General Meeting: Budget and Transportation Advocacy

Color Brave Space norms were reviewed.

Administration update

Budget season is upon us. Schools will receive their budgets on February 28. Enrollment for school choice is currently open through Feb 28. Kindergarteners are also enrolling. Enrollment is important for the district to determine Kimball’s student numbers and therefore budget allocations. Ms. Gray requested time to present at March 14 meeting to share the budget, give background and possibly make a financial ask of the PTSA, plus Q&A.

Math games and potluck night (Carrie G)

Math games and potluck in cafeteria

Families asked to bring dish to share (no tree nuts!)

In gym, Alaron as MAT rep & Ms. Mi will lead movement games

AANHPI/mixed-heritage family gathering

A March 31 AANHPI/mixed-heritage family gathering was discussed, with location to be determined.

Racial Equity Team update

RET and staff are doing “A Tribute to Black Joy and Excellence” video project. Asking for participants

School bus transportation to Washington Middle School

Context: Two years ago, boundary lines were redrawn and Kimball now feeds into Washington Middle School (WMS) in the Central District (previously Mercer Middle on Beacon Hill). Seattle Public Schools (SPS) committed to providing Kimball students attending WMS school bus transportation, with the commitment to be reassessed after two years, which is now.

The school had asked district leadership about the busing reassessment.

What next steps do Kimball families take to advocate for continued school busing?

Create cohort of “squeaky wheel” parents? Hold a meeting to raise leaders to create a plan for advocacy around this issue? What’s our role and responsibility as a PTSA leader to inform families, current and potential?

Some next steps:

-Communicate with current 5th grade families about this situation (and other families who currently have children at WMS)

-Connect with WMS’s PTA

-Some parents to send inquiry email to Director Marni Campbell, School Board Director Hersey & Associate Superintendent Pedroza: what’s the reassessment process going to entail? What is being considered in reassessment?

Considerations for advocacy down the road:

-Families might be willing to enroll at WMS if the district provides school bus transportation (and conversely be unwilling to enroll if there is not)

-Proper translation and interpretation for communications on this issue

-Racist comments when questioning safety of CD

The notes cited the school community's history of education advocacy.

-Write directly to SPS transportation dept?

-Mindfulness around how concerns about kids’ safety commuting in the Central District on public transportation might be received as racist.