-2022 Executive Committee. The election will take place during the Northshore Council PTSA Membership Meeting on Monday, March 15, 2021. WSPTA Bylaws permit the nomination of candidates from the floor* at the meeting before the vote takes place. *Since meetings are currently held virtually, "nominations from the floor" will be done using an online submission form prior to the meeting. See our post on Self Declaring for 2021-2022 Board Positions for more information.
What is a Nominating Committee? Who can serve on it? Why is it important to have one? We've put together this resource to help you learn more about how to establish your local PTA’s Nominating Committee and how to be sure to operate the nomination process in accordance with your standing rules and the Washington State PTA (WSPTA) Uniform Bylaws. Much of this information is adapted from the WSPTA Nominating Committee Handbook, available on the Leadership Resources page of the WSPTA website. (Note: login and password are required. Find them in the latest issue of WSPTA Leadership News or Contact Council.) Why have a Nominating Committee? The Nominating Committee serves the vital role of finding and recruiting the most qualified people to fill your PTA’s elected positions. Because of this, this committee can shape the nature of your PTA and can help set your PTA up for future success. The executive committee (the elected roles on your PTA board) are in office for a one year term (with a term limit of two consecutive years). This means that there are new PTA officers entering into leadership every year! Finding passionate and qualified volunteers for these roles is the work of your Nominating Committee. Who can serve on a Nominating Committee? The Nominating Committee consists of three PTA members who are elected at a membership meeting at least 30 days before the officer elections take place. Things to keep in mind when electing your Nominating Committee: • Members of the Nominating Committee must be elected. They may not just volunteer for the job and they cannot be appointed by the board of directors or president. • A candidate for the Nominating Committee must be a member of the local PTA for at least 15 days preceding her/his election. • The Nominating Committee cannot include the current PTA president or school principal. Neither the PTA president nor the school principal may participate in the committee’s deliberations. • Nominating Committee members may not serve on the committee for more than two consecutive years. Additionally, the members of the Nominating Committee members should have a strong knowledge of the PTA’s goals, needs and culture as finding qualified PTA officer candidates can be a challenge. Connections within the school community are helpful in reaching potential candidates. Don't forget - Nominating Committee members are still eligible to be nominated for an elected office! When should your Nominating Committee be elected and start work? The goal of the Nominating Committee is to present to your membership a signed and dated report stating the names of one or more candidates for each office to be elected at least 15 days prior to the election. Giving your Nominating Committee time to locate candidates allows for the best possible slate of candidates. State guidance suggests that the Nominating Committee be elected at the first general membership meeting of the school year. This may be difficult for PTA’s that are still getting their year organized. Having the committee in place by the first of the year is a great goal, this way the committee will have a few months to work prior to the election. How can your current board support the Nominating Committee? Setting up your Nominating Committee for success is very important! It is recommended that the PTA president conduct an orientation meeting shortly after the committee is elected. Topics to discuss at this first meeting include: 1. The president must not be involved in the Nominating Committee process or selection of officers. 2. The committee must hold its own counsel and have honest discussions about individuals being considered for nomination. 3. The committee must keep their work confidential and the group should discuss what confidentiality means. 4. Develop a committee calendar and double-check relevant dates and deadlines paying special attention to your electronic voting policy if needed: • Dates of PTA events for the year. • Dates of local PTA membership meetings. • Date of the meeting during which the election is to occur. • Date the nominating committee report is due to the local PTA members. At this orientation meeting, the president can assist the committee by providing: • The PTA’s current membership roster • The WSPTA Uniform Bylaws* • The current WSPTA Nominating Committee Handbook* • The local PTA’s standing rules • Job descriptions for all elected positions • A sample “Nominating Committee Recommendation Form”* • A sample “Nominating Committee Report”* *These forms can be found on the WSPTA PTA Leaders webpage under either Governance or Leader Resources. What does a Nominating Committee need to consider when choosing a candidate? Nominating Committee meetings give committee members the opportunity to review the roles that need to be filled and any potential candidates, including recommendations from board members and/or their PTA community. All candidates must be given the same scrutiny and evaluation. Candidates who wish to be considered for co-officer positions can be considered together as long as the opportunity to serve together is something that both candidates agree to prior to the election. According to the WSPTA Uniform Bylaws, there are also some minimum qualifications for any role under consideration. The Nominating Committee is the responsible for confirming the following for each candidate being considered: • Candidate is a PTA member (though not necessarily a member of the pertinent PTA) at least 15 days preceding the election for local PTAs. • Candidate must be willing to attend required PTA training for the position to which he or she will be elected. • Candidate must be enthusiastic and supportive of the local PTA. • Candidate must believe in the purposes of PTA. • Candidate should have previous experience in PTA, though other association work may also be considered. • Candidate should have knowledge of PTA and its role in the school and community. • Candidate should be relied upon to give PTA a satisfactory level of priority and commitment. • Candidate should have good relationships with people. • Candidate must be fair, objective, able to subordinate personal interests to the interests and well-being of the local PTA or council. • Candidate should have vision and be innovative. • Candidate must be at least 18 years old. Frequently Asked Questions Q: If I make a recommendation to the Nominating Committee, will that person automatically be on the Nomination Report? A: All recommendations received by the Nominating Committee are recommendations rather than nominations. Think of these recommendations as suggestions that the committee will then take and use to help inform their decision-making process. Q: Does the Nominating Committee elect the officers? A: The Nominating Committee is the group that will NOMINATE someone for election via its report to the members. The members of your PTA will be the ones who officially elect officers during a general membership meeting. Q: Should the Nominating Committee find someone for every role? A: That is the goal, however, the Nominating Committee should only put forward individuals they feel are well qualified for the position for which they are running. Individuals who are not well-suited or who are not qualified for the position should not be nominated by the committee, even if that position must be left open on the nominating committee report. Just because someone is interested in a position does not mean the committee should put the name forward. Q: If someone isn't nominated by the Nominating Committee, can they still be elected to a role? A: Every qualified person has the right to be “nominated from the floor”, whether in-person or virtually, in the event that they want to run for an office and is not on the Nominating Committee Report of presented slate of candidates. Q: Is the Nominating Committee obligated to nominate a current officer for a second term? A: Current officers are not guaranteed a nomination the second year. Current officers should be evaluated just as you would any candidate. If the committee finds a more qualified candidate, that's who they should nominate. Q: Can a member of the Nominating Committee run for an elected position? A: Yes! However, the committee member should recuse themselves from and leave the room during all discussion about their nominations, including discussion about other potential nominees for that position. Q: What do you do if you cannot find a candidate for a position? A: This is an especially relevant question this year! Because we have been virtual with no in-person events in which to meet and greet with those in our community, it could be harder than ever to find candidates for PTA officers. 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?
Have another question about the Nominating Committee that wasn't listed here? Contact Council and we can help! Additional Election Information: As stated earlier, elections of officers will happen during a general membership meeting. The Washington State PTA offers a script for the proper language to conduct elections in the Nominating Committee Handbook. In the case of an in-person meeting, additional nominees from the floor can be submitted at the time of the election if the candidate was not part of the presented Nominating Committee report. In the case of a virtual election, there will be a stated time that self nominations may be submitted prior to the meeting. Please referrer to the handbook for more information on holding elections. Resources: • Nominating Committee Handbook • Nominating Committee webinar • Sample Recommendation for Nomination (pdf) • Sample Nominating Committee Report (pdf) Special Note from Council: Make sure to express your appreciation to all the leaders who take on the important role of Nominating Committee Member. Being a part of it helps to ensure the strength and viability of your PTA for another year. That is the reason Washington State PTA calls the Nominating Committee, “the most important committee we have”! Please join us for our 4th general membership meeting of the year on Monday, March 15, 2021 via Zoom. In addition to our regular business items, during this meeting we will be holding elections for our 2021-2022 officers. For more information on elections, visit our 2nd Notice of Elections post. We'll also be hosting a brief Q&A session with Dr. Reid during this meeting. We've added a 30 minute social time before our meeting!! Join us before the meeting to chat with Council & other local PTA Leaders! Come say hi, ask questions, or just hang out for social time before the meeting. Topic: March 15, 2021 - Membership Meeting - Northshore Council PTSA Time: March 15, 2021 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/95442068687 Meeting ID: 954 4206 8687 Passcode: *Available upon request. One tap mobile +12532158782,,95442068687# US (Tacoma) +16699009128,,95442068687# US (San Jose) Dial by your location +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) Meeting ID: 954 4206 8687 Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/adRhsyzKXK Council meetings will build your PTA knowledge, give you the opportunity to network with other PTA, school district and community leaders, and they can be a lot of fun, too. Each PTA may send up to 4 voting representatives - but we encourage ALL who are interested to attend. We look forward to seeing you there! *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. |
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