WSPTA Testifies: Schools Meals for All Students
Advocacy in Action! WSPTA Advocacy Committee member Danica Noble testified in favor of SB 5964, providing school meals to all students at the January 29th public hearing of the Senate Early Learning & K-12 Education Committee. While the bill didn’t advance, the companion to it – HB 2058 – is moving through the process in…
Category:
Advocacy
,
Legislative
WSPTA Testifies: Students and Leaders Convene in Olympia for Focus on Advocacy Day
Advocacy in Action! Washington State PTA was rocking Olympia on January 15, testifying both in person and remotely before three different committees and talking with their legislators. Here’s a look at the day’s testifiers. While he was in town for Focus on Advocacy Day, Paultoro Tanaka, a student at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School, testified…
WSPTA Testifies on Education Funding
Advocacy in Action! Angela Steck, President of Washington State PTA, testified on January 8 before the House Appropriations Committee, thanking Governor Jay Inslee for investments in school meals and lifting the cap on special education from 15% to 17.25%. Angela also noted that 113 school districts would remain above the 17.25% cap, so it was…
Category:
Advocacy
,
Legislative
Tip of the Week – May 12
What should a PTA do if they have been unable to recruit and elect new officers this spring? As we continue to recover, this year has been another stressful one for families, and it may take some extra time to identify and elect a new board of directors. One question to ask is whether the current…
Category:
Leadership
Tip of the Week – May 5
Sharpen the Saw “We must never become too busy sawing to take time to sharpen the saw.” -Dr. Stephen R. Covey To sharpen the saw means to seek balance in your life and to take the time to enhance your tools to become more effective in your efforts. In our busy day to day lives…
Category:
Leadership
Tip of the Week – April 28
Gift Cards, Families in Need & Appreciation Gifts PTAs are currently in the season for volunteer recognition, staff appreciation, and plans for supporting families through the summer. Many PTAs are considering gift cards as community support, recognition, or gifts. For a PTA, using gift cards is not the simple solution many would like it to…
Category:
Leadership
Tip of the Week – April 21
Discussions About Change Should Be Uncomfortable The effects of the COVID pandemic should lead us to a broader discussion on change and what change is best for our members and our association. These discussions should feel uncomfortable. If they do not, then you are not willing to ask the hard questions. Always remember that the…
Category:
Leadership
Tip of the Week – April 14
What Will Your Legacy Be? Springtime is a time of transitions for many PTAs. Leaders will be concluding their term of office and moving on. As a leader, now is a perfect time to sit back and reflect upon the goals you had at the beginning of your term versus the realities you face at…
Category:
Leadership
Tip of the Week – April 7
Communicating with the 3 C’s So much goes into running a PTA. Every detail, no matter how small it seems, is important, especially how we communicate with our members, students, their families, and communities. It is important to note some of the questions they may be asking you as leaders. Do you care for me?…
Category:
Leadership
Tip of the Week – March 31
Review the Requirements for Your Nonprofit for the Department of Revenue Depending on its activities, some PTAs may need to file annually with the Washington Department of Revenue. A PTA’s 2021 Annual Tax Return for the Department of Revenue is due April 15, 2022. You must file and pay sales tax electronically. If you have…
Category:
Leadership