Day: March 13, 2024

Whittier PTA Board Meeting

February 13, 2024

7:00pm In Person & Zoom
Meeting ID: 817 3911 8250
Passcode: wildcats

Meeting link

BOARD MEMBERS / CHAIRS IN ATTENDANCE

• Renee Hartnett – Co-President
• Courtney Sievers – Co-President
• Jess Templeton – Vice President (running reflections contest) 
• Michelle Nemeth – Treasurer 
• Melissa Ivancevich – Co-Secretary
• Emily Robertson – Co-Secretary
• Meg Herscher – Communications chair (zoom)
• Kate Scher – Communications (Website/Wildchat)
• Kiana Swearingen – Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Chair
• Ashley Schiavone – Fundraising Co-Chair
• Emily Schweiger – Family and Community Engagement – Outreach Chair
• Jen Foreman – Programs Co-Chair
• Laura Zingg – Programs Co-Chair; Student Directory (zoom)
• Kathleen Donahoe – Hospitality Co-Chair 
• Emily Grosse – Hospitality Co-Chair 
• Nicole Kaczmarek – Director at Large
• David Peabody – Move-a-thon Chair
• Sara Lukas – Room Parent Coordinator

COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE

• Kellie Pecoraro
• Anika Anand
• Maureen Nothum
• Katie Stiver (zoom)
• Bonnie (zoom)
• Rachel Wold (zoom) 

Meeting Called to Order at 7:02 PM

WELCOME

• Ice Breaker
• Core Values and goals

APPRECIATIONS

• David Peabody – Move-a-Thon
• Brie Gardner – Spring Fling kicked off
• Laura Zingg & Jennifer Foreman – Programs for Winter
• Kate Scher – Gaga Ball
• Kathleen & Emily – ongoing Staff Appreciation!

PRESIDENT’S UPDATES

• PTA Roles & Descriptions
  • Done by 2/16 if possible
  • Goal of having smooth transitions
• Survey to community on budget

BUSINESS

• Yearbook
  • Annika Anand looking for a partner to help
• PTA Table at Family Dance & Game Night
  • Need volunteers to be involved at PTA table 
• Potential Shift with Move-A-Thon to 13th Ave NW
  • Location shift because of bike week
  • Need stanchions, flags, cones
  • Freezer pops Town & Country 
  • Frankie and Joe’s for volunteers 
• Wildcats Wonder (instead of career day)
  • What problems do you want to solve? 
  • Crowdsourcing / engaging community / parents on what problems they’re working on 
  • April / May 
  • Moments of failure along the way / perseverance 

TIMELY CHAIR UPDATES

• VP – Jess Templeton –
  • Reflections Updates
  • Nom Com
    • Survey Assistant Treasurer – Stacy not returning 
    • EDI co-chair, ideally someone representing communities not currently 
    • Volunteer co-chair recently vacated – going into a busy time 
    • Fundraiser co-chair 
    • More to come 
• Kiana Swearingen EDI
  • Supporting & Raising Mixed-Race Children – think of someone that can go with you
    • Childcare will be provided
    • Neighborhood schools have been contacted

TREASURER’S REPORT (MICHELLE NEMETH)

• January 2024 Financial Report
  • $7,277 income from annual give
  • $3,936 gaga ball expense
  • -$372 for month 
  • $265,276 overall balance
• Budget Committee
  • Need 5 volunteers

KATE SCHER 

• Gaga Ball – Lots of volunteers 
• STEAM lab – grant opportunity with WA Arts
  • $5000 materials equip, $5000 training etc
  • Must be non-profit, so funneled through the PTA 
  • Grant submission due by Feb 23
    • If instated, would be housed in a pre-identified room in the building, staffed by volunteers, and potentially rolled out and
      • Need a state wide vendor number
      • Unique entity ID – may be washington state UBI 

ASHLEY SCHIAVONE

• School Party scheduled March 29th
  • Activities, dance party in the cafeteria 
  • Unicycling in the gym with Mr. Pule 
  • Gaga ball, 4-square
  • Popcorn for all
  • Will need volunteers

PRINCIPAL WATTERS UPDATE 

• Entering budget time and it’s terrible
  • $10,000 – $12,000 for this year for supplies (vs. $20,000 – $22,000 last year)
  • Enrollment projections within 6-8 of what office staff thinks
  • Next year we will likely have (2) 5th grades, (2) 4th grades, (3) 3rd grades next year (most covid impacted cohort – current 2nd graders), (2) 2nd grades, (3) 1st grades, (3) kindergarten classes
  • Won’t know about staffing until August 
  • Split-level grade level classes aren’t good generally
• Partnership with the Math Agency in grades 3 and 4 going well
  • On track for kids to grow 1.5 grade levels
  • Scaling back intervention from 4 days a week to 3 days a week
  • Pilot with 3rd graders 1 day x week to focus on task complexity 
  • High numbers of HC kids in 3rd grade 
• 5th Grade trip next year might be Island Wood
  • Should be in the Fall for bonding
• Prides of March
  • Food Pantry 
  • Hygiene kits for high schoolers
• Pints with the Principal / Coffee – to talk budget 
• Looking for new school board member for our area 
• Highly Capable Services / Advanced Learning Program (unfunded mandate)
  • Got rid of HC / Advanced learning opportunities for 5th graders going into 6th grade (everybody still gets to same place at the same time) 

FINAL WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

• NA

Meeting Adjourned 8:14  pm

Note for March meeting agenda: Mariner’s Game update

Whittier PTA Board Meeting

January 9, 2024

7:00pm Zoom
Meeting ID: 817 3911 8250
Passcode: wildcats

BOARD MEMBERS / CHAIRS IN ATTENDANCE

• Renee Hartnett – Co-President
• Courtney Sievers – Co-President
• Jess Templeton – Vice President (running reflections contest) 
• Michelle Nemeth – Treasurer 
• Melissa Ivancevich – Co-Secretary (attended vida Zoom) 
• Emily Robertson – Co-Secretary
• Meg Herscher (New communications chair)
• Kate Scher – Communications (Website/Wildchat)
• Kiana Swearingen – Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Chair
• Glenda Elley – Fundraising Co-Chair
• Ashley Schiavone – Fundraising Co-Chair
• Anjean Vanden Bosch – Volunteer Chair & Membership Chair
• Meg Pietz – Family and Community Engagement – Events Chair
• Emily Schweiger – Family and Community Engagement – Outreach Chair
• Jen Foreman – Programs Co-Chair
• Laura Zingg – Programs Co-Chair; Student Directory
• Jon Overman – Legislative Representative (primary) (attended via Zoom) 
• Molly Firth – Legislative Representative (secondary)
• Emily Grosse – Hospitality Co-Chair 
• Nicole Kaczmarek – Director at Large
• John Shaw – Tech Support
• David Peabody – Move-a-thon
• Mendy Minjarez – Spirit Gear
• Sara Lukas – Room Parent Coordinator

COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE

• Kellie Pecoraro
• Brianna Mercker 
• Suman Pradhan
• Andrea Pungoti
• Tanya Cunningham
• Rachel Wold
• Meena Lenn
• Lana Sturmer

WELCOME

• Meeting Called to Order / Land Acknowledgment at 7:01 PM
• Intros – fave book or movie and PTA role, kids and grades
• Vote to approve November PTA meeting minutes
  • Jess Templeton motioned to approve 
  • Emily Grosse seconded
  • Approved

APPRECIATION

• Thank you’s:
  • Kraken Ice Skating Event
  • Literacy night 
  • Helping Hands/Mittens
  • Anjean – membership education & communication.
    • Now have around 136 members up from 70 something at beginning of year 

PRESIDENT’S UPDATE

• Board Update
  • Meg Herscher – Communications Chair
  • Brie Gardner – Spring Fling co-chair (needs second)
    • Date: May 18th. 
    • Theme: Follow the call to the disco ball. 
    • First meeting this Thursday, 1/11. 3 responses to volunteer asks. Still looking for procurement team. 
    • Same format as last year minus wine wall and aviator photos
• Surveying for preferences 
• Budget
  • Budget conversations starting in February 29th 8am coffee, Feb 29th pints with principal, zoom option on March 7th.
• Mariners Event in spring – date TBD

BUSINESS

• Land Acknowledgement update from Kiana
  • Current practice
  • Why does SPS have different language than Whittier? 
  • Evolution
  • Land acknowledgements can be token, not meaningful
  • Still relevant if doing a specific call to action. Generally not recommended for standing meetings, etc. Only if relevant to actual meeting, possibly with local tribal members present
  • The monthly PTA meetings do not meet the parameters of when a land acknowledgment should be used. So we should not use land acknowledgements at every board meeting. 
  • We should use an acknowledgment if there is clear connection in the meeting activities or actions toward native sovereignty or the native land back movement
  • Recommendation for policy to be reviewed annually as part of EDI role.
    • Renee recommending we vote on recommendations from EDI
      • Glenda motioned to approve EDI recommendations
      • Jen Foreman seconded
• Approved

• Standing Rules
  • Renee motioned to approve standing rules as revised
  • Second Glenda
  • Approved
• Update on Gaga Ball
  • Estimated delivery Feb 20th
  • Working on getting donated lumber
  • Octagon 20-30 kids
  • ADA door 
  • 5th grade fundraiser, co-creation of rules 
• Lana Sturmer – whittier parent. Idea for what to do with lost and found
  • Non-profit that creates inclusive communities for kids with disabilities.
  • Northwest Center – The Big Blue Truck – Value Village
  • Cindy is a big supporter of this. Wants the big blue bin inside Whittier with signage explaining what it means. Lana will help manage program. Not throwing things away but giving things new life. Strategically find place for it.
    • Renee motions to approve implementation of program. 
    • Melissa seconds 
    • Approved. New program to implement 

TIMELY CHAIR UPDATES

• VP – Jess Templeton – Reflections Updates
  • Lessons learned 
  • Next year directing messaging to kids, maybe through Mr. Buck
• VP – Jess Templeton – Nom Com
  • End of Jan. let folks know if continuing to next year
  • Mendy – reminder: nom com process is supposed to be confidential. Notes should not be open to board. Internal discussions should not be made public etc. 
• Events – Meg Pietz
  • Family Dance and Game Night – Michelle Nemeth helping. Friday the 1st of March – DJ Ms. Steph 
• Spirit Gear – Mendy
  • Now that we have a communications chair, we should keep sending out link about ordering spirit gear on-demand. 
  • Haven’t updated many designs recently – classic and modern. Can create new things! Survey to see what people want/need.
• Move-a-thon Chair David Peabody
  • Sponsorship Trader Joe’s, Swansons, Brook’s, Fred Meyer
  • Stuff – fidgets, water bottles, stickers
  • General note that sweat bands are a good option for swag

TREASURER’S REPORT (Michelle Nemeth) 

• Review of Financial Reports from 2023
  • November
    • Income: $38,375.35
    • Expenses: $635.53 (fall festival) 
  • December
    • Income $14,079.32 income
    • Expense $27,828.80 expense
  • Fundraising $82,766 annual give 
  • Reports weren’t sent out yet 
  • Huge shout out for annual give! 

PRINCIPAL WATTERS UPDATE

• Thank you for land acknowledgement update
• How do we bring people into the PTA? 
• Mike Clay – old school sweatshirt design “Whittier Established 1908” second bld added 1929. Both demo’d 1998. New building opened in 1999. 
• Staff love gear gifts
• Thank you for support of Fragile Families
• Annual Give in school party – keepin’ it simple. Fun, different. Popcorn party?
• Massive Monkeys in March

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

• Sped classroom rep
• Spring Fling Co-Chair
• Tax person

Meeting Adjourned 8:39 PM