PTA Meeting Minutes: 10/10/23

Whittier PTA Board Meeting
October 10, 2023
7:00pm Zoom
Meeting ID: 817 3911 8250
Passcode: wildcats

BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE
Renee Hartnett – Co-President
Courtney Sievers – Co-President
Michelle Nemeth – Treasurer
Emily Robertson – Co-Secretary
Mandy Nelson – Communications Chair
Kiana Swearingen – Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Chair
Ashley Schiavone – Fundraising Co-Chair
Anjean Vanden Bosch – Volunteer Chair & Membership 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)
Molly Firth – Legislative Representative (secondary)
Kathleen Donahoe – Hospitality Co-Chair
Emily Grosse – Hospitality Co-Chair
Nicole Kaczmarek – Director at Large
Joa Pope – Director at Large
Members at Large
● Nichole Maiman Waterman
● Brie Gardner

NON-BOARD MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE

• David Peabody – Move-a-thon

COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: N/A

WELCOME

● Meeting Called to Order / Land Acknowledgment at 7:00 PM

APPRECIATION

● Thank you’s:

○ Meg Pietz – Grade level Happy Hours at Chucks

○ Kate Scher – Wildchat

○ Emily and Jess for cleaning out PTA closet!

BUSINESS
● Standing rules updates and questions
○ There was a question about fees in section 3.3. Renee Hartnett clarified the due
breakdown, stating that they were correct as previously written. Secretary to revert back
to original language.
○ There was a question about what a quorum is. Renee Hartnett clarified that a quorum =
half of roughly 20 board members (10). There is a question regarding whether we should
make the language more clear? Executive committee has to be majority. Number of
board members at tonight’s meeting is 16.
○ Mandy Nelson – generally it’s a %, or flexible number that matches. 50% plus 1?
○ Decided to review in November meeting – not exactly sure
○ Add language in for digital records
○ Add language about harassment prevention procedure policy – reference National PTA
website

● Financial Review (Michelle Nemeth)
○ 2022-2023 – review – thanking team on Financial Review Committee (Emily Robertson,
Jeannie Lee, Megan Herscher, Tyler Gaspard and Michelle Nemeth)
○ Background about process/results:
■ Why?
● General transparency
● Requirement for bond insurance – legal requirements
● Good business practice
■ What?
● Looked at Financial Review Checklist
● Separated work into 5 sections
● Accessed various docs on google drive and sometimes hunted them
down

■ Findings
● Books look good
● PTA has few accounts (3) – which is easier to manage
● Quickbooks, online banking easily accessible
■ What to work on for next year
● Organize docs on google drive for next year’s Financial Review (Michelle
Nemeth has started this already)
● Report is an 8 page document – what we need to look at every year –
was a pretty big task for the group
● Michelle is official treasurer but there is another person doing most of
the accounting – Stacy Rose, which sometimes makes things tricky
● One item of note is that we should be reviewing insurance policy every
year and recording this in the minutes in order to maintain certain
insurance.
■ Summary
● Above board, able to check yes on most items.

● Insurance (Emily Robertson)
○ Review of current policy:
■ Commercial General Liability: $1 Million limit – $110
■ Extended Medical Payments: $5,000 limit – $0
■ Professional Liability: $1 Million limit – $65
■ Fidelity bond: $25,000 limit – $125
■ Inland Marine: $10,000 limit – $115
■ $415 total
○ Emily Robertson suggested potentially adding Media Liability
○ Adding Media Liability Endorsement would add costs as follows:
■ $25,000 – $70.00
■ $50,000 – $90.00
■ $75,000 – $120.00
■ $100,000 – $160.00
○ Find out if Media Policy covers PII (inadvertently sharing personal info)
○ Review at next meeting
● Legislative assembly update – Molly Firth
○ 2 weeks from now
○ Jon and Molly feel like most issues are not controversial such as:
■ Addressing issues around multi-language and heritage
■ Preventing and reducing gun violence and suicide
■ Resolutions such as high quality preschools
■ However, there are 2 Resolutions that are trickier:
● Resolution #3 K-12 Education Funding
○ What is Whittier’s position? Whittier’s PTA position?
○ What would Cindy say?

○ How is the school actually funded?
● Resolution #4 Traumatic Brain Injuries
○ This one seems has potential to amplify equity issues.
Historically helmet laws were enforced targeting mostly people
of color.
TREASURER’S REPORT (Michelle Nemeth)
● Review of Financial Reports from September 2024
○ As of $243,617 (about a $200 change). Paid PTA dues WSPTA and Seattle PTA
○ Evidently Mr. Buck raised $1000 from selling bookmarks. There is a question about
whether Stacy Rose can create a line item for this. It was discussed that these individual
pots of money are complicated from a tracking standpoint. It was pointed out that Cindy
should be looped in

TIMELY CHAIR UPDATES
● Annual Give – Glenda & Ashley
○ Kicked off today? $80,000 ask. $1500 so far. In lieu of gifts we’ll do an experience. School
party – disco. Our time to shine! More details to come. Gym, dance, disco ball. Saves
money for gifts = point of fundraising. Thermometer poster board. New thing asking for
volunteers. Pick something to volunteer for.

● Fall Festival – Jess Twardzik
○ Not present. Event is October 27
● EDI November Event – Kiana Swearingen
○ Gender Diversity Event in November. Free childcare provided by Whittier Kids. Confirm
date.
○ Beyond Black and White at Salmon Bay
● Outreach – Emily Schweiger
○ Coffee morning October 20th. Help? 7:40-8:10 on 14th Ave
○ Starting work for helping hands. Office working on mitten idea? November 18th-ish
● Programs- Jared Cortese/Laura Zyngg/Jennifer Foreman
○ Afterschool programs launched Oct 2nd – Nov 16th.
○ 7 programs
○ Met minimum for all programs.
○ Not all sold out
○ 3 scholarships were awarded. The $10 enrollment fee goes towards scholarships.
○ Winter programs will start after holiday break
● Hospitality – Emily Grosse/Kathleen Donahoe
○ Next Thursday setting up for fall breakfast
● Membership Goals – Anjean & Leah
○ Why not marry fundraising and membership drive?
○ 75 members currently. Goal is 200/
○ Had 88 last year Sep 20, and 133 by end of school year

○ How to generate more members?
■ Signage
■ Specific communication out to adults and caregivers
■ Don’t have a lot of staff participation
■ Student memberships?
■ Value message for Whittier – Going back to Kiana’s comment about what is
equity to us?
■ #1 reason people don’t join is because they’re not asked. Put something in next
wild chat. Reach out to inactive members…?
■ Lots of great ideas.
■ Enrollment is down and post-covid numbers are down.
■ Participating board and community members can send ideas to Anjean – by the
end of the week
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
● Sped classroom rep
● Fall Carnival Committee
● Reflections Art Contest Committee
● Nominating committee
● Science Fair/STEM Night Coordinator
● Spring Fling Co-Chairs
● Tax person
Meeting Adjourned 8:27 pm