PTO stands for Parent Teacher Organization. 

We were previously a Parent Teacher Association (PTA). A PTA in Washington State is a formal part of the national organization, the Washington State PTA, while a PTO is an independent, local group. 

Previously, paid annual dues and followed the governing rules of the WSPTA. As a PTO, we operate independently and can create our own bylaws, offer free PTO memberships, and our goals focus solely on our community and district needs. All funds raised by the PTO goes directly back into our school.

Questions? Email info@wadekingpto.org.

• All Things PTO

• How to Get Involved

• Scholastic Book Fair

• Social Media

• GASP

About Kate

Originally from New England, Kate and her family have been in Bellingham for eight years. Kate is a stay at home mom but in her past life worked in Arts & Theatre Education Administration and has her MEd in Integrated Arts. When she isn’t volunteering at school, she can be found sewing for her small business @fiveminutespeaceshop, hiking, or shopping for more overalls.

Kate joined the PTO in 2022, and is excited to take on the role of President for the second year in a row.

Kate has an incoming second grader and fifth grader.

• Chess Club & Tournaments

• Budget Questions/Concerns

About Monika

Monika is a Family Nurse Practitioner at Mt. Shuksan Family Medicine & Dermatology and has a MSN. She also teaches as Adjunct Faculty at the School of Nursing for Azusa Pacific University, teaching Nutrition to graduate nursing students.

Monika loves trail running, and competitively runs marathons and ultras throughout our beautiful state and surrounding mountains.

She joined the PTO in 2022 and is Lead Parent Volunteer running the Wade King Chess Club. She is excited to host the 2025 Wade King Chess Tournament for our students, who are the strongest chess team in Whatcom County!

She has twin incoming third graders.

• Reimbursements

About Tom

A Cost Lead at a local refinery and former Treasurer of the Fourth Corner Elites Car Club of Bellingham, Tom is looking forward to his new role on the Wade King PTO! Originally from Northwest Indiana, Tom and Nadia “threw a dart at the map” and moved to Bellingham in April 2014, with no friends, no job, and nowhere to live.

Aside from spending time with family, Tom always has a project going. A self-described Mr. Fix It, taking DIY to the next level, Tom enjoys auto repair, engine building/auto body restoration, welding steel and aluminum, tackling all home repair/major remodel/additions, but says “No” to drywall. You can find Tom, Nadia, and their two children Allen (8), and Vanessa (3), hosting “Pizza Barbecues” at their home year-round. Tom enjoys baseball, bicycling, running (5-time Ragnarian), hiking, camping, and he takes great pleasure in completely smoking the competition when it comes to outdoor Christmas lights.

Fun Facts: In a former life (prior to moving to the PNW), Tom spent two years working on the Trans Alaska Pipeline (north of the Arctic Circle), and three years in the Far East of Russia. Tom is a NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) graduate, an Intermediate-level Russian speaker, and has many stories to tell from his experience driving a semi tow truck.  

Tom has an incoming third grader.

• PTO Meeting Minutes

• Membership (Givebacks) questions

• Healthy Tech

About Megan

Megan owns and operates The Lookout Studio, a small massage therapy business in town where she practices sports and injury massage as well as holding a certificate to perform Intra-Oral therapy.

Megan and her family enjoy playing numerous sports, exploring the woods, camping, swimming, traveling, and doing art projects together.

She previously served on the PTO board from 2021 to 2023. Her focus this year, besides the administrative tasks of secretary, will be geared toward helping Wade King parents navigate technology usage in partnership with The Bellingham Alliance for Healthy Tech. 

Megan has an incoming second and fourth grader.

• Scholastic Book Fair

• Teacher & Staff Appreciation

• Healthy Tech

• GASP

About Kara

After 10+ years of Arizona living, The Van Leeuwens returned to The PNW in 2018. Kara is currently a stay at home mom but in her past life, she taught first grade for ten years.  Working with kids and supporting teachers is her jam. During her kid-free time, you can find Kara working out, reading, going to concerts, or tackling her never-ending to do list. 

With three busy boys, the schedule is full of practices and games. In between the shenanigans, her family loves to walk the boardwalk and the beach or explore new areas with their chocolate lab, Maya.  

Kara has been an active PTA member since 2020. Over the years, she has planned teacher appreciation festivities, co-chaired the Scholastic Book Fair, helped with the healthy tech alliance parent nights at Wade King and co-created the new GASP program for Wade King. She figured it was time to join the board. 

Kara has an incoming fifth grader and twins entering third grade.

• Website & IT Questions

• Social Media

• Lost & Found

• Teacher/Staff Spotlights

About Sara

Sara was born in Bellingham, but being half Canadian she spent her childhood with one foot in BC and one foot in Washington. She left briefly from 2002 to 2012 and lived in South and North Carolina. In SC, she attended Coastal Carolina University and met her husband Doug while working as a "serving wench" at Medieval Times. After moving to NC, Sara worked in various copy writing and editing roles and earned her MA from North Carolina State University. She and Doug moved back to the PNW when they decided to start a family in 2016.

Sara is currently a full-time romance author under the pen name Sara Elisabeth. She's a self-proclaimed nerd with a passion for RPG video games, movies, 90s alt-rock music, and organizing Wade King's Lost & Found. When she's not writing romance novels, she's certainly reading them.

Sara joined the PTO in 2022, and this will be second year as Technical Communications Officer and Lost & Found Liaison.

Sara has an incoming third grader.

• Fall Festival

• Guest Performers & Events

• Field Day

About Angela

Angela was born and raised in Canada and spent her summers in Bellingham. She attended WWU and has her Master’s in accounting. She works part time as a CPA for nonprofit organizations and is on the Board of Directors of Lydia Place. 

Angela loves traveling, entertaining, and live music and is an avid Backstreet Boys fan (attended 15 BSB concerts). 

She served as President for two years and loves spending time at Wade King and getting to know the kids and seeing the amazing things the staff does!

Angela has an incoming second grader and fourth grader. 

• Move-A-Thon Fundraiser

• New Student Outreach

• Grade-Level Meet Ups

About Andrea

Andrea is originally from Bellingham and went to Mt. Baker High School. She ran track and cross-country at the University of Kentucky and the University of Washington, majored in communication, and received her MEd in Intercollegiate Leadership. Before her kids were born, she worked in the Marketing Department at Brooks Running and The North Face and frequently climbed mountains with her husband Brian.

She loves running, mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, mountaineering, rock climbing, paddle boarding, and exploring the outdoors with her family.

Andrea joined the PTO in 2022 and is excited to continue to build community and relationships with families at Wade King!

Andrea has an incoming first grader and third grader.