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In This Issue
Bell Times Set for 2012-13 School Year
Enrollment of New and Incoming PTA Officers 2012-13
Reflections '11-'12
Family Surveys Starting Tues., June 5
Finding Your Voice Parent Institute
Health & Safety - Shelter-in-Place vs. Lockdown
Update on National PTS's e-Learning Access
BEX IV September 2012 Community Meetings Schedule

Important Dates:  

 

June 4:

SCPTSA General Meeting and Training, Mercer MS, Seattle

 

More Information 

 (206) 364-7430  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear PTA and PTSA Leaders,

 

SCPTSA General Meeting and Spring Leadership Training

Monday, June 4

5:30 to 9:00pm at Mercer Middle School, 1600 S. Columbian Way, 98108

 

Tonight is the Seattle Council PTSA's General Meeting and Spring Leadership Training at Mercer Middle School. Current and incoming PTSA and PTA Board members are welcome to attend. I hope to see you tonight!

 

Sincerely,
Lauren McGuire
President, Seattle Council PTSA 

Bell Times Set for 2012-13 School Year

-From SPS

 

After hearing feedback from staff and families, Seattle Public Schools worked hard to keep the majority of next year's start times consistent with what is in place this year. The full list of bell times can be found online here 

 

Six schools - View Ridge, Wedgwood, Bryant, McGilvra, North Beach and Adams - that will see their bell times moved as much as 30 minutes later for next year.

 

These new bell times are a result of changes to transportation for the 2012-13 school year. The School Board voted to move forward with a transportation plan that includes longer yellow bus ride times (up to 45-minute rides) but has minimal impact on bell times. The District needed to implement new start times at these six schools to continue our three-tiered bus plan (where staggered start times are required so that one bus can make three trips between schools). This change will save the District between $300,000 and $500,000, allowing us to keep further budget cuts away from the classroom.

 

We know changing bell times is not ideal. We also know that many members of our community would like us to consider later high school start times and earlier elementary start times. This has major ramifications for high school students, including after-school jobs and athletics, as well as before- and after-school child care for elementary school families.

 

We are committed to thoroughly studying these ideas, but we ask for your patience as it will require considerable time and public involvement. The District will work with families, staff and our current transportation task force to tackling these long-term issues, with recommendations expected for the 2014-15 school year.

Enrollment of New and Incoming PTA Officers 2012-13


To enter the officers, log onto www.wastateptambrs.org  and click on the Membership Reports link on the top menu bar and click on Membership Roster. Scroll through the list of members and write the ID numbers down for the new officers. Click on the "12/13 Incoming Officers" link at the top menu bar. Enter the ID number for each officer in her or his elected position. Click the preview button and make sure the name matches the position, then click the submit button. If your PTA is unable to enter the incoming officers contact Melissa Anderson at [email protected] with their names, positions and contact information (including email and phone number). Or call 1-800-562-3804 or 253-565-2153. Thanks for your help!
Reflections '11-'12

 

Congratulations to Jackson H. of Laurelhurst Elementary School. Jackson was awarded "Outstanding Interpretation' by National PTA for his photography entry "Picture, Picture, Picture."

Elementary, Middle, and High School Family Surveys Starting Tuesday, June 5

-From SPS

 

Hearing from our families, staff, and students is critical to our efforts to improve education for every student. Seattle Public Schools climate surveys are given each spring to all students, school staff, and families in the district. We are gathering information about learning environments at our elementary, middle and high schools, including student engagement, academic rigor, discipline and safety, and family involvement. Results of these surveys will help inform how we support each student's academic success and can be found online here.

 

The family survey will be administered starting June 5 via the district's automated SchoolMessenger system, which will allow families to provide feedback by touch-tone phone response or an online web survey sent by e-mail.

 

SchoolMessenger Calendar for Family Survey

There will be two opportunities to take the survey by phone. Phone calls at 6:00pm on:

June 5 & June 12 - Elementary Schools families with children in grades K-5*

June 6 & June 13 - Middle School families with children in grades 6-8*

June 7 & June 14 - High School families with children in grades 9-12

(* includes K-8 schools)

 

Important: Some families may receive more than one phone call. For example, if a family has one child in high school and another child in middle school, they will receive two separate calls.

Follow-up rounds: The district will resend the web version of the survey to all families that did not respond in the first two rounds by either phone or web. The final email will be sent on June 15. All surveys close on June 20.

 

Languages: The family survey will be offered in English, Spanish, Chinese, Somali, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Amharic and Tigrigna.

If you have questions about the family surveys, please contact Nicole VanVoorhis at [email protected].

Finding Your Voice Parent Institute

Saturday, June 9

9:00am-2:30pm at the Black River Conference Center at the Puget Sound ESD

-From the Office of the Education Ombudsman

 

The Office of the Education Ombudsman is holding training for parents that helps them understand the public school system, and how they can become effective partners with their schools to help students succeed.

 

The Finding Your Voice Parent Institute will be held on Saturday, June 9, at the Black River Conference Center at the Puget Sound ESD. All parents are welcome. The program is free and there is a complimentary lunch.

 

Parents can register on-line at Parentprep.org

Health and Safety - Shelter-in-Place vs. Lockdown
-From SPS

In light of recent security incidents affecting our schools, we want to share the following definitions of the procedures we follow to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Please click here for a definition of lockdown and shelter-in-place.
Update on National PTA's e-Learning Access

-From National PTA

 

As we work to update and expand National PTA e-learning resources, we have encountered several technical glitches that have impacted the navigation to PTA E-Learning from the 'Running a PTA' page. Please click here for direct access to e-learning courses.  Leaders may also encounter challenges with completing some of the course evaluations and printing certificates. We are working to resolve all these issues. Please let me know if you have additional questions.

Lisa Harvin

National PTA Training Manager

[email protected]

BEX IV September 2012 Community Meetings Schedule

-From SPS

 

Seattle Public Schools will host three community meetings on September 20, 24 and 27 to share information and ask for comments about building construction projects to be included in the Building Excellence IV (BEX IV) Capital Levy package.  Once approved by the School Board, the BEX IV Capital Levy resolution will be submitted to Seattle voters in February 2013.

 

The community meeting dates are:

Thursday, September 20, 6:30-8:00pm at Whitman Middle School

Monday, September 24, 6:30-8:00pm at Madison Middle School

Thursday, September 27, 6:30-8:00pm at McClure Middle School

 

For more information on BEX IV, please visit: www.bit.ly/SPSBEX