Finding Value in PTA When the Kids Are Learning at Home
Membership is more important now than ever before simply because of the many benefits that PTA brings to every member of the community. At the local level, PTAs give members a stronger way to advocate for children, youth, and families within the school. PTAs offer enrichment programs, parenting supports, friendship opportunities, and fun. Don’t forget…
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Membership
Reopening Schools Health Metrics
On August 5, Governor Jay Inslee announced recommendations for health metrics to help guide local public health departments and school districts making decisions about how to reopen schools in the fall. In addition to the press conference, which can be viewed on TVW, here is the 5-page decision tree.
Category:
Advocacy
Utilizing WSPTA Programs Virtually
Student Programs WSPTA has many great programs to offer students. These are all programs that students can actively work on both at school and at home. Reflections The Reflections program is a National PTA art contest that students in grades K-12 can participate in along with other students from their community, from the state, and…
Building a Virtual Membership Campaign
The best membership campaigns for 2020-2021 will be the ones that don’t require paper forms and payment to be collected at school. Virtual membership campaigns will do three things for your PTA: reduce face-to-face contact, reduce the time processing memberships, make it simple for members to start enjoying member benefits right away. Selling memberships online…
Category:
Membership
Virtual Fundraising
Fundraising will look different for PTA in the 2020-2021 school year as families continue to navigate enormous change and uncertainty. PTAs may wonder whether they should even try to raise money, and if so, how they can be successful with virtual fundraisers. Here are four tips for virtual fundraising, and some fun ideas to get…
Category:
Leadership
Financial Reviews During COVID-19
WSPTA bylaws require an annual financial review to be conducted and submitted to the PTA board of directors and membership. However, there is no requirement for the financial review committee to conduct the review in person. If the county where the PTA is located is in Phase 2 or higher and the committee members feel…
Category:
Governance
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Leadership
July 2020 – WSPTA Executive Director Message
Dear members, It’s been over three months since the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order began. Nerves are frayed, tempers are flaring, and patience is running thin. These are extremely difficult times and, for many of us, will be the hardest times of our lives. The desire for a return to “normal” runs deep and strong…
Category:
Leadership
WSPTA President’s Power of Connection – June 2020
The pain of the last several weeks is real and may affect each of us differently. For me, the outcry of the nation gives me hope that my black son and everyone else’s black children might face a better future. When my husband and I adopted him, we were told that our lives would be…
Category:
Leadership
June 2020 – WSPTA Executive Director Message
Dear Members, The 2020 Virtual Convention is finished. Wow! What an amazing event. Thousands of volunteer hours and hundreds of staff hours over the course of 10 weeks resulted in an awesome event. We had over 900 registrants with 40+ online events including educational webinars, panel discussions, keynote speakers, awards presentations, one-on-one coaching, and interactive…
Category:
Leadership
Call to Action – Prevent Student Hunger This Summer
Dear Washington State PTA member, Washington was the first state in the country to face widespread school closures because of COVID-19, and OSPI acted fast by submitting many critical waiver requests to USDA to help ensure no child would go hungry. With so many families facing new financial challenges, school meals have kept many from…
Category:
Advocacy