All the Ways the PTSA
Supports Ballard High School

Look at all the ways your Parent, Student, Teachers Association (PTSA) supports our school! Want to get involved? We need you! Read the PTSA News for volunteer needs and more! Refer to the PSTA School Topics page for current events and updates.

Happy Librarian Day

In gratitude to the worlds best librarians (in our humble opinions) on School Librarian Day!

Many Thanks to Ballard HS Teacher-Librarian, Ms. Chambers and Ms. Bowman!

Now everyone raise a book or two in their honor!

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Seawolves Game Ticket Discounts

Families can experience the thrill of professional rugby with discounted tickets using our special PTSA Fundraiser Gala discount link. In addition, the BHS Marching Band will be performing at the Seattle Seawolves professional rugby match on Friday, May 3!

This offer includes all upcoming games, including the May 3 College Night game with the halftime band performance; and Friday, April 5 Kids Night where there will be a bevy of activities, including a chance to meet and get pictures with the players after the game. Shout out to BHS Alum and Seawolves Manager of Business Operations, Payton Lawson ’17 for the team’s Gala donation and this special promotion!

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PTSA Fundraising Gala Wrap Up Slam Dunk! Thank You!

Thanks to all who gathered for the PTSA Gala/Dinner Fundraising Event on Sunday night at Block 41! The March Madness-themed bash was a slam dunk of amazing support for Ballard PTSA and building needs! Thanks to Carol Cheyne and her team of volunteers who made the magic happen!

Thank you to all of our attendees, and to those who purchased tickets for teachers. We are incredibly excited to welcome nearly 170 people to the event. With the March Madness theme, there was Pop-a-Shot fun, lovely and creative items up for bid in the silent auction, a wall of pretzels and liquid refreshments to wash it all down, delicious barbecue chicken, Beecher’s mac ‘n’ cheese, and a bevy of baked goods to ogle over on the Dessert Dash table. (And that was before the fun of bidding with the always entertaining Stephen Kilbreath!)

Early totals are in and we’ve raised $80,000 to help with our mission to support students and staff, including $20,000 toward this year’s raise the paddle for Ballard High Building Pride. 

Not too late to still Raise a Paddle for Ballard High Building Pride. Please consider donating online to support our amazing custodian Young and to help make our building the best it can be. Thank you again to all of our volunteers, donors and sponsors. 

~ BHS PTSA Gala Committee Chairs: Carol Cheyne, and Laura Kitchel; ballardgala@gmail.com

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Thank You BHS Staff For All You Do!

The PTSA Staff Appreciation Team put together a St. Patrick’s Day surprise for the staff today with mini St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes from Cupcake Royale, a shamrock plant and a greeting reading “We Struck Gold with With Teachers & Staff Like You.”

Thanks to the Staff Appreciation Team of Lisa Vanderford-Anderson and Lisa Willis for their kind and creative celebration!

Staff Appreciation is just one of the ways the PTSA gives back at Ballard HS. Thank you BHS Staff!

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PTSA Winter General Meeting Recap Feb.

Thanks to the group of parents and guardians who joined us for our Winter PTSA General Meeting.

Thanks also to our speakers, licensed therapists Charlie Delavan and Caleb Visser, who reminded parents to honor teens’ subjective experience of the world, and to practice mindfulness.

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Happy Valentines Day Treats to Staff!

The BHS Staff Appreciation Team dropped off Valentines candies for all the staff Wednesday, Feb. 14. and generated a BIG Thank You from all the Ballard HS Staff top for the array of treats in the Staff Lounge from the BHS PTSA!

Thank you again to both our Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs, Lisa Wilis and Lisa Vanderford-Anderson, for their creative efforts to honor our staff and also to the BHS families that contribute to the BHS PTSA funds that help make this all happen.

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PTSA Membership Drive Update!

Congratulations to Ballard HS Counselor; Gail Olson Laing (on the right), winner of the PTSA Teachers and Staff Membership Drive raffle!

Gail won a Ballard PTSA swag bag full of all things to create a great movie night. Thank you to our teachers and staff who help create an inclusive and supportive community for all students.

Thank you as well to our BHS PTSA Co-Membership Chairs: Lisa Vanderford-Anderson and Deborah Frieze; bhs.ptsa.membershipchair@gmail.com 

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Thank You BHS Counselors!

Our BHS PTSA Volunteer Staff Appreciation team put together these beautiful gifts (self care theme!) to honor our counselors Feb. 9, 2024 for National School Counselor Week! They delivered Cupcake Royale and a Journal, Lavender candle, lip balm, and a beautiful message of: “A bag full of love, sunshine, and self-care to brighten your day as you always brighten the lives of Ballard students.”

Thank you again to both our Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs, Lisa Wilis and Lisa Vanderford-Anderson, for their creative efforts to honor our staff and also to the BHS families that contribute to the BHS PTSA funds.

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PTSA Fun at Prospective Families Night

Thanks to everyone who visited the PTSA table and said hello at Prospective Families Night!

Whether you’re new to Ballard or a longtime Beaver family, you can learn more about the Ballard PTSA and how to get involved in support of BHS students and staff on the BHS website.

Thanks to President Karla Rava and Family And Community Engagement Chair Victoria Watson for engaging new and prospective Beaver families at our table, handing out PTSA tote bag shoppers, and hanging with Bucky!

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Staff Appreciation Education Support Day

The PTSA Staff Appreciation Team distributed festive coffee mugs and cards in November to staff members in celebration of Education Support Professionals Day.

• Administrative Secretary Cal Hartmann and Assistant/Athletic Secretary Bethany Nielcen in the Main Office; Attendance Secretary Alice March; Counseling Secretary Carol Bristol; Registrar Erin Hayes; Fiscal Specialist Jana Pitman; Library Assistant Britta Bowman.

The mugs were accompanied by handwritten cards that included a package of Extra gum: “The difference between ordinary and EXTRAordinary is just a little ‘EXTRA’ Thanks for all you do. – Ballard PTSA.” 

“Cal helped us pass around in person and everyone seemed both surprised and delighted,” said Appreciation Co-Chair Lisa Willis. Thanks to both our Staff Appreciation Co-Chairs, Lisa Wilis and Lisa Vanderford-Anderson, for their creative efforts to honor our staff!

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Senior SPREE

Senior SPREE has been a Beaver tradition for more than 30 years! SPREE is an all-night party hosted and chaperoned by BHS PTSA Parents and Staff, in collaboration with the professional graduation party company, Grad Nights.

Past venues include the Family Fun Center, the Hard Rock Cafe and the Pacific Science Center. Activities have included a game show, hypnotist, arcade games, water bumper cars and more!

Senior SPREE Co-Chairs: Shelby Reynolds; Shelby@ShineEventDesign.com
Darcy Greene; craigdarcy@comcast.net Learn more on the SPREE page and Follow Us! For behind the scenes SPREE fun, follow @BHSspree on Instagram

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Ballard Student SCPTSA Finalists Advancing to State

Congratulations to the following Ballard HS students who submitted works for the Ballard PTSA Reflections program.

They shared entries inspired by this year’s theme, “I Am Hopeful Because …“ Learn more on the PTSA Reflections page.

Music Composition

• Max Germann: Listen to: “Better Future from Past Mistakes“
• Ben Jaynes (Ingraham Student Participant through Ballard): Listen to: “Over the Horizon“

Dance Choreography

• Ruby James Madden: “Chosen Family“

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Thankful for PTSA Closet Clean out Helpers

Before the long holiday weekend, Ballard PTSA decluttered their school storage closet that was in serious need of some Marie Kondo-type love.

Thanks to PTSA VP: Kim Flin, PTSA Newsletter: Gloria Kruzner, FACE: Victoria Watson and student Sara W. (behind the camera) for their assistance!

And special thanks to Assistant Custodian Earl Hutson for all the supplies and encouragement. Now we can more easily access our staff appreciation table decor, signs and meeting materials! 

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Fall Grants Help Staff Support Students

At its fall meeting the Ballard PTSA Grants Committee approved more than $28,000 in grants for needed items and support in the following areas:

• Ceramics: Pug mill (clay recycler)
• English Language Arts: 200 copies of “There, There” by Tommy Orange
• Gay Student Alliance: Button making, art supplies and printing
• Library: Pride books, vacuum
• Mathematics: Three sets of calculators
• Multilingual: Microphones
• Science: Corning Scholar Hot Plates, Magnetic Stirrers
• Social Studies: Funds to help the Mock Trial Team participate in competitions. Also 10 microphones.
• Talisman: Publishing 7 issues of the student newspaper

Thank you to the Grants Committee, coordinated by co-chairs Libet Wallblom; libetwallblom@gmail.com and Nancy Wesche; nwesche@hotmail.com. The PTSA has two committee meetings, in the fall and spring, for reviewing and awarding teacher grants each school year.

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Fall PTSA Board & General Meeting

Drug Prevention & Health Services Resources

Thanks to all who attended our Fall General Meeting and special thanks to speaker Lynnet Mitchell, Healthy Schools Coordinator for Seattle Public School’s Prevention and Intervention Department.

Mitchell provided a fentanyl awareness training and substance abuse prevention strategies. In addition to Mitchell’s presentation, Principal Abby Hunt shared information about the school’s wellness resources, including our Counseling team and Teen Health Center. Members also approved the 2023-24 PTSA Budget and Standing Rules. Mitchell also provided each attendee with a dose of naloxone for their own homes.

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Digital Filmmaking Program Gets New Camera Equipment

Ballard’s Digital Filmmaking program students have recently benefited from community support. Over the summer the program was very generously donated a Sony F55 by Emmy winning cinematographer John Tipton. The Ballard High School Foundation also helped connect Educational Foundation of America (EFA) Board Member and Ballard graduate Sven Huseby ’61 with Digital Film Teacher Steven Bradford regarding a $10,000 grant opportunity for the award winning program.

With grant monies received both from EFA and the Ballard PTSA, Digital Film teacher Stephen Bradford reports the program was able to buy professional feature film grade tripod, lenses, and accessories for its new camera, increasing opportunities for student learning and creativity.

This summer, the program also announced it had six official selections for the All American High School Film Festival, screened at AMC in Times Square. Congratulations to Ballard’s Digital Filmmaking students, and happy that PTSA grants are assisting your creativity this fall!

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PTSA Staff Appreciation Team Shares Gratitude

The PTSA Staff Appreciation Team has been busy!

Thanks to co-chairs Lisa Vanderford-Anderson and Lisa Willis who set up a “put together a root beer float” bar for all BHS staff to celebrate Homecoming Week.

They also provided handwritten notes and chocolates to all custodial staff for National Custodian Week.

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PTSA Membership Drawing Winner Selected

Congratulations to PTSA member Megin Edwards! One of the 170 PTSA members who have signed up so far this year, Megin was automatically entered in our BHS Beaver Gear drawing.

Her name was picked by our Membership Chair Deborah Frieze and Lisa Vanderford-Anderson at our Fall General Meeting!

Not Too Late! Consider still becoming a member we need your voice! Teacher, parents, students too: Sign up for an Annual PTSA Membership

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Thank You! For Your Support of the BHS PTSA Academics Fund!

Thank you again for your generous support to Direct Appeal. Over 165 parents, grandparents, and neighbors have given $52,360 to the annual Ballard HS PTSA Fundraising Direct Appeal this year. The BHS PTSA Academic Fund received an additional $17,844 in corporate matching contributions from your employers. Thank you for making those connections and thank you to your employers.

In total, you helped the PTSA raise $70,204, all of which will support academic programming, and it’s just in time as the PTSA Grants Committee will be awarding grants in the next month.

Thank you for your care and commitment. We couldn’t do it without you.
~ Kristin Anderson, Direct Appeal Chair – Ballard High School PTSA

Not too late to donate: Donate Online Today

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Curriculum Night & BHS PTSA

The BHS PTSA had a table set up (with gift totes too!) to encourage everyone in the Ballard HS community to become a Parent, Teacher, Student Association member. Thanks Karla Rava PTSA President and Victoria Watson Family & Community Engagement (FACE) Volunteer.

If I become a BHS PTSA Member, do I have to go to meetings? No, but we hope everyone will attend our General PTSA Meetings, where a paid membership allows you to vote! Our first General Meeting of the school year will be on Oct 17, 2023. If I become a member, do I have to volunteer? No, joining and becoming a paid member of the BHS PTSA is not the same as volunteering. If you choose to volunteer, we appreciate the parent/guardian and community help and support, but volunteering is not required. 

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Bites & Ballots Candidate Forum on Education

Interested in learning about candidates for the upcoming City Council and Seattle Public Schools Board Elections? Attend Bites & Ballots: A Candidate Forum on Education on Tuesday, Oct.10, 2023 at 6 p.m. at Rainier Avenue Church, 5900 Rainier Ave. S.

Bites & Ballots is a public, free and accessible event for parents (bring your family) to share a free meal with Seattle School Board and City Council candidates. This is your opportunity to meet local candidates up close and personal and ask them your questions about schools directly! Learn more watch and register for next year!

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BHS PTSA Staff Appreciation Team
Welcomes Back Teachers & Staff

The Ballard HS PTSA welcomed our teaching staff back into the building with a delicious coffee and pastry spread, followed by lunch prepared by Ripe Catering.

Thank you to our Staff Appreciation Coordinators Lisa Vanderford-Anderson and Lisa Willis at bhs.ptsa.membershipchair@gmail.com for organizing and putting on this amazing event!

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Thank you for the BHS Library Support

The BHS Library and Librarian TuesD Chambers appreciates all the PTSA Volunteer support and help in the library to help all students! Thank you Ballard HS Parents/Guardians you are the best!

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Thank You to ALL the Parents That Helped Out During the First Week Of School

Thanks to the Parents/Guardians who assisted with library needs, laptop distribution and general needs during the start of school!

Volunteering is a great way to support your student and school community.

Thank you to all that signed up so fast when the PTSA Volunteer Coordinators posted the Sign Up Genius too!

Email PTSA Volunteer Coordinators Joy Das Gupta & Jen Wenrick if you would like to be on an On Call As Needed List at volunteer.ballardhs@gmail.com.

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Examples of Some PTSA Supported 22-23 Events

Earth Day Cleanup

Thanks to the families, individuals and students who gathered on Earth Day morning 22-23, helping to clean up and pick up litter around campus.

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Grants Help Staff Support Programs Around BHS

The PTSA Grants Team approved more than $22,000 in grant requests at the Spring Grants meeting. Grants to staff included:

• Crafting Supplies for Library MakerSpace;
• CommonLit Reading Platform and Writers In The Schools program for English Language Arts;
• Eight Racketball Paddles (combining with last year’s grant request for rackets to make a full set for one class) and 50 MasterLock padlocks for P.E. classes;
• Super8 Film Processing Tank for Digital Filmmaking;
• Transportation for 100 Social Studies students to attend MisInfoDay at the University of Washington (photos from this year’s event c/o @beaverreadersbhs);
• Arts Supplies for World Languages’ Visual Projects;
• Yamaha NP-12 Keyboards for Performing Arts;
• LabQuest Devices for Chemistry/Physics;
• Pocket Constitutions for American Government students

Thank you for your donations to help fund PTSA Grants. Thanks also to Grants Chairs Libet Wallblom and Nancy Wesche for all their efforts coordinating the Grants process!

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Special Education Guide Released

Thank you BHS PTSA for hosting Janis White, SSEPTSA at the BHS PTSA Board Meeting and for sharing the Special Education Just Released Guide to Special Education in Seattle Public Schools.

Another resource for Ballard HS families is the BHS Special Education & Disability Students Resource & Exchange on Facebook. Our Ballard HS PTSA was able to provide a $500 donation to the Seattle Special Education PTSA to help offset fees in the creation of this helpful resource!

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PTSA Weekly Newsletter

The BHS PTSA Communication Team: Gloria Kruzner, and Diane Taylor who help get information out in various ways to the BHS Community via the PTSA Newsletter, Instagram, Facebook Accounts, Twitter and information posted on the School Website. The BHS PTSA Weekly Newsletter is a PTSA member volunteer-run informational newsletter that is emailed to subscribed families with important information for families and students as well, including sports, clubs, performing arts, community news and more! View past PTSA Newsletters. 

If you are not receiving the newsletter or want to add a 2nd email or a student (Personal email NOT student SPS email) Subscribe via the online sign up form or email ballardhighnews@gmail.com (include your students grade & name).

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BHS PTSA Membership

Become a Member of the BHS PTSA, and become a partner in your student’s education.
The PTSA is you, me and all of the parents/guardians, students and staff dedicated to the educational development and success of all students. The PTSA membership is open to anyone concerned about the education, health, and welfare of our youth and is a way to show your commitment to working with teachers and the school administration to build a better future for the next generation.

• We help families stay informed and connected to the school community.
• We plan school-wide celebrations, parent education and staff appreciation events.
• We raise much needed grant money for academic, enrichment and extracurricular activities.

View the PTSA Membership Info. For Volunteering and Teacher Support Fund Information please reach out to the Membership Chair. Warm Regards, PTSA Membership Chair,  Lisa Vanderford-Anderson and Deborah Frieze, bhs.ptsa.membershipchair@gmail.com.

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