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Important Strike-Related Resources

Whether you’ve been clued in or you’re feeling a little lost, the Whittier PTA has assembled some important information to help you understand (and make it through) this strike.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION?

Channels of direct communications from stakeholder groups:

SEA:

SPS:


School Board Directors:


Seattle Council PTSA:


Seattle Special Education PTSA:

HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

  • Contact your School Board representative (our rep is Lisa Rivera Smith). She is your voice, so let her know what you think is the best path forward. Here’s a letter template/sample.
  • Whittier teachers and staff will be picketing outside of Whittier starting at 7:30am on Wednesday.
  • Whittier teachers and staff, along with SEA, are organizing a food drive to benefit the Ballard Food Bank from 11am-3pm on Friday, September 9, in front of Whittier. High demand items include: non-perishable food items and hygiene products (dry shampoo, tampons, etc). Gift cards to Fred Meyer are also being requested to be provided to Whittier families in need of support (to be distributed by Ms. Monica and Ms. Rebecca). Learn more on Konstella.
  • There is a district-wide Facebook group organizing community efforts as they relate to the strike.

I’M LOOKING FOR COMMUNITY SUPPORT

CHILDCARE

SCHOOL DAY MEALS

SPS Culinary Services is offering free sack lunch meals beginning Wednesday, Sept. 7, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. for pick-up at Whittier near the main office. This is available for all students. Parents, and guardians may pick up meals for students. Students do not need to be in attendance. Looking for help picking up meals? Want to offer to help drop-off meals to a Whittier family? Contact outreach@whittierptaseattle.org.

OTHER SUPPORTS

  • Mental Health Supports 
    • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources 
    • Crisis Text Line – free, 24/7 support for those in crisis. Text from anywhere in the USA to text with a trained Crisis Counselor. 
    • The Trevor Project–Crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ young people ages 13-24; 24/7 opportunities to chat online, text or call 
    • The GLBT National Youth Talkline–Youth serving youth through age 25; Provides telephone, online private one-to-one chat and email peer-support. 
  • Domestic Violence Support 
    • ADWAS – Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services empowers Deaf and DeafBlind survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and harassment to transform their lives, while striving to change the beliefs and behaviors that foster and perpetuate violence. We provide comprehensive services to individuals and families, community education, and advocacy on systems and policy issues. 
    • DAWN–protects women and children from domestic abuse, providing shelter, support and empowerment  https://www.dawnrising.org/get-help/ 
    • The National Domestic Violence Hotline–A general 24-hour domestic violence hotline 
    • New Beginnings–One-on-one advocacy, counseling, legal support, youth and parent groups, educational training/prevention. 
    • Northwest Network–Offers support to LGBTQ survivors, as well as youth programming, community education, and professional development for youth-serving providers 

Move-a-thon 2022

Move-a-thon 2022

Support our Fall fundraising with a Fall Move-a-thon, “Wildcats on the Runway,” on Friday, October 7th! This annual, community favorite fundraising event asks families for per lap donations from friends, family, and community to raise funds for essential staff and services, community programs, and more. In conjunction with our Annual Give campaign, we’re aiming to raise $90,000 this Fall.

Create your Wildcat’s Fundraising Page

Putting the FUN in FUNdraising

This event supports the 2022-23 Whittier PTA budget–student enrichment, staffing support, equipment upgrades, and community events. Students raise personal sponsorships from family, friends and/or neighbors (see details below).

Our overall fundraising goal this fall is $90,000 or $250/student between participation in our Annual Give and Move-a-thon. Donations are NOT required to participate but will support all students, staff and community members.

Running Schedule

3rd8:45 – 9:15am
K9:25 – 9:55am
2nd12:05 – 12:35pm
4th12:40 – 1:10pm
1st1:15 – 1:45pm
5th1:50 – 2:20pm

How does the fundraising work?

Students can raise Move-a-Thon sponsorships online or in person as flat donations or per lap pledges.

  1. Set up an online donation profile for your Wildcat today to send an easy link to friends and family for credit card donations.
  2. Wildcats can pick-up cash/check pledge collection envelopes in the Front Office if they’d like to submit donations that way.

All donations are due by 10/14!

How can parents participate at the event?

We need MANY event and classroom volunteers to make the Move-a-Thon run smoothly: Volunteer sign-up sheet

Volunteers MUST complete the SPS Volunteer Application OR Renewal process in order to participate (see details below). Please allow one week for application approval. Your application will be valid for two years.

Questions? Contact Katie (lydenkatie@gmail.com)

SPS Volunteer Application Process

Before you begin, please have the following items ready:

  • Two references, including one personal or family reference.
  • Emergency contact name and phone number.
  • A digital copy of your government issued photo ID (e.g., a clear photo taken with a smartphone).

NOTE: All volunteers are required to complete an online Health & Safety Course (23 minutes) and show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. 

Meet the ’22-23 PTA Board

Meet the Board 

The Whittier PTA is powered by dozens of parents and staff members who do everything from helping to organize and run events, raising funds, planning parent education events, shaping our school’s EDI efforts, and coordinating community outreach. Leading their efforts are the members of the Whittier PTA board, who each oversee a different facet of the PTA’s work. We’re such a fun bunch, you might just be tempted to join us next year. (You’ve been warned. Just kidding, but only kind of. We’re always on the hunt for more parents who want to help make Whittier even better for everyone.) And if you see us at school or around the neighborhood, come say hi! We love getting to know the families in our community.

PTA Board

President
Leah Lansberry Austin

Co-President
Seeking Volunteer!

Vice President
TBA

Co-Secretaries
Jess Templeton and Jared Cortese

Treasurer
Renee Hartnett

Assistant Treasurer
Stacy Rose

Communications Chair
Kate Scher 

Communications Co-Chair
Seeking Volunteer! 

Fundraising Co-Chairs
Ashley Schiavone and Glenda Elley

Family and Community Engagement Co-Chairs
Kathleen Donahoe and Courtney Sievers

Family and Community Engagement – Events Chair
Emily Grosse

Programs Chair
Seeking Volunteer!

Legislative Reps
Emily Barbee and Megan Wildenradt

Membership Chair
Tricia Schalekamp

Family and Community Engagement – Outreach Chair
Sara Lukas

Volunteer Chair
Mendy Minjarez

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Committee Co-Chairs
Susan Hernandez and Melissa O’Keefe

PTA Non-board Positions 

Website Editor
Seeking Volunteer! 

WildChat Editor
Kate Scher 

Spring Fling Chair
Courtney Sievers and Renee Hartnett 

Move-a-thon
Katie Lyden 

Spirit Gear
Tina Lilley

What do all these people do? See our Board Position Descriptions for a detailed description of job duties.

Get Back to Business on September 6!

On Tuesday, September 6, it’s time to get back to business! Join us on the Whittier Playground to celebrate the new school year!

Yuen Lui will take school pictures and the Whittier PTA will be on hand to provide back-to-school resources and information about our wonderful community. Full details/schedule to follow and a later date will be provided for those who can’t make it. Stop by and see us!

Picture Day Schedule

Families, we hope you can make it during your assigned time slot, but if it doesn’t work for you, come when you can!

  • Last name A-E: 1-2 p.m.
  • Last name F-J: 2-3 p.m.
  • Last name K-O: 3-4 p.m.
  • Last name P-T: 4-5 p.m.
  • Last name U-Z: 5-6 p.m.

(If your family can’t attend the event, no worries–you can take school photos during a class picture make-up day later in the Fall.)

The Wildchat: 6/14/22

Whittier Celebrates Pride Month!

In a jam-packed month, Whittier families may feel like their focus is being pulled in many directions. But during this month, we also celebrate LGBTQIA2+ Pride and our diverse Whittier community, alongside SPS. LGTBQIA2+ is an acronym for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit, and other affirmative ways in which people choose to self-identify.At Whittier, our celebration takes on many forms. From teacher-led discussions and projects, ensuring LGTBQIA2+ representation in our library through our student-led book drive, establishing gender neutral bathrooms and safe spaces in our school, and even Principal Watters’ glorious collection of Pride shirts she’s wearing every day this month. Want to continue the conversation at home? SPS has created a collection of K-5 gender books, lessons, and videos have been posted to the SPS Health Education webpage. Earlier this month, SPS raised rainbow and transgender flags outside the SPS Central Office to kickoff their Pride celebration. SPS will also be participate in the Pride Parade later this month. Join the Seattle Public Schools contingent as students, staff, and families march together with pride alongside our school bus float. The parade starts at 11 a.m. on Sunday, June 26. SPS will be in the staging on 4th Avenue prior to the start time.   Come early to make posters, hand out candy, and enjoy the cheering crowd. The parade route moves north along 4th Avenue between Union and the Seattle Center, where the party continues with a family-friendly festival including music, booths, food and fun! For more information about these events, contact Lisa at llove@seattleschools.org. We are so proud of our Whittier community and appreciate the opportunity to celebrate every Whittier scholar as they are. Go Wildcats!

Thank you, Wildcats!

Thank you to our Whittier community for your energy, investment, and effort to make the 2021-2022 an amazing success. We are SO proud of what we accomplished together this year, including:

  • Raising over $76,000 during our Annual Give fundraiser, over $83,000 at our Spring Fling block party fundraiser, and nearly $21,000 with our Move-a-thon FUNdraiser, for a total of almost $180,000 funds raised this school year to support our students, staff, family, and community. INCREDIBLE job, Wildcats.
  • Hosting eight First Fun Friday events to allow families to connect and celebrate safely together
  • Monthly staff appreciation hosted by each grade coordinated by PTA Hospitality and supported by our Whittier families and week-long teacher appreciation celebration coordinated by PTA Hospitality
  • Supporting the Massive Monkees residency and Specialist support
  • Funding five administrative and community funding proposals to serve our community, including Safety Patrol gear, groundskeeping supplies, and playground equipment
  • Organizing community engagement and family support, like Helping Hands and the Winter Sock Drive
  • Supporting school and student-led community efforts, including Whittier’s recent booster clinic, Kindergarten virtual tours, and March’s Prides of March community giving
  • Created, sold, and distributed Spirit Gear
  • We received the Bronze, Silver, and Gold awards for membership growth this year from the WA State PTSA
  • Providing Covid-related updates, summaries, and communication so families could feel safer and access vaccines and tests easier
  • Creating a printed school directory for families to connect over the summer
  • Installing a buddy bench and new playground equipment in collaboration with 2020’s Fifth Grade class
  • Publishing 18 Wildchats, Konstella announcements, Konstella calendar, and social media announcements to ensure families feel informed and connected
  • Hosting 10 PTA Board meetings and 4 Community meetings
  • Engaging in advocacy to connect our community with local stakeholders (Representatives Noel Frame and Liz Berry, SPS & SCPTSA Leaders, Schools First, North End FACE & Advocacy Chairs), driving support for this year’s levy proposals and directing bell time proposal feedback

We’re excited (and a little exhausted) but we can’t wait to make next year even better. The PTA is still seeking Whittier community members to join us in essential board positions next year. Many hands make light work; reach out to Leah, next year’s PTA President, for more information on open positions or to become part of our board.

Collect Your Lost & Found Items!This is the FINAL week to collect any Lost & Found items from Whittier! Look for the Lost & Found rack outside the main entrance at pick-up every day this week. Any items not collected by 6/17 will be donated. Thank you!

Needed: Caregiver Rep for Whittier BLT

Whittier’s Building Leadership Team (BLT) is seeking a parent/caregiver representative. This volunteer position is a two year commitment and the BLT meets for an hour and a half in the afternoon on the first Monday each month throughout the school year to discuss curriculum, building strategy, budget, and other school wide topics. The BLT is made up of  two parent representatives, the principal, an administrative representative, representatives from the different grade levels teachers, a representative from the Specialists and a learning interventionist representative.Please direct questions and interest to the current parent reps: 

Interested to volunteer but not sure if the BLT role is right for you? Reach out to vp@whittierptaseattle.org to learn about more volunteer opportunities!

Move-a-thon 2022: By The Numbers

Enjoy these Wildcat stats from the Move-a-Thon:

  • # of participating students: 350+
  • # of laps completed: 4112+
  • # of miles covered: 515+
  • $ raised at the Move-a-Thon for Whittier PTA to put to work in the 2022-23 school year: nearly $21,000

AMAZING! Thank you to our Wildcat community! Questions? Contact fundraising@whittierptaseattle.com.

Celebrating Our Fifth Graders

This year’s fifth grade class is filled with special scholars and young leaders destined to change the world. We are grateful for the way they’ve lead their Whittier peers throughout this year, including cheering them on during our first assemblies, supporting others during this year’s Booster clinic, and sharing their voices and concerns during PTA Board Meetings. 

This week’s celebration of our fifth graders includes today’s Adventure Day and a Promotion Ceremony for fifth graders and their parents on Thursday, June 16, during the school day. During this promotion ceremony, fifth grade families will have the opportunity to take photos at our our new photo booth, created for this fifth grade’s promotion.

Thank you to our fifth grade families for their service, Wildcat spirit, and stewardship throughout your tenure at Whittier. We know you won’t go far and you’ll always be welcomed in the Whittier community (after all, you’ll all still be Wildcats at Whitman!). Best of luck to our fifth grade Wildcats!

Buddy Bench Installed!

We are so excited to complete our final playground improvement of the year. Donated by the Fifth Grade class of 2020 (and tirelessly coordinated by PTA President Tina), this Buddy Bench will be a great space for Whittier friends to connect for years to come. Go Wildcats!

The Work Continues: Continuing the Fight Against Gun Violence

We thank the incredible teachers, staff and leadership at Whittier for their steadfast dedication to making our school a safe and joyful space for our kids every single day. 

As we continue to grapple with the recent devastating acts of violence, we feel called to ACTION.  Gun violence is a public health crisis. It impacts each of us but it’s important to remember that it does not impact us equally. Read more about how gun violence impacts communities in Washington.

We CAN fight against this. Please take less than 1 minute (YES, really!) to complete these 3 quick and meaningful actions TODAY.

  1. Contact your LEGISLATORS: Text BOLD to 644-33. Our legislators are getting increased feedback from people all across our state and their opinions vary greatly. We need to be LOUD and we need to email and call our legislators on a regular basis. Get started by texting BOLD.
  2. Sign up as an advocate: To stay informed on ongoing advocacy efforts and continue to learn more about the complexities of gun violence, sign up as an advocate. The Alliance for Gun Responsibility is on the frontlines of this work here in Washington and is a great place to start. Learn more here. 
  3. DONATE: Every dollar counts to fight gun violence. The more funds advocacy organizations can raise, the more progress we will see and the more pressure we will put on congress. Give today.

Eager for more information? Montlake Elementary has put an amazing comprehensive list together of many more ways you can learn and get involved over the summer. Questions? Ideas? Contact advocacy@whittierptaseattle.org

Library Books Now Overdue!

Have you found a wayward Whittier library book in your house? Please send it with your Wildcat or drop it at the Front Office for collection. They were due last week!

Booster Clinic Success!

An ENORMOUS THANK YOU to Nurse Marissa, Dr. Chanelle Roberts and the Docere Center for Natural Medicine, caregiver volunteers, Principal Watters, Whittier teachers and staff, and our Wildcat students for making our Booster/Vaccine clinic a success! In four hours we were able to boost or vaccinate 189 Whittier students. It was amazing to see Wildcats support one another with cheers, helpful gestures (like sharing a stuffed animal), and kind words. We are so proud of everyone’s hard work to help keep our community safe!

Looking for vaccine or booster clinics? SPS is hosting a couple more this year! Learn more.

Yearbooks Are Arriving!

2021-2022 Yearbooks are arriving! 5th graders will receive theirs early (during their adventure day). Other grades should expect their yearbooks to be distributed on Thursday or Friday. 

Whittier Playground WILL be open this summer!

Enjoy and please help us caretake this space when you’re there!

Family Directory Distribution

Your Whittier Family Directory is coming home soon! Thanks to our amazing volunteers, especially Amy Bryan and Todd Simonson, for putting this together. Be sure to use this amazing resource this summer!

Next Year’s Class Assignments

Returning to Whittier? Expect to receive information about next year’s class assignments on Wednesday, August 31. Have a great summer!

Psst! Want a sneak preview of next year’s event and school calendar? It’s already up on Konstella!

Know a Family Considering Whittier? Register today!

Do you know a neighborhood family considering Whittier? Encourage them to register today! Teacher and classroom assignments are being made early this summer, so future Whittier families shouldn’t delay in registering (even if they’re still deciding between Whittier and another school). 

Note: If you’re new to the Whittier community or Seattle Public Schools, there’s no need to re-register. Unless you’ve chosen to transfer district schools, your child will automatically continue at Whittier (or their next school) next year.

Don’t Miss Whittier Updates This Summer!

The school year is out, but our community is still organizing, connecting, and planning! Stay connected to friends, events, and updates:

  • Join Konstella. Once classroom assignments are released, we’ll update our Konstella classrooms so families can connect with one another. And next year’s calendar is already up! Don’t forget–Konstella has a digital directory so you can find family contact information over the summer (or message them directly). We also use Konstella to make any important announcements and updates.
  • Join your grade-level FB group (scroll down for links for each group) for opportunities to informally connect with other Whittier families in your grade.
  • Follow Whittier PTA on Instagram or Facebook. We broadcast updates here, too, so you won’t miss a thing.

Thank you, Wildcats!

Whittier PTA Announces 2022’s Popsicle Playdates!

We hope to see you there! 

Please note: Child supervision is NOT provided at Popsicle playdates; families are responsible for supervising their children. In addition, no bathroom facilities will be available as the building will be closed for the summer.

Useful Links for New Whittier Families

Whittier-Specific

Whittier After School Partners

SPS-Specific

Whittier Elementary Covid-19 Booster/Vaccine Clinic

Whittier Elementary Covid-19 Booster/Vaccine Clinic

Wednesday, June 1st from 8:30 am- 10:30 am

Sponsored by Dr. Chanelle Roberts and Docere Center for Natural Medicine

  • If your child has their second COVID vaccine on or after January 1st 2022 they are now eligible for a booster. 
  • If your child has had COVID within the past 30 days we do not recommend vaccinating/boosting them yet. They should receive their vaccine/booster 30-90 days after COVID infection. 
  • We will also be offering 1st and 2nd COVID vaccines.
  • Parents are welcome to be present but it is not required as long as we have a consent form (see attached) ahead of time. 
  • We have plans to address shot anxiety and pain using “shot blockers” and the “buzzy” as well as offering fun band aids, stickers and lollipops!
  • Students will be sent home with a vaccine card and the vaccine information will be added to the Washington State Database at the time of administration. There is no need to send in their previous vaccination card unless you would like us to put their booster information on the same card. 
  • Vaccines will be offered on Wednesday, June 1 between 8:30-10:30am. If you’d like to accompany your child, please plan to arrive at 8:30am and we will try to expedite your child’s time.

Please return the attached consent form by Tuesday 5/31 if you would like your child to receive a vaccine on June 1st. We will also be sending home a paper copy of the consent on today. School Covid-19 Vaccine Clinic at SPS.docx 

*** We will NOT vaccinate any child without receiving a consent form signed by a parent. ***

*** If your child has extreme anxiety around vaccinations check with me to see if this is the best place for them to receive their vaccine.***

Questions? Please contact Nurse Marissa.