 A retreat is more than just a regular meeting; it is an opportunity to:
There are many things to consider when planning for your retreat. While board retreats can take place in person, many PTAs may find it best to plan a virtual retreat, which adds a few more items to that list.
 Great retreats also include a few key social elements that serve as ways to allow board members to connect, bond, and get to know each other, all of which work to help build a more cohesive team:
The extended nature of a retreat means that a board can have time for conversations and discussions with more breadth and depth. Consider some of the following discussion areas and questions as you build your board retreat agenda:
Finally, remember that some of the most important work will happen after the retreat ends as ideas are put into action. Take time through the year to reflect and check-in with one another regarding discussions, action items, and progress toward goals.  Additional Resources:
As always, Council is here to help your PTA have a successful year! If you ever have questions, you can reach out to us anytime via email. Find a list of Council Contacts here.  Phew! We’ve made it through another year! Oh, how we all could use time to recharge our bodies and minds. Our kids have gone through the wringer this year, with changing Covid protocols, school shootings, and other unpredictable events. These things quickly add up and take their toll on our mental health. School is almost out, making this a good time to focus on recharging our bodies and minds. These upcoming summer months are a great time to revisit some mindfulness and self-care practices. Mindfulness practice is an excellent (and simple!) way to ground ourselves in a busy world, to stay fresh, and to simplify our lives. Who couldn’t use that? When you focus on right now, this very moment and not the past or what is coming up tomorrow (or even in the fall), you can be more open-minded, intentional, have gratitude and grace.  One way to practice mindfulness is to start your day with a purpose. When you set an intention, it is more likely that your actions, words, and responses, especially during tough moments, will be more mindful and compassionate. This practice is best done first thing in the morning, before turning on screens or checking social media. Here are some additional mindfulness exercises to try:
Remember: the purpose of these mindful exercises is to be intentional and focus on one thing at a time. By doing so, you will see improved balance and happiness in your daily lives.
Summer is the perfect time to slow down and smell the roses, as the saying goes. Play that extra board game with your kids before bed. Jump on the trampoline with them after lunch. Take a walk with your partner at sunset. Notice the little things that bring you joy. By being intentional and focusing on one thing at a time, you will see improved balance and happiness in your daily lives. Be mindful. You, your family, and your mental health deserve it.
This article was brought to you by Northshore Council's Mental Health Committee.
 Northshore Council PTSA is offering a FREE Parent Education Webinar Series in partnership with PAVE (Partnerships for Action, Voices for Empowerment). Special Education: Student & Family Support Date: Tuesday, June 7th Time: 6:00PM Focus Topic: Caregiver Self-Care Registration*: https://www.tfaforms.com/4970917 This webinar series will be presented by Jerri Clark, Parent Resources Coordinator of Partnerships in Action/Voices of Empowerment (PAVE). Each webinar in the series will have a different focus topic and a separate registration link. This fourth (and final for this school year) webinar in the series will take place on June 7th and be focusing on Caregiver Self-Care. This webinar will discuss mindfulness to support resilience, why a checklist can calm your brain, and access to a video library with more self-care content. Check out the flyer below for more information. *Deadline to register is 6pm on Monday, June 6th. Questions? Email Council's Special Education Representative, Laura Staneff. For more information about PAVE, visit their website at https://wapave.org. We look forward to seeing you at this and future Special Education: Student & Family Support events!  
 Is your PTA looking for a parent education presentation to provide for your community? Consider hosting a Be SMART presentation!
Developed by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action, The Be SMART educational program is designed to help parents and adults normalize conversations about gun safety and take responsible actions that can prevent child gun deaths and injuries. It asks parents and caretakers, gun owners and non-gun owners alike, to 'Be SMART' and take 5 simple steps to help keep our schools and communities safe. Recognized by the National Parent Teacher Association, the Be SMART program has allowed volunteers to carry the lifesaving message within school districts across the country. If you are interested in hosting a Be SMART presentation at your school, or to learn more about the program, please reach out to Jaclyn Condra by emailing kinbergj@yahoo.com.
Guest Presentation by Northshore School District Ethnic Studies Framework: NSD Assistant Director of Equity and Pedagogy, Melissa Riley, and Northshore students shared a presentation on ethnic studies in the Northshore School District. This presentation answered the questions "What is ethnic studies, why is it important, and what will it look like for kids?" The curriculum will be for grades Pre K-12 and more information can be found here: https://bit.ly/pesbccdei.
Council Business: Approval of the January 20th, 2022 Meeting Minutes which were accepted with minor changes. Approval of the preliminary budget for the 2022-2023 school year. Election of our 2022-2023 officers: Thank you to our hardworking Nominating Committee, Diana Christiansen, Cherry Holmes, and Jasmine Lee Fry, for putting together the slate of candidates! Diana Christiansen read the Nominating Report. The self-nomination period was held in accordance with our e-voting policy with no others submitting their names for nomination. The election script was followed with a reading from the WSPTA bylaws. A motion was cast to accept the slate as presented, seconded, and approved by a voice vote. Congratulations to our incoming 2022-2023 officers!!
*Please be advised that by the time the self-nomination period closed, no candidate had come forth for either Secretary or VP of Events. Council will continue to seek volunteers for these positions with the goal of holding elections for them at a future General Membership Meeting. If interested in serving in either of these roles on an interim basis, please contact us at president@northshorecouncilptsa.org. District Updates:
Council Reports:
We hope you will join us for our next General Membership Meeting on May 16th, 2022 @ 7pm. This meeting will also include our annual Spring Recognition Event! For a full list of our upcoming meetings and events, check out our Calendar.  Northshore Council PTSA is offering a FREE Parent Education Webinar Series in partnership with PAVE (Partnerships for Action, Voices for Empowerment). Special Education: Student & Family Support Date: Tuesday, May 10th Time: 6:00PM Focus Topic: IEP Transition (Planning for Life after High School) Registration*: https://www.tfaforms.com/4970890 This webinar series will be presented by Jerri Clark, Parent Resources Coordinator of Partnerships in Action/Voices of Empowerment (PAVE). Each webinar in the series will have a different focus topic and a separate registration link. This third webinar in the series will take place on May 10th and be focusing on IEP Transition. This webinar will discuss planning for life after high school including information on tools to help students with disabilities prepare for adult life. Check out the flyer below for more information. Save the Date for Our Next Special Education Webinar:
*Deadline to register is 6pm on Monday, May 9th. Questions? Email Council's Special Education Representative, Laura Staneff. For more information about PAVE, visit their website at https://wapave.org. We look forward to seeing you at this and future Special Education: Student & Family Support events! 
 It's April, and with only 2½ months of school left this year, it may be surreal to think that we are nearing the end of our 3rd school year affected by the pandemic. We may have lost things and we may gave gained things, but life is starting to emerge as something somewhat familiar. Some of us may feel abuzz with possibility. Some of us may feel trepidatious or overwhelmed. How do we slow down, collect ourselves, and progress with more purpose and less stress after such a wild ride? By practicing self-care. By definition, self-care means doing what is best for us, like increasing our emotional and physical stamina, improving our self-esteem, and building resilience towards stressors that we can’t eliminate. Basically, the term describes a conscious act we take in order to promote our own physical, mental, and emotional health in order to be better equipped to live our best lives. Self-care isn't just about finding ways to relax. It's about taking care of yourself:
 Carve out time each day to deliberately focus on self-care. At first, this may seem like a luxury or selfish. However, proper self-care is something we all need AND deserve. It is never selfish to make your mental health and well-being a priority. Remember, you have to be okay before you can help others be okay!
This article was brought to you by Northshore Council's Mental Health Committee.
 Northshore Council PTSA is offering a FREE Parent Education Webinar Series in partnership with PAVE (Partnerships for Action, Voices for Empowerment). Special Education: Student & Family Support Date: Wednesday, April 20th Time: 6:00PM Focus Topic: Early Learning (Birth-3 and transition to IEP at age 3) Registration*: https://www.tfaforms.com/4970013 This webinar series will be presented by Jerri Clark, Parent Resources Coordinator of Partnerships in Action/Voices of Empowerment (PAVE). Each webinar in the series will have a different focus topic and a separate registration link. The second webinar in the series will take place on April 20th and be focusing on Early Learning: Birth-3 services and transition into preschool for children with disabilities. Check out the flyer below for more information. Future webinars will include:
*Deadline to register is 6pm on Tuesday, April 19th. Questions? Email Council's Special Education Representative, Laura Staneff. For more information about PAVE, visit their website at https://wapave.org. We look forward to seeing you at this and future Special Education: Student & Family Support events! 
Following the film will be a pre-recorded panel session addressing frequently asked questions and common discussion topics from the film.
Register for a viewing link here: https://forms.gle/QPTrFZbXaf6FcnKY9 Deadline to register is Friday, April 1st. This event is co-sponsored by Kenmore Middle School PTSA and Northshore Council PTSA. For questions, email Abby Polasko at treasurer@kenmoreptsa.org. Now is great time of year for our High School PTSAs to hold a Voter Registration Drive!  Students 16 years old and up are eligible to register to vote and will then be eligible to VOTE when they turn 18.
Hosting a student voter registration drive is a great way to not only increase your local advocacy efforts, but to also put the "S" into PTSA by elevating student voices. Students can promote civic engagement through voter registration drives and registering to vote themselves. Tips & Resources for Holding a Voter Registration Drive
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