HIMS PTSA Winter General Meeting

HIMS PTSA Winter General Meeting

HIMS

PTSA Spring

General Meeting

January 29, 2025

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January 29, 2025

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May 8, 2025

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Draft minutes have been included in the speaker notes below. Minutes will be reviewed and approved by the PTSA board in the early June board meeting.

Agenda�6:30-8:30 pm

• Welcome (Molly Sahebjami, Molly Thayer)

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• Principal’s updates (Dr. Eric Marshall)

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• Approval of minutes from the winter general meeting (Yasemin Ulusarac)

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• Membership vote needed: 2025-26 budget (Jenna Boitano and Ruchita Tulsyan)

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• Membership vote needed: 2025-26 new officers who have volunteered to date (Molly Sahebjami, Molly Thayer)

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• PTSA event updates / volunteers needed (Alisa Vitello, Jane Chiu, Tracey Graber, Heather Leneway, Regina VanOverschelde)
• Seattle Reign game this Sunday
• 8^th Grade Dance on May 16
• Hawk Day on May 16
• 8^th Grade Promotion on June 17
• Thank you for Staff Appreciation Week this week!

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• Spiritwear update (Erika Haberly, Andra Freet)

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• Featured presentation: Your Students & Technology (Lori Dennis, Matt Cordry)

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• Speakers panel Q&A and community discussion

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• Adjourn

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School updates from �Dr. Marshall

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Meeting minute approval

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• Approval of minutes from the winter general meeting on advocacy
• Sent to board for review
• https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1a5YprEvFwI7pmQnyK3FC_GZMGKsI0hnB/edit?usp=sharing&rtpof=true&sd=true

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Again, it was a really valuable meeting, with speakers giving a landscape of advocacy efforts and challenges at the school, in the district, the city, the state and nationwide. Check out the slides on www.hamiltonptsa.org if you haven’t yet.

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Membership vote needed

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Proposed 2025-26 Budget

Proposed 2025-26 HIMS PTSA Budget

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Membership vote needed

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New PTSA Officers for 2025-26

PTSA Operational Concerns for Next Year

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Background: For a PTSA to operate in Washington state, the membership must vote in a President, Secretary and a Treasurer. These positions must volunteer by July 1, 2025 for the PTSA to operate in the 2025-26.

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So far, we have a volunteer for Secretary and two volunteers for co-Treasurer, but we have no volunteers for the President or Vice President role.

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We will need to identity a volunteer for President (or even better, two co-Presidents who can share the role) by July 1 for the Hamilton PTSA to operate next year.

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Let’s vote on Secretary and Co-Treasurers this evening, and then a vote on the President/s, if identified by July 1, would take place at the Fall General Meeting.

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Please help us find a President or Co-Presidents for the Hamilton PTSA to continue next year!

Membership Vote: Secretary

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Yasemin Ulusarac

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Yasemin is this year’s secretary and has volunteered to continue in the role in 2025-26. Yasemin has a daughter in 7th grade at HIMS and a first grader at West Woodland Elementary.

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2025-2026 will be Yasemin’s third year having an active role in the PTSA, and she looks forward to connecting with HIMS families current and new.

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Professionally, Yasemin works at a tech company as an account manager. She is dedicated to inclusion and kindness all around. Yasemin enjoys home cooking, learning different languages, and coffee. 

Membership Vote: Co-Treasurer

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Chris Fitzhugh

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Chris Fitzhugh has spent a few months learning the treasurer ropes from Ruchita and Jenna, and is ready to go as a treasurer next year. He has a 6th grader at HIMS and a 3rd grader at B.F. Day Elementary. A product of a strong public school education, Chris is a firm believer in strengthening communities by investing locally in neighborhood public schools and their programs.

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Chris served on the PTSA board at B.F. Day as VP and Treasurer. He is a passionate finance wonk and believes that spreadsheets are an artform. Outside of HIMS, he is a part-time corporate investment consultant with 20 years of experience in global operations, supply chain management, and talent development. Most of his time is well spent as an active dad -- you'll most likely catch him rooting on from Woodland soccer and HIMS ultimate sidelines.

Membership Vote: Co-Treasurer

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Dave Evans

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Chris Fitzhugh has recruited Dave Evans to be his co-treasurer for next year. Dave will assist Chris and then move into the lead co-treasurer role the following school year.

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Dave has a 10^th grader at Lincoln, an 8^th grader at HIMS and a 5^th grader at B.F. Day. Suffice to say, he is invested in the local public schools and helping to maintain a strong PTSA presence. 

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Dave served as Treasurer for three years at B.F. Day as well as in other minor roles. Outside of HIMS, he works at a consulting firm in employee benefits and compensation matters. For enjoyment, he likes to snowboard and hike in the mountains, see live music, and play in an ultimate frisbee league.  He also coaches ultimate teams at HIMS and B.F. Day.

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Membership vote

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The PTSA board recommends voting in all candidates:

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• Yasemin Ulusarac

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• Chris Fitzhugh

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• Dave Evans

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And, Thank You to Our 2024-25 Board!

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Did I Mention We’re Recruiting for 2025-26?

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• Co-Presidents
• Vice President
• Co-Secretary
• Class Reps, Co-Reps (thanks Janice Tsai, our incoming 6^th grade rep!)
• Grant Writers
• Communications Support
• Fundraising Support
• Spiritwear Team
• Advocacy Team

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Email president@hamiltonptsa.org this school year to chat possibilities

PTSA events coming up:

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• Seattle Reign game this Sunday – PTSA fundraiser for Mom’s Day – buy tickets here:

https://www.gofevo.com/event/Hamiltonmiddle7

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• 8^th Grade Dance the evening of Friday, May 16 – volunteers needed!

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• Hawk Day on Friday, May 16 – volunteers needed!

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• 8^th Grade Promotion on the evening of Tuesday, June 17 – volunteers needed!

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• Thank you for Staff Appreciation Week this week! More to come for June!

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Email volunteercoordinator@hamiltonptsa.org if you can’t find the links to volunteer! Come have fun!

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Also: Spiritwear upgrades are in progress for next year!

Feature Presentation

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Your Students

& Technology

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Thank you to the PTSA Technology Committee, led by Lori Dennis and incoming Tech Liaison Matt Corddry, for developing tonight’s feature program.

Hamilton PTSA Tech Team

7:15 Update from the Hamilton PTSA Tech Team

7:25 Guest Speaker: Katey MacPherson�7:50 Perspective from Panelists: Dorothea Kaste, Lucy Dorer, Ms. Mac, Dr. Marshall, Ms. Brewer

8:15 Q & A

8:30 Done!

May 8, 2025

Global Shift in Policy

“Away for the Day” impact

Hamilton has an “Away for the Day” policy on devices, but 2024-25 was the first year of the Yondr pouch.

• Teachers and administrators report a far lower rate of cell phone distractions in the classroom
• Kids are happier, feel more safe, and test scores are up at school

Current Challenges

1. Some kids are using their phones in hallways and restrooms.
• We need parents to monitor kids’ phone usage during school hours; youtube.com/@HamiltonPTSA shows how to do this.
2. Tik Tok Challenges
• “TikTok Challenges” dare our kids to do dangerous things. Parents & Guardians: carefully monitor your kids’ use of social media.
3. Yondr pouch locking pin can become bent if left unlocked.
• Lock the pouch once the phone has been removed to protect the pin.
4. Shortage of locking stations leading to delays at the end of the day.
• Hamilton has ordered more locking stations.

Preparing for the 2025-26 school year

• Yondr pouches will be collected from 8th graders at the end of the school year, all other kids keep the pouch over the summer.
• We will send communications to 2025-26 parents in August.
• We will build a new technology resource guide for parents on hamiltonms.seattleschools.org/resources/ and continue to add helpful videos on youtube.com/@HamiltonPTSA.
• We will survey teachers at the end of the year so we can improve the program for next year.

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Guest Speaker

Katey MacPherson

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High School Student Panel�Dorothea Kaste, Lincoln High School�Lucy Dorer, Mercer Island High School

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School Leadership Panel�Ms. Mac, Librarian, Hamilton Int’l Middle School

Dr. Marshall, Principal, Hamilton

Ms. Brewer, Principal, Roosevelt High School��

What can Parents & Guardians do today?

As parents & guardians, we are still the primary gatekeepers and managers of our tweens’ & teens’ internet experience.

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• Actively monitor their cell phone, internet use, social media, and chat threads.
• Talk to them about online dangers, how to be safe, and when to tell an adult about something.
• Ask them how we can better support their learning experience & the influence of technology.
• Volunteer with the PTSA!

Audience Q&A

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Thanks!

Interested in joining the 2025-26 PTSA Tech Team? Reach out to tech@hamiltonptsa.org to learn more!

Thank you

Any questions or for access to this Powerpoint, please contact

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president@hamiltonptsa.org

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