2021 MLK Day Activities and Events around Bryant

Haiyen Tang
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Jan. 18, 2021, is the 26th anniversary of the day of service celebrating the Civil Rights leader’s life and legacy.
 
Observed as “a day on, not a day off,” MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.
 
Please join us in taking an opportunity to observe, serve or participate in your own way!  Here is a collection of ideas to consider; please let us know if you have other suggestions:

Guest Speakers for Jan 12th PTSA meeting

Haiyen Tang
More information about the upcoming PTSA meeting on January 12th at 7pm:
 
SPS District Cabinet leaders will join, and will start off the meeting as our guest speakers.
 
Dr. Mia Williams, Chief of the Office of African American Male Achievement, and Dr. Keisha Scarlett, Chief of the Office of Equity, Partnerships & Engagement, will introduce themselves, share this year’s strategic plan goals and answer any questions families might have about the district’s strategic work during remote learning and beyond.
 
Please join us Jan 12th at 7pm:

Click here to join the Microsoft Teems meeting online  

Or call in (audio only)  

+1 206-800-4787,,457731022#   United States, Seattle  

Phone Conference ID: 457 731 022#  

Thank you, Ann Marie Patterson, for 19 years of service to Bryant!

Haiyen Tang

Thank you image

We have been so fortunate to have former Bryant parent and long-time Volunteer Coordinator Ann Marie Patterson in our community. Ann Marie is retiring this week after more than 19 years as Volunteer Coordinator at Bryant. She not only supported volunteer programs, but also recruited individuals from our broader community to serve as tutors, health room staff and science fair mentors. You may have encountered Ann Marie as one of the first people to welcome you to Bryant. Or you may have worked directly with Ann Marie to get involved in the school. She went out of her way to make volunteers feel appreciated and recognized. Now we have a chance to return the favor in showing our immense gratitude to Ann Marie for her work and for fostering a robust tradition of service at Bryant.

Sending our heartfelt thanks, Ann Marie! You will be missed!

PTSA BOARD MEETING ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 7 @ 7PM

Haiyen Tang

All community members are welcome to attend our next PTSA Board Meeting on Monday, December 7 at 7pm via Microsoft Teams:

Microsoft Teams meeting
Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 206-800-4787,,741371738#
Phone Conference ID: 741 371 738#

To inquire about accommodations to attend this event, please contact ptsaexec@bryantschool.org.

Agenda items will include:

  • Principal’s update
  • Annual Campaign (Fundraising) report
  • Community Engagement update
  • Equity discussion: Teacher Reps to share related curriculum information

We hope you can join us!

Budget Report End of November, 2020: PDF , XLSX

Bryant PTSA Budget Proposal & Survey Results are in!

Haiyen Tang

The PTSA Board invites you to preview the draft agenda and content for the October 13th meeting now.  You’ll find a summary of the September community survey and proposals for new PTSA standing rules and 2020-2021 budget revisions published online here.  We hope this preview provides time to consider any questions or feedback.  We welcome your thoughts and questions in advance at ptsaexec@bryantschool.org. 

In the September survey, we heard from several community members who are interested in increasing our monetary and non-monetary supports for kids furthest from educational justice in our city’s public schools.  We’ll be reflecting on this topic of resource-sharing in our Equity discussion in the upcoming October 13th meeting.  We hope that you will join us in this conversation and effort to advance equity in our district.
In the October meeting, Bryant PTSA Membership will be asked to vote on:

• Election of new officers to the Executive committee
• Revised PTSA budget for 2020-2021
• New and revised standing rules

Not a PTSA member yet this year? Signing up is easy!

Membership questions?  Email membership@bryantschool.org. 

The first PTSA General Membership meeting of the school year will be on Tuesday, October 13 at 7:00pm via Microsoft Teams. 

Click to join Microsoft Teams meeting.
For audio conferencing, dial: +1 206-800-4787
Conference ID: 571 894 081#  

English live captions are available for this meeting, using any recent version of the Teams app (desktop or mobile app).  More info here.

To inquire about accommodations to attend this event, please contact ptsaexec@bryantschool.org.

Thank you,
Bryant PTSA Board 

This Wednesday – Online Bryant Q&A with SPS Directors Hampson and Rankin

Kathy Austin
Do you have questions about school starting this fall? Things you want the SPS Board to know? Questions about other topics? Join SPS Board VP Chandra Hampson, SPS Board Director Liza Rankin, and Bryant PTSA for a Q&A online, this Wednesday, July 15th at 7:30PM!

We’ll give priority to questions submitted in advance, but we are also hoping to have time for you to ask questions live. Submit your questions to advocacy@bryantschool.org.

What do you want to know?

–Bryant PTSA Co-Advocacy Chairs, Sam Fogg and Adele Kulisewa


To join the meeting via Microsoft Teams app or browser, click on this link: Microsoft Teams Meeting

To join the meeting via phone, dial 1-206-800-4787 and then enter this conference ID when prompted: 243 674 580#

In Memory of Roxanne Kimbrough

Kathy Austin

Please be aware the following contains disturbing or triggering content.

Dear Bryant Community,

We are deeply saddened to by the news that Roxanne Kimbrough, longtime Bryant Mom and volunteer, was killed in a domestic violence incident last week. Our hearts go out to her family. We’re thankful that her children are safe with their dad and step-mom.

You may have seen Roxanne at Bryant pick-up and drop-off, painting sets for the play, or volunteering on campus. Your child may have known Roxanne from when she chaperoned at Islandwood and for other field trips. She will be remembered in our community as a loving and devoted mom.

We’d like to take this moment to highlight a local organization, New Beginnings, which is working to end domestic violence. Among other services, they offer a 24-hour helpline (206-522-9472) to anyone needing support or advice.

In memory of Roxanne,

– Bryant PTSA

Updates from OSPI and SPS on Fall Re-entry

Kathy Austin

We’re starting to see more questions about what school may look like in the fall, and we’ll be providing resources and information as we have it.

OSPI is the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. They provide guidance for all the school districts across the state. Along with the Governor’s office, the OSPI has provided all guidance for school closures due to COVID-19.  OSPI has provided an update for the fall reopening of schools. 

School Districts then need to take this guidance and come up with a plan for their district that takes into account the specifics of their district. For us, that will be Seattle Public Schools and they have provided their plan for re-entry here. From there, each school building in Seattle Public Schools will need to take the district plan and apply it to their building, and each teacher will apply the building plan to their classroom.

When looking at information from OSPI, keep in mind that they are creating a framework for all districts, rural, suburban, and urban, across the state. There is tremendous variation in the districts. There are tiny school districts (Concrete School District served 524 students last year) and there are big school districts (Seattle Public Schools served 55,844 students last year). There are differences in terms of resources, the layout of school buildings, transportation needs, access to internet, and more, not to mention differences in how each area is being impacted by COVID19.

Please continue to check back to the OSPI and SPS for updates as summer progresses.

Bryant PTSA Anti-Racism Resolution and Call to Action

Kathy Austin
Dear Bryant Families and Community,
 
In our General Membership meeting this month, our PTSA passed a resolution on anti-racism which we encourage everyone to read.  Thank you to our PTSA Advocacy co-chairs for shaping this powerful statement in collaboration with our neighbor school PTSAs.
 
In the resolution, we commit to direct and substantive action and we’d like to elaborate with these immediate actions:
  • Building a lending library to promote anti-racist learning for Bryant families with a $500 grant from the PTSA budget
  • Forming a Families of Color Resource Group this summer, led by two PTSA board members and members of the Equity Committee (contact Equity@BryantSchool.org) 
  • Sharing an Anti-Racist Resource List here to support meaningful action in our community
With the strong leadership of our Advocacy and Equity committees, we’re redoubling our efforts to advocate for the eradication of structural racism, with a focus on educational justice. Our newly elected Bryant PTSA Board for the 2020-21 school year has more people of color represented. Going forward, our Board will work to bring a lens of equity and belonging to our decision-making and conversations. To hold ourselves accountable to these commitments, we will discuss our progress and additional actions in each PTSA Board meeting.  

We commit to this work as individuals, as an organization working to become anti-racist, and as a PTSA working toward an environment where our marginalized communities are centered and thriving.

Wishing you a safe and restorative summer,
-Bryant PTSA Board

References: 
Check out the resource list and the resolution on Anti-Racism. 
 
We also support these statements made by: