Legislative Assembly is over and Focus week is not until mid January… so what now?

Well, it is time to cuddle up with a warm cup of coffee (tea or cocoa also work!) and write a story. A story? Yes. It is time to look around and think deeply about what your students need, why they need it, and to develop your persuasive story about these needs to share with principals, school board members, and our state elected leaders.

How can you find inspiration? First, go back to your members and ASK what needs their children and families have and what their stories are. You can create an online member survey or even schedule an online chat to gather feedback. Once you have that feedback, you will want to check in with Washington State PTA’s new Legislative Platform which was voted and approved by members at Legislative Assembly in November. Do any of these issues speak to you and your PTA's needs?

Once inspiration has struck, build your pitch to legislators. WA State PTA has provided a document to help you do just that! Click here to download.

Don't forget to visit our Advocacy Page for more resources to help with developing your PTA story including signing up for Action Alerts from Washington State PTA which will keep you aware of upcoming issues in Olympia this coming year.

Questions about Advocacy? Contact Council's VP of Advocacy, Diana Christiansen.

It was great to see so many local PTA leaders in attendance for our 2nd meeting of the 20-21 school year!

The meeting kicked off with a Q and A led by our Superintendent, Dr. Michelle Reid.  In addition to mentioning that the current plan with online schooling is to stay the course, she also answered many questions regarding topics such as homework, updates on the NSD curriculum resource web page, communication strategies for teachers and parents and building access for PTA’s.  There was also a discussion regarding ideas for the district to provide some morale boosting activities for students and families to help with community building while we are still isolating at home for online learning. Dr. Reid welcomed ideas from the group and will investigate how to best provide some community building activities in the district.  

During the Council Business portion of the meeting, the membership elected Grace Jurado, Liz Nord and Jane Chiodo as the 20-21 Nominating Committee.  Next on the agenda was a financial report given by Council Treasurer, Liz Nord.  Her report included the Treasurer’s Reports for both September and October, presentation of the newly adopted money handling policy and an update regarding the fulfillment of the Standards of Affiliation.  Liz noted that any PTA that needs to create or update their current money handling policy is welcome to use the council’s as a template found here.  
Lastly, there was an update regarding council goals which involved renaming the goal previously called Leading and Developing our Northshore PTAs and Leaders to Communicating with our Northshore Local PTAs and Leaders.  Grace Jurado, Nancy Chamberlain and Melissa Kline worked together to create a new title and verbiage surrounding the elements of the action items in effort to create goals that are concrete and attainable.   The membership unanimously voted to update the proposed changes to the council goals as presented.

During this meeting we also heard from Northshore Nourishing Network (NNN) Director Sue Freeman.  She shared information and tips for PTAs looking to start a successful food drive for their local units.  Sue noted that the Northshore Senior Center needs canned vegetables, tuna and chicken for those looking to donate. It was suggested by a member that coordination for a food drive combined with school supply pick up days or porch pick up to gather food donations.  Sue also shared that she has created helpful documents for suggested items to donate as well as how to start a free pantry.  Learn more about NNN here.

We then heard from community leaders including School Board Director Jacqueline McGourty, NSD Partnerships and Volunteer Coordinator Natalie Campbell and the Northshore Schools Foundation Executive Director Carmin Dalziel.

• Director McGourty reported that the school board just finished up the last round of ongoing discussions with our legislators, presenting them with their list of priorities.  The most prominent priority right now is digital equity.  She also shared that the board has started the refresh of their five year strategic plan.  Director McGourty mentioned that the board has also resumed school visits and that being able to see what is happening the classroom as well as with the principals and admins has been refreshing!  
• Natalie Campbell spoke about the decision to pilot the Peach Jar flyer distribution program for one year.  As well as mentioning that there is continued support for the Art Docent program.  She noted that NSD is finishing their pilot with 6 Crickets and they are looking for input based on if they should continue the program, retool it or decide its not needed.  Natalie is continuing to work on an update to the PTA Resource Guide.  The guide will include reminders with regards to communications, what can be published on the website, accessibility standards, resources for translation and more. This will be especially helpful to those new PTA leaders in our district.
• Carmin Dalziel reported that the Northshore Schools Foundation’s classroom grant process is now open.  PTA leaders are welcome to request grants for their schools. They will be sending out postcards to teachers.  Right now there is a big focus on high school seniors.  NSF is currently offering classes on things like financial aid among other things for seniors and their families to take advantage of. Carmin shared that all though last year when COVID hit they gifted $200 gift cards for families from their Basic Needs Aid program.  Now that COVID is more of a normal situation the Basic Needs Aid fund will be reserved for emergencies.  NSF is working with the district to make sure that there is a CARE team at each school for students and families in need.  In total they have donated $94K towards the success of this program. For more frequent NSF updates please refer the NSF blog.

​Lastly on the agenda was Council updates on Advocacy, Membership and F.A.C.E. as well as an update from our First Vice President, Jane Chiodo, regarding the WSPTA awards and the Speaker and Events Grants.

• VP of Advocacy, Diana Christiansen shared the top five legislative priorities and the WSPTA supported issues for 20-21.  Diana also wanted to share thanks for the candidates that participated in the candidates forum.  She also shared a PDF for how to share a pitch with legislators.  Reminder that Focus Day is January 18th, and that week will be Focus on Advocacy Week.  Check out our Advocacy page for more legislative updates including a link to sign up for the WSPTA Action Network.
  
• Membership Chair, Melissa Kline, shared that as a whole our district is at 52% for membership. There are 5 PTAs that have 75% of last years membership! She also explained how the 100% Staff Membership award is calculated and how to apply for it.  Melissa reminded members that personal connection is the best way to gain members.  More tips and suggestions are posted on our Membership webpage in the Membership Facebook group.
• F.A.C.E. Chair, Lauren Lewis, encouraged all to join the new F.A.C.E. and DEI Facebook group.  The group is for F.A.C.E. (Family and Community Engagement) & DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) Chairs or anyone interested about learning and sharing more on these topics.  Lauren is working on putting together at least on event that is open for all PTAs to attend.  The biggest asks have been surrounding mental health and internet safety.  It was also highlighted that NSD has a strategic plan for inclusion – there is an inventory for all parent groups for a self-assessment.  The district spent time putting together these documents and there are clear takeaways.
  
• First VP Jane Chiodo shared that the next Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant application deadline is November 27th.  The final deadline will be January 22nd, 2021.  For more information click here.  Lastly, Jane spoke about the WSPTA Awards of Excellence program.  PTAs are encouraged to check out the different categories to look at the criteria for the award and which ones your PTA might be interested in.  Some examples of awards include the Standards of Excellence, Communications, Significant Actions, Newsletter and Outstanding Website.  Applications for awards are due by March 15, 2021.

​Council meetings are a great way to reach other PTA leaders and learn about what is happening in the district and PTA. We hope you will join us for our next general membership meeting on Thursday, January 21st!

Join us virtually on October 21st at 6:30PM for this upcoming Parent Education event: Parenting on the Same Page!

Guest Speakers, Kira Dorrian and Deana Thayer, co-founders of Future Focused Parenting, aim to support parents and caregivers doing the best they can to create a safe loving environment for their children, where everyone works together as a team. 

This presentation is for any parent or caregiver that wants to thrive rather than just survive throughout their parenting journey. This session helps families get on the same page with their parenting partner or other adults in their children’s lives. Learn strategies for communication, preparing for parenting curveballs, and how to parent with unity even when you disagree. Presentation includes a Q&A for attendees.

Talking points of this presentation include:

• Operate as a team, even when you disagree
• Parent together from a strong set of values
• Work cohesively to support one another and your children in these unprecedented times
• Model parental unity as partners, co-parents, or single parents
• Avoid accidentally undermining your parenting partner
• Find ways to meet each other’s needs so that your own emotional buckets are full
• Plan and prepare for new issues you may see coming down the pipeline

Register to attend at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/parenting-on-the-same-page-registration-123364748283
Zoom link will be emailed to those who have registered before the event.

​Note: A Spanish translator will be available during the presentation. Email mayna@closetfly.com if you would like to utilize this service so we can connect you with the translator before the presentation begins, or if you would like to request translation in another language.

Acompañenos por Zoom para nuestro primer evento de KEPTA Parent Education, organizado junto con Northshore Council PTSA! Nuestros oradores invitados desean apoyar a padres y guardianes que quieren crear un ambiente seguro y cariñoso para sus hijos, en el cual todos trabajan como un equipo unido.
Parenting on the Same Page (Criando Niños Juntos)
Miercoles, el 21 de Octubre de 6:30pm a 8:00pm (incluyendo preguntas y respuestas)
https://www.eventbrite.com/x/parenting-on-the-same-page-tickets-123364748283?utm_term=eventname_text
Antes del evento, conozcan a nuestros oradores: Kira Dorrian, CHt, HBCE y Deana Thayer, M.Ed.
https://futurefocusedparenting.com/
El enlace de Zoom se enviará antes del evento. Un traductor de español estará presente durante el evento. Por favor envíe un correo electronico antes del evento si le gustaría estar asignado al traductor para el evento. Si su PTA está interesada en compartir con su comunidad la grabación de esta presentación, por favor comuníquese con este correo electrónico para obtener una licencia. 

Mental health issues related to our lockdown and pandemic are difficult for everyone but especially hard for people with depression or who suffer from drug or alcohol abuse.

According to an article by the American Medical Association, there has been an increase in drug overdoses during this period. The CDC reported that symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder increased considerably in the United States during April–June of 2020, compared with the same period in 2019.

Below you will find articles with additional information and resources to help if you or someone you know are struggling.

Threads & Treads provides Northshore families free, quality donated clothing for school age youth, teens, young adults and parents. Clothing items include: school-appropriate clothing for the school day and special events, sportswear, shoes, and accessories. All NSD families in need of clothing assistance are welcome to shop each month for 3 outfits and school event attire.

They are open weekly each Wednesday afternoon from 3-6pm. Click here for shopping guidelines to accommodate social distancing protocols. 


Please consider helping to spread the word about this Northshore community resource via your PTA communication channels! 

Threads & Treads Needs Volunteers! They can only have adult volunteers at this time. Visit this link to sign-up today: https://cpptsa.org/ways-to-help/volunteer-sign-ups/

• Volunteer during shopping/open hours! Wednesdays 3-6pm. Volunteers assist with selecting clothing items for families, enjoy conversations about school, community resources and activities, while sorting and displaying the clothing donations. Volunteers can commit to a weekly or monthly schedule!    
• Volunteer to help sort and stock! Wednesdays between the hours of 2-6pm. We may open more hours depending on the interest and need. Sort donations, stock items, and display fashions! Organize and prep for open hours! 

For more information on Volunteering, contact Eileen Jowell or Kelly Hennessey at tandt@cpptsa.org or 425-478-7917.

Threads & Treads Needs Donations!

• Threads and Treads accepts new or gently worn, fashionable clothing from sizes 5T to adult. Clothing items that are consistent with school dress-codes, special occasions and professional workplace attire are preferred. Donations can be brought to the main office of Canyon Park Middle School during the school day or directly to the Threads & Treads portables on Wednesdays during open hours.
• Threads and Treads also needs new socks and underwear in all sizes. School or business drives are a great way to collect these items and donate to T&T. Talk to your ASB or Community Service Coordinator about arranging a drive! Groups wishing to arrange a clothing drive, contact Eileen Jowell or Kelly Hennessey at tandt@cpptsa.org
• We now have an AMAZON WISH LIST! Click here for information.
• Monetary donations are also welcome. Please make checks out to CPMS PTSA and in the FOR line write Threads and Treads. You can mail it to CPMS PTSA Attn: Threads and Treads at P.O. Box 1889 – Bothell, WA 98041. 

​Threads & Treads Donation Wishes:

• New socks and undergarments for all ages, genders and sizes

• Junior/teen clothing styles for male and females
• Gently worn current fashion clothing, sizes 5T to Adult
• Shoes (sneakers and dressy), all sizes
• Belts, Bags and wearable accessories
• Volunteer!

If you have any questions or would like information to provide to your school, please feel free to contact Kelly Hennessey at tandt@cpptsa.org.

Thank you for your help in supporting this vital community resource!

THIS PROGRAM IS COORDINATED AND SUPPORTED BY CANYON PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL PTSA.

​The Washington State PTA Standards of Affiliation Agreement Checklist 2020-2021 is now available!

This checklist is a tool to help your PTA keep up with its legal requirements, both as a non-profit and as a PTA. The requirements come from the IRS, the State of Washington, your insurance company,  and WSPTA.
What your PTA needs to do:

• Take care of all SOA requirements
• Use the SOA checklist to keep track of progress
• Keep a copy with your legal documents and/or Treasurer's binder
• Involve your entire board
• Update your membership on your SOA progress
• Ask for help if you need it!

There have been a few updates this year to make the SOA even better, including an introduction page that has clear instructions, calls out what’s new to the checklists in 2020-21, and offers a number of resources to answer questions and give more detail on all requirements.

This video from WSPTA offers a great overview of SOA and what it means for your PTA:

In addition, WSPTA offers a number of tools to help support your PTA in completing the SOA checklist, including:

• SOA Tips & Best Practices
• SOA FAQ
• SOA Standing Rules Suggested Language
• Training Requirement Flyer
• Training Tracking Spreadsheet
• 2020-21 Deadline Dates
  

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Remember that sharing the progress of your SOA with your members also lets others know about how your PTA operates and shows the work that goes on, often behind the scenes, to keep your PTA legal, safe and operating within the very best practices of our state.
Questions? Council is here to help!

• Elementary PTA/PTSAs with questions should contact Grace Jurado.
• Middle and High School PTSAs should contact Nancy Chamberlain. 

​Join us for ‘Northshore PTAs Connect’ – an online roundtable discussion for PTA/PTSA leaders to ask questions, share ideas and connect with one another.
​Offered two times a month—once in the evening (7pm) and once at midday (noon)— this series of roundtable events is designed to support our local PTA/PTSA leaders as we navigate membership, programs and managing our organizations in an uncertain and ever-changing landscape.
Each roundtable event will feature a focus topic, but it is an open discussion and there is always opportunity to ask questions and tackle emerging or ongoing areas of interest or concern.

​You may choose to attend the topics or times that work best for you, or attend them all!
We hope to see you there!!!
If you have questions or suggested topics you would like to see addressed in the discussion, please email Council PTSA President, Robin Zaback.

*Topic was changed/updated as of 11/25/2020 to better meet the needs of our PTA Leaders & Community.