PTA

Winter Hill PTA

2022-2024

PTA collaborates with SPS to publish regular weekly newsletters to the entire Wildcat community, not just our members. We strive to be as inclusive and transparent as possible in our communications. Our partnership with the school has allowed us to leverage the use of an online platform that allows PTA’s news and communications to be translated into the preferred language(s) of our linguistically diverse community. Information about PTA events, activities, fundraisers, goals and impact are part of every Wildcat Weekly!

30 Day Notice of PTA Elections

Please mark your calendars for the final PTA meeting of the year! We will meet at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, June 5th 2024 at the Otis Street Courtyard at the Edgerly building. In advance of this meeting, we are excited to announce our slate of candidates for open officer roles. The following individuals have been selected by our nominating committee:

Cassandra Cruikshank for PTA President.

Cassandra is a mom to a rising fifth grader and served as Co-Vice President this past year, and is now stepping up to the President role. Cassandra has been a strong leader on our PTA - keeping us on task and pulling together many of our fundraisers. She is an avid knitter, designer, cook, and crafter in her free time.

Luc Schuster for PTA Co-Vice President.

Luc Schuster is a dad of rising second graders. Luc grew up in Cambridge and served on the Cambridge School Committee. He enjoys organizing and event planning and hopes to contribute towards strengthening our school community during a tough period of transition.

Emily Spicer-Hankle for PTA Co-Vice President.

Emily Spicer Hankle is the mom of a rising Winter Hill 2nd grader, a current PreKer and one pre-wildcat (her 9 month old). She and her family are bolstered by the amazing community of parents, teachers, administrators and students they have found there. As a proud Somervillian for the past 20 years (with only a brief stint across the line in Cambridge), she looks forward to working with parents and families to continue building connections to keep our Wildcat Community strong and vibrant.

Shauna Powers for PTA Co-Secretary.

Shauna has been a Somerville resident for 13 years and has a professional background in operations and product management. Despite the unpredictability of being a parent these days, she’s found solace in her love of yoga, appreciation for the beauty of flowers, and maintaining order amidst chaos. She’s committed to the values of equality and inclusivity for all members of our community, particularly our children. And while the journey may be serious, she believes that finding humor in life's moments can bring us closer together.

If you are interested in any of these roles, there will be an opportunity to self-nominate from the floor during our final general body meeting on June 5th. Please see the agenda below for more details.

Agenda for final General Body meeting of the year

President’s Report (5 minutes)
Treasurer’s Report (5 minutes)
Elections (15 minutes)

Nominations from the floor
Voting

Discussion: Future Visioning (20 minutes)

What have we accomplished this year? What should we repeat next year?
What are your ideas for the future of WHCIS PTA and how will you help to make that a reality?

Celebration: Honoring our school leaders (15 minutes)

We look forward to seeing you!

Sincerely,

WHCIS PTA Executive Board and Nominating Committee

Become a Member! We continue to take members throughout the school year. If you haven’t yet signed up to become a member, you can sign up as a member online, and pay your dues online too! Unless we have the vast majority of parents, caregivers and teachers signed up as members, our PTA will not have the legitimate ability to speak for the whole school community. At a time when our community is so fractured and dislocated from our beloved location on Sycamore Street, we cannot amplify your voices until you join us! Please contact winterhillpta@gmail.com if you have any questions.

The PTA for the Winter Hill Community Innovation School exists to promote the collaboration between educators and families so that children have all of our support to succeed in our school.

We work collaboratively with other Somerville PTAs to support the development of all children and youth in the city.

Things We Do:

Encourage parents to be involved in the school.
Inform parents and partners about issues that affect student success.
Enrich student learning via classroom support, field trips and OST/academic enrichment.
Celebrate WHCIS children and families via creating connections within the school and with the community at large.
Support teachers and staff in creating a warm, welcoming and nurturing environment where every child is recognized as unique individuals, and challenged to learn and grow into thoughtful, caring and engaged young adults.
Advocate for the education, health, welfare and safety of all children as we work with other Somerville PTAs.

Contact the PTA! We love to hear from you.

· Website: www.winterhillpta.org

· Email: winterhillpta@gmail.com.

· Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WinterHillSomervillePTA

Join Us in 2023-24!

Our work is very difficult this year because our school has been displaced.

This year, with your help, we will:

1. Co-host Principal's Coffee Hour every month.

2. Raise funds for every grade to have access to one educational project or field trip this year.

3. Write grants to offer adaptive programming for autistic students across the city of Somerville.

4. Provide extra support for English language learners attending middle school after relocating from numerous different countries of origin.

Keep an eye out for our membership drive during September and an invitation to our fall General Meeting in early October!

Stand With the Winter Hill Wildcats!

Scan the QR Code or visit https://app.memberhub.gives/standwithwildcats

NOW TAKING CORPORATE MATCHES via Benevity Causes! Talk to your HR about us and have them look us up on Benevity.com.

Mission and Governance

WHCIS PTA, aka Winter Hill PTA, is organized under the authority of the Massachusetts PTA, a branch of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers. PTA’s mission is to realize every child’s potential by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.

The Winter Hill PTA participates in the WHCIS Governing Board to provide input in school policy, recognizing that the legal responsibility to make decisions has been delegated by the people to boards of education, state education authorities, and local education authorities.

The PTA’s Membership is the PTA’s most crucial asset. General memberships are valid for one year at a time, from July 1 through June 30. Returning members are entitled to all their rights (the main one being the ability to vote at General Meetings) through September 30 of each year, but must renew by September 30.

As a membership organization, all PTA operations are conducted and governed by PTA members. School officials have no control over PTA budgeting and spending unless they serve in elected office. All PTA members are responsible for conducting PTA activities, and for fundraising to support these activities as needed. Members meet thrice per year to make decisions and review progress of work. They may decide to conduct additional meetings if needed.

The PTA’s Officers serve on the WHCIS Governing Board to work in cooperation with the school in determining and meeting school needs. These officers include:

1) The Executive Committee, comprising one president, one treasurer, up to two vice-presidents, and up to two secretaries. These officers are elected by PTA members to serve for two years, and can serve a maximum of two terms. The Executive Committee works with the school to draft a plan of activities for each year. They also create budgets for activities that are voted on by PTA members.

2) The PTA’s Audit Committee is a Standing Committee of the PTA. Appointed by the Executive Committee and the Governing Board, it comprises one parent representative, one teacher representative, and one neighborhood business owner. The Audit Committee oversees fiscal and legal compliance, sets the Standing Rules for PTA operations, and approves any fundraising plans for each year.

3) The PTA’s Nominating Committee is a Standing Committee of the PTA. Elected by the General Membership, it serves on the Governing Board and comprises at least one Family Liaison, at least one member of the Family Support Team or staff, and at least one parent representative. The Nominating Committee works to identify PTA members who are able and willing to serve in elected office.

The PTA’s Officers the PTA’s officers are:

School Year 2023-2024

Click on the links below to read our past newsletters! Once you open the newsletter, at the top, select the language you would like to read it in – there are many options.

May 3, 2024

https://secure.smore.com/n/azb2d

April 26, 2024

https://www.smore.com/n/cfwsv

April 12, 2024

https://www.smore.com/n/109su6

April 5, 2024

https://www.smore.com/n/kvuap

Mar. 22, 2024

https://www.smore.com/n/75bdz

Mar. 15, 2024

https://www.smore.com/n/r47tz