Bryant PTSA Board 2022-2023 Call for Nominations and Info Sessions

The Bryant PTSA is looking for passionate volunteers to serve on the PTSA Board for the 2022 – 2023 school year.
 
Virtual Information Session: PTSA 101 and Q&A on PTSA Board Roles
with the current PTSA president and Nominating Committee
Thursday, April 28th from 6-7PM
Join via google meet: https://meet.google.com/hfc-imey-oom
Note: attending the session is NOT required to be nominated to the board
 
In-Person Meet and Greet: Q&A 
with current PTSA board members, Vice President and Nominating Committee
Wednesday May4th from 8-9PM
Ravenna Brewing
Join us to come say hello and learn how to get engaged in our community. 
 
With many leadership and committee chair positions opening up (including the president and vice president roles), there is an opportunity and need for new community members to join the board. The 2022-23 Bryant PTSA board will have a critical role to lead the Bryant community as we return to old and make new community traditions next school year.  At its core, PTSA is a child advocacy organization. Additionally, Bryant PTSA signed on to a Resolution on Anti-Racism in 2020 – there is lots of opportunity to make good on this commitment!
 
We are looking for PTSA board members who are passionate about the PTSA’s mission and are committed to building equitable and inclusive spaces. People of color, and advocates for marginalized identities are especially encouraged to join!   
 
To nominate yourself or someone else, please contact Carrie Lee (carriemlee@gmail.com) or Maureen Bhak (maureen.bhak@gmail.com). 
 
The Bryant PTSA works to:
  • advocate for the well-being and education of all children in our community;
  • identify and prioritize the needs of students furthest from educational justice;
  • dismantle the structural racism that marginalizes our black, indigenous and people of color communities;
  • foster connections between students, families, teachers, staff and administrators;
  • cultivate an inclusive community and sense of belonging at Bryant; and
  • enrich the learning environment through volunteerism and sustainable funding. 
 
We need you to help realize these goals for our community! 

Bryant PTSA Endorsement of SPS School Levy Renewals – Vote Feb 8th!

Bryant PTSA has endorsed the SPS School Levy Renewals. These levies have also been officially supported by several other PTSAs and community organizations. Vote by February 8! – Ballots have arrived get yours in!
 
Community Event: Join us Sat Jan 29th: Sign Making and Neighborhood Sign Waving
WHAT: Make signs and wave signs to help get out the vote
WHEN: Sat Jan 29th. Make signs from 9:30 – 10:30 and wave from 10:30-11:30
WHERE: Sign making @ Bryant Elementary. Sign waving @65th & 35th
WHO: You and your family and your neighbors!
Let us know if you can join us at this community engagement event to spread the word and get out the vote in our community. We will have poster making supplies and granola bars! Additional sign waving on Mon Feb 7th at drop-off and pick-up
 
Donate to the campaign! Sign up as a supporter!
Get a yard sign! – Contact advocacy@bryantschool.org and we will get you one for your yard
 
Background
On February 8, Seattle voters have the chance to vote YES on Propositions 1 & 2. These ballot measures are not new taxes and replace the Seattle Public Schools Educational Programs & Operations (EP&O) Levy and the Buildings, Technology, and Academics/Athletics Levy V (BTA V). Find out more about Propositions 1 & 2 by visiting www.seattleschools.org/levies.  Building projects planned for Bryant elementary through the capital levy can be found at https://www.seattleschools.org/about/levy/2022-capital-levy/. Local funds cover critical basic education, daily operations, building renovations and technology needs. Levy revenue makes up 15% of Seattle Public School funding, capital and technology levy funds additional construction and technology costs.  Our schools depend on local funds and must pass on Feb 8th to be secured. 
 

 
Questions? Want to get involved in advocacy? Contact us at advocacy@bryantschool.org
 
 

Open House for Prospective Families

Welcome to Bryant Elementary! Bryant’s kindergarten teaching team will host an online information session for all incoming K-5 families. The teachers will provide an overview of the school, and separate information on the kindergarten program and 1st-5th grades. Parents will have the opportunity to meet and ask questions to the K teachers and related staff (principal, LASER after school program staff, PTSA representatives).  

Where: Microsoft Teams

When: February 3 at 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm (Teams link will open at 5:15pm)

More information here

Email Mr. Gallagher (kindergarten teacher) at kggallagher@seattleschools.org regarding attendance.

Winter Celebration and Giving Drive

Winter Celebration & Giving Drive

SAVE THE DATE! Join us at 1-3pm on Saturday Dec. 11th @ the Bryant Playground. 

We will have hot cocoa and cookies. Come make snowflakes to take home and decorate holiday cards for Farestart to include in holiday meals donated to community members in need. Cards can also be made at home and dropped off. 
 
Bring essential home goods to stock the pantry at Mercy Housing at Sandpoint/Magnuson Park (i.e. toilet paper, diapers, soap, shampoo, menstrual products, sponges, dish soap, conditioner, laundry detergent, socks, baby wipes, hand sanitizer – amazon wish list ideas) or donate directly online to Mercy Housing
 
Bryant PTSA Families in Need program will also be collecting $25 QFC grocery cards to be donated to our sister school. Our sister school is a Title 1 elementary school in the Seattle Public School district. With the increase in grocery prices and two week winter break approaching, families need extra assistance buying food. Bring the QFC gift cards to the Giving Drive or donate online. Thank you!
 
This will be an outdoor only event. We will not have access to the building bathrooms so come prepared. Please follow Covid safety protocols – wear your mask when not actively eating/drinking and stay home if you are not well. 
 
We need volunteers to make this event successful! Seeking help with stations for hot cocoa and cookies; craft table for families to make snowflakes to take home and decorate holiday cards for Farestart; and collect and deliver giving drive items. Please use this SignUpGenius to volunteer. 
 
Questions: Please contact Carrie Lee at carriemlee@gmail.com or Serih Cook at serihz@hotmail.com.

SPS School Levy Renewal Info Session for Bryant PTSA

The Bryant PTSA Board invites you for a special session on Dec 7th at 7pm (via Bryant PTSA TEAMS link) to learn more about the two school levy renewals on the February ballot in 2022. District staff from Seattle Public Schools will be joining us. 
 
This session is specifically for the Bryant community, staff will speak to capital improvements levy funding would support at Bryant, Eckstein and Roosevelt schools and across the district. Join us to learn more!
 
The Bryant PTSA board and members will discuss the levy at the Dec PTSA meeting and will vote on endorsement of the ballot measure at the Dec/Jan meeting. 
 
Questions: Please contact Bryant Advocacy PTSA co-chairs Carrie Lee and Nicole Witenstein: advocacy@bryantschool.org

2021-22 Meeting Schedule

Meetings are Tuesdays at 7 pm via Google Meet, unless otherwise noted. (* denotes General Membership Meetings )

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 641-569-8729‬ PIN: ‪955 754 102‬#

 

September 14, 2021
Minutes | Budget |Treasurer Overview

October 12, 2021 *
Minutes | Budget | September Financials    

November 9, 2021
Minutes | Budget | October Financials |Fiscal Year 2020-21 Year End Report

December 14, 2021
Minutes | Budget | November Financials 

January 11, 2022
Minutes| Budget | December Financials

February 8, 2022
Minutes | Budget| January Financials

March 8, 2022 *
Minutes | Budget | February Financials

April 5, 2022
Minutes | Budget | March Financials | Budget Highlights 

May 10, 2022
Minutes | Budget | April Financials | Budget Highlights | 2022-2023 Bryant PTSA Proposed Budget | Proposed Budget Narrative

June 7, 2022 *
Minutes | Budget Documents: • Budget Spreadsheet • Cash Schedule • Budget Summary

2021-22 Year End Financial Report 

Bryant PTSA Budget End of June 2021

 

2020-2021 End of Year Letter from the PTSA Board

Dear Bryant Community, 

Reflecting on this school year, we are inspired by the resilience and caring of our community.  We are grateful for each and every one of you for supporting the wellbeing of our students and speaking up on their behalf.  And, we are filled with hope as we and the school district plan for the return to full time in-person learning in the fall.

First, we’d like to recognize our students who have been engaged all year in learning, helping and growing both at school and at home. We want to thank the parents, grandparents, siblings and other caregivers and extended family who supported students’ learning. Your commitment is an awesome inspiration.

Thank you to the Bryant teachers, staff and administration for reimagining remote and in-person hybrid learning throughout the year.  We are so grateful for your leadership, resilience and dedication.

Thank you to the many donors who have supported our fundraising programs, including the Annual campaign and the Hunger Intervention programs. We’re especially appreciative of your generous support of local schools in need via the September supplies campaign and the spring Hunger Prevention program. The Hunger Intervention Program (HIP) continued throughout the year. And the Families in Need (FIN) program at Bryant continued to receive generous support from the community via the annual PTSA budget. Thank you to the leaders of each of these vital fundraising and support programs.

Bryant has a long tradition of amazing volunteerism and community leadership. We want to recognize our PTSA board, committee chairs and leaders, and especially our individual volunteers. You create the rich community that we cherish. This year our Community Engagement co-chairs reimagined events for Bryant, relying on outdoor and online formats.  Parents and staff came together to form a Technology committee to support online learners.  We also saw the expansion of the Equity Committee in the Bryant PTSA to further inclusion and belonging for all families at Bryant by recognizing and celebrating our community’s diversity and addressing the needs of those furthest from educational justice. Our Advocacy chairs strengthened our connections to our elected state, city and district representatives to enable advocacy on many important issues faced in this extraordinary year. All of this wouldn’t be possible without our communications platform and team, including Facebook, the Weekly and BryantSchool.org. Thank you to the leaders and volunteers in these Equity, Advocacy, Community Engagement and Communications roles.

As PTSA, our mission is to unite our community to support the wellbeing of every student at Bryant.  Next year, we will be especially focused on one of our primary objectives: that every member of our community feels welcome and engaged at Bryant. We look forward to reconnecting with you at in-person events and volunteer programs, when it is safe to do so. Until then, please enjoy a fun and restorative summer.  We’ll see you for an exciting return to Bryant in the fall!

 

2020-2021 Bryant PTSA Board