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Important Dates
Jan 29: City Hall Open House
Feb. 2: School Board vote on Transportation Plan (possibly Feb. 16)
Feb. 5: WA PTA Region 6 Training
Feb. 7: Next General SCPTSA Meeting: Monday, Feb. 7 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Feb. 10: Town Hall meeting on SPS
Feb. 21: WSPTA Focus Day in Olympia. Join us on the steps of the Capitol. More details to follow.
/http://www.seattlecouncilptsa.org/
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Dear Seattle PTA and PTSA Members,
As you should be aware, the State of Washington is facing a severe budget shortfall which will impact Seattle Public Schools. The School Board will have a Budget Work Session on Wednesday, January 26 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the John Stanford Center. Please attend if you are interested in learning how the district is trying accommodate the $36.6M projected shortfall.
Link to SPS Budget Information
Also, January is School Board Appreciation Month. The Seattle Council PTSA would like to thank the School Board Directors for their hard work and dedication to the children of Seattle especially during these tough economic times.
Mark your calendars for our upcoming Seattle Council PTSA meeting on February 7!
Sincerely,
Lauren McGuire
Acting President, Seattle Council PTSA
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The district is proposing changes to the transportation plan for 2011-12. While the plan will save $4M, some elementary and K-8 students currently receiving transportation this year might not next year. District leaders are working to provide intermediary bus options for impacted students for the next two years. The School Board is scheduled to vote on the plan Wed, Feb. 2, although there are discussions to move the vote to Feb. 16. Given the state budget shortfall, the district is looking for ways to cut costs to minimize impact on the classroom. The proposed changes to transportation will remove 80 buses from the roads and decrease the bus ride time for attendance area schools to 25 minutes or less.
Middle schools, high schools and option schools will retain current grandfathering of transportation. Transportation will continue for English Language Learners (ELL), Special Education, Spectrum and APP students, as well.
New Transportation Zones will be created for attendance area elementary and attendance area K-8 schools. Children within the transportation zone and outside of walk zones will be eligible for district provided transportation.
-- Transportation Zones will include the entire attendance area of a school.
-- Transportation Zones will extend to areas within a 1.25 mile radius from the school and within the middle school service area. -- Walk zones to schools will still apply.
Intermediary options for those students outside of their school's Transportation Zone include the following for 2011-13:
1. Students who live within a half of a mile from the Transportation Zone boundary could walk to a bus stop within the zone. Seats will be allocated on a space available basis.
2. A shuttle system will be created so students can catch a bus at one school and take it to another.
Maps of proposed Transportation Zones will be available on the district website on Wed. Jan. 26 along with an interactive link to see intermediary transportation options based on student address. Details about how many students will be impacted will be available by Jan. 26 as well.
In addition to the new zones, some schools' bell times would change. Some high schools and middle schools will start 10 minutes earlier; some elementary schools will start five minutes later.
Questions or comments? Contact: transportationzones@seattleschools.org
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SCPTSA General Meeting: Mon., Feb. 7
School Budget Nuts and Bolts
John Stanford Center from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Join us at our next Seattle Council PTSA General Meeting where we will discuss the nuts and bolts of school budget allocations. This is a great opportunity for PTA/PTSA Presidents, Treasurers, PTA Budget Committee members and BLT (Building Leadership Team) reps to understand school budgets. Been through school budgets lots of times before? Come share your experiences with PTSA leaders who are new to the process.
SCPTSA Board member Andrea Baumgarten will facilitate this discussion. District officials will be there to help answer your questions.
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City Hall Open House: Saturday, Jan. 29
The City Council and Mayor Mike McGinn, along with departments across city government, are hosting a City Hall open house to take place Saturday January 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mayor McGinn will highlight 2011 plans for his Engage Seattle initiative and the Cities of Service plan. Staff and volunteers will also conduct tours of the Mayor's Office. This will be a family friendly event. See the SCPTSA website for details. www.seattlecouncilptsa.org
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