Levies are essential tools in raising the funds necessary to run our public school system here in Seattle. We encourage our membership to educate themselves regarding how the upcoming Levy – BTA IV will impact your child’s school. Learn more about this levy and how its funds will be utilized via the Schools First website: http://www.schoolsfirstseattle.org/.

If you’re a registered voter, you should have received your ballot. Make sure to vote by February 9!

VOTERS: make your vote count! Mail in your ballot postmarked by February 9^th – or return your ballot in person to the following locations.

24-Hour Drop Box (closes at 8 p.m. on 2/9) 

King County Administration Building, 500 4th Avenue, Seattle, 98104

Drop Vans (Feb 6, 10-5, Feb 8, 10-5, Feb 9, 10-8)

West Seattle Stadium, 4432 35th Avenue SW, Seattle, 98126

White Center Greenbridge Library, 9720 8th Avenue SW, Seattle, 98106

A reminder we have NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, May 19th as our teachers are protesting the lack of public education funding.  If you would like to participate and support our teachers in this march, you can read more information on the West Seattle Blog.

And for those who can’t march tomorrow, you can tell our legislators to fully fund basic education now by clicking here. The 30 day special session of the 2015 legislature ends in two weeks and your participation makes a difference for every child!

SPS and the Bell Times Analysis Task Force is collecting public input on proposed options at a community meeting Tuesday May 12, 7PM – 8:30PM at Chief Sealth High School Commons (2600 SW Thistle St). Can’t make the meeting but want to give feedback? Copy/Paste your choice in an email to neighbor2neighbor@seattleschools.org with the option you think serves all students in all grade levels the best. Deadline for Task Force emails is April 30. (Public Input period closes May 15.)

Select one:

#1: Start elementary school at 8:00/8:50AM, high school at 8:50AM, and middle school at 9:40AM

#2: Offer late start high school as an option: high school can start at 7:50 or8:40AM, middle school at 7:50AM, elementary school at 8:40/9:30AM

#3: Start high school at 7:50AM, middle school at 7:50AM and elementary school at 8:40/9:30AM (current bell times).

Seattle Public Schools is hosting a community meeting Tuesday, March 31, 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Fairmount Park Elementary (School lunchroom) 3800 SW Findlay Street to share information about the next Operations Levy and our Buildings, Technology, Academics/Athletics IV (BTA IV) Capital Levy on February 2016 Seattle ballot.

The Operations Levy renews every three years, represents nearly 25% of the district’s annual general fund budget and supports basic educational programs not fully funded by the state. The Buildings, Technology and Academics IV (BTA IV) Capital Levy renews every six years and funds hundreds of small renovations and major maintenance projects, as well as technology, academic and athletic initiatives at our school buildings.

Information on the priorities and levy projections can be found here. Staff members will present information, ask for comments and answer questions.

It should be noted there have also been two articles published in the last few weeks on the subject.  Neither address the impact to elementary schools having a 7:50am start time should the Task Force conclude the only way to start secondary school later would be to flip elementary and high school bell times.

Spokesman Article

Puget Sound Business Journal Article

Please sign up and join the Washington State PTA and other Schmitz Park Elementary parents in Olympia on Monday, January 19th (MLK holiday) for Focus Day!  Top Legislative Priorities for 2015 include:

– Funding McCleary

– Create Positive School Climates Through Social Emotional Learning

– Increased Capital Funding

– Increased Access to Higher Education

Bring your family and neighbors to show your support of our legislative platform with a focus on our number one priority: Funding McCleary. Bring banners and signs for the noon rally on the Capitol steps. Hear what state legislative leaders have to say about our issues and how they plan to deliver on the McCleary promise. Let’s bring our voices together for the children of our state on Monday, January 19. A variety of kids activities are being planned to make Focus Day fun for kids of all ages. Click here to register.

SAVE THE DATE AND JOIN SCHMITZ PARENTS IN OLYMPIA – JANUARY 19, 2015!

Show up. Stand up. Speak Up. Participate in guiding our legislators toward taking action on the top 5 educational priorities set by the WSPTA for 2015. PTA legislative board member Angela Cough and others will be present, but our goal is to have 15 Schmitz Park representatives to advocate for our 600+ kids.  You can register here for Focus Day

Here are our top 5 priorities for this year: (click links for more detail on each issue)

1. Funding the McCleary Act

2. Social & Emotional Learning

3. Increasing Capital Funding

4. Increasing Access to Higher Education

5. Breakfast After the Bell

Agenda:

Meet with legislators beginning at 8 a.m., rally at Noon. Tour the capitol and continue advocating till 3 p.m. Bring banners and signs reflecting what you’re passionate about. Activities have been planned for kids to attend in the morning. Sack lunches are available for a fee, see registration page.

Feel strongly about one of the issues above? SIGN UP FOR TOP 5 ISSUE TEAMS:  http://cqrcengage.com/npta2wa/app/sign-petition?3&engagementId=69417

KNOW YOUR NUMBER: How to advocate for your SCHOOL  – Before you attend, become familiar with the region and district we’re advocating for. Each district elects a senator and two representatives. Our district is #34, our Senator is Sharon Nelson, our Representatives are: Eileen Cody and Joe Fitzgibbon – within the Seattle School district, we represent District 6, our board representative is Marty McLaren.

If you’d like to be kept in the loop regarding the progress of our top 5 priorities this year, sign up for Action Alerts.

Thank you and we hope to see you in Olympia on January 19th!

Interim Superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland is hosting a West Seattle Community Coffee Chat on Monday Dec. 1, from 6:00-7:00PM at the Neighborhood House High Point Center in West Seattle (6400 Sylvan Way S.W. Seattle, WA 98126). This is an opportunity for Schmitz Park families to meet him and help the District better understand the issues that matter the most to us. At the meeting, our concerns about boundary implementation will be raised and we encourage any family impacted, be it through attendance area adjustments or simply the overenrollment at Schmitz Park, to come and have a voice in the conversation.

Questions, or to confirm you can join us, email Emily Giaquinta & Angela Cough, Legislative Co-Chairs legislative@schmitzparkpta.org