PTSA Equity Presentation

Leading with Equity 
This presentation will better help you sharpen your equity lens and develop a deeper understanding on inequities students and families may face. We will define some equity terms used by the district and review some key training components. There is much work to be done. The district is looking for partners. Come join the conversation in supporting our students with equitable outcomes.  

Thursday, May 20th, 2021
9:30-11:30am

Questions? Contact our Issaquah PTSA Council Family and Community Engagement Coordinator, Alicia Spinner: face@issaquahptsa.org

Special Education Webinar #4 is Available!

Webinar #4 (recorded on 3/9/2021) focuses on these questions –

  • I received a question from a parent interested in the role of paraprofessionals w/in Special Ed.
    • How do the education/certification requirements for a special education teacher compare to special education paraprofessionals?
    • Is there specific training provided to paraprofessionals in special education settings?
    • When and why is a para chosen as a student’s IEP pull out instruction leader instead of a certificated Special Education teacher?
    • Is there a daily system of feedback between the para and the teacher to track progress or lack thereof?
  • Families are still having a hard time getting access to in-person appointment services for LRC1 students. I’ve received feedback that parents are requesting appointment services for students with learning regression during IEP meetings but still being told it isn’t an option. Are you aware of these situations and how can more students get access to in-person assistance? 
  • The district is currently bargaining with the teacher’s union and other unions to allow secondary students to return to hybrid in-person learning at least one day per week.
    • If those union agreements can be reached, would that provide an opportunity for LRC2 students to attend their general education classes in-person with their peers?
    • If union agreements can be reached, could students with IEPs (both LRC1 & LRC2) be given access to more time in-person teaching than students without IEPs?
    • Would separate bargaining need to occur for the special education population to take advantage of those opportunities like what happened with the K-3 memorandum of understanding (or MOU)?

You can find it on the Special Education Page.

Special Education Webinar #2 is now up!

This second webinar focuses on these questions –

  • How should LRC1 families push back or escalate their request if their IEP team is not aware of the option for limited in-person support?
  • When a return date for hybrid in-person learning is determined, how will services for LRC1 students change – both for families who choose to return in-person and for those who remain fully remote?
  • For IEP meetings, can you describe the experience ISD would like parents to have? Could you suggest some steps that could be taken by families or IEP teams to improve the process?

You can find it on the Special Education Page.

2020-2021 Executive Board

Welcome to our newly elected executive board for 2020-2021:
  • President: Erin Eaton
  • Treasurer: Pauline Tamblyn
  • Secretary: Cindy Kelm
  • Vice President of Middle & High Schools: Carla Geraci
  • Vice President of Elementary Schools Central: Lauren Bartholomew
  • Vice President of Elementary Schools South: Nicole Morgan
  • Vice President of Elementary Schools North: OPEN 

2020-2021 Slate Announced

The Nominating Committee has announced their slate for the executive board of the Issaquah PTSA Council for 2020-2021.

The election will take place at our General Membership Meeting on 6/18/2020.

PresidentErin Eaton
Vice President Elementary Schools *SouthNicole Morgan
TreasurerPauline Tamblyn
SecretaryCindy Kelm
Vice President Elementary Schools *CentralLauren Bartholomew
Vice President Elementary Schools *NorthOPEN
Vice President Middle and High Schools**Carla Geraci

VIS Info – Cut & Paste for Enews Attached -Week of 1/20-1/24

Hi Everyone –


This is it – next week the ballots drop 1/22 – should all receive by Friday 1/24!  This is the week we mail our postcards, Honk & Wave to remind people to vote, and post and share info our our Enews and Facebook Pages! Woo Hoo!

BALLOTS BEING MAILED THIS WEEK – DUE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11th!   Please remember to vote early!

PTA Postcard Mailing is this week: 
Please take your Form and postcards to the ISSAQUAH post office on your designated day (info on instructions with your postcards) this week. MUST be mailed from Issaquah (we have our bulk permit there.)
Elementary PTAs – Tues & Weds 1/21 & 1/22   (date on your paperwork)
Middle School PTAS – Thurs 1/23
High School PTAS – Friday 1/24
Contact Anne Moore with questions: annemoore5@comcast.net


Signs: 
Our (6) Big Signs were put up Saturday all over Issaquah!Yard Signs going up now throughout the week. If you would like to help and put yard signs in your area please email Dana Rundle at danarundle@hotmail.com – she will meet you


Honk & Waves – HELP!!! Our 1st Honk & Wave is this Wednesday 1/22 – 2 times: 7-8:30am and 5-6:30pm. 
Great way for students to get Volunteer Hours. Great community service event for all. PLEASE post and share on Facebook!  I will share on our VIS page too!Click here for Sign Up Genius which has locations for your area: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0f4da9a829aaf49-2020
Contact Karissa Mobilia with questions or if you need Signs for Honk & Wave: mobilia@comcast.net
**You can pull signs out of the ground to use for Honk and Wave, and just put back when you are done, too!**

WINDOW CLINGS: 
PLEASE put them on all your car windows!!  It is so exciting to drive into school parking lots, or around Issaquah and see these on cars – all of us united together to get this Levy passed. The window clings are vinyl and meant for windows so can be removed quite easily in a couple weeks after the election! 


FACEBOOK SHARING:  
Please check Volunteers for Issaquah Schools FB page and share those posts to your community – We put up a great photo of the Levy Community Info Night that you can share. Some people didn’t want to venture out because of the snow last week, so we are sharing that photo/post which lets people know there is another Info Night at Liberty on 1/28 at 7pm (after the PTA meeting at 6:30.)


Preschool Outreach:  
Contact Care Maree Harper at caremaree@gmail.com if you signed up to bring a info packet to a preschool in your area OR If you know a preschool that you could drop off flyers to. We have 150 preschools to reach, so please help if you can.
Endorsements: 
 Please show your support for our schools and personally endorse the levy on our vis page at visvote.org!  


*NEW****  Business Vote Yes Flyer Attached: 
If you have a business, or are good friends with somebody who owns a business, please ask them if they would be willing to put up a flyer supporting the levy in their window/place of business. I have attached a copy of that flyer to print. Or contact Korista Smith-Barney at dkbarney@live.com for preprinted flyers.


Thank you all for your help on this campaign, keep up the great work!!!
-Dawn & Alicia www.visvote.org
____________________________________________________________________________

ENEWS CUT & PASTE INFO BELOW:

This information can be sent via PTA or School Enews – all ok:


Local Dollars Support Local Kids
In 2018, ISD voters approved a 2 year Education & Operations (EP&O) Levy. This levy provided continued support for career and technical programs, mental health counselors, safety and security staff, the district’s first dual language program and an expanded high school schedule. With voter approval of the 2020 EP&O Levy, voters can ensure these programs continue benefitting our students for another 2 years. Ballots drop this week. Please remember to vote.

Here are links to (2) ISD Videos which can be posted on your page and on Facebook:

What is Funded by Levies in the Issaquah School District
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRSeL3AmLgI&feature=emb_title

Vote in the ISD 2020 Levy Renewal Election February 11th:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7e3oWOemhU

Below (attached) is a graphic image of Items included in the 2020 EP&O Renewal / Replacement Levy – Ok to post on any page (factual information from  ISD):

VIS Enews Copy & Paste Info Attached – Week of Jan 1/13-1/17

Hello Wonderful PTA/PTSA Presidents & Communication Chairs!

BALLOTS DROP IN 10 DAYS! WOO HOO! It is crunch time and really important to get all of this information out to our parents. We need to encourage a Yes Vote whenever possible to keep these programs alive in our schools for the next 2 years.

______________________________________________________
Please see below for this week’s Levy messaging information to copy and paste into your Enews….READ INSTRUCTIONS HERE:

If you send this out USING YOUR OWN PTA DATABASE AND NOT THE SCHOOL EMAIL  you can add “VOTE YES TO KEEP THESE PROGRAMS FOR OUR STUDENTS” on your messaging!

IF you send this out using THE SCHOOL OFFICE EMAIL DO NOT put VOTE YES BLURB – JUST SEND OUT AS IS BELOW (FACTS ONLY) *Note the video link and fact sheet link at the bottom is linked to You Tube and ISD so OK to send out either way (PTA or School Enews)!

______________________________________________________
ENDORSEMENTS:  We need more! Please go to www.visvote.org and enter your name to endorse the levy. Ask your friends and Board too!

FACEBOOK SHARE:
Please go to Volunteers for Issaquah Schools Facebook Page and SHARE the invite we have posted to your PTA Facebook page about Levy Community Information Night – it is this Wednesday, January 15th – 6:30-8pm at the King County Library Resource Center. You are all invited to attend! Please help us spread the word about this event. It is a great way for our entire community to get their questions answered and learn about the upcoming levy. Ron Thiele and School Board members will be there to answer questions!

HONK & WAVE Sign Up Genius Link:  Please SHARE with your community and ask for volunteers to help in your area: This is a GREAT way for your students to get Community Service hours and be involved. Please post your pics on your Facebook page and show your support of passing the levy to our community!
Click here for the Sign Up Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0f4da9a829aaf49-2020

PTSA Council Meeting this Thursday, January 16th:We will have Window Clings, Yard Signs, Honk & Wave Signs, Preschool Outreach Flyers, etc. available for pickup if you wouldlike any of these items. Anne Moore will be there to remind us about PTA postcards and mailing instructions. PLEASE PUT THE WINDOW CLINGS ON YOUR CAR WINDOWS! We need to remind people to VOTE YES FOR THIS LEVY to keep these programs. They are vinyl and can be removed after the campaign.

Speaker Series: There is still plenty of time to schedule a speaker for your PTA meeting or Community Association! Please contact Alicia at alicia@visvote.org

Please contact us if you need information or have questions!

Dawn Peschek    Alicia Veevaert
Volunteers for Issaquah Schools
206.391.5120

_____________________________________
ENEWS MESSAGING:

THE ISD EP&O RENEWAL LEVY IS ON THE BALLOT FEBRUARY 11TH, 2020 

The 2020 EP&O Renewal Levy Continues Support For:

Career & Technical Education • Mental Health Counselors in Our Schools • Special Education • Early Childhood Learning • Safety and Security • Highly Capable Programs • Dual Language • After School Activities and Athletics and more!

With voter approval of this renewal levy, we can ensure these programs continue benefitting our students for another 2 years. 

Click here to view a video about this Levy Ballot Measure

Click here to download a fact sheet with details

Levy Info Night – Flyer for Bulletin Boards Attached (inside buildings)

Hi Everyone,

We have had PTAs ask about posting the Levy Community Info Night flyer with the “Vote for Issaquah Schools February 11th” on their Facebook pages – YES, that is ok.

However, if you want to post this flyer INSIDE THE SCHOOL on bulletin boards, or on your MAIN HOME PAGE of your website, you will need to use THIS REVISED FLYER: [PDF | PNG] without the “Vote for” Bus at the bottom (against PDC rules).


You can still send the original flyer with the bus via your PTSA Enews – if you are sending to your own membership database, not using the school to send out your Enews.


You can also ask for people to Vote Yes on Facebook and through your own PTSA Enews (not through school resources).


We are trying to be careful to make sure and follow PDC rules!


Questions? Please email me!


-Dawn

VIS Info for Presidents – Enews Communications and General Info

Hello PTSA Presidents,


Happy New Year!  Ready to get back to it?!! Here we go!  The past several months we have discussed the upcoming February 11th Levy…and just like that…the time has come. THANK YOU to all of you who have worked on postcards, shared information with your school community and board members in preparation for this month…which is now crunch time!


I am proud to say my kids attend school in the Issaquah School District! A lot of what we have is funded by our levies. I don’t think people really realize that, and it is our job to get the information out so that people are informed and know how important their vote is. We need to pass this levy to continue the programs we have. We can emphasize that this is not a new tax.


I am personally grateful for all the opportunities my kids have in their schools, and I would not consider moving out of the district,  because I want my kids to benefit from these programs in the schools here in Issaquah.  It is important that our parents and communities  VOTE! We need every YES vote to pass this levy.  

Please see below for information  – 

Thank you again for your support!
Dawn Peschek & Alicia Veevaert
Volunteers for Issaquah Schools
www.visvote.org
206.391.5120     

*NOTE:  I will be sending weekly “Copy and “Paste” messages for your Enews/Website/Facebook every week until February 11th!


**VIS will be at the January 16th Council meeting with Postcards, Signs, Window Clings, Fact Sheets – everything you need! We will set up early and be there to answer questions and share information! All of the contacts for each of these committees will be at the Council Meeting.

BALLOTS DROP: Wednesday, January 22nd (will receive by 1/24)
BALLOTS DUE: Tuesday, February 11th


Please read below for information and share the very bottom “Copy and Paste” messaging with your Communications person so that they can share on Enews/Website/Facebook.


1. PTA Postcards – Most of you opted to have your postcards delivered to you before break by Anne Moore. The remaining schools will pick theirs up at the January 16th Council Meeting. Please make sure and read your mailing instructions that were included with your postcard tray. It is very important that you mail your postcards at the ISSAQUAH post office on the date indicated in your paperwork. THANK YOU so much for this outreach to our school communities! Questions? Contact Anne Moore at annemoore5@comcast.net


2. Honk & Waves – Sign Up Genius is ready to share with your school community. Please encourage your friends and students to attend these honk and waves to show our community we care and how important the levy is to all of us! GREAT COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS IN MS AND HS, Scouts, etc.
Click here for the Sign Up Genius Link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0f4da9a829aaf49-2020
Questions:  Contact Karissa Mobilia at mobilia@comcast.net or text/call 425.281.1629


3. Yard Signs – We will have signs/stakes at the Council Meeting for those of you who volunteered to help put up signs. Also extra signs for people who want to take a few for Honk & Waves.Questions?
Contact Dana Rundle at danarundle@hotmail.com


4. Preschool Outreach – We will have packets with flyers for preschools for those who volunteered to drop off information.Questions?
Contact Care Marie Harper at caremaree@gmail.com


5. Speaker Series – Speakers confirmed on our website here: http://www.visvote.org/community-presentations-levy-2020/
If you would like a speaker for your PTA, HOA, neighborhood association or other group please contact Alicia to schedule at alicia@visvote.org


6. Levy Information Videos – Share this link on your website to factual videos about programs that Levy dollars support: http://www.visvote.org/2020-levy-information-videos/
-Safety & Secure Entryways at ISD Schools;
-Mental Health Counselors in our schools;
-Career and Technical Education;
-Dual Language;
-Early Learning in the ISD.


7. COMMUNITY LEVY INFORMATION NIGHT [PDF | PNG]Please share this flyer with your entire School Community. It can be posted on bulletin boards, etc. since it does not say “VOTE YES” on it. We would like to have as many people attend as possible from the entire district – so please advertise so people can get their questions answered. Thank you!


8. SEE BELOW FOR A “COPY AND PASTE” message for your PTSA Enews for this week:

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FEBRUARY 11th, 2020 RENEWAL LEVY?

Levies are the only locally approved ballot measures that directly pay for classroom and education needs in our schools that the state does not fund. This February 11, 2020 voters will have a chance to continue supporting programs and services funded by the previous levy expiring in 2020.

The 2020 EP&O Renewal Levy Continues Support For:

Career & Technical Education • Mental Health Counselors in our schools • Special Education • Early Childhood Learning • Safety and Security • Highly Capable Programs • Dual Language • After School Activities and Athletics

This is NOT a new tax. The proposed 2-year levy replaces the expiring 2018 levy at a lower overall tax rate. With voter approval of this renewal levy, we can ensure these programs continue benefitting our students for another 2 years. Please click on the links below for more information and why you should VOTE YES for our schools on February 11th!

Click here to view informational videos on your levy dollars at work in our schools

Click here to download a fact sheet with details

Click here to view more details and tax rate chart