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Day: March 10, 2025

PTA Meeting Minutes: 1/14/25

PTA Meeting Minutes: 1/14/25

  • BOARD MEMBERS / CHAIRS IN ATTENDANCE
  • Kate Lindsay Scher – Co-President 
  • Allie DeLong Thomas – Co-President 
  • Renee Hartnett – Vice President / Spirit Gear 
  • Melissa Ivancevich – Co-Secretary 
  • Emily Robertson – Co-Secretary 
  • Michelle Nemeth – Treasurer 
  • Meg Herscher – Communications Chair 
  • Ashley Schiavone – Fundraising Co-Chair 
  • Jess Templeton – Fundraising Co-Chair 
  • Kathleen Donahoe – Hospitality Co-Chair 
  • Jess Twardzik – Hospitality Co-Chair 
  • Meg Pietz – Events Chair 
  • Emily Schweiger – Family and Community Engagement – Outreach Chair Laura Zingg – Programs Co-Chair; Student Directory 
  • Jen Foreman – Programs Co-Chair 
  • Jon Overman – Legislative Representative 
  • Anjean Vanden Bosch – Membership Chair 
  • Kristin Laughlin – Volunteer Coordinator 
  • Kiana Swearingen – Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Co-Chair 
  • Jill Muscatel – Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Co-Chair 
  • Megan Wildenradt – Website Editor 
  • John Shaw – Tech Support 
  • Brie Gardner – Back To Business Co-Chair 
  • Leah Lansberry – Back To Business Co-Chair; Yearbook Co-Chair Anika Anand – Yearbook Co-Chair 
  • Jared Cortese – Fall Festival Chair 
  • David Peabody – Move-a-thon 
  • Elan Simonson – Spring Fling Chair 
  • Sara Lukas – Room Parent Coordinator 
  • Nicole Kaczmarek – Member at Large 
  • Lana Sturmer – Member at Large 
  • Courtney Sievers – Member at Large



COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE

  • Principal Watters 
  • Hanni Pichel 
  • Dafna Amster Kahn 
  • Gustavo Franco 
  • Rena Giannoulakis (Spring Fling Co-Chair)
  • Rachel Wold (PTA member)

Meeting Called to Order at 7:02 PM 

WELCOME

Agenda 

  • Link to Agenda 
  • Link to Meeting Presentation

Welcome

Table & Zoom Chat Informal Introductions

PRESIDENT UPDATES

  • Goals and Meetings Reviews 
  • Dashboard Review 
    • Exceeded annual give goal by almost $4500 (goal: $130,000; raised $134,448.40)
  • Monthly meeting format adjustment 
  • Budget Priorities/strategic planning survey results 
    • 46 responses 
    • Staffing and educational enrichment are top priorities 
    • Specialists supported 
    • Math Agency overwhelmingly supported 
    • Fundraising – people want to keep it as is, though there was more interest in a higher annual give option 
    • Preference for Zoom – plan to offer hybrid, but open to other ideas (alternate months?)
    • Principal Watters – most likely communication to be read, followed by class rep
    • Lots of interest in after school programs 
  • Levy Overview 
    • Special election February 11th 
    • BEX VI 
    • EP&O 
  • Advocacy Work Session update 
    • Billion Dollar Bake Sale (created by North Beach parents to raise awareness about education funding), work being done by the Salmon Bay community 

PRINCIPAL WATTERS UPDATE

  • MLK Activities Friday
  • Math Agency 
    • Over 50 kids involved (27 intervention, 25 in extension) 
  • Recess supervision updates – more teachers outside and goes well 
  • Hiring two more teachers 
  • Wildcats wonder April 25th, 2025 – need keynote speaker 
    • Theme: We want to make our world safe, healthy, fair, and fun
    • Also looking for speakers ~90 minute time commitment 

● 5 new families have joined Whittier – getting them added to class lists, etc.

TEAM AND CHAIR UPDATES

Move-a-thon (David): 

  • Friday April 4th 
  • Need new ideas for swag 
  • Logo contest, maybe it gets printed on a bandana 
  • Might need more than $2/kid to get this made 
  • Could use a donor/sponsor that might donate money to the event and then have their name on things 

Hospitality (Kahtleen): 

  • Stocking the teacher’s lounge next week 
  • 2 dream items on the Wish List – air fryer and ice machine(?)

After School Programs (Laura): 

  • Registration opened 
  • Space available in 3-4 programs primarily K-2 
  • Hip hop dance class 
  • Parkour class 
  • Clubs start Monday Jan 27th and go through mid March

Book Fair and Winter Performance grades (Anjean): 

  • Book fair was a success! 
  • Total raised at Book Fair: $6,865 (up from last year’s $6,019) 
  • Waiting for Phinney Books total sales 
  • Seeking feedback for next year’s planning

Spring Fling (Elan): 

  • Start planning in earnest for February 
  • Looking for 1-2 more core committee volunteers – procurement, marketing & communications 
  • Timing is late in the year 
  • Entertainment 
  • Experiences, vacation homes, awesome donations

 EDI (Jill): 

  • Author Jaya Ramesh March 4th 
  • Drag Queen Story Time and other events coming up 
  • Come to the next EDI meeting!

Advocacy (Jon): 

  • Check out advocacy website on PTA site 
  • Kudos to Kate 
  • Legislature – state revenue not looking as good as projections 
  • Need constituents emailing and calling 
  • Rainy Day Resource podcast (overview of school funding issues) 
  • Feb 10th – 14th WA State PTA focus on advocacy

Comms update (Meg): 

  • First Wildchat of 2025 scheduled for distribution tomorrow!

Events (Kate): 

  • Whittier Mariner Game (Friday, April 25th) 
  • Tickets secure; should be announced/available this week! 
  • Co-Chairs needed for Family Dance & Game Night (Thurs, March 20th)

Volunteers (all open positions)

Outreach: 

  • Helping Hands Report – 120 gift cards

EDI Belonging Practice (Kiana) 

  • How can we apply inclusion to Whittier events specifically?

Treasurer’s report (Michelle): 

November 

■ Income–Annual Give $8005 

■ Expense–Whittier Support Grant $25,011, Fall Festival $3277, Membership $1909 

December 

■ Income–Annual Give $8056 

■ Expense–nothing of note

 VOTING FOR PTA MEMBERS

  • November Meeting Minutes 
    • Kathleen D Motioned 
    • Seconded 
    • Approved 

 

Kudos & Thank Yous 

Open Floor for Community

Meeting Adjourned 8:40 pm