Advocacy Meeting — transportation, family support, and PTSA priorities

Transportation was identified as a top advocacy priority; the group discussed a driver shortage affecting access to school and possible ways to support families.

The group discussed after-school supervision and snack support; personal family circumstances and follow-up messages were omitted.

Last fall, the PTSA discussed mission and decided to focus on relationship building for the 2020-21 school year, but advocacy was also on the top of the list and is main focus for 2021-22 school year. History of PTSA is originally that advocacy was central focus.

Existing advocacy network and opportunities: District 7 meetings; SPS PTSA; SESEC; Equity fundraising such as Move-a-Thon; grant writing; affinity groups.

Outreach: Consider sending a survey to Kimball community and/or reach out to racial/language groups in order to understand priorities/challenges this school year. Make sure to include translation and multiple communication strategies (electronic, paper) with survey. But PTSA also needs to move forward with immediate needs while awaiting input from community.

List of Needs: fully funded Family Support Worker, fully funding education, translation/interpretation, winter gear, transportation, outdoor lunch, healthy and adequate breakfast/lunch, library book fines, ventilation (at OVA and at new Kimball building – wildfire smoke), equity fundraising, timely and informative communication to families (centralized approach so admin does not have to answer hundreds of individual emails about similar issues).