Thank you!

Because of your prompt payment, we have collected all the fees needed to give our kids and teachers the learning supplies for the school year.

We purchased over $21,000 in supplies for the start of the school year and will purchase an additional $7,000 over the next 10 months. With the amazing efforts of volunteers who came in before the start of school, we delivered more than 5 pallets of supplies to homeroom classrooms and specialty rooms like the library, gym, and music.

You helped purchase 12,182 pencils, 3,492 glue sticks, 1,220 pink erasers, 940 white board markers, 585 boxes of Kleenex, 572 sharpies and so much more for our kids.

You also raised $3,900 for a Seattle school in need. The school, without a PTSA, has a substantial free and reduced lunch population of 73% and is grateful for this unexpected help. Once they receive the donation and have the opportunity to put it to good use, we will send out an update on how you helped this school and its kids to have a better school year.  You still have an opportunity to donate, please visit our payment website to support Seattle students in need.

Curriculum Night 2018

Thursday, September 27

Schedule:

  • Kindergarten: 5:30-6:25 in classrooms
  • First Grade: 5:30-6:20 start in classrooms and end in the library
  • Second Grade: 6:30-7:20 in classrooms
  • Third Grade: 6:30-7:20 start in the library and end in classrooms
  • Fourth Grade: 6:30-7:15 in classrooms

Parents and guardians, this is your opportunity to meet with their kids’ teachers and get an overview of the curriculum for the year. Some grade levels will present as a team this night, discussing their combined goals. K-4th Grade Curriculum night 2018 is on Thursday, Sept 27. We’ll have a map available at the entrance to help you find your way to your classrooms.

Child care available starting at 6pm.
This is an parent/guardian-only event. If you need child care, LASER will be open starting at 6pm for $15/child (over 5 years old). You don’t need to be currently enrolled in LASER to use this service. Sign up for Curriculum Night care now.

Family Arts Night needs volunteer leads!

Family Arts Night is a favorite event at Bryant: each April, students get to showcase their skills in a series of art projects including a T-shirt screen-printing station where students can screen the event logo on their own T-shirt. We are looking for 2 co-leaders for this event as well. Volunteers helping to organize these events will have the support and mentorship of the Bryant Arts Committee.

Please contact Kristin Zwiers with your interest!

2018-19 Meeting Schedule

All meetings are at 7pm in the Bryant Library unless otherwise noted. (Dates in bold are General Meetings)

September 20, 2018
Minutes | Budget | Treasurer Overview

October 9, 2018
Minutes | Budget YTD | approved 2018-19 | Social Emotional Learning presentation

November 13, 2018
Minutes | Budget

December 11, 2018
Minutes | Budget

January 15, 2019
Minutes | Budget

February 12, 2019 (rescheduled to Feb 27 due to snow)
Minutes | Budget

March 12, 2019
Minutes | Budget

April 2, 2019
Minutes | Budget

May 14, 2019
Minutes | Budget | preliminary proposed 2019-2020 PTSA budget

June 11, 2019 (in the lunchroom)
Minutes | Budget | proposed budget for 2019-2020

*NEW TIMES Prefunk the Bryant Way!

*Sorry for the back and forth on the timing. With the teachers’ union and district reaching a tentative agreement, and the SEA membership having its vote next Saturday, Tuesday afternoon is now open for the 1st-5th grade Back to Bryant event at its original time, with Kindergarten classes open on Friday.

1st-5th GRADES
Tues, Sept 4
3-4pm in the classroom
Lemonade and Bryant photo-booth: 3-5pm on the school yard
 
KINDERGARTEN
Fri, Sept 7
1:15-2:15pm in the classrooms
Lemonade and Bryant photo-booth: 2-3pm on the school yard
 
New this year… Ease back into the school year with a visit the day before classes start! Check out your new classroom, establish a nickname with your new teacher, and find the best spots in your new homeroom at this is a casual re-entry to the year. No need to bring anything other than yourself.
 
When you’ve had enough classroom time, come join everyone out on the school yard for some lemonade with lavender or rosemary from the garden, and photo booth fun until you’re ready to go home and get prepared for the big day.

New this year… Ease back into the school year with a visit the day before classes start! Check out your new classroom, establish a nickname with your new teacher, and find the best spots in your new homeroom at this is a casual re-entry to the year. No need to bring anything other than yourself.

When you’ve had enough classroom time, come join everyone out on the school yard for some lemonade with lavender or rosemary from the garden, and photo booth fun until you’re ready to go home and get prepared for the big day.

Join (or renew) with the Bryant PTSA today!

New this year, join the Bryant PTSA online. Membership is a great way to support the largest volunteer association dedicated to child advocacy and programs benefitting children in Seattle and nationwide.

Top Five Reasons to Join the PTSA:

  1. Build a partnership between our school and our families.
  2. Vote on the Bryant PTSA budget, on resolutions, and for the Bryant PTSA Executive Board.
  3. Help fund PTSA scholarships and grants.
  4. Provide a legislative voice for our children in Olympia and in Washington, D.C.
  5. Get exclusive member discounts at businesses like Great Wolf Lodge, Office Depot, and Kinko’s/Fedex

Your PTSA membership needs to be renewed every year. Hit the ground running this year. Download your membership form today and join one of the strongest PTSA’s in our region. For more information contact the Membership Co-Chairs Kelli Hessler and Brenda Mullins.

Bryant PTSA General Meeting Minutes – June 2018

Bryant PTSA General Meeting Agenda
June 12th, 2018 7:00pm
Bryant Library

Attendance:
Kim Love, Julie Ohrazda, Brita Willis, Nelly Goodnoe, Shelly Prosise, Whitney Griesbach, Sara Fenzl, Anne Aliverti, Katie Salisbury, Pamela Kuhto, Sam Fogg, Natalya Yudkovsky, Amy Piper, Jean Charette, Michelle Ireton, Liz Arjun, Jennifer Malhum, Mary-Britt Love, Ann Sonnen, Lorainne Sawicki, Janie Booth, Dan Sanger

Welcome, Julie Ohrazda & Kim Love

Volunteer Awards, Janie Booth & Tammy Shorr

Approve March General Meeting Minutes
Approved without corrections

Officer/Standing Committee Reports

  • Treasurer’s Report, Brita Willis
    • Boy Scout donation of $1000 was directed toward locking garden shed approved by PTSA at May meeting
  • Legislative Chairs’ Report, Jean Charette
    • Levies coming up during next election will be very important – Legislative chairs will work on a postcard campaign at the beginning of the school year
  • Bryant Leadership Team, Kim Love
    • Staff still working on approved CSIP; BLT is working to reimagine the First Day Welcome Tea
  • Principal’s Report, Dan Sanger
    • Last report for Principle Sanger.  Asst. principal and full time counselor will be announced shortly.  Leadership support system through the district to help the transition of our new principal and asst. principal

New Business                                                                           

  • General Membership Vote on Budget for 2018-19, Brita Willis & Nelly Goodnoe
    • Approved
  • General Membership Vote on Board slate for 2018-19, Nominating Committee
    • Approved
  • Music instrument – repair/ tuning, Kim Love
    • Approved
    • Approved PTSA funding tuning of 3 pianos at $255 and repairing percussion instruments up to $1075
  • Art suppliers for Kristen Wipple, Nelly Goodnoe
    • Approved
    • Approved additional art supply funding up to $185
  • Remove Nelly Goodnoe from Home Street Banking as a signer, Nelly Goodnoe
    • Approved
    • Effective July 1st , 2018, we agree that Nelly Goodnoe is coming off accounts at HomeStreet Bank.  We agree that besides Kim Love and Brita Willis, we will add Lorraine Sawicki to be signers for Bryant Elementary PTSA accounts at HomeStreet Bank.

Meeting Adjourned 8:43

Bryant PTSA Board Meeting Minutes – May 2018

Bryant PTSA Board Meeting
May 8th 2018 7pm

Welcome and Introductions Kim Love and Julie Orhazda

Approve April Meeting Minutes

Officer/Standing Committee Report

  1. Treasurer’s Report (Brita Willis and Nelly Goodnoe)
    • Brita reviewed April and Early May highlights (see attached paperwork)
    • Spent time putting together budget for next year.
    • Faculty and staff went to CPR training funded by PTSA
    • 4 out of 6 grade levels are planning to use Community Building Grant (4th and 5th grade have not yet submitted plans)
    • Likely coming in under budget for the year
  2. Legislative Chairs Report (Shelley Prosisi & Jean Charette)
    • Two Levees due to expire- we cannot function without these levees.
      • Operations Levy
      • Building Excellence Capitol Levy
      • Please please vote on these essential levees
      • Mayor is introducing her own levy which may complicate things
      • Postcard campaigns coming
    • State Level: survey being sent out in Bryant Weekly next week about what is important to parents for k12 education
    • Voter registration for HS seniors
    • Changing credit requirements potentially from 19-20 to 24 for HS graduation
    • Gun Safety inquiry: impetus for this tied into voter registration efforts to make changes on state level
    • National PTA and Seattle Council PTA passed resolutions around reducing gun violence. Anticipation that more resolution will be proposed in the fall and the PTSA will have a voice in these matters
  3. Volunteer Coordinators Report (Tammy Shorr)
    Volunteer Awards coming out soon- please send along names and why they are deserving of volunteer awards. We have set awards but can also be creative and can create new awards. Request will go out in Bryant Weekly.
  4. Bryant Leadership Team (Kim Love)
    • Finalized Continuous School Improvement Plan in last BLT meeting
    • Take a look at last CSIP (Google Bryant CSIP)
    • This year’s, coming out in spring will work to include ALL Bryant families
    • Next area of focus is orientation to the entire school community/families
    • CSIP that is being created now is a revision of the one that is currently accessible. Current one to be submitted by June 15th 2018.
    • Teachers currently have CSIP and are giving edits/suggestions
  5. Principal’s report (Dan Sanger)
    • How does the transition work to a new principal?
      • Dan Sanger really wants Ms. Marshall to meet many students/teachers/PTSA
      • He will spend a lot of time with her to create as smooth a transition as possible
      • Ms. Marshall will be attending New Family Night
      • She will be getting extra support from the district as well, and Dan will connect her with the right people moving forward
  6. Nominating Committee (Tammy Shorr, Ann Sonnen, Yvonne Roberts, Brita Willis, Nelly Goodnoe)
    The nominating committee places nominations for the following:

    • Co-presidents: Kim Love and Whitney Griesbach
    • Vice President: Ann Sonnen
    • Co-secretaries: Clare Kealy and Jen McCormick
    • Co-treasurers: Brita Willis and Lorraine Sawicki
    • Co-fundraising chairs: Leann Huntington, Sara Fenzi, Mary Britt-Love
    • Co-volunteer coordinators: Janie Booth and Tammy Shorr
    • Co-Membership Chairs: Kelli Hessler and Brenda Mullins
    • Co-legislative chairs: Jean Charette, Yvonne Roberts, and Diana Fryc
    • Members at Large: Nelly Goodnoe and Sam Fogg
    • Teacher Representative: Anne Aliverti and Jessica James
  7. 2018-2019 Budget Committee (Brita Willis and Nelly Goodnoe)
    Budget presented to board for vote tonight: Vote taken and approved by board.

    • Raise 237k, expenses 243k, will have to pull 6k from reserve
    • Current reserves = $82,500
    • Question raised about cut in art budget- there will be a full-time (1.0 FTE) Art  Specialist/plenty of supplies still in place from District shipment last year
    • General membership to vote on it next meeting –General Membership meeting in June
  8. Special Orders
    None
  9. New Business
    • Garden Committee request for shed (Sam Fogg)
      Presentation: Gardening at Bryant provides 2 focuses:

      • Going into classrooms and getting kids out in the garden- this is our messy science laboratory
      • Maintain landscape at Bryant. SPS mows lawn and does heavy pruning, every other gardening thing is done by parent volunteers
    • Professional Landscapers hired in early 2000s and this was a 400k project that MUST be maintained or we will lose it
    • What is the future of our garden?
      • The garden is struggling. We need more volunteers and also we keep our stuff behind the dumpster, not secured. It has therefore been stolen twice this year…everything is gone. The hands-on garden has been trashed and vandalized many times. We do not see the point of purchasing new tools if we have no secure place to put them.
      • District has told us we can no longer keep tools where they are currently stored due to potential harm to heating/cooling system.
      • A locking shed would work to mitigate all of the above problems.
      • Proposed ask: up to 2500k. This does not include current garden budget.
      • Working to find vendors for shed purchase and placement. Shed would be stored near hands-on garden.
      • Vision is to have a white board and a teaching area out of the shed.
      • Question about graffiti: research says the closer the shed is to the school building, the less likely that graffiti would occur.
      • Community Ask is not possible because of the specific requirements of sheds for Landmark Buildings imposed by the District.
      • Hoping to file insurance claim to replace tools that were stolen. SPD report is next task at hand.
      • Playground remodel is a separate project.
      • Hope to have a bigger conversation at the beginning of the next school year to talk about the involvement of the school and student body in the maintenance of the garden.
      • Vote on action item: 2500k for new shed.
      • Security of shed can be considered later.
      • Motion made to approve up to 2500k to be used for a garden shed.
      • Motion approved.