Family and Community Engagement During This Time of COVID-19
Guest Post Provided by Judy East, WSPTA Family and Community Engagement Committee member COVID-19 has infiltrated every aspect of our lives. Daily routines interrupted. Shopping is a daily adventure now. Trips canceled. And our children are with us all the time as “social distancing” doesn’t include our own kids, sadly. (Only kidding…mostly!) Our PTA lives…
Category:
Family Engagement
Introducing New Member Discount with Sylvan Learning Centers
(September 2017) — WSPTA is excited to announce a collaboration with Sylvan Learning Centers for WSPTA members and their families. At this time, we are the only state nationwide in PTA to have this type of arrangement. As you may know, National PTA and Sylvan have a partnership for 50 percent off Sylvan’s assessment. We…
104th Annual #WSPTAconvention Summary
It was such a pleasure to welcome so many members to our 104th Annual #WSPTAconvention! Enthusiasm and energy filled the days and helped make this year’s event fun and gratifying. As in years past, we developed a program full of opportunities for PTA leaders to learn and grow in their leadership skills, discover the power of…
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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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Programs
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Reflections
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Training
Legislature Adjourns, Budgets/Education Unfinished
After a week of mundane business, punctuated with bill signings in the Governor’s office, the 2017 105-day session adjourned “sine die” Sunday around 11 a.m. Governor Jay Inslee is expected to officially call for a special session Monday. At a press conference April 21st, the Democratic governor expressed frustration that the Senate Republicans and House…
Push For Action To Help Children in Washington
The advocacy work of Washington State PTA is directed by our member-approved resolutions , principles, and legislative platform. Legislative Platform The Washington State PTA legislative platform is a two-year platform to mirror the Washington state legislative cycle. On the even-numbered years, the new platform is voted on by members at the legislative assembly in the fall.…
House Ups Ante with $44.9B Spending Plan, Senate Capital Budget Passed
This was a busy week, with a big policy cutoff on March 29. In addition, House Democrats announced their “Families First” budget March 27, increasing policy level spending to a net of $3.2 billion. The two-year spending plan is balanced on $3 billion in new revenues from a combination of sources, $206 million in assumed…
Double Parent Testimony for Family Engagement and Social Emotional Learning
Jessica Garcia testifies in support of SHB 1618: Engagement Coordinators Bellevue parent, Jessica Garcia, reprised her testimony in support of the family and community engagement bill, SHB 1618, March 30, but this time with the Senate budget committee. Jessica shared the difference a person equivalent to the FACE coordinator defined in the bill helped the…
Action Turns Again to Committees, Revenue Up
Action returns to policy and budget committees as the opposite chamber takes up bills that passed the original chamber. Policy committees have until March 29 to hear and act on policy bills; the fiscal cutoff is April 4th. Keep in mind that bills that get changed in the opposite chamber must return to the original chamber…
WSPTA Region 2 FACE Chair Testimony
Thursday, March 16 – During the afternoon Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee public hearing, Jessica Garcia, WSPTA Region 2 Family and Community Engagement Chair/Bellevue PTSA Council President, testified in favor of SHB 1618 (family engagement coordinators). Ms. Garcia spoke with passion about her first-hand experience with family engagement and the great importance it…
Category:
Family Engagement
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Legislative
Levy Cliff Bill Causes Flurry of Last Minute Activity
In a surprise move March 8 before the 5 p.m. deadline, Senate Republicans brought a bill that would extend current local district levy authority through January 1, 2019. The expanded levy authority and linked levy equalization was put in place in the 2010 session, with the thought that the Legislature would have fully funded K-12…