February Monthly Tasks
Continue assisting with items from the “Ongoing Tasks” list.
Refer to the February Checklist for Running Your PTA.
WSPTA Advocacy Week is February 6-10, 2023
Encourage leaders to subscribe to the Action Network to participate in timely action alerts with updates on the ongoing legislative session. As a bonus, subscribers to the Action Network receive the “Focus on Advocacy” newsletter.
Remind local leaders of the February 15 submission deadline for student programs (WSPTA Essay Contest, Game Development Competition and WSPTA Scholarship Program) and that the submission process has changed for this year. Learn more about our new awards submission system in this blog post.
WSPTA Focus Day is February 20, 2023 in Olympia
Make appointments with legislators representing your school district, to discuss our legislative priorities. Review and share the Focus on Advocacy webpage for great resources and information.
Elect council nominating committee. Share the importance of electing a nominating committee early in the year to give the committee time to work.
Encourage leaders to submit a Leadership Service Award form (deadline March 15)
The purpose of this program is to encourage, facilitate, and recognize the continuous growth of leadership shown by dedicated PTA leaders at all levels of the association.
Review Best Practices and Standards of Excellence forms
Gather information for award requirements (applications due March 15).
Determine other Awards of Excellence awards to apply for (applications due March 15)
- Advocacy Award of Excellence
- Family and Community Engagement Award of Excellence
- Outstanding Communication Strategy
- Outstanding Newsletter
- Outstanding Website
- PTAs Taking Significant Action
Encourage leaders to register for the March 25-26 Equity in Family Engagement Conference. WSPTA is joining Washington Family Engagement in hosting a remote conference for educators, parents and community partners to learn together and from each other. Tickets are available on the Whova website.
Encourage leaders to save the dates for the WSPTA Annual Business Meeting on April 29 and 30 and the Spring Conference on May 6 and 7:
In this FREE, remote, Annual Business Meeting we will vote on the 2023-2025 Board of Directors and proposed bylaws changes. Any WSPTA member may attend this meeting, but only verified delegates will be able to vote in the board election and on the bylaws changes.
The following weekend, on May 6 and 7 we will hold our first ever Spring Training Conference. This will be an in-person event at the Hilton Bellevue with a registration fee. Attendees will have the ability to learn, network and celebrate the successes of the past year. Registration will open soon.
Connect with your region director (RD) if your council wishes to use any WSPTA approved training materials and/or statewide marketing. Check the WSPTA Events Calendar to make sure your event doesn’t conflict with a state or region event, then reach out to your RD who can submit your request and help you with getting materials and selecting classes.
Ongoing Tasks
Review the 2022-23 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 practices.
- Work with your region director to support any local PTAs who finished last year with fewer than 25 members or any local PTAs without an approved membership waiver to ensure they return to good standing. These PTAs must have entered 25 members into memberplanet by October 31.
- Provide support to local PTAs with the memberplanet database and encourage local PTAs to keep updating the membership database with officer and board member information.
- Work with your region director to support any local PTAs on the “no president list” or “no treasurer list.”
- Encourage local PTAs in their membership campaigns and promote membership contests.
- Remind local PTAs to apply for a Membership Achievement Award (100% Membership and 100% Staff Membership) Applications are due March 15.
- Share council and WSPTA in-person and online training opportunities with local PTAs and also share the updated WSPTA leader resources, including handbooks.
- Remind local PTA leaders to complete a year-end financial review and offer support if not completed by August 31. Encourage local PTA leaders to consider doing a mid-year financial review.
- Continue to report 2022-23 council officers and board members to WSPTA through the memberplanet database.
- Discuss the health of local PTAs in your council at board of directors’ meetings. What support do they want/need?
- Encourage local PTA leaders to read Leadership News and share information about other WSPTA newsletters.
- Remind local PTA leaders about the Annual Report for Nonprofit Corporations. Effective January 10, 2023, ALL online filing will be available online and all Nonprofit Annual Report, Formation, and Reinstatement filings can be submitted through the Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS).
- Remind local PTAs who have Washington State PTA as their registered agent, to confirm that the address on file is: Washington State PTA, 15 Oregon Ave, Suite 202, Tacoma WA 98409-7463. Updates can be made when filing their Annual Report with the WA Secretary of State or by accessing a Statement of Change.