PTA President Notes

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Training Opportunities

Still have officers who need training? Steer them to the National PTA e-learning page. Make sure they print off proof of doing an e-learning course for your records.

McCleary Education Funding Information Sessions
In preparation for the 2017 legislative session, the League of Education Voters will be organizing McCleary Education Funding Information Sessions. These info sessions are intended to build on and grow your knowledge as we enter a critical time for education funding. We will lay out the current landscape in the McCleary discussion and the work that remains in Washington’s efforts to fully fund basic education. We also hope to hear from you about the challenges and opportunities you see in the upcoming work and what additional information would be helpful.  
 
The McCleary Education Funding Information Sessions are a two-part series with multiple opportunities to attend.  The information sessions will take place at the 2100 Building (2100 24th Ave S, Seattle, WA) in the Board Room
 
Session #1: McCleary: How we got here
·         Past reports and recommendations on how to fully fund basic education
·         Recent legislation expanding the definition of basic education
·         The Supreme Court’s findings on what the state must fund to comply with McCleary
·         The progress the state has made in funding basic education since the McCleary decision
 
Session #2 Next Steps for McCleary
·         The remaining areas of investment to comply with McCleary
·         Areas of disagreement on what the state needs to fund
·         The various proposals on the amount of additional money to fully fund basic education
 
The first presentation will be given on the following dates:
·         Monday, May 16, 2-4 PM
·         Thursday, May 19, 10-12 AM
 
The second presentation will be given on the following dates:
·         Monday, May 23, 2-4 PM
·         Tuesday, May 24, 2-4 PM
 
Please RSVP to jake@educationvoters.org if you are able to attend. We hope you will be able to join us. If you have any questions about the upcoming presentations feel free to contact jake@educationvoters.org


Trans and Gender Non-Conforming, The Expression of Identity
 
May 17, 2016
4:30 to 6:30 pm
Shoreline City Hall
17560 Midvale Ave N.
Shoreline, WA 98133
 
This broad based training for social service providers and educators will offer information on how to support trans, gender variant, and gender queer individuals that are your co workers, clients, students, and family members of those you serve.  Learn how to better be an advocate and what sources are available in the area for those with questions.
 
Presented by Liz Sunde, MSW, and Emmett Stanfield from Seattle's Ingersoll Gender Center.
 
This event is free of charge, but space is limited.  Please make your reservation at: nsslnetwork@shorelineschools.org

NOTE: If you have not e-mailed in a registration request, and are able to attend, please just show-up!  There will not be anyone available to confirm your registration after today. 


Diversity & Inclusion Speaker
Location: Rosa Parks Elementary School - 22845 NE Cedar Park Crescent, Redmond
Date: Thursday May 19
Time: 6:30 to 7:30

Rosa Parks ES PTSA in Redmond is hosting a terrific speaker on diversity and inclusion, Shomari Jones, Director of Equity and Graduation Success at the Bellevue School District.

If you are involved in PTA Leadership on family/community engagement or parent education or a host of similar issues, this talk is a great way to learn more about this important issue. Our schools of course are increasingly diverse places, and we're trying our best to engage w/ every family.

Questions? Email Beth Sigall, beth@sigall.org
Thank you SO MUCH to Janet Suppes for helping us find this speaker. Hope to engage more on this issue next year as well.
 

Education Funding Discussion 
WHEN

Wednesday, June 1, 2016 from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM (PDT) 

WHERE

Pacific Tower - 1200 12th Avenue South Panoramic Center, Seattle, WA 98144

The Seattle Times Education Lab invites you to an in-depth discussion about school funding in Washington state that will feature a facilitated discussion to help you understand the range of perspectives on the issues, and a chance to share your own views.

We'll begin checking in guests at 5:30 p.m. The event will begin promptly at 6 p.m. 

In the first part of the event, a professional facilitator will lead a conversation with selected education advocates and policymakers who are deeply immersed in the debate. The goal is to foster greater understanding rather than rancor.

Then everyone will have a chance to talk with each other -- and as a group -- about what stood out to them.

We’re excited to experiment with this format because we think it will provide more insight and information than a standard panel discussion or debate. Our hope is that the conversation provides perspectives that legislators will consider as they decide how to fulfill the Supreme Court’s McCleary decision.

Here are the people who will take part in the facilitated discussion: 

• Mary Fertakis, Tukwila School District board member

• Liv Finne, director of the Center for Education at Washington Policy Center

• Eden Mack, board member of Washington’s Paramount Duty

• Rep. Chad Magendanz (R- Issaquah), member of the state Legislature's Education Funding Task Force

• Jim McIntire, Washington state treasurer

• Kelly Munn, state field director for the League of Education Voters

• Sharonne Navas, co-founder and executive director of the Equity in Education Coalition

• Stephen Nielsen, deputy superintendent, Seattle Public Schools

• Sen. Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge Island), member of the state Legislature's Education Funding Task Force

• Lyon Terry, Seattle Public Schools teacher and the 2015 Washington State Teacher of the Year

Space is limited so reserve your ticket early! If tickets are sold out, you can put yourself on the waitlist and more tickets may become available.