Advocating & Supporting Our Schools
The holidays are rapidly approaching and the Issaquah Food & Clothing Bank has updated their Holiday Gift Barn program information for this season.
| For information about donations, volunteering, or for being a recipient: https://issaquahfoodbank.org/holiday-gift-barn |  |
The month-by-month checklist of best practice moments has been updated for 2017-2018.
You can find it here, under the Programs menus, and on the Meeting Documents page (under October).
Tuesday, October 17th, 2017 • 6:30pm
LHS Performing Arts Center
High school students grades 9-12 are invited to attend
(Parents can come too!)
(because of mature content, younger children will not be admitted)
Sponsored by One Love • Hosted by the Liberty High PTSA
Download the FLYER here
Click here to register for this FREE event (Evite)
One Love is working to end relationship violence by educating young people about healthy and unhealthy relationships and mobilizing them in a movement for change. Below is a bit of information about One Love – this short video also provides a helpful overview. One Love was created to honor the memory of Yeardley Love, a UVA senior who was killed by her ex-boyfriend just weeks before graduation. After her death, Yeardley’s family and friends were shocked to learn that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will be in an abusive relationship in his or her lifetime and that young women ages 16-24 are at 3x greater risk.
Today One Love works to give others the information that Yeardley and her friends and family didn’t have about what unhealthy and potentially dangerous relationship behaviors look like, empowering them to help themselves and their friends. To do this, One Love partners with high schools, colleges, and community groups, to provide digital campaigns and the film-based Escalation Workshop
Check out these One Love Couplets….Couplets are brief animated messages that define the difference between a good relationship and an unhealthy one. If you see 3 or more of these warning signs in your relationship, it’s a problem. Don’t be ashamed to tell someone when #thatsnotlove
Issaquah School District:
Community Meeting Review, Documents, and Tools. Information from the community meeting at Grand Ridge Elementary on Thursday, August 24 regarding a future school site in the Issaquah Highlands. Recently updated information is included here.
Issaquah City Council:
Updates: Compact Schools Code and Zoning Changes. Two separate issues related to potential future school sites in Issaquah are expected to be on the City Council’s upcoming agendas. Click the link to read more.
This year’s Standards of Affiliation form can be found on our website under the Meeting Documents for the September 2017 GMM. A link to the WSPTA’s information regarding SoA is also there.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Resources are available in the top 8 languages: http://www.k12.wa.us/ESEA/ESSA/Resources.aspx
OSPI has translated five of our Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) flyers into the Top 8 languages spoken by Washington’s students. Those flyers address some of the biggest pieces of ESSA, including Title I: Federal Programs, Title II: Teacher & Principal Quality, Title III: English Learners, as well as Equity and 21st Century Community Learning Centers. These flyers were created to help readers understand the new federal education law—without first taking a course in legalese. They have been translated into Arabic, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Tagalog, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. English-language flyers are available on the ESSA resource page.
PTSA leaders from across Region 2 are invited to join us for training and networking to start your PTSA year off on the best note! Come meet other PTSA leaders from across the Eastside and fulfill your training requirement in one evening.
REGISTER HERE: http://bit.ly/2vJiIUN
August 22, 2017
Eastlake High School in Sammamish, WA.
Check-in – 5:00 pm
Evening Begins – 5:30 pm
PTA & The Law will be offered from 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm — this is a class that is required for at least one elected member of every PTSA Board.
A variety of classes will be offered in two sessions if you are not attending PTA & the Law so select the training that is most useful to you and your Board. (Class availability subject to change due to teacher and facility availability)
Class Session 1 (6:00 pm – 7:15 pm):
Class Session 2 (7:30 pm – 8:45 pm)
Have questions about Region 2 Back to School Fall Conference Training? Contact Region 2
Prepared by Susan D. Baird-Joshi, Region 2 Legislative Chair, Washington State PTA * July 29, 2017
1. Ballots Due August 1, 2017
Mail your Washington State ballots or drop them off by Tuesday, August 1, 2017, 8 p.m. Issues in this summer ballot
include taxes and preliminary votes for elected officials:
• King County Proposition 1 Sales Tax for Cultural Access Program
• Elected positions with more than two candidates (school district boards, city councils, port commissioners, and
county executive)
The ballot mailer includes a list of drop-off locations in King County. For more election information, visit the King
County Elections home page, http://kingcounty.gov/depts/elections.aspx. For news and reminders, visit the KC Elections
Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/kcelections/ .
WA State PTA has not taken a position on Prop. 1. PTAs cannot endorse candidates.
2. Washington State Legislative Session Includes Benefits for Children and Families
Extending into multiple special sessions during the summer, the Washington State Legislature and Governor approved a
budget that includes funding provisions to address the McCleary decision, requiring the state to “amply fund” K-12 basic
education. The bill included $7.3 billion in new funding for K-12 education to satisfy McCleary.
Other actions that could benefit children and families include the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Program,
increased funding for the State Need Grant and a new Department of Children, Youth and Families.
The House proposed a Capital Budget with construction projects throughout the state totaling $4.17 billion, including new
schools. However, the Legislature adjourned before passing the legislation. The Senate Republicans wanted a long-term
solution to the State Supreme Court’s decision affecting property owners’ water rights and abilities to drill wells, known
as the Hirst decision. For more information, see the Governor’s session round-up. https://medium.com/wagovernor/2017-legislative-session-produces-major-achievements-for-washington-74d6d557e3b4
3. Affordable Care Act Proposed Changes Would Have Impacted Washington’s Children
On June 28 Washington State’s Governor Jay Inslee and Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler sent a joint letter to
Washington State’s Congressional delegation—two senators and 10 representatives—urging them to vote no on the
Senate’s Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). The act did not pass. More children would have lost coverage due to
their parents’ loss of coverage. The governor’s web site has the letter and facts about health insurance in Washington.
Region 2 covers eastern King County and consists of the Bellevue, Issaquah, Lake Washington, Mercer Island, Riverview, and Snoqualmie Valley school districts. https://www.wastatepta.org/pta-leaders/pta-regions/region-2/
Meeting Documents (Agenda, Minutes, etc)
REMINDERS |
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Instead of a normal OUTREACH ASK for this month’s Council meeting we ask that you help spread the word about Tools 4 School CLASS PACKS from Apperson.
TREASURER |
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AWARDS |
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ADVOCACY |
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ART IN THE SCHOOLS |
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BEST PRACTICES |
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FACE/Family And Community Engagement |
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District Family Partnership page: https://www.issaquah.wednet.
Link to each flyer:
HEALTHY YOUTH NETWORK |
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ISSAQUAH SCHOOLS FOUNDATION |
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Issaquah Schools Foundation Agenda Notes – June 2017
MEMBERSHIP |
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Washington State PTA Membership Leadership Guide
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OUTREACH |
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Outreach Notes – This page is kept current as needs or programs change.
PARENTWISER (formerly Parent Education) |
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Thank you for supporting this highly successful initial year of district-wide ParentWiser speaker series! Over 2000 parents attended our 11 ParentWiser hosted events, and over 860 parents currently subscribe to ParentWiser for monthly enews, and access to online parenting talks on our website. Thank you for helping us get the word out!
1. Parent Ed Rep on your local PTSA. Please keep a parent ed rep on your PTA/PTSA roster as the voice for parent ed at your school, and encourage them to participate in ParentWiser events as volunteers and idea generators. They can also contact us for local speaker suggestions to draw attendance to your General Membership Meetings.
2. Back-to-School PTSA Check-In. When creating your online membership/registration for back-to-school check-in, please add the following question/field, and then send your list of emails accumulated by September to parentwiser@issaquahptsa.
“Add me to the monthly ParentWiser email distribution to learn about district-wide parent ed events (enter email here) “
3. ENEWS announcement for June. (This was also sent directly to all parent ed reps and communication chairs.)
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(For ENEWS):
ParentWiser announces…
“The Gift of Failure” talk by Jessica Lahey is now available ONLINE! Register for a password, and please do not share the link outside the Issaquah School District. Access additional parent ed conferences over the summer
…because parenting continues after school’s out!
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REFLECTIONS |
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STAR/SPECIAL EDUCATION |
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Please be sure to recruit for a Special Education Representative for your school!
There are only a few Special Ed Reps at the schools listed below. This position is an important part of the PTSA as about 10% of Issaquah’s students are on are an IEP and receive special services support. We want to make sure these families have a voice and ensure that all PTA activities have accommodations to make families feel like they are part of the community.
Schools WITH Special Ed Reps:
Apollo Elementary
Briarwood Elementary
Cougar Ridge Elementary
Creekside Elementary
Grand Ridge Elementary
Issaquah High School
Maple Hills Elementary
If your school is NOT listed, please recruit a school liaison!
Below is a job description to use to recruit. We will be creating a checklist and job handbook over the summer and help your new Special Ed Rep get started. The person who takes on the role can really make the job what they want and adjust to what your individual school’s needs.
Please reach out to Carrie Hipsher (special-ed@issaquahptsa.org) if you have questions and to let me know the name of your new Special Education Rep!
PTSA Special Education Representative Job Description:
Actively publicize the role of Special Education Rep so families know of the position and who to contact if they need help or have questions.
Work with your school PTSA to help them adapt events and activities to be more inclusive for students with special needs and their families.
Help connect students and their families with available school and community resources.
Be a good listener and help families understand Issaquah’s special education process.
Advertise Issaquah PTSA Council Special Education events and communication, as well as relevant updates from the school district.
If on social media, join the Issaquah Special Education PTSA Committee Facebook Group, encourage families to join, and help answer questions and share your experience as you feel comfortable.
Attend, at least quarterly, Issaquah Special Education PTSA Committee meetings and/or trainings, and share best practices and learnings.
Ideally, the Special Education Rep will have a child with an IEP or 504 so they already have a basic understanding of laws and process, but anyone with the passion and the heart to be an advocate is welcome!
OPTIONAL: You may choose to add any of the following if they are relevant to your PTSA.
Attend (your school name) PTSA Meetings. If unable to attend a meeting, share a written report and/or keep the PTSA Board updated on the status of what you are doing.
Attend at least one WSPTA approved training course per year (if this position is on your board) and pursue adequate training to perform the duties of the position.
VICE PRESIDENTS |
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VOLUNTEERS FOR ISSAQUAH SCHOOLS (VIS) |
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WEBMASTER/DIRECTORY |
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There is still time to do a member survey.
Other |
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