Sac PTA Proposed Budget for 2020-2021

[June 2020 Update: This budget was approved by a vote of our general membership.]

Thanks to the hard work of Laura Riley (our Treasurer) and the budget committee, we have a budget proposal for the 2020-2021 school year. This proposal comes in at around $83,000, and would require us to raise about $16,000 before the end of the school year (the money we raise during the current school year funds the budget for next year).

The proposed budget provides continued support for things we funded this year (except the math curriculum, keep reading). About half of our expenditures are for staff and school support, including tutoring, teacher stipends, and volunteer coordination. Arts and Culture is the next largest bucket and includes 4th-grade Instrumental Music, our visiting musicians, and our Artist-in-Residence programs. Support for events and meetings consume the last 20% of the budget and provide for all the wonderful gatherings we have throughout the year, like our Equity Events, Arts Festival, Math and Science Fair, and more.

It’s worth noting that this proposed budget assumes some form of return to school in the fall, but we recognize that changes in that situation will almost certainly require us to reallocate our funds mid-year.

Something new and notable in our budget proposal is the addition of the Future Friends Fund. This $1,000 item is our first step in a multi-year conversation to promote PTA equity via grants from our organization to other PTAs in northeast Seattle. Since all of our children will be future friends at JAMS, Hale, and beyond, we’re hoping to build more connections with our broader community now. For this year, we’ll fund this initiative with earmarked donations.

For comparison purposes, our current year's budget is about $110,000, and it includes support ($33,000) for the math curriculum that our school rolled out this year. That support provided for 3 years of curriculum materials, and we don't need to commit more money to this. We didn't have any additional large asks from the school, and given the current circumstances, that will work out just fine.

If you have any questions or feedback before then, please let Laura (lkriley99@outlook.com) and our co-chairs (Ara/Seth, chair@sacpta.org) know.

Download a PDF copy of the our 2020-2021 budget proposal.

Online Cultural Events, Week of 4/13/2020

Here are a collection of online cultural events that our Equity team produced. Check them out!

• Visit the Seattle Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival website to learn about Japanese culture. Click on the Culture Access tab to choose a category at http://www.cherryblossomfest.org/

• The Seattle Center Festál podcast, “Yes, and…” shares stories and honest conversation about race and identity at http://www.yesandpodcast.libsyn.com/

• Our Big Neighborhood – Movin’ Around the World: Virtual from Northwest Folklife is happening at http://www.nwfolklife.org/maw-virtual/

• Tacoma Arts Live presents all-ages virtual plays, starting with ”Nihonjin Face,” by Janet Hayakawa and Tere Martinez. View released chapters at https://tacomaartslive.org/video

PTA Updates, April 14th 2020

Hello Sacajaweans,

Congratulations, we've made it through our first weeks of remote learning and arrived at Spring Break (whatever that means)! As the district and our own school continue to evolve how our learning process works, we'd encourage you to provide feedback, both positive and constructive, to your teachers and Principal Friesen. We're also available to listen if you have ways that we might help as a PTA.

Thank you to all of our PTA volunteers who continue to support our community through donations of time, food, and dollars. Your contributions are helping make a difference in the lives of those around you.

Sincerely,

Seth Bridges & Ara Swanson Merkens
Sacajawea PTA Co-chairs

Update: Spring Auction Canceled 

From our Auction Team

With the latest guidance from the Governor, CDC, and King County Public health, it has become clear that we won't be able to have our Spring Auction this school year. We were looking forward to celebrating with you all, and though we're disappointed, it's the right call.

Our venue owners generously let us apply our deposit toward next year's Spring Auction, so we're on track for the 2021 party! A huge thank you to Mimi Fontenelle, Genevieve Richmond, and Charlene Shanahan for their work on this year's Auction.

For those who purchased tickets and would like for your purchase to become a donation, you're all set! If you'd like to request a refund, please contact genevieve.biersbach@gmail.com.

If you were considering attending or donating at the party, you can still support the PTA with a donation online. Thank you in advance for your support.

Sacajawea Packs for Kids and Families

From our Packs for Kids Team

We'd like to thank you all once again for your continued weekly donations. We are still committed to continuing the Packs Program throughout the closure, the "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" order, and Spring Break. The Program has added more families and now includes food, hygiene, and household supplies.

If your family would like to receive weekly packs, please contact cyshanahan@seattleschools.org.

Please consider donating using our new "No Contact Donation Drop-off" system! Our current needs are on our Packs SignupGenius list.

With gratitude,

The Packs for Kids Team

PTA Budget Committee

From our Treasurer Laura Riley

The PTA is beginning the budget process to plan the budget for our next school year. (Yes, I swear there will be school again!)  If anyone is interested in being part of our budget committee, to help form the recommendation we put forward at our next PTA meeting in May, please contact Laura Riley at lkriley99@outlook.com.

Also, please provide any preferred meeting times so we can get something on the calendar ASAP.  Thanks!

PTA Remote Learning Resources Page is Live

We’ve gathered a collection of remote learning resources from our Principal, teachers, and Seattle Public Schools.

Visit our Sac PTA Remote Learning page for more information.

PTA Closure Resources Page Now Available

We’ve created a single place our Sacajawea community to find information regarding food assistance, donations, volunteering, childcare, and more. If you need help or our looking to lend a hand, please visit!

Go to our Closure Resources page!