Family & Community Engagement | Poverty Affecting Our Children
By Jenn Hoskinson | WSPTA Special Education Committee Co-Chair With Poverty Awareness Month upon us, one may question its impact on children in Washington state and nationwide. Does poverty contribute to problems with education and their access to care, besides the concerns with food and housing? These are tough questions that often have sad answers. When…
Category:
Family Engagement
See you at Focus Day!
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Parents and students will descend on Olympia today to meet with their state legislators during the annual Washington State PTA Focus Day. Members also will hear from Senators and Representatives over the lunch hour and will participate in a march around the capitol grounds in support of closing K12 funding gaps. If you weren’t able to travel to the State Capitol,…
February Checklist for Councils Supporting Local PTAs
February Monthly Tasks Continue assisting with items from the “Ongoing Tasks” list. Refer to the February Checklist for Running Your PTA. Encourage leaders to subscribe to the WSPTA Action Alerts to participate in timely action alerts with updates on the ongoing legislative session. Remind local leaders of the March 12 submission deadline for student programs (WSPTA…
Category:
Leadership
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Training
February Checklist for Running Your PTA
Ongoing Tasks Attend any board and membership meetings Read meeting minutes and offer corrections Prepare reports for board and membership meetings Get educated: take advantage of in-person and online training opportunities Be familiar with your responsibilities and fulfill them Review and ask questions about monthly financial report Actively engage in a plan for membership growth…
Category:
Leadership
And … We’re Off!
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org Today marks the start of the 60-day session and it’s already setting off at a fast pace with public hearings on Governor Bob Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental budgets and a variety of policy bills. Remember, all bills from 2025 are still eligible to move forward this year, but they’ll need to meet cutoff deadlines. And, legislators have been very busy “pre-filing” bills which will…
Student Members Matter: Be recognized for Including Student Memberships!
Student voices are powerful—and when students are members of your PTA, they’re not just part of the conversation; they’re part of the movement. To celebrate and encourage student inclusion, WSPTA is rolling out a new award this year for PTAs that are actively engaging with student members. 🎉 How to Enter: Go to https://wastatepta.org/events-programs/awards/membership/ and…
Category:
Membership
January Checklist for Councils Supporting Local PTAs
January Monthly Tasks Continue assisting with items from the “Ongoing Tasks” list. Refer to the January Checklist for Running Your PTA. Reflections entries due to WSPTA by January 12 Councils can access the submission form here. Contact Reflections@wastatepta.org with questions. Remind local PTAs about the 1099-NEC due for independent contractors by January 31 For contractors, you paid more than $600…
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Advocacy
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Awards
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Education
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Events
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Family Engagement
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Leadership
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Legislative
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Membership
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Reflections
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Training
January Checklist for Running Your PTA
Ongoing Tasks Attend all board and membership meetings Read meeting minutes and offer corrections Prepare reports for board and membership meetings Get educated: take advantage of in-person and online training opportunities Be familiar with your responsibilities and fulfill them Review and ask questions about the monthly financial report Actively engage in a plan for membership…
Category:
Leadership
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Training
Family and Community Engagement | Navigating Big Feelings During Winter Break
By: Angela Farnsworth – Elementary Special Education Paraeducator and WSPTA Special Education Committee Member The holiday season can bring a lot of joy, and also a lot of stress. This is true for everyone but especially neurodivergent kids. A gap in support services, a lack of routine, and over-stimulating events can leave families feeling out of…
Category:
Family Engagement
December Checklist for Councils Supporting Local PTAs
Ongoing Tasks Review the 2025-26 Standards of Affiliation (SOA) Checklist. Host a training or roundtable at council membership meetings addressing timely SOA requirements. Offer support to local PTAs who may be struggling with any of the SOA requirements. At each council membership meeting, share the SOA items that your council has completed to model best…
Category:
Training