Author: Communications

• 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