Welcome to Region 2
WSPTA's Region 2 covers eastern King County and consists of the following School Districts:
| Bellevue | Lake Washington | Riverview |
| Issaquah | Mercer Island | Snoqualmie Valley |
Links to Region 2:
Director's Message
Welcome to another great year of PTA events and activities. This is an exciting time for the Washington State PTA. We’re eager to begin working with our wonderful new Executive Director Bill Williams. We’re eager to learn what the Joint Task Force on Basic Education Finance proposes to resolve our Education Funding Crisis. The best part for me is that we have thousands of smart, focused, passionate members in this Region, and I’m lucky to be working with them.
Another great thing we have going for us here in Region 2 is our amazing diversity. A local unit president recently told me the Board of Directors at her PTSA included people from Canada, Singapore, India, Mainland China, Senegal, Taiwan, Australia, Korea, Mexico, and of course America. She noted that their PTSA also included volunteers from Turkey and Russia. Just as their potluck luncheons feature a variety of dishes boasting exotic native spices and cooking techniques passed down through the generations, their programs and events will feature a variety of ideas enriched by their global perspectives and experiences. How fortunate we are to live among such international neighbors!!
As you work with your fellow officers and board members to set goals and strategy for the coming year, I hope you’ll set aside time to join us for the Region 2 08-09 Training Conference on Tuesday August 19 at Bellevue High School. This year’s Conference will offer many of our “classic” PTA training classes – training for Presidents and Treasurers and Newsletter, Reflections, Membership, and Legislative Chairs – and will also offer some fresh new classes to help everyone in your PTA be the best leaders they can be.
Region 2 08-09 Training Conference
Tuesday, August 19 – Bellevue High School
Registration starts at 5:30 p.m. Keynote begins at 6:00
We’re offering a new class just for Committee Chairs, targeted to chairs of big activities like Auctions, Carnivals, and Grad Night parties, that will touch on everything from presenting a plan to the Board of Directors to what you need to know from “PTA & the Law” to how to recruit great volunteers for your committee. Grad Night/Senior Party Chairs will also find a Roundtable just for them, where they can discuss common issues with Chairs from throughout the Region. We’re also offering a session of “Money Matters” especially for people who are not treasurers, to help all officers and Board Members and chairs in your PTA understand the basics of how to handle money. Another new class will cover all the new passive and/or electronic fundraising opportunities that exist today and how to best take advantage of them – and how to continue to develop future leaders if money is flowing in so effortlessly.
Registration materials for the Region 2 08-09 Training Conference will be mailed and emailed to all officers who are enrolled in the State Membership database.
Experienced leaders may want to consider attending the State Leadership Conference August 8 & 9 at the Red Lion in Olympia. This Conference is for anyone with an interest in building or furthering their PTA skills. You can find the conference flyer and registration form athttp://www.wastatepta.org/meetings/meetings.htm.
Our Service Delivery Team exists to serve you. We provide the Training Conference so that you have the skills you need to have a successful PTA year. If you need additional training, feel free to contact any member of the team to arrange a class at your Local Unit or Council. Or just call or email with your questions. We are here to help.
Although I was voted into office, the voting was done by your predecessors and many of you probably don’t know a thing about me! Here’s a brief rundown of my PTA experience. I’ve just finished serving one year as the Leadership VP at Bellevue PTSA Council and Co-VP at Newport High School PTSA. I’ve served two years on the State Leadership Committee. Previously, I’ve served two years as President of Bellevue PTSA Council, two years as President at Newport High School PTSA; one year as President and one year as Secretary for Tyee Middle School PTSA. I’ve held many chair positions at Newport, Tyee, and Newport Heights and Eastgate elementary schools in Bellevue. I have also recently accepted a new role as Reps Leader with the Bellevue Schools Foundation.
Before my volunteering days began, I worked for eight years (1988-1996) as a Supervisor/Manager in Inside Sales at Microsoft.
I am an avid knitter and reader. My book club has recently read books as diverse as Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and Tracy Kidder’s Mountains Beyond Mountains. When I’m not volunteering or reading or knitting, chances are you’ll find me at a Newport sports event watching my son, who plays football, basketball, and baseball, or spending the day with my daughter, a senior at Seattle Pacific University. We are enthusiastic Cougar fans (This might be a good time to remember that we value diversity in PTA!) and enjoy driving to home football games and watching the Cougs on TV whenever possible.
Audrey Bennett
Region 2 Director
Other Region 2 dates….
PTA & the Law - Learn about what it means to be a non-profit registered with the State of Washington. How do you maintain your non-profit status? What laws must your PTA obey? If you write a newsletter, run a raffle, work on an event with student helpers, serve alcohol at an event, enter into any contracts, or hold meetings, you should probably attend this class.
October 14 – 9:30 a.m. to noon – Lake Washington School District
October 15 – 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. – Mercer Island High School
(We will be scheduling a third session – stay tuned)
Last updated: July 1, 2008