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Weekly Waves

News to Use Right Now
September 7, 2020

Welcome Back to School!

Brandi Comstock, LWPTSA Council PresidentHappy Monday!  I am Brandi Comstock, the new LWPTSA Council President for the 2020-2021 school year.  I hope you all had a (mostly) bump-free start to your school year! In our house, I am extremely fortunate to have two high schoolers that serve as my own personal tech support. As we head into week 2 of school, I think a lot of us have similar concerns: bandwidth for the entire family working from home at the same time, having a quiet space to complete work, or a small living space with limited room to take calls, all of these contributing to a lot of different feelings. Completing our schooling and work, all online, has definitely created some challenges for each of us. On my end, this includes losing the slide deck for Thursday’s first membership meeting, on Wednesday evening!  All this to say, we are all facing challenges, and we will all get through these challenges, together.  Continue Reading

Boring Facts Survey
Those who attended the September membership meeting learned that I hate wearing socks! What about you?
I agree, no socks for me. 
I've been known to wear socks. 
I love socks!

Got a question for Dr. Holmen or LWSD Leadership? Please email me at president@lwptsa.net and I will work to get answers and feedback.

September Council Membership Meeting

Thanks to everyone who came to our Sept 3 meeting. Here are the documents shared at the meeting: Mark your calendars for our next meeting October 1 at 9:45am. See the full membership meeting schedule.

Any questions? Contact Brandi Comstock, LWPTSA Council President

Virtual Welcome Events

Welcome in multiple languagesPlease help spread the word about our 4th annual Welcome Event for new and international families. This year we will hold two shorter online sessions on September 16 and September 23. Live captions for both sessions will be available in Chinese, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Download the Agenda (updated 9/5/2020)
Please share these translated flyers: Chinese | Portuguese | RussianSpanish | Vietnamese

Part 1: Wednesday, September 16, 4:00-6:00pm
Topics: Social, Emotional & Community Support for Students & Families
Join Link: tinyurl.com/welcome-2020-part1

Part 2: Wednesday, September 23, 4:00-6:00pm
Topics: Navigating the School System: Academics in LWSD
Join Link: tinyurl.com/welcome-2020-part2

Questions? Contact Danit Erlich, VP of Family and Community Engagement at FACE@lwptsa.net

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Chair

LWPTSA Council is excited to announce a new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair for our board! Council is recruiting (a) volunteer(s) for a new Board of Directors voting position: Chair of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. This position may be held by one or two persons. Our council is committed to advocate for institutional and systemic changes that ensure equity, justice, respect, and inclusion of all children. LWPTSA Council strives to be anti-racist, anti-discriminatory, inclusive, and welcome all voices. We are seeking to learn from our community and grow as individuals, and as an organization.

Download a full position description. Please email with questions, or to nominate yourself or someone else for this position, by contacting Brandi Comstock, LWPTSA Council President

Sustainability Committee Meeting

The September 2020 Sustainability Committee meeting will be held online Thursday, September 10.
  • When: September 10, 2020 at 10am
  • Where: Join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/742948509
  • You can also dial in using your phone: +1 (224) 501-3412 with access code: 742-948-509
LWPTSA's sustainability committee is made up of chairs from PTAs across the district. The committee meets monthly during the school year to work on a wide range of issues. If you’re interested in learning about sustainability efforts at various schools across the District or about our District-wide efforts, we encourage you to attend!  Please send questions to Council Sustainability Chair Stephanie Lecovin at sustainability@lwptsa.net

Special Education Group Meeting

Council's Special Education Group will host its first monthly meeting Tuesday, September 15. Parent networking starts at 6:30pm. At 7:00pm, LWSD's Dr. Shannon Hitch will talk about what is happening with LWSD Special Services in 2020-2021 and introduce the administrative team that supports all schools in the district.
  • When: Tuesday, September 15 -- networking at 6:30pm, meeting at 7:00pm
  • Where: Please join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/867643477
  • You can also dial in using your phone: +1 (646) 749-3122 with Access Code: 867-643-477
Please send any questions or comments to the Special Education Group Chairs at specialeducation@lwptsa.net

Learn more about the LWSD Special Services Department.

Training Opportunities

Region 2 Fall Conference - September 23 & 24
  • Registration is open now!
  • Classes include: Tools for Electronic Meetings, Managing Your Non-Profit PTA, Pump Up Your Communications and Negotiating Conflict.
  • Participate in Roundtable discussions for: Treasurers, Presidents, Reflections, Membership, Advocacy and Family & Community Engagement Chairs.
Every elected PTA officer needs to attend one approved training class each year. And every board needs to have one elected officer attend PTA and the Law each year. Here are upcoming WSPTA approved training opportunities -- all are welcome! Need training? LWPTSA Council is always happy to host training for your entire board all at once. Drop us a line!  Find lists of WSPTA-approved training classes we can provide on our website.

Reflections Kick-Off

Reflections 2020-2021A PTA Reflections program is a great way to jump start your PTA year.  Invite your community to connect around this year's theme, "I Matter Because..." We have resources available to help you promote this program.  LWPTSA Council will kick off our program with an important orientation Monday, September 21, 2020 at 7pm. There will be some changes to the program processes this year, so we encourage all chairs and presidents to join us for this online session! 

We have Reflections contacts for 22  PTAs - that means we still need to hear from 22 of our PTAs!  Please send the name(s) and email(s) of new and returning chairs to reflections@lwptsa.net and secretary@lwptsa.net. We want to make sure we are communicating with all of our PTA Reflections contacts!

What: Reflections Chair Kick Off
When: Monday, September 21 at 7PM
Where: Online via GoToMeeting at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/955969493
You can also dial in using your phone: (312) 757-3121 with Access Code: 955-969-493

Questions: Email Council Reflections Chairs Tanya Dimpsey & Mindy Lincicome at reflections@lwptsa.net.

Presidents & Principals

Save the date for our Presidents and Principals Workshop on Wednesday, September 23, 2020 at 9:30am. Presidents and Principals is a once-a-year event hosted by LWPTSA for all schools in our district. Each school is required to send either their Principal or an Associate Principal to this event, so please ensure your PTA is represented. This is a collaborative event between PTSA and LWSD and is a great way for PTAs and principals to start off the year on a strong footing. The theme for 2020 will be Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

  • Date: Wednesday, September 23
  • Time: 9:30am – 11:30am
  • Location: Online – link will be sent to all PTA/PTSA presidents in our council. Please make sure we have your most up-to-date contact information by emailing secretary@lwptsa.net 
Got a question? Please email Brandi Comstock, LWPTSA Council President at president@lwptsa.net  
Lake Washington School District News

LWSD Remote Learning Resources

  • Free Meals - LWSD offers free meals daily to children ages 1-18. Meals must be pre-ordered and can be picked up at 13 different locations across the district. Get details and pre-order at lwsd.org/meals
  • Technology Support - Family technology access support is available seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for student laptop, passwords and other technology questions. Email: ftaccess@lwsd.org or call 425-936-1322
  • Childcare Resources - The district has worked with partners to provide emergency or critical support for families that cannot otherwise be with their children during the day due to work responsibilities outside of the home.
  • Community Resources - Find resources including health, wellness, food, finances, technology, Internet, legal and more.
Have a remote learning question? Please check the Frequently Asked Questions or submit a question.

LWSD Volunteer Program 2020-21

All Lake Washington School District volunteers must be approved by the district. Here are a few tips and reminders about the volunteer application process:
  1. Volunteer applications are processed via the Raptor system and are good for two years.
  2. Volunteers who are approved can log into their Raptor Volunteer Portal to check the expiration date of their volunteer application. Volunteers can also contact Volunteer Program Supervisor Chris Robison to check their status.
  3. Reminder emails will be sent out 30 days before an application is due to expire.
PTSAs can request a list from Chris Robison of approved volunteers for their school. This list will contain the names of the volunteers and the expiration date of their application.
Partner News

Lake Washington Schools Foundation

LWSF logoLake Washington Schools Foundation supports students and families across the district via multiple programs. Here is a quick overview of their programs.
  • Pantry Packs: works to address student food-insecurity with weekend food packs. Learn more: www.lwsf.org/pantrypacks.
  • Balance in Mind: works to address emotional and mental health challenges faced by students. Learn more: www.lwsf.org/youthmentalwellness
  • Find Your Fit: Helps students and families prepare for success after high school. Learn more: www.lwsf.org/findyourfit
  • Kids Coming Together: Helps kids in grades 3-8 make new friends through events facilitated by high school leaders. Learn more: kidscomingtogether.org/
Got a question? Please email info@lwsf.org

WSPTA Standards of Affiliation 20-21

Washington State PTA provides a Standards of Affiliation (SOA) Agreement Checklist to provide support and guidance to local PTAs. The SOA agreement is in place to ensure local PTAs and councils align with WSPTA’s ethics, policies, and principles; maintain good business practices; and comply with applicable federal and state laws. 

There were a few minor changes to the SOA Agreement for 2020 – 2021. Read the details and full list on the WSPTA website.

National PTA News

Get the Tools You Need to Advance Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in your PTA/PTSA.
Join National PTA on Sept. 14 at 5PM/8PM (PDT/EDT) for an interactive webinar designed to dive deeper into National PTA’s beliefs and definitions for diversity, equity and inclusion and to discuss on-the-ground strategies you can use to make your PTA more equitable–from governance to programs and beyond. Register now.
Upcoming Dates & Reminders

September Board To-Do List

  • Hold a board meeting or executive committee meeting.
  • Participate in Curriculum Night and other back-to-school events.
  • Hold your first membership meeting. Approve your standing rules, goals and budget. Review the approved budget even if there were no changes.
  • Get all elected officers trained. Make sure at least one elected officer attends PTA & the Law. Train your committee chairs.
  • Launch your membership drive if you haven't done so already. Make sure you have an online option for joining while learning is remote. Complete setup of your PTA's memberplanet database. Make sure your PTA officer information has been updated in memberplanet.
  • Start promoting Reflections and make sure to send at least one representative to Reflections training on September 21.
  • Email names and email addresses of board officers and chairs (including Advocacy, Communications, Emergency Prep, FACE, Membership, Reflections, Special Education/Special Needs, and Sustainability) to secretary@lwptsa.net
  • Was your PTA Incorporated in September?  If so, then your annual Corporation Renewal is due 9/30. The annual corporation report is due regardless of your PTA’s annual income and is separate from the Charitable Organization Registration/ Renewal.

Dates

  • Sep 10, 10AM: Sustainability Committee Meeting
  • Sep 15, 6:30PM: Special Education Group Meeting
  • Sep 16, 4PM: New Family Welcome Event Part 1
  • Sep 21, 7PM: Reflections Chair Kick-Off
  • Sep 23, 9:30AM: Presidents & Principals
  • Sep 23, 4PM: New Family Welcome Event Part 2
LWPTSA Council Meeting Dates  | Full LWPTSA Calendar

Corporate Renewals

Due in September: Blackwell, Lakeview, Muir, Wilder
Due in October: Mead
See full list of LWPTSA incorporation dates
Lake Washington PTSA Council 2.8 serves the Lake Washington School District #414.

LWPTSA Council is part of Washington State PTA and National PTA.
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