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Northshore Council PTSA is a welcoming organization that works to support our Local PTAs and serve the children and youth of our community through advocacy, collaboration, education, engagement, leadership, and mentorship.
Legislative Assembly Issue // Request - Oct 13, 2022
Building and Maintaining Safer Schools, issue #9.
If this issue is passed it will support the health, safety and well being of students, staff and visitors in our schools.
We know WSPTA has made real legislative changes with the issues that get support-- we're asking for your support on this issue!!
Background:
There is an 83% chance of a magnitude 6.5 or larger quake in Washington state in the next 50 years. Yet in a recent study, 93% of schools in a sample of 561 school buildings are likely to collapse during an earthquake leading to death, injury and entrapment of students and staff. Earthquakes, and tsunamis are not the only safety, health and environmental hazards facing our children and staff at schools. Other school building reforms needed include emergency planning, indoor air quality and lead in drinking water. Districts and communities must be aware of current conditions of our school buildings, from seismic safety status to environmental considerations to make improvements.
How does YOUR school fare:
Earthquakes: http://seismicsafetyforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/STATEWIDE-School-Safety-EPAT-Spreadsheet.pdf
Air quality / HVAC system: https://bit.ly/WASchoolCleanAir
For lead in water, this Seattle Times article shows a study in which 97% of a sample of schools in WA state had lead in their water: https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/as-tests-reveal-more-lead-in-water-at-washington-schools-bill-to-limit-the-toxin-stalls-in-olympia/
Proposed Solutions
Washington State PTA shall support legislation or policies that support school facility safety, health and environmental considerations in schools through:
Rebecca Medendorp, Mill Creek Elementary PTA
DaleAnn Baker, PTA at large
If this issue is passed it will support the health, safety and well being of students, staff and visitors in our schools.
We know WSPTA has made real legislative changes with the issues that get support-- we're asking for your support on this issue!!
Background:
There is an 83% chance of a magnitude 6.5 or larger quake in Washington state in the next 50 years. Yet in a recent study, 93% of schools in a sample of 561 school buildings are likely to collapse during an earthquake leading to death, injury and entrapment of students and staff. Earthquakes, and tsunamis are not the only safety, health and environmental hazards facing our children and staff at schools. Other school building reforms needed include emergency planning, indoor air quality and lead in drinking water. Districts and communities must be aware of current conditions of our school buildings, from seismic safety status to environmental considerations to make improvements.
How does YOUR school fare:
Earthquakes: http://seismicsafetyforkids.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/STATEWIDE-School-Safety-EPAT-Spreadsheet.pdf
Air quality / HVAC system: https://bit.ly/WASchoolCleanAir
For lead in water, this Seattle Times article shows a study in which 97% of a sample of schools in WA state had lead in their water: https://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/as-tests-reveal-more-lead-in-water-at-washington-schools-bill-to-limit-the-toxin-stalls-in-olympia/
Proposed Solutions
Washington State PTA shall support legislation or policies that support school facility safety, health and environmental considerations in schools through:
- Funding school safety changes, including emergency signs, improving indoor air quality and environmental hazards, seismic upgrades, and an earthquake early warning system.
- Requiring safety plans to include persons with disabilities and all people in school buildings, and to conduct annual emergency reunification training.
- Increasing the transparency of the condition of school facilities to allow public review.
Rebecca Medendorp, Mill Creek Elementary PTA
DaleAnn Baker, PTA at large
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Northshore Council PTSA works hard to be a preparedness advocate for all children, not just in Northshore School district but in Washington State.
To Submit/Modify a Resolution or Issue go to Advocacy - Washington State PT 
Last met on June 11, 2020. It was a closed meeting, limited to committee members and special guests— not open to public. Meeting notes available here: https://www.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/public/safetycenter/pubdocs/SSSWAC%20Meeting%20Notes%2006-11-20.pdf There is a hiring freeze to budget shortfalls in the wake of COVID-19. So—the budget proviso that passed regarding funding for the School Safety Center positions in every Educational Service District is on hold. The funding was to support hiring two positions in each ESD: 1. Someone to support our local schools with implementing threat assessment protocols and 2. A Behavioral Health Navigator who is to provide resources/supports to schools for behavioral and mental health issues/needs. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) published their report on the first responder mapping system currently used across the state in K-12 schools. They found only 80% of school districts and 70% of law enforcement agency responders use the system. And—only 33%-53% intend to actually use it during an incident. Their recommendation is organizations need to do more on training and use of the system (so it gets used as it should) and that there needs to be a better process in place for ensuring that the system stays current with technology and data collection (which is part of why peeps aren’t using it). Report available here: http://leg.wa.gov/jlarc/reports/2020/mapping/f_3/default.html
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