Welcome / Approval of Last Meeting’s Minutes
The minutes from June’s general meeting were approved. Whitney Griesbach

PTSA Goals for 2019-2020
A brief review of the goals set by PTSA for the 2019-2020 school year. There will be a focus on inclusivity and transparency. Whitney Griesbach

Approval of 2019-2020 Budget Nick Barrett
Overview of 2019-2020 budget. Highlights:

• $315,000 sources of cash (increase of $55k due to increased funds from Annual Campaign)
• $300,000 in expenses (increase of $40k due to increase in , and $53,000 carryover and surplus

The budget was approved.
Bryant currently has an enrollment of 583 students.

Changes to Standing Rules

Standing rules had 2 minor changes:

• Update to new board members (#23)
• Changes to registration (#10-#11)

These will be updated on the website.

Principal’s Update Charmaine Marshall
The update was primarily focused on how Bryant will meet the needs for students across the spectrum, both those who need additional support and those who are advanced.

• Completed hiring two new support staff, who are already providing assistance to students at both ends of the spectrum.
• We’re looking to do more professional development for all teachers. As a neighborhood school, we want to meet the needs of all students, including those who are highly capable. So we need to be able to train our teachers to be able to support students across the spectrum. Students will be targeted for the support they need. There is some discussion at the district level around reintegrating HCC at neighborhood schools. We want to be able to provide that support now for the students here.
• Our PTSA requests will be based on professional development and supplemental materials, especially around math instruction.
• For SBA Test, 3rd grades (current 4th graders) in Math, 50% are exceeding. We are one of the higher performing schools in the area. With targeted support, we can bring up the 8% that are L1. Literacy is similar.
• Achieving this will require a continued focus on these core skills: 1 hour for math, 1.5 hrs for literacy per day.
• With the additional instructors and tutors we are helping students who are either struggling or need more advanced help.
• Doing a new Multicultural Event in December—looking for 3-4 people for the steering committee

Committee Reports

• Fundraising
  • Kicked off Annual Campaign yesterday.
  • Students getting a free recess for 100% participation (students AND teachers VERY excited)
  • Need sign ups to update percentages for the board
• Membership
  • No updates
• Volunteers
  • Still looking for Bryant Blast leadership
  • Reflections leadership has been found, but this will be their last year, so looking for a mentee who will then be able to take this on next year
  • Able to find enough parents for picture day, but will need more volunteers for retake day and class pictures. Also need someone to head this process. Free pictures/packages to parent helper.
  • Volunteer interest survey indicated interest by additional parents to volunteer.
• Legislative
  • Election coming! Everyone should vote.
  • Leg Assembly is October 26/27. Let us know if you have an issue you want to communicate to the assembly, as they determine the agenda for the year.
  • New dates will be scheduled for meet and gree with State Senator David Frockt, and State Reps Gerry Pollet and Javier Valdez
• Teacher Representative
  • New interventionists have started working with groups this week and they are really meeting the needs of those kids who are working with them, while also allowing increased focus for teachers with the rest of the students.
• Communications
  • New rules for photographs/images. Trying to limit the number of images of children on social media as it’s difficult to control the distribution of those images.
  • Lots of emails for lots of different functions; trying to improve that workflow so it’s much easier to distribute information (and prevent them from being missed).
  • Global events calendar. We know the dates, but we also want to identify when that information needs to be distributed to the different channels.
• Building Leadership Team (BLT) Update
  • Discussions around how different staff will be used
  • Discussions around new multicultural events

New Business

Community Engagement Update Clare Kealy

• Mom’s Night Out was a success
• • Boo Bash is coming!
  • 1 week from Friday
  • Trying to create a fall event (similar to the Bryant Blast in the spring) to foster community
• Speakers also coming
• Volunteer event with Green Seattle Day on Nov 2, 9am-12pm at Magnuson
• Grade level community engagement has continued — $500 per grade for all-inclusive event. Doesn’t need to be in the spring.

Additional business

• Additional business focused on different requests for more funding from the unallocated funds:
• Request from Writer’s Celebration for a new embosser (“elementary” was spelled wrong on the current one). Cost is $100.06.
  • Approved
• Need to follow up about art supplies. No vote.
• Request for funds for Math Talk, a K-5 textbook to help with critical thinking around math. Would like to buy 10 additional copies so that we have 2 per grade level and for the interventionists to use. $600 for 10 additional copies.
  • Approved
• Request for sub time to support a Data review with 3rd through 5th grade teachers to review math scope and sequence. ½ day subs for 2 days across 2 grades, for a total of 10 subs at $225 per day. Total cost of $2250. We want this interim data before we go into winter. This is a one-time ask, but we need a long-term plan for how to handle this in future years.
  • Approved
• Request from PTSA for Quickbook subscription upgrade. This will allow us to keep track of all our funds, as this summer the Plus subscription changed to restrict the number of funds we can track. We need to go up to the advanced level of Quickbooks, which is $700 (for a new annual total of $1400). It would be a significantly harder job without it. Recommended by our CPA. We can also pursue some grants for the software and evaluate
  • Approved

Adjourn 8:30

November 12, 2019

Welcome / Approval of Last Meeting’s Minutes, Whitney Griesbach, Ann Sonnen
The minutes from November’s general meeting were approved.

Treasurer’s Update, Nick Barrett
The annual campaign was a success!

• 92% participation, with donations of ~$184k (v. $180k in 2018)
• As of 11/12 we have collected $137k.

Additional treasurer updates include:

• We sent $6k to a local elementary school to help with their school supplies.
• Our insurance policy was approved.
• We are awaiting state update on filing of our 990 with IRS.

NOTE: We’re trying out not printing financials for the meeting, but we will put it on the web as soon as possible.

Principal’s Update, Charmaine Marshall
Fall parent-teacher conferences begin next week. Our first Multicultural Event is coming in December:

• It was originally slated for Dec 12th, but because of a competing Eckstein music performance we moved it to Friday Dec 13th.
• For the event we have two tentative professional performers, but are looking for more performers (if parents are interested let Charmaine know!). We are also planning on having an international potluck, with a sign up coming soon.
• We are still organizing the event. We do not have many volunteers yet, but we do have a solid framework in place. Our meeting Monday Nov 18th is to finalize the details.
• This would likely be an annual event.
• We ordered additional flags (10 or 12 more) to represent our study body, and they have arrived. However, we need to do a work order to get them hung.
• REQUEST: We would like $1000 to cover performances for the event: Roger Fernandez ($200) and Taiko drummers ($580+ travel for 20 minutes of drumming).

Approved Update on MTSS framework:

• During the week of Dec 2-6, three interventionist specialists will be doing reading testing for level 1 & 2 students.
• During the week of Dec 9-13, K-5 teachers will be doing a data review. This will inform our strategic planning for how to best support students who need more intervention and support (as well as level 4 students).

There have been continued conversations around reintegrating HCC at neighborhood schools. They are currently proposing three sites for pilot program, and Bryant is one of those sites because so many of our students are advanced learning eligible. They are coming on 13th of December.

Our literacy leads have been looking at our literacy program and reviewing materials for 4th and 5th grades for small group instruction.

• Currently those grades do not have small group instruction.
• We would like to continue small group instruction for older grades.

Committee Reports

• Fundraising (Sara/Allison)*
  • Big thank you to everyone for the Annual Campaign success!
• Membership (Tara/Rebecca)
  • No update
• Volunteers (Renee/Kathleen)
  • Going to send emails to committee chairs to have them send to us to post in weekly and on FB page.
• Legislative (Sam/Adele)*
  • We had an election!
    • King county almost hit 50%, which is much bigger than usual for off-year election.
    • New school board directors.
• Legislative assembly Oct 26-27th.
  • Presentation about the history of PTSA, updating of resolutions.
  • “Legislative chair” is now called “advocacy chair.” (We can make the update formally at the next general meeting. It will need to be approved as part of the Standing Rules.)
• Teacher Representative (Jessica/Chara)
  • Teachers are busy preparing for conferences, identifying what data points to share. Most helpful when parents come with questions and willingness to share what’s going on at home.
  • Working with aids
  • New report cards that are standards based. More relevant to what we’re teaching.
• Community Engagement (Clare/Jen)
  • No update
• Community Service (Seema Bhende)*
  • More efforts to do community service. First event Nov 2 for Green Day Seattle. Allotted and filled 30 spots. Magnuson Park planting (295 plants) and clean-up.
  • Next event will be Martin Luther King Day, Jan 20th. Looking to do a service event for 150 people. We are starting to crowd source ideas for what we can do. Bryant has been offered as a venue.
    • Some schools do work at the school (painting, etc.)
    • If we do it offsite, there are more restrictions (age of children, food service). United Way King County hasn’t posted their activities yet.
    • Are there any suggestions that can accommodate a larger group?
      • Grounds work has been successful in the past—could coordinate with garden team. Clean out leaves, cut back growth, pick up trash.
      • Interior work: Cleaning or refurbishing railings or doorway by entrance, but this might have other building complications.
      • Whitney: could we start a Google doc for people to submit ideas?
      • Seema: yes!
      • Other ideas: HIP, Mary’s Place, Food Life Line.
        

New Business

• Equity Committee Formation, Ann Sonnen
  • Kim Rakow Bernier is forming a new committee around equity. Initially it will be focused on equity and shared belonging at Bryant. Looking for new members, and leadership. Whitney Griesbach
• Exec/ Committee Liaison Support, Brita Willis
  • As vice president, Brita has been reaching out to committee chairs. She has been working on the help doc, succession plans, and providing other support.
• Additional
  • Please sign up for staff dinners during conferences. Whitney sent out a sign-up genius (not everyone received it so she will resend).
  • No update on crossing guard at 65th and 32nd.

• Adjourn 8:15

• Welcome and PTSA Goals for 2019-2020
  • Overview of meeting schedule
  • Highlighting goals for the year, Whitney Griesbach / Ann Sonnen
    • How can we make PTSA more approachable and accessible
    • How we can improve the transitioning of roles: creating more of a process to transition roles, onboarding materials, etc. in order to alleviate fears of joining
    • More of a partnership with the building
    • Increased transparency of board
• Approval of Last Meeting’s Minutes, Whitney Griesbach
  • Minutes approved
• PTSA Insurance Review, Nick Barrett
  • Reviewed existing insurance certificate
  • We can renew October 1st (Chess club has an event the first week in December, and they need insurance certificate)
  • Can we have an insurance certificate that goes longer than 12 months (e.g. 15?) so it ends at the end of the school year?
    • This will be looked in to
  • PTSA can’t sponsor ongoing sporting events offsite due to insurance coverage
• Treasurer’s Annual Re-cap Report, Nick Barrett
  • Annual recap
    • Generated $211k (primary sources are annual campaign, auction, and blast)
    • $219k available for 2019-2020
    • 2/3 supplements curriculum at Bryant (grants to SPS) + additional programs and reserve
• Presentation of 2019-2020 Budget
  • $315k, $193k for curriculum based activities/grant positions (64% of budget)
    • Most of the increases due to now having to pay benefits for instructional support (actual hours have decreased in some cases)
    • Bumped unallocated funds to $10k, as it was in previous years
    • Added a new line item for previous years’ expenses to handle late reimbursements
  • Changes between this year’s and last year’s budgets
    • Decreased funding for field trips and classroom needs from $26 to $22. Decreased substitute time from 2.5 to 2 days
    • Reduced Community Volunteer Coordinator role to 17 hrs/week and reduced stipend
    • Increased instructional support by contract rate and added .5 FTE math support
  • Will vote on budget at next meeting
• School Supplies Review 2018, Whitney Griesbach (Sara Fenzl not present)
  • Supplies cost $19k, raised $22k, also raised $5,500 for school in need. 88% of parents have paid (518 students).
  • Overall a big success—one teacher said “It’s awesome”
  • If we have excess, it will roll into next year’s school supplies or additional supplies during the year
• Principal’s Update, Charmaine Marshall
  • School off to a great start
  • Numbers continue to look good, higher than projections: 583 total.
    • District undercounted enrollment going into the year
    • Once this new number becomes official, we will optimistically be able to add support
      • Add .5 PE hours. For example, currently .5 PE, and optimistic we’ll move it to 1
      • Add 1 new teacher. Will hopefully allow us to support other classes (but not add a new 1st or 2nd grade class)
  • Slow rollout of Schoology across the school
    • Teacher newsletters will all be sent via new tool
    • This use will hopefully increase over time
  • Goal is to make Bryant a welcoming environment
    • Multicultural event that will replace Winterfest this winter
    • Thanksgiving-time family feast event
    • Informational session for second-language parents this fall and spring
    • Considering adding a second curriculum night in the spring
    • Adding additional country flags for the gym—if you don’t see countries you want to be represented, reach out
    • Added welcome signs to all the doors to help make it more inclusive
  • Asks:
    • $2000 budget request from art teacher
      • Discussion of role of PTSA to fund programs
      • Would have liked to have this ask in budget process at end of last year
      • This is a district supported role, which traditionally have supplies supplied by district
        • We do provide supplies for artist in residence
      • Whitney: let’s see the final numbers for supplies, and if we do have additional funds we could use them to support this.
      • In the future this should be added up front
    • $2000 Principal line item: provide additional opportunities (e.g. a student that needs additional attention, or teacher conferences)
      • Partial increase for literacy teacher. $1280.
• Committee Reports
  • Fundraising
    • Spring survey about what families were interested in
      • 15% response rate
      • 3/4 satisfied with fundraising
      • 1/2 want more visibility into use of funds
      • Teaching support ranked #1, tutoring and academic support #2, social and emotional support #3, and then #4 arts and culture (distant 4th)
      • 3/4 said they would contribute to playground but wanted improvements to the field
      • 1/2 wanted us to do more for other schools, 1/2 wanted more done for their kids
        • We should continue to provide opportunities to give to other schools
        • These conversations mirror those on the PTSA
    • Annual campaign
      • Discussion over what to do for prizes
  • Membership
    • New system, and some PTSA board members need to update their membership (board members must be members, anyone who handles cash must also be a member for insurance purposes)
    • 215 paid members, 87 student members
  • Volunteers
    • 54 responses to volunteer interest survey. Will send to different category chairs
    • Looking for mentors, Reflections the only one without volunteers
      • Bryant Blast position also open
    • New family orientation on 10/1, one in morning and one in evening
  • Legislative
    • Olivia, youth organizing for Global Climate Strike, presented information about the student-led strike on Friday 9/20
    • Detailed information about legislative updates will be on FB
      • Needs a separate page on the site
  • Teacher Representative
    • No update
  • Communications
    • Working on simplifying communications

New Business

• Art Docent Program, Nicholas Eve
  • Volunteer program where Bryant parents come into class 1x month and teach about art
  • Program is making some changes this year
    • Goals: increasing consistency of content and its delivery
    • New curriculum, with same programs across the school
    • New trainings for each unit (in person and online trainings being developed)
    • Improve coverage across all the classes (previously a wide range of involvement across the classes)
    • Changing from hero model of art history to studio model, with an emphasis on fundamental art lessons
    • Increased amount of activity and discussion
    • Will collect lots of feedback and data to understand what is/isn’t working
    • Phase 1 of a 2 phase project. Phase 1 every student gets some education. Phase 2 (next year) will focus on different pathways per grade
  • PTSA can help in the following ways:
  • Fund artist notebooks (unlined): ~$0.89/unit
  • Mirrors (for self portraits—approx 1 class worth in art docent closet)
  • Battery operated lights (~$50)
  • Viewfinder (helps frame drawing). $40 for transparencies
  • We already have $1000 in art docent budget
• Additional new business, Whitney Griesbach
  • There was a vote over email to approve funding new soccer goals
• Presentation of New Standing Rules, Whitney Griesbach
  • Will vote in October

Adjourn 9:25pm

Welcome and Introductions

Approve November Meeting Minutes
Provisionally approved

Officer/Standing Committee Reports

1. Brita Willis & Lorraine Sawicki: Treasurer’s Report
   • Continuing to collect campaign money, have collected 147k of the 180k pledged
   • Bank fees = $4100
   • Acting as a fiscal sponsor for the Read-A-Thon$5/per student that submit forms for Read-A-Thon
   • Asking teachers to encourage kids to fill out the form and turning it in regardless of sponsors
   • See Treasurer’s Report for approved funds for the year
   • Doing fine on cash
2. Tammy Shorr & Janie Booth: Volunteer Coordinators Report Volunteers are reaching volunteer burn-out, mid-year social is in order    
3. Leeann Huntington, Sara Fenz and Allison Broadgate: Fundraising Chair Report
   1. No report
4. Jean Charette, Yvonne Roberts & Diane Frye:  Legislative Chairs
5. Next month will have motions to support Schools First, a campaign body that can campaign for levys
   • Will determine the amount needed/when it can be allocated to Schools First
   • Money that will be requested is already earmarked
   • Looking at campaign work beyond Bryant- PCC, etc.
   • January is a big month due to votes in Feb
   • One page description of levys will be included with minutes and also through the Bryant Weekly
   • Legislature will be discussing adjusting the levy cap this coming legislative session
   • Climate change/homelessness, etc. is taking precedence over school funding at the moment

 Special Committee Reports                                                         

1. Bryant Leadership Team report: Kim Love
   • Reaching out to district to find right time to conduct another assessment (prior to testing)
   • Looking at data around bullying and social-emotional wellness
     • PBIS works with RULER (positive behavior intervention support), does not replace RULER (mood charts, etc.  will still be used)
     • Discipline Matrix used for consequences when expectations are not met
   • Request for parent night about SEL and Discipline Matrix explanation/roll-out
2. Principal Report: Charmaine Marshall
   • Power Point for proposed budget shown at last week’s Principal Meeting, see Budget Work session handout
     • 2/28 is date of allocation of budget
     • Summary of growing deficit (pg. 6) $42mil 2019-20 deficit, proposal to cut 53million from budget
     • Proposals include cutting librarians to ½ time, no elementary counselors (Bryant counselor acquired through a waiver), losing VP, or teacher cuts.
     • These cuts are WITH levy passing
     • Sam Fogg volunteered to discuss ways to testify in Olympia: politicians trade in stories and testimonies might be the most powerful way to sway legislatures. In the absence of being able to go to Olympia, sending an email with your story is impactful.
     • Focus Day in Olympia is Feb 11^th. (day before Levy vote)
     • Javier Valdez is our State Senator and may need additional pressure to pass levy as well as education around why levy is important “We cannot function if levy does not pass”
     • McCleary decision was not really written with Seattle in mind
     • Seattle is a more expensive district and property taxes here went up but money is going to schools in Eastern Washington in order to promote equity
     • Support for education funding plummets outside of Seattle, even on eastside
   • Proposal to put Congressmen’s names/contact info in Bryant Weekly to keep parents informed and promote advocacy for levy passage. Kim Love to implement.
3. Brycentennial:
   • 1:15 School Wide Assembly/5:30-7pm Open House
   • Bryant Gear for Thursday!
   • 100 year Celebration picture will be part of slide show
   • K classes distributed flyers around the neighborhood

7:45-8:25 New Business

1. Professional Development Funding (Charmaine Marshall)
   • Ask for choir stipend for $750 for program assemblies         
   • Ask for $750 stipend for four 3 hour sessions of mentoring and supporting teachers in the building
   • Ask for Race and Equity Team support stipends of an additional $1500 stipend for teachers for attendance at Saturday workshops and Black Lives Matter curriculum/professional development
2. ELL Funding Request: Ask for $2679 for following: (Charmaine Marshall)
   • Supplemental curriculum to extend SIPPS to grades 3-5 for extra literacy support (Mackenzie, has 20+ kids)
   • Special Ed teachers
   • Pauline Pfohl, our ELL teacher, 20+ kids
   • Motion made and passed to approve funding for EEL Funding and purchase of CCC SIPPS
     1. Discussion around whether or not state of WA needs to be funding this, however PTSA will fund for now. Federal obligation put into question, as well as the state obligation.
3. Board to refocus goals and revisit stipend funding, no vote held today
   • Bryant Read-a-Thon Vote (skipped)
4. Garden Buddies and Bryant Comm. Garden (Tammy Shorr)
   • Monthly work parties starting with 5^th grade and going down to K, working on general maintenance in garden
   • This is in place of Garden Maintenance Chair previously run by Samantha Fogg. (no longer able to fulfill this role)
   • Working with district to coordinate efforts
   • Idea to look to Master Gardeners or neighborhood gardeners for volunteer help
   • Discussion around whether or not to keep garden space open due to safety concerns. Ultimately the space is owned by district
   • Shed has been funded but it is on hold because district has put it on hold- next meeting will discuss what to do with allocated funds
5. General Meeting Speakers Input- ideas include: (Whitney Griesbach)
   • How to talk to kids about politics
   • Literacy and goals of school – how can parents help support literacy in the home?
     • Resources are available for literacy that district has and parents don’t know about.
     • Speaker on how to access those resources- offered for free by tech ed
     • Math Night (resources for parents to support kids in math at home)
     • PBIS Education night-facilitating communication and language at home that supports PBIS (once teachers and staff feel more familiar with the PBIS curriculum)
     • Sex Ed
     • Race and Equity/Hate Speech (UW professors)
     • School Safety
     • Empowerment and Resiliency/Mindfulness with Youth
     • Screen Time education
6. Closing Home Street Bank Account
   1. Move funds to Bank of America, Home Street holds reserves but can be held in Savings at B of A account
   2. Motion to close Home Street account, Brita Willis and Lorraine S. have permission to close account and transfer to B of A. Motion seconded and approved.

Welcome and Introductions

EP&O Levy Presentation JoLynn Berge, Chief Financial Officer

• Four year budget outlook reviewed:
• Deficit happening already
• Expenditures are outpacing revenue
• McCleary was supposed to be for enrichment, it is actually not working that way. McCleary resulted in winners and losers, Seattle not a winner. More funding for some schools, very little for others, including Seattle that is a high levy school. High levy schools did not receive as much funding
• Levy funding was at 4100 per student, but it is going down due to statewide cap, so that in 2019-20, we can collect 2500 per student ONLY. Statewide cap varies from district to district. SPS wants taxpayers to decide what local levies will be.
• SPS levy decreased by 38.5%- the more a school district has the more it loses. (ex Bellevue only went down 11%)
• Local levy is $2500, not state level levy. Some news reports state that SPS was dishonest in asking for more, but SPS has been straightforward about intentions.
• Asking for another levy with additional (capacity) .52 per 1k, only can happen if legislative change is made. If we got both capacity and local, we would have the same amount as we started out with in 2014. (1.05 per 1k)
• Most districts are at 1.50 per 1k. Our net tax bill for education is about half of what it is in Yakima.
• Net difference from before and after McCleary: Seattle had an 11% increases, Shoreline 24%, Bellevue 19%, etc.
• Is McCleary fully funded?-Full Day K, lower class sizes, transportation funded, compensation lift,
• Is k-12 fully funded? NO. Supreme court has ruled that amount of funding is adequate; legislature is released from any other requirements/oversight for the year.
• Seattle needs 70 million to provide special ed. Only being provided 2 million for 2019.
• Gaps in funding with principal salaries, classified staff gap in funding. SPS hires more staff than state allocates, and pay more than state allocates.
• If we were to fully fund the Initiative 1531,  (which has been delayed) we would get 780 more FTEs.
• Despite this, Seattle gets great results. Graduation gap closing, college readiness is increasing.
• QUESTIONS: SPS schools are funded based somewhat on poverty levels in the area.Does rate of Special Ed funding go up when population of Special ED kids goes up? In short, NO. Feds will not meet this demand, up to state to backfill. We have made great strides in identifying special needs but no great strides in funding.
• Prop 1 is 1% or less of SPS revenue. Levy in Feb is to continue functioning and will provide 15% of funding can’t really function or balance budget without it.
• Overall enrollment is down in SPS. Most likely due to housing costs rising. Current enrollment is 53k. Budgeting for a lower enrollment year for 2019-20.
• Levy in February- hopeful about outcome because Prop 1 passed by a big margin.

 

Approve September General Meeting Minutes

Minutes approved tentatively approved

 

Officer/Standing Committee Reports

• Brita Willis & Lorraine Sawicki: Treasurer’s Report
  • October brought amazing Annual Campaign! 179k! Last year was 155k.
  • Collected 133K in cash thus far, employer matching is 30k of total campaign.
  • Credit card charges totaled 3k
  • School supplies paid for, 4k sent to local elementary school. Remaining balance of 6500 is to be used later in school year
  • Will continue to use Giving Fuel platform
  • Tax form completed and filed
  • Current buffer is 42k
• Tammy Shorr & Janie Booth: Volunteer Coordinators Report
  No report
• Leeann Huntington, Sara Fenz and Allison Broadgate: Fundraising Chair Report
  • Pizza party: 13 classrooms had 100% participation and had pizza party this past Friday
  • Otter pop party will happen as well for all school on the 15th.
• Jean Charette, Yvonne Roberts & Diane Frye:  Legislative Chairs
  • Bryant participation was very high for legislative action
  • Voted on top 5 issues and a link for more info for people will be provided
  • Levy Update will also go out
  • WA State PTSA calling upon DSHS to change definition of gender, call out to request volunteers to help make phone calls, telephone scripts have been written by Sam Fogg.

Special Committee Reports

• Bryant Leadership Team report:
  • Continuous school improvement plan (CSIP) is being worked on. Right now focus in on equity issues.
  • Two big goal areas are a sense of belonging for students as well as reading
  • Discussed Social Emotional surveys and whether or not Bryant will deploy a survey on our own besides the spring one that is required. Goal to get this survey out before Winter Break.
• Principal Report: Charmaine Marshall
  • Getting Brycentennial Celebration ready to go. School wide assembly at 1:15 on December 13th, and 5:30pm on the 13th for an Open House.  Contacting local politicians as well as media.  Honoring staff that have been here the longest as part of the anniversary date.
  • Reaching out to reunion committees to find people that were in the earliest classes
  • Reaching out to staff alumni
  • Budget of $1500 requested- current ask from PTSA is 1k. (For Brycentennial). Motion passed for $1500.
  • IDEA Project fund request- (Interactive Disability Education Awareness). One week of disability awareness.  Fee $2k, ask for funding.  Motion approved and seconded.
  • PTSA approved $50 for assembly through email to invite Native American Speaker.
  • Max Guerrer-Tomoda Counselor is asking for $500 for a library and $200 for sensory books, $700 total. Motion approved and seconded.
  • Also conducting a Multicultural Event on January 31st, a night event.

Kim Love: New Business

• Bryant Library Read-A-Thon
  • No Book Fair this December for various reasons. Proposal to have a Read-A-Thon instead. We need $20 per kid per year for library supplies, but right now funding is a lot through grants and afterschool programs. Books also need to be replaced as they wear out over time.
  • Read-A-Thon- parents can sponsor their kids or just give a flat donation per kid, using Pledge Star. Read-A-Thon will happen over Winter Break.
• School Supplies Update:
  • Will conduct re-ordering for mid-year shipment during first week of December
  • Supply orders will be reconsidered in terms of flow and amount needed for next year
  • Will discuss other ways to keep charitable aspect in place, as school supplies will be a line item on PTSA budget
• Resolution on Civil Discourse/Community Safety
  • Resolution tabled for more discussion offline