Lake Washington PTSA Council 2.8

10/13/2026

Be sure to check out our events this week! This weekend also includes Legislative Assembly, at Cascadia College.

Check out our calendar for more information!

06/28/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined our roundtable on May 28! While we touched on general end-of-year transitions, the conversation focused primarily on how to plan a successful board retreat.

Hosting a retreat sets the tone, expectations, and vision for the year. It also builds trust, cohesiveness, and social support within your team. To make planning easier and more useful for your incoming board, the LWPTSA Council created a quick tip sheet to guide your retreat.

This one-page guide covers all the essentials, including:
- Logistics & Timing: Surveying the board for format preferences, choosing a location, and scheduling early.
- Preparation: Gathering principal input, utilizing a pre-retreat survey, and sending out materials in advance.
- At the Retreat: Establishing norms, reviewing the foundation, conducting core business, and voting on actionable goals.
- Next Steps: Publishing the master calendar, distributing notes, and scheduling check-ins.

You can download the full tip sheet below to help your team prepare for the year ahead at https://lwptsa.net/2026/board-retreats/

06/08/2026

Tonight's training is for "Improving your PTA's Focus on DEI"! Join us at 7:00 PM for this WSPTA-Approved training for PTA Leaders.

Find more information at https://lwptsa.net/event/dei-training-save-the-date/

06/08/2026

We have a jam packed week ahead of us! Be sure to join us for one or many of our events this week. We'd love to see you!

For more details, please see https://lwptsa.net/calendar/.

06/01/2026

Be sure to join us for a few events this week! For more information, see our calendar at https://lwptsa.net/calendar/!

05/26/2026

Board Transition & Retreat Roundtable
May 28 — 7 to 8 pm on Zoom

Roundtables are designed to bring our community together to share information, ask questions, and collaborate. Whether you are a seasoned expert, an incoming officer, or new to the process, these sessions are the perfect place to get the support and answers you need.

PTA leaders: Do you have questions about how to wrap up your PTA year and/or how to get off to a good start with your new board over the summer? Join LWPTSA Council led by Colleen McCloskey and Melissa Stone to ask all your burning questions, get advice, and set your team up for success!

WHEN: Thursday, May 28 (7 to 8 pm)
WHERE: Zoom — Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/IoroaevSS8SbPg3fx9Yn_w #/registration

Questions? Email Colleen McCloskey, LWPTSA Council Co-President, at [email protected].

05/07/2026

Don't forget! Tomorrow is also our Membership Meeting for the month. This one will be on Zoom from 7 PM to 8:30 PM. You can find more information at lwptsa.net/calendar.

We hope to see you there!

05/06/2026

Tomorrow!

PTA membership has seen a gradual decline across our district over the past several years—and we know many schools are working hard to rebuild engagement and participation. Join us for a collaborative Lunch & Learn session featuring Helen Harmetz, Co-President of Peter Kirk PTSA, who will share insights from their remarkable success in consistently achieving 100% membership at their school level.

This session is intended to go beyond a traditional presentation. After an overview of proven strategies by Helen, participants are encouraged discussions to share ideas, compare approaches, and learn from one another. We also invite you to “bring your challenge”—whether it’s low turnout, communication barriers, or sustaining engagement—so we can collectively problem-solve and support each other.

Come ready to engage, collaborate, and leave with practical ideas you can bring back to your school community.
WHEN: Thursday, May 7 from 12-1 PM
WHERE: Zoom
SPEAKER: Helen Harmetz, Co-President, Peter Kirk PTSA
TOPIC: Growing PTA Membership: Best Practices & Proven Strategies from the Field

Lunch & Learn consists of virtual sessions held on select Thursdays during the school year, where we share short presentations, followed by Q&A, on topics of interest to our PTA and school community. Lunch & Learns are always free to join. Grab your lunch, log on, and learn with us!

Questions? Email LWPTSA Council Executive Vice President Ayesa Kaur at [email protected]

05/04/2026

Join us for our events this week! A blood drive on Monday, Sustainability on Tuesday, DEIB on Wednesday, and a Lunch & Learn as well as our Council meeting on Thursday. Don't forget our Council meeting this month is in the evening and on Zoom!

Find links to register on our Calendar page! https://lwptsa.net/calendar/

04/22/2026

Shristi Boral! from Eastlake High School is one of WSPTA's Scholarship Winners! Congratulations!

🎉Congratulations to our first WSPTA Scholarship Winner, Shristi Boral!