Focus Week 2022 Recap

Northshore Council PTSA participated in Focus on Advocacy Week January 17-21!

​Earlier this month, Northshore Council PTSA leaders, along with local PTA leaders and members, connected virtually with 9 state legislators during Washington State PTA’s Focus on Advocacy Week.

​Members advocated to elected officials about WA State PTA's Top 5 Legislative Priorities for the current legislative session. 

​Every meeting started with the number one priority of the Washington State PTA, Mental Health. Advocates asked that representatives work to fund and create policies that support mental health in our schools and communities.
Additional Asks Included:

• Advocating for legislation surrounding Safe Gun Storage
  
• Advocating for legislation supporting Youth Suicide Prevention
  
• To fully fund Special Education
  
• Funding for education remain stable through this time of lower enrollment due to the pandemic

Throughout Focus on Advocacy Week, in addition to meeting with legislators, PTA advocates were asked to email their elected officials to advocate for children. Council and many of our local PTAs promoted Focus on Advocacy Week using social media accounts, websites, and newsletters to encourage members to participate as well.

Throughout the next sixty days, the Washington State Senate and House will debate and vote on issues that directly affect children and families in Washington State. If you would like to be kept up to date on these issues, please subscribe to Action Alerts.

---

Northshore Council would like to thank the legislators and their assistants who met with us during Focus on Advocacy Week!
​

• Senator Manka Dhingra; assistant Ashley Jackson
• Representative Davina Duerr; assistant Ann Dasch
• Representative Roger Goodman; assistant Sydney Oliver
• Representative Shelley Kloba; assistant Brian Haifley
• Representative Larry Springer; assistant Lacey Stanage
• Senator Marko Liias; assistant Jeremy Knapp
• Representative Lillian Ortiz-Self; assistant Israel Rios
• Representative Strom Peterson; assistant Joshua Apata
• Senator Derek Stanford; assistants Stephen Cardamenis, Stella Mason and Chloe Lameire

Council would also like to recognize the PTA Advocates who took time out of their week to participate in the meetings:

---

• Brenae Brix
• Jane Chiodo
• Diana Christiansen
• Jennifer Drury
• Rachel Fitzgerald
• Sandy Hayes

• Cherry Holmes
• Mary Khouzam
• Melissa Kline
• Claudine Miller
• Pauline Wray

If you would like to learn more about Council's Advocacy work or how you can get involved, visit our Advocacy page.