What about the PTSA?
In all the avalanche of information and stories blasting out over the last week, I have not seen a comment from the Seattle Council PTSA in any news story. Checking their website, nothing. This doesn't mean they didn't say anything; I just didn't hear about it.
I ask because, well, they represent far more Seattle parents than the Alliance or LEV. The officers of the Seattle Council PTSA show up to far more events/meetings than staff from the Alliance or LEV. So why so silent?
Parents, did anything come to you in an e-mail or kid mail about the crisis from your PTA or the Seattle Council PTSA?
I ask because, well, they represent far more Seattle parents than the Alliance or LEV. The officers of the Seattle Council PTSA show up to far more events/meetings than staff from the Alliance or LEV. So why so silent?
Parents, did anything come to you in an e-mail or kid mail about the crisis from your PTA or the Seattle Council PTSA?
Comments
Please $upoort our $chool by $ending your tax-deductible contribution to the PT$A. P$lea$e e-mail your $tate repre$entative to $how your $upport for thi$ important legi$lation and vote for thi$ important educational levy that will $upport all our $tudent$.
$igned me, your local PT$A piggybank (now gone bust)
Regarding A.Samuelson's note above, and anonymous just below it, sometimes people tune out all the many, many PTA communications we send, like: 3 PTA members needed tomorrow to help clean the back storage area so we can store instruments there; please bring your used books for the book sale, and by the way we are looking for a chair; please come to the PTA meeting to hear the birds and bees speaker; if you have a newsletter article, please submit; etc., etc., etc. It may well be that some of you have heard not much from your PTA-- or maybe, there are a number of people rolling up their sleeves getting a lot done to help classrooms and some of the pleas for volunteers, voice, and involvement have been tuned out. Volunteerism is down all over the country as people are working harder and get too much email, and maybe, just maybe, some of you HAVE heard from your PTA and are just too busy to reaklly digest it. If your PTA is not sending stuff, check yto make sure you are on the e-list-- and bvolunteer to help the communications people.
PTA IS There
Did anyone see Ramona's latest e-mail where she speaks glowingly of Bill Gates recent speech regarding education? It also includes a push for evaluating teachers by way of test scores rather than relying on seniority. Same old drum beat. Your PTSA dues at work paying to push for ed reform.
Heidi just lost her pal with the supe as has the Washington State chapter. Both have been pushing ed reform big time and relying on folks like Reuven Carlyle to push through their agenda.
I'd say that they are now regrouping as is LEV and the Alliance.
The local PTSA varies from building to building. My school PTSA is great, hardworking, has a good board that works well with a very capable, new principal and dedicated staff. My friend's school across the hill is stuck with the "mean girl" PTSA board, a new, and very young principal, and a school that is immolating through various self-inflicting politics among stafff and parent groups. The two schools have the same demographics, but the culture in the schools are very different.
The parents in the trenches who roll up their sleeves, volunteer and tutor, and write their many checks at both schools have very different perspectives as to how effective, transparent, and informative their PTSA are.
--New to SPS
As a PTA member I will tell you: come on by! Do you want to have a voice in PTA? The beauty of PTA is that it is from the ground up and each member can help shape.
Of course a challenge then is that leaders don't speak "for the group" unless the group makes the direction clear (by voting). You want a clear unified voice with some set bullet points? Then talk to Stand, LEV, etc. You want all voices welcome and sometimes they totally disagree with each other, but, guess what, everyone pitches in to put on Math Night or support Reflections? Come to PTA. Yes, PTA is never going to be radical-- because it is all about the group's voice and not the individual's. Lots of other groups can be radical and shift gears to respond ASAP. PTA abides by democratic process (which takes time) and is whatever its members make it. As a PTA member I welcome each of you. Dissenting voices are welcome, at all levels.
If you don't have a healthy PTA or PTO at your school, you may have to be involved and step up to make it healthy-- or maybe if that's too much work, just decide to refrain from complaining if you'd rather just blog about all the problems than volunteer to take a role in solving them.
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
THANK YOU SEATTLE SPECIAL EDUCATION PTSA for having a spine!!!!
sped Parent
Where can we find these position papers by the special education ptsa? Where are the district and board responses?
Interested parent