![]() Does someone in your PTA deserve a shout out? WSPTA has a formal volunteer award recognition program allowing local PTAs to award honors for outstanding educator, advocate, student advocate, and volunteer (Golden Acorn), as well as the honorary life membership award. Awards are a great way for PTAs to show their community how much they appreciate them and to celebrate the dedication of those who support your PTA's mission and goals! Local PTAs should appoint an awards committee who will gather nominations, review them, and choose the award recipients. This can be done during a meeting or some PTAs even choose to have the previous year's award recipients chair this committee. When the awards committee advertises for nomination submissions, it can be done via social media, newsletters, website, email, or even school flyers. To make it even easier for members to submit nominations, the awards committee can create an online submission form using tools like Google Forms or Survey Monkey. For recognizing the award recipients, your PTA can hold a volunteer recognition event or take time during a Membership Meeting to celebrate them. WSPTA offers a variety of items your PTA can order online to celebrate your award recipients including certificates, pins, plaques, and even yard signs! Local PTAs may award the following within their local community:
Click to learn more: WSPTA Volunteer Recognition Awards Northshore Council PTSA will be holding online elections for eight (8) of the positions on its 2022-23 Executive Committee on Monday, March 21, 2022. Slate of Candidates In the 2022 Nominating Committee Report, the following slate of candidates were put forward for 2022-2023:
The period for self-declared nominations for these positions closed on Friday, March 11, 2022. Qualification Requirements Per the 2021-2022 Council Standing Rules: All Candidates:
Candidates for the office of President and First Vice President shall also:
Candidates for the offices of VP of Elementary Support and VP of Secondary Support shall also:
Each of the slated candidates meets all qualification requirements. Election Information:
As there is only one candidate per position, the election will be conducted via voice vote at the next General Membership Meeting, on Monday, March 21, 2022. For positions that are listed as "OPEN", no candidate has come forth. Council will continue to seek volunteers for these positions with the goal of holding elections for them at a future General Membership Meeting. Topic: Northshore Council PTSA General Meeting Time: Mar 21, 2022 06:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87831033263 Meeting ID: 878 3103 3263 Passcode: *Available upon request. One tap mobile +12532158782,,87831033263#,,,,*369032# US (Tacoma) +17207072699,,87831033263#,,,,*369032# US (Denver) Dial by your location +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 720 707 2699 US (Denver) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) Meeting ID: 878 3103 3263 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbQXYLjPbb Information about Northshore Council PTSA online elections procedures is available in its Electronic Voting (E-Voting) Policy. Questions? Please contact Northshore Council PTSA President Jane Chiodo. *A meeting password is required to join. It will be sent to local leaders via email. You can also request the password by emailing Council PTSA VP of Communications, Rachel Fitzgerald.
Following the film will be a pre-recorded panel session addressing frequently asked questions and common discussion topics from the film.
Register for a viewing link here: https://forms.gle/QPTrFZbXaf6FcnKY9 Deadline to register is Friday, April 1st. This event is co-sponsored by Kenmore Middle School PTSA and Northshore Council PTSA. For questions, email Abby Polasko at [email protected]. ![]() We all know people within our community who give a little extra, work a little harder, and who are always volunteering! Now you can help us recognize these people by nominating them for a Northshore Council PTSA Recognition Award! To Nominate someone, please complete our 2022 Northshore Council PTSA Awards Nomination Form. Nominations are due by Friday, April 22, 2022! Every year, we look for nominations for the following awards:
Multiple submissions can be completed for multiple nominees!
Awards will be presented during our Spring Recognition Event. Learn more about Council Awards or view our previous award recipients. Questions? Contact Council Awards Committee. Now is great time of year for our High School PTSAs to hold a Voter Registration Drive! ![]() Students 16 years old and up are eligible to register to vote and will then be eligible to VOTE when they turn 18. Hosting a student voter registration drive is a great way to not only increase your local advocacy efforts, but to also put the "S" into PTSA by elevating student voices. Students can promote civic engagement through voter registration drives and registering to vote themselves. Tips & Resources for Holding a Voter Registration Drive
Check out our new Special Education Representative Facebook Group!
This group has been created to provide a forum for Northshore PTA/PTSA leaders to ask questions and share ideas, resources and stories about Special Education and is open to all local PTA/PTSA Special Education (SpEd) Representatives and Presidents. While Council still plans to communicate to our local leaders via email and our other social media pages, we hope that you find this group a useful tool when it comes to communicating between our SpEd Reps across our district. You are invited to join Council's next Emergency Preparedness (E-Prep) Chair meeting!
Anyone in PTA/PTSA is welcome to attend our meetings, and we encourage all local PTA/PTSA E-Prep chairs to attend as well as PTA/PTSA Presidents and/or Vice Presidents or delegates. In this meeting we share and obtain updates from the NSD Safety team and discuss opportunities where the PTA can provide support to our schools in the areas of emergency preparedness, safety, and security. Date: Tuesday, April 5th Time: 11:00 AM to Noon, Pacific Time (US and Canada) Zoom Link & Passcode: Available upon request If you would like the zoom link and passcode in order to attend this meeting, or have questions concerning Emergency Preparedness, please email Council's E-Prep Co-Chairs, Tracy Jokisch & Robin McKenzie. We look forward to seeing you Be a part of Northshore Council's spring committees! We are searching for members to be a part of two committees this spring; one for our Spring Recognition Event and the other for our Council Recognition Awards. Read more about each of these committees below and find out how you can get involved!
Both of these committees play an important role in celebrating the accomplishments and dedication of our local PTAs and PTA Leaders. Volunteers are able to serve on both committees if interested!
Our Spring Recognition Event is scheduled to take place in June. ![]() Almost all of our kids will be bullied, or be a witness to bullying, to some degree in their schooling years. The studies vary on how often, how many kids, and who gets bullied, but the fact is that too many kids are victims of this phenomenon. The consequences of bullying can be disastrous. It can lead to physical injury, social and emotional scarring, lower academic achievements, self-harm, mental health struggles, and even death. Kids who bully others and are bullied themselves are at the greatest risk for mental health and behavioral problems. What is bullying? According to Psychology Today, bullying is a distinctive pattern of repeatedly and deliberately harming and humiliating others, specifically those who are smaller, weaker, younger or in any way more vulnerable than the bully. The deliberate targeting of those of lesser power is what distinguishes bullying from garden-variety aggression.
![]() Who Gets Bullied and What to Look For The statistics are all over the place with bullying. Some things we do know are that a higher percentage of males than females report being physically bullied, whereas a higher percentage of girls report being the subjects of rumors and exclusion. As far as cyberbullying, it is reported the most among middle schoolers. Those that are cyberbullied are likely to be bullied offline as well. Students with specific learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, emotional and behavior disorders, and speech or language impairments are more often victims of bullying than their peers without disabilities. Also, students of color, and those who identify or are perceived as LGBTQ are at a higher risk. Not all kids who are bullied ask for help. It is estimated that less than half of bullied students notify an adult at school. There are some signs to look for but understand that not all kids show signs. Another thing to note is that simply observing bullying can lead to a negative impact on mental health. When school-age kids are victims of bullying, they are much more likely to have headaches and stomachaches, depression, anxiety, and behavioral problems. They might even experience sleep issues and nightmares, dropping grades, and may even drop out of school. They may come home from school with unexplained injuries, destroyed or lost personal belongings, and may also start showing discipline problems, as well as becoming increasingly more aggressive. Not surprisingly, there is also a strong association between bullying and suicide-related behaviors. ![]() Who Bullies and What to Look For Children who feel secure and supported at home, school, and among their peers are less likely to bully. There are several factors that may contribute to youth that bully, but every individual is unique. Those who bully chronically tend to have strained relationships with parents and peers, and may also have school factors and emotional factors to consider. Due to these struggles, bullying can be a way of establishing social dominance. This can lead to a downward spiral if not addressed properly. Some of these behaviors may actually be cries for help. Research shows that long-term bullies lack prosocial behavior, are not troubled by anxiety, do not understand others’ feelings, and often do not accept responsibility for their actions. They often misread the intentions of others and tend to have a kind of paranoia. As with kids who get bullied, kids who are the bullies have a higher risk of suicide-related behaviors. What Can Be Done The good news is that bullying is a behavior that can be changed. Those that bully or are bullied can benefit from support from school, the community, and trusted adults. These adults can teach new social and emotional skills, as well as healthy peer connections. At the onset, the best defense against bullying is teaching kids social skills and helping them develop confidence in their own abilities. The second-best defense against bullying is to walk away and not fight back. As parents, we can regularly inquire about challenges our kids are having, and maybe even role-play some solutions. It's also beneficial to understand safety while using technology. Cyberbullying is a real thing. It's important to teach kids to use social media responsibly, respectfully, and safely and to keep their passwords private. If you are the victim or a witness in cyberbullying, don’t engage in any conversation online where bullying is occurring. Bullying should never be ignored. For issues that are severe, persistent, or unresolved, the individual(s) who has(have) been the target of bullying or who has observed bullying should report the incident in writing or verbally to a staff member at that school. Northshore School District is committed to a safe environment for its students where everyone is treated with respect, and no one is physically or emotionally harmed. NSD makes it easy to report tips on bullying, harassment, or any safety issue through SafeSchools Alert. Reporting can be done online, through an app, or by calling, texting, or emailing. NSD's SafeSchools Alert can be used by students, families, or staff to report the incident and can also be done anonymously.
This article was brought to you by Northshore Council's Mental Health Committee. Visit our Mental Health Awareness Resources page to learn more about this committee and the other resources they have provided.
Northshore Council PTSA is proud to announce the recipients of our third round of Educational Speakers & Community Events Grants for 2021-2022!
Local PTAs/PTSAs interested in partnering with Northshore Council PTSA to host speakers or events were able to apply for a Northshore Council PTSA Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant. 2021-2022 grants were offered on a first-come, first-serve basis and applications were reviewed by the Northshore Council PTSA. Submissions are no longer being accepted for the 2021-2022 school year, but this program will return in the Fall of 2022. For more information about the grants program, visit our Educational Speakers and Community Events Grant Program page. |
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Northshore Council PTSA is a welcoming organization that works to support our Local PTAs and serve the children and youth of our community through advocacy, collaboration, education, engagement, leadership, and mentorship.