Category: Northshore PTAs

Everything You Wanted to Know About Nominating Committees

11/15/2023

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 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:

Have a strong knowledge of the PTA goals needs and culture.
Possess tact, integrity, discretion, and the ability to hold their own counsel.
Demonstrate sound judgment and skill in evaluating potential nominees.
Have the courage to express their ideas and defend their convictions.
Represent the diversity that is present in the community and student population.

Nominating committee members:

May not serve on the nominating committee for more than two consecutive years.
May not be the President or Principal.
Must have been a PTA member for at least 15 days preceding the election.

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.

What Happens During a Nominating Committee Meeting:

Before a nominating committee can get to work, the President should conduct an orientation with the members to provide with either paper or digital version of:

The Nominating Committee Handbook can be found on the WSPTA Leadership Guide page.
The current membership roster.
The WSPTA Uniform Bylaws.
Local PTA standing rules.
Job descriptions for all open positions.
Previous Nominating Committee reports or examples of nominating reports to use as a guide.
A calendar of meetings and the date that the slate of candidates is due to the members (at least 15 days prior to election).

* Note: After the orientation, the President must not be involved in the Nominating Committee process or selection of officers.

During the School Year - While serving on the nominating committee, members:

Select a Chair from among the members of the committee.
Review the roles that need to be filled.
Review and discuss any potential candidates. The committee must have honest discussions about individuals being considered for nomination.
Keep their work and information about the candidates confidential, and the group should discuss what confidentiality means.
Give all candidates the same scrutiny and evaluation.
Consider recommendations from their PTA community. (Advertise that you are looking for candidates!)
Ensure that the candidate is eligible for nomination (see below- who can be nominated).
Check relevant dates and deadlines and set themselves a schedule of goals and meetings that will meet the needs of the PTA.

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:

Must be a PTA member (of any PTA) for at least 15 days preceding the election. It is the responsibility of the nominating committee to confirm this. 
Must be at least 18 years old.
Must be willing to attend required PTA training for the position to which he or she will be elected.
Must be enthusiastic, supportive, and believe in the mission of PTA. 
Should have time for the necessary level of priority and commitment.
Should have good relationships with people in your community.
Must be fair, objective, and able to put personal interests aside to the well-being of the PTA.
Should have previous experience in PTA, though other experience may also be considered.

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?

The nominating committee report is the written report of the candidates given to the membership at least  15 days prior to the election. The report must be dated and signed by all Nominating Committee members. The report should be shared widely with all PTA members as well as the notice of the upcoming election. This report is only a suggested list of candidates for your membership to consider. Your PTA must also allow people to self-nominate for each role as well. Every qualified person has the right to be nominated from the floor or during a self-nominating period if they wants to run for office and is not on the nominating committee’s slate of candidates.
The nominating committee report is read aloud at the General Membership meeting in which the election is to be held. You can find more information about how to conduct elections in the Washington State PTA Nominating Committee Handbook.

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:

Be sure to market your PTA! Let your community know what your PTA is doing to support them, the school and the students. The more they know about you, the more likely they will want to join your awesome team.
Reach out to incoming families! If you are a secondary school, reach out to your feeder school PTA’s to put the word out that you are looking for recommendations for nominations. If you are an elementary school, consider reaching out to families of incoming kindergarteners. There’s no better way to get to know a school and its administration than volunteering for a PTA position!
Hold an “Open House” type event. Whether virtual or in-person, this type of event is great for introducing people to your PTA and answering questions about PTA elected positions and their function.
Make a personal ask. Do you know someone who you think would be great? Reach out to them and have a one to one conversation about why you think they would be the perfect fit.
Advertise your search for candidates EVERYWHERE! Put it on your website, put it in your newsletter, post about it on all your social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, etc.), send an email directly to your members, or even send snail mail (like a postcard) to your members. If you are looking for a school directory to help you connect to the families in your school, your PTA President can request a copy from our Council Secretary.

What if you STILL can’t find a candidate for a position?

If there is an open position on your slate of candidates, you can leave that position vacant. At an in-person meeting, the president will ask if there are any nominations from the floor. In the case of a virtual election, there will be a period of time allowed for self nominations prior to the membership meeting that mimic the function of “nominations from the floor”. Someone may step forward.
Consider whether you have enough time to continue your search. Can you send out another call for recommendations for nominations?
If a position remains open, it is possible, depending on what is stated in your Standing Rules, for your Board of Directors to appoint a person into that position in the interim. The search for a candidate can continue with the hopes that someone can be elected at the next membership meeting.
If you have some officers willing to stay on as interim, try again at the beginning of the next school year. People may be willing to jump into something new in September than at the end of a long school year when they’re looking forward to summer break.

More Questions?
Contact your VPs of Support!
Secondary - Jennifer Drury vpsupportsec@northshorecouncilptsa.org
Elementary - Diana Christiansen vpsupportel@northshorecouncilptsa.org

2023 Presidents and Principals Recap

11/2/2023

The theme for this year's Presidents and Principals Luncheon was "Destination Success!" The event took place on October 26, 2023, at the Brightwater Center in Woodinville. This annual tradition brings together PTA Presidents, school Principals, district administrators, and school board members, providing them with a wonderful opportunity to connect, engage, and strengthen their relationships with one another.

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 susan@grinerweb.net.

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.

For lunch, we had delicious box lunches catered by the Northshore Culinary Arts students at Bothell High School, featuring three options: turkey sandwich, vegetarian salad, and gluten-free salad.

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.

click to download worksheet (front and back)

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 complete survey

Click to play Council Members' PTA Journey.

PTA Checklist 2023-2024

10/8/2023

Click to download

This is a busy time of year for PTA Leaders with so many things to get done in order to run your PTA, plan programming for students, and provide support to your school community. Here at Council, we want to make sure a few key "to-do" items don't get overlooked so we've created the checklist below. We've included links and resources for these items, but remember, Council is always here to help and support our local Northshore PTA Leaders! Visit our Contact Page to connect with a Council officer.

PTA Back-to-School Checklist for 2023-2024

Complete Council’s Contact Form

Each member of your PTA/PTSA should complete this including positions such as the executive committee (aka: elected positions), board members, committee chairs, etc.

Update Leaders in memberplanet

Requirement of the WSPTA Standards of Affiliation
Resources and a How to Guide

Enter 25 Members into memberplanet by October 31, 2023

Any membership received must be entered into memberplanet no more than 30 days after the person joins.
Membership Updates & Tips to help with your campaign

Update your PTA’s Website

This is often the first place new families, current members, and those in your school community go to learn about your PTA. Make sure that contact information is up-to-date as well as your calendar and that your front page highlights membership. Learn about the importance of having an online join link.

Hold a General Membership Meeting

The first Membership Meeting of the year includes important items of business. Check out Council’s blog post with more tips & resources to help plan yours.

Connect with Council

Council is here to support you! Bookmark our calendar page so you always know when our meetings, meet ups, and office hours are being held. Need support now? Send us an email anytime.

Membership Spotlight: Important Deadline & Update

10/8/2023

Important Deadline:
Your PTA officers and 25+ members must be entered into memberplanet by October 31 to remain in good standing.

WSPTA Membership Contest:
Theme, Goal, and Online Join Link
Share your 2023-2024 membership theme, goals, and online join link with us by October 31 and be featured in the PTA Spotlight in the Membership Made Easy Newsletter. Submit here.

We have reached 3,111 PTA members from across Northshore PTA/PTSAs as of Sept 29, 2023!

Keep up the great work on your membership campaigns and continue to add members into memberplanet.

Additional Membership Resources:

Council's Membership page - Find more tips and links to past articles.
WSPTA Membership page - Membership resources and leadership guides available.

Questions?
Contact Council's Membership Co-Chairs, Kimberly Ortiz and Allison Torgesen.

September 18, 2023 Membership Meeting Recap

9/22/2023

On September 18, 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.

We had our first general meeting on September 18, 2023. It started out with a land acknowledgement and general information on how to find out more about this important topic.

Council Business
We reviewed the purpose of Council and the benefits of contacting Council for help. Some of the advantages of Council is that we can help answer questions you may have in your local PTSA, communicate training, resolve conflict, or help you find answers on the Washington State PTA website. As a reminder, Council will not ask to review your books or report you to any agency - we are not the PTA Police. We are here to support our local PTA leaders. View the PTA Leaders Resource Chart that was shared with members at the meeting.

We had an open board position and Christine Roehnelt was elected Secretary for the 2023-2024 year. Installation of all Council members was made by WSPTA Finance Officer Liz Nord. 2022-2023 Council Co-President Mary Khouzam was recognized for all of her work last year.

During the meeting two breakout rooms were created. Membership Co-Chair Allison Torgesen presented and answered questions about memberplanet in one room while Brittany Hernandez, AIM representative, provided an overview of what you should know about your PTA insurance and answered questions in the second room.

The proposed budget for 2023-2024 was presented and approved by the members at the meeting.

Committee Updates

Advocacy – Update from Holly M.
- On 10/3 from 6-7 pm, Council will be hosting an in-person School Board Candidate Forum. Submit possible questions to be asked at the forum by September 25, 2023
- Legislative Assembly will be held virtually on Oct 21 & Oct. 22. Registration is now open.
- Please join our Council hosted Advocacy Facebook Group for PTA leaders.
Events – Update from Melissa B.
- Presidents and Principals is 10/26 from 11-12:30 at Brightwater Event Center. Digital invites will be emailed to the PTSA Presidents and Principals with a reservation link.
Membership – Update from Allison T.
- Approx. 2100 members have joined Northshore PTA/PTSAs so far this year. There are only 7 PTAs that have not yet entered their members - that is good start for being so early in the year.
Reflections- Update by Jasmine F.
- I am Hopeful Because… is the theme for this year's 2023-2024 Reflections Program.
- Council is hosting two Reflections Roundtables on 9/25 and 10/4. In addition to the two Council Roundtables, Jasmine is also presenting Reflections Leaders Training for WSPTA on 9/21 at 6:30 p.m. and 10/7 at 9:00 a.m.
- Student are invited to submit a theme to WSPTA for the 2025-2026 Reflections Program. Student with the winning theme will receive $100.
Speaker and Events Grants Program – Update by Grace J.
- First grant cycle was this summer, Council did not receive any applications.
- Applications are open for the second Educational Speakers and Community Events grant cycle. Local PTAs/PTSAs interested in partnering with Northshore Council PTSA to host speakers or events may apply for a Northshore Council PTSA Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant. The grant deadline is 10/27.

District and Community Partners

School Board Director Bob Swain
- The Northshore School District Graphics Center was cut from budget. Negotiations with a company/union are underway to explore third party printing. No official solution yet.
  - In regards to the machines, no response yet as to what will happen to them. One machine was 100K to repair so that was taken into consideration when the print shop was closed.
- School design capital improvements are happening now with designers and committees.
- There is approximately $13.5 million saved from the Ruby Bridges building budget. This excess will stay in buildings and facilities.
- There will be budget cuts again next year, maybe $17-20 million. Board will be in study sessions to discuss cuts.
- Director Swain did not seek another term for School Board. Elisabeth Sotak, is running unopposed in the November election for his seat. The transition to the new school board member will take place after the election in December 2023.
- Student enrollment is approximately 200 more than budgeted.
Dr. Srinivas Khedam – Assistant Director of Family Engagement and Resource Center at Northshore School District
- On 10/4 at 6:30 p.m. Superintendent Tolley will be hosting a Listening Session for Spanish Speaking families.
- The Family Engagement and Resource Center opened this summer. They receive referrals of families from NSD staff. Staff will check in with the family to see what resources are needed and NSD partners with the state and local agencies and connects them to help. Goal is to eliminate barriers for students and families. More information is on their website.
- Staff is currently working on 5 minute PowerPoint informational presentations, done by students. An example of a video they will do is “What is PTSA?”.
- He also shares his learning from immigrant communities.

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.

We hope to see you at our next General Meeting on November 14th at 7 pm .

Join Northshore Special Education Community PTSA - Charter

8/12/2023

"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much." - Helen Keller

In May 2023, over a dozen Northshore parents and community members voted to form a new organization and to apply for PTA affiliation. Washington State PTA has approved their application and the Steering Committee is working over the summer to get the organizational needs in place and ready for their Charter Meeting.
The new, district-wide organization will be known as the Northshore Special Education Community PTSA, or NSEC PTSA.

Their purpose is to enrich the lives of students with disabilities in NSD by providing Special Education focused resources and supports for our community, including students, families, teachers, and specialists.

Be a Charter Member!
The opportunity to join the NSEC PTSA as a Charter Member opened on August 10th, 2023, and will close on September 21st, the date of their Charter Meeting. They need a minimum of 25 Charter Members to create the new PTSA. Join as a charter member today!

Save the Date:
NSEC PTSA Charter Meeting will be held on September 21, 2023 at 7pm, when they will vote in the first leadership team.

Questions? Want to know how to get involved? Watch for upcoming posts on Facebook or email nsecptsacharter@gmail.com.

Online Join Links - Is Yours Easy to Find?

8/12/2023

In preparation of your Fall membership drives, verify your online join link clear, and easy to find on the front page of your website. An online join link is a valuable tool for PTAs to use to help people easily become members of their local PTA.

BONUS: Council is also helping with easy access by including all of your online join links on our website here!

Please take a few minutes to check the links for your school. Need to update a link? Email communications@northshorecouncilptsa.org.

Have a question about membership? Contact Council's Membership Co-chairs, Kimberly Ortiz & Allison Torgesen at membership@northshorecouncilptsa.org.

Back to School PTA Leader Meetups in September

8/9/2023

Open To All PTA Leaders From Preschool Through High School!
Connect | Ask Questions | Share Ideas

Come to one or both meet ups!

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023
5 PM - 6:30 PM
Miner's Corner Park (rain or shine!)
22903 45th Ave SE, Bothell, WA 98021
&
Thursday, Sept 21, 2023
11:30 AM - 1 PM
Kenmore Hangar
6720 NE 181st St, Kenmore, WA 98028

Come meet your Council VPs of Support.
Ask questions, meet other local PTA leaders, share ideas, and more.
Bring a friend or make a new one!

Contact Information:
VP Elementary Support: Diana Christiansen
VP Secondary Support: Jennifer Drury

Click flyer to download.

Changes to NSD Facility Reservation Policies

8/9/2023

How Changes Affect Local PTAs

Fees:
Beginning September 1, 2023, local PTAs reserving Northshore School District facilities will need to pay a $35 administrative fee for each different type of reservation. This means one fee for meetings (they will add dates to the same original reservation throughout the year). The enrichment classes will pay $35 per type of class reservation. One fee for Chess, one for STEAM, one for Spanish, etc. Once this reservation is created for the school year, they will add on additional dates if Chess is offered in the Fall, Spring, etc.

The PTA groups will not pay a room rental fee - PTAs will only pay the $35 administrative fee.
When a PTA rents one of the larger theaters for a play, etc., the PTA will pay the custodial and technician support fees as has been the practice.
For weekend reservations, the PTA will continue to pay custodial overtime fees. This fee is being adjusted.
The change fees will not be charged if the school administration requests a date, time, or location change for the PTA events and classes. PTAs will be charged a change fee if multiple changes in time, dates, or locations is requested by the PTA.

Use Agreement and Insurance Updates

The Northshore School District #417 Facility Use Application and Agreement form has been updated with changes. Council recommends reading over this Agreement carefully and confirm that your PTAs' insurance meets all the requirements (requirements have also updated).
- Insurance requirements can be found on page 3 of the Facility Use Application
As in the past, PTAs must have a current approved Certificate of Insurance and an Additional Insured Endorsement on file prior to the district issuing a Use Permit.
- Review SAMPLE Additional Insured Endorsement forms prior to submitting your application and verify you have Northshore School District listed as an Additional Insured with Endorsement.

For Northshore School District Facility Reservations questions, contact Vanessa Greek at 425-408-7810.

From Northshore School District Support Services:

Fees for Northshore School District facility and field rentals will increase beginning on September 1. It is worth noting that these fees have remained unchanged since 2009, but after careful consideration, district budget review, and a comparative analysis including other school districts, the Northshore School Board has recently approved the rate increase. We appreciate your understanding as we navigate this adjustment.

The approved changes include:

A $35 administrative fee will be introduced, which supports the costs associated with managing the rental process and maintaining the facilities. This fee will ensure that the District can continue to provide quality services and properly allocate resources.
A $35 administrative change fee will be applied to each request to change a confirmed rental.
A weekend rate is being established, which is different from the weekday rental rate, for facility rentals. As the demand for rentals during weekends has increased, it has become necessary to adjust the pricing accordingly. This adjustment will help to ensure fair and reasonable fees for weekend usage.
There will be an overall adjustment to weekday facility and field rates, including hourly rental fees and custodial overtime. This is being done to reflect the current economic landscape, rising operational and personnel costs, and increased demand for facility usage. By making these adjustments, the District aims to continue providing excellent facilities while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

We encourage you to visit the District's website for detailed information about the revised rates and rental process. These new rates will start September 1, 2023 and will only affect new reservations. Existing reservations made before implementing the new rates will not be subject to the increase.

We understand that change can sometimes be challenging, but we are committed to providing you with the best possible facilities and services. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the appropriate district representatives, whose contact information can also be found on the website.

Thank you for your continued support of our students and schools, and we look forward to serving you and the community during the 2023-24 school year.

More information can be found at: Northshore School Districts Facilities Rental Information page.

Verify Your PTA's Online Join Links, Websites, and Social Media

6/20/2023

Please verify Council has your PTA's most up-to-date online join link, website, and social media pages listed on our website. Council will be promoting membership this coming year by including all Northshore PTAs online join links on our website here!

An online join link is a valuable tool for PTAs to use to help people easily become members of PTA. Make your join link clear, and easy to find on the front page of your website.

BONUS: We'll be promoting online join for all Northshore PTAs/PTSAs at the upcoming NSD Back to School Resource Fair on Thursday, August 10th at Pop Keeney.

Please take a few minutes to check the links for your school. Need to update a link? Email communications@northshorecouncilptsa.org.

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