April 2021 – Executive Director Message
Dear Members, Spring is the busiest time of the year for the Washington State PTA staff. We are deep into our planning for the annual convention, our biggest event of the year. We also are busy preparing for the leadership transition as volunteer leaders complete their terms, wrap up their records, and prepare their successors.…
Category:
Leadership
WSPTA President’s Power of Connection – March 2021
I recently used the term “PTA Flexible” in a conversation, and someone asked me to explain what that meant. It means that as PTA leaders, we need to be able to change plans quickly and nimbly. For the past year, I think everyone has been living a life of forced flexibility. It’s been exhausting, but…
Category:
Leadership
Preparing for Transition – Phase 1
Believe it or not, it is not too early to start thinking about transitions in preparation for next year. To set up your PTA and incoming board for success it is important to start planning now. Imagine how you would want to begin a new term in your PTA, and create a plan to make…
Category:
Leadership
The Value of Councils
There are 29 councils in Washington, and 71% of all PTAs in Washington are served by councils. WHY is being in a council important? If a school exists in an area served by a council, it is more likely to have a PTA: 66% of schools served by councils have PTAs, while only 16% of…
Category:
Governance
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Leadership
Not That Kind of Fishing
A phishing email is a bogus email with harmful intent carefully designed to look like a legitimate request (or attached file) from a site or person you trust. Its purpose is to get you to give up confidential personal information or download something containing a virus. The first thing to ask yourself is, “Do I…
Category:
Leadership
March 2021 – Executive Director Message
Dear Members, The crocuses are up, the daffodils are about to blossom, and the tulip plants are at half-height! Spring is such a wonderful time of year. Our world is renewing, giving us hope for a warmer, brighter tomorrow. Hope has been on my mind quite a bit lately. As we rapidly approach a year…
Category:
Leadership
February 2021 – Executive Director Message
Dear Members, As a life-long learner, I am always taking courses, reading books, and otherwise trying to develop my talents and hone my skills. A few years ago, I took a couple of online courses in executive leadership. At the time, I wanted to learn more about what it meant to be an “executive.” I…
Category:
Leadership
WSPTA President’s Power of Connection – January 2021
As I left the house to walk my pugs this morning, I noticed that our Texas Bluebonnets are poking up through the soil. It seems early, but it was a welcome sight that made me smile. Those bulbs were given to me by a friend when our kids were in preschool together about eighteen years…
Category:
Leadership
Transparency and Engagement with Meeting Summaries
Governance. Powered by PTA. PTAs strive to involve their members and communities in the work of PTA and often post meeting minutes online to be transparent and increase engagement. Unfortunately, posting meeting minutes is risky. Instead, encourage PTAs to post meeting summaries online! What is the difference between meeting minutes and a meeting summary? Minutes are a…
Category:
Leadership
January 2021 – Executive Director Message
Dear Members, I love the new year. That was not always the case. In my youth, when my life was focused on science and mathematics, I thought that all of the falderal around the new year was just silly. Didn’t people understand how the calendar works, that it is all just arbitrary? The year just…
Category:
Leadership