Just a quick note regarding Education Funding and PTSA Focus Day in Olympia. Please take the time to read the information below.
Julie Rooney
PTSA Class of 2011 Liaison
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Support Education Funding and Finance Reform
Are you concerned about education funding in our state? Here's a way you can get involved today!
It's as easy as a few keystrokes. Important work is being done right now by our elected officials to prepare for the next legislative session. We urge you to take action today by sending an important message to the Governor and your legislators using our Legislative Action center. Follow the link below to our action center. Then scroll over and click on the title "Support Education Funding and Finance Reform". This is the link to the alert. A preprinted message has been included. You are encouraged to add a personal story as well.
We also strongly encourage you to forward this message with the link to your member and non-member email lists (anyone who supports our message is encouraged to respond)...taking care not to include any government email addresses.
We have set a goal of sending 40,000 emails! That's right we want 10,000 of you and your friends from every legislative district in the state to send messages to their three legislators and the Governor. The system has already been set up to generate all four, so all you need to do is add just a bit to the one prewritten message. It's so easy! Try it yourself, then pass it on to a friend. Let's see what kind of an impact we can make in one week. I will provide updates over the next week so that we can all monitor our progress.
http://capwiz.com/npta2/wa/home/
PTSA FOCUS DAY
On February 26, 2009, Washington State PTA is sponsoring its annual Focus Day activities. This is the day that PTA members across the state gather in Olympia to "focus" on the child advocacy issues that were selected at Legislative Assembly.
This is an unusually important year for parents to participate. Our Legislative representatives have been given the task of revamping our educational system--primarily the way in which it is funded. It has been obvious for years that the funding amount has been inadequate (districts have to raise levy money to provide basics) but even more obvious that the funds are unfairly distributed. Combine the ever-growing needs of our underfunded educational system with the current budget crisis and one simply cannot deny the need to keep our legislators FOCUSED on our kids.
Focus Day this year will take on a different form than in years past. This year, the main activity will be a massive rally on the Capital steps at noon. We need every body possible to attend for this easy, fun, and effective advocating party.
Organize car pools--we need at least four cars of four people from every school. Drive to Olympia, rally on the steps, drive back home. How easy can it get?
Bellevue PTSA Council also has rented two busses for the day. The trip is free to Bellevue PTA members and almost free to other Council members. We will leave at about 9:30 on February 26th from the old K Mart parking lot on 148th and return there by 3 or 3:30.
Reservations are required for the bus. Contact me with the names and e-mail addresses of those who will be riding the bus. I need to have these names by the first part of February. Questions? Contact: Connie Gerlitz (dgerlitz2@comcast.net), Bellevue Council and Region 2Legislative Chair
