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A Message form the PTA: North Beach Elementary PTA, the Seattle Public Schools Budget Deficit, and a System of Well Resourced Schools
Wed, Oct 25 9:25am

North Beach Elementary PTA, 
the Seattle Public Schools Budget Deficit, 
and a System of Well Resourced Schools

 

The North Beach Elementary PTA is so proud to be a part of a passionate, engaged, and strong school. The dedication our entire community has for our teachers, staff, students, city, and school is robust and far reaching. Community members are rightfully interested and may be anxious about school consolidation choices for the 24-25 academic year. Our students' lives have been disrupted over these past few years- from COVID, to rebuilding after the pandemic, to a recent teacher shuffle and yet our community remains united and positive. Below outlines information that we have gathered regarding the school consolidation proposal from trusted sources. Our hope is that these facts will help us stay united as a community and can ease apprehension that some may be experiencing.

 It is important to note that we do not know what the District will do. The PTA is continuing to engage with the District, advocate for our community, and disperse information as it comes to us. That being said, it is very easy to get misinformation and conjecture about difficult topics. Please review the information below and do not hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions. This FAQ document will remain on Konstella and will be updated if more information becomes available. 

What is going on?
Seattle Public Schools is facing another year of a budget deficit. To prepare for the 24-25 school year the District is considering many fiscal opportunities, including school consolidation to cover this deficit. Click here for more information. 

When will budget proposals be made?
Proposals are slated to be part of the School Board Regular Meeting on Wednesday, November 15th from 4:15 - 8:30pm. Information about viewing that meeting may be found here. At this time the agenda has not been released. When it is released it will be updated here.

How will this information be disseminated to the community?
After the November 15th School Board Meeting school consolidation decisions will not be final. The District must follow School and Instruction Site Closures Policy H01.00 allowing for community engagement. We are not certain about the communication method after the November 15th meeting; however, the PTA will remain in active communication with our community. 

What is the PTA doing right now to keep our school from being closed
The North Beach Elementary PTA is continuing to operate as normal right now. At this time, the best thing we can do for our community is to wait until any announcements have been made. While the deciding factors of school consolidations are primarily fiscal, the decision-making metrics are not transparent. The District will not be making any decisions based on community involvement at the school, student test scores, or how amazing our teachers and students are. We choose to continue to engage our wonderful community with events, enrichment, fundraising, and support as best we can until any announcements have been made. 

We understand the desire to organize a campaign in advance of the November 15th meeting. However, as PTA we choose to wait until any announcements have been made knowing that there is time for community discussion, feedback, and vocal advocacy per School District policy.  If you are interested in helping organize, consider joining an as-needed Ad Hoc Community Response Committee. If you are interested please email president@northbeachpta.org. 


What can I do right now?

  • The most proactive thing we can do as a community is to vote in the November 7th General Election. This year, four School Board Candidate positions are on the ballot. The newly elected School Board will be the ones casting their votes on the future of Seattle Public Schools. You can register to vote here. 
    • For more information about the School Board candidates please consider reviewing information on each candidate. A resource to look into each campaign is through the Alliance for Education. Please note that as a PTA we have not endorsed any candidate and the opinions of the resource listed are their own. 
  • Consider having discussions about school consolidations away from your students at this time. Our children are listening to us and are also expressing their concerns and anxieties about consolidation and closures during school. 


What will happen if North Beach is on the closure list?

  • The North Beach PTA has scheduled a General PTA and Community Meeting Thursday, Nov 16th at 7:00pm in the cafeteria to act as a listening session for families and to vote on our community response. This meeting will only take place if North Beach is on the proposed consolidation list from the SPS Board meeting on the 15th. 
  • The District must follow School and Instruction Site Closures Policy H01.00 allowing for community engagement. The PTA will work with the school community to ensure the consensus of the PTA General Membership and school community is heard by the District and School Board.


Looking ahead:

  • Don’t forget to vote in the November 7th General Election. You can register to vote here and candidate information may be found here.
  • Mark your calendar for the potential PTA Meeting on November 16th at 7:00pm. A strong, organized community response is key. The community meeting is a place for Seals to gather, listen to each other, and plan our next steps as a community. 
  • If you are interested in being part of an as-needed Ad Hoc Community Response Committee please email president@northbeachpta.org. 


Is The Big Give still happening?
The PTA is operating as normal and will run The Big Give from November 6th - 17th. 

Does the PTA have enough money to fund this year?
Thanks to our generous families donations from the previous academic year, we do   have enough funding to continue PTA operations for the year.

Then why is The Big Give still happening?
The funding provided by The Big Give and other fundraisers throughout the year is critical to the success of our school. The PTA’s fundraising schedule is governed by many factors including school events, breaks, and other fundraisers. It would be a detriment to our efforts to move The Big Give.

What will happen to The Big Give funds if North Beach is on the consolidation proposal?
During our December General PTA Meeting we will discuss the reallocation of the PTA budget to reflect our needs. During this meeting we will consider our options for this funding as needed. 
Families who donate during this year’s Big Give campaign may request a refund. Their donation will be refunded minus the 3% processing fee charged to the PTA for the transaction.


I have more questions! 
Great! Email Beth Carman at president@northbeachpta.org. This FAQ document will be updated as more questions come in or answers may be further clarified.