With the launch of Bell PTSA's new website, we will now be sending our newsletter direct from our website, as opposed to going through the school registrar. Please make sure to register on our new site so your information is up to date! 

January 27th was International Holocaust Remembrance Day. While it can be difficult to talk to our children about one of the darkest periods in human history, it's imperative that our children know the truth and understand our history. Our family recently read the book I am Anne Frank (Ordinary People Change the World), by Brad Meltzer. We felt that the book approached the subject in a manner that elementary students could absorb. We hope this recommendation helps other families find ways to honor the victims of the Holocaust by telling their stories and never forgetting.

In an effort to stay connected and celebrate Valentine's Day during these challenging times, Bell PTSA is hoping we can all come together to create a Garden of Friendship through art and creativity. To participate, have your family paint or write words on rocks about friendship, love, and kindness. Then, head to Bell Elementary and place your rocks in Bell's Garden of Friendship (there is a sign posted at the school. Place your rocks below the sign). 

Our hope is that this community will create a beautiful rock garden with hundreds of beautiful messages. We hope you and your family will participate.

Please take a photo of your Bell Bulldog with their decorated rocks and either upload them on TreeRing (school code: 1015269962362510) for the yearbook or email the photo(s) to yearbook@agbellptsa.org (include student's name, grade, and teacher).

If you need paint or markers, please reach out to your teacher or to Bell PTSA at communityevents@agbellptsa.org.

It's already time to start looking for Bell PTSA's Executive Board for next year! Be part of the wonderful work we do and make a difference in your community. Are you interested? Is there anyone you know who would be a great fit? If so, nominate them, nominate yourself! Simply complete this nomination form. If you nominate someone else, we will reach out to them to gauge their interest in the position.

The elected board positions are listed below. Nominations will be accepted for all elected positions until April 13th. Elections will be held on Thursday, May 6th during our last PTSA Membership Meeting of the year. Click on the position below to learn more about the role, or reach out directly to our nomination committee or any current board member with questions about the position(s). We'd love to connect and we'd love to hear from you.

President

Co-President

Co-Treasurer (2)

Secretary 

VP - Fundraising

VP - Community Events

VP - Student Enrichment

This week when Leslie Victor went to Bell to put together food packs for our food-insecure families (which she does every week), she was greeted with a handful of Amazon boxes filled with food purchased by our amazing community via our Pantry Pack's Amazon Wish List. THANK YOU to all of you who so generously contributed! And thank you, Leslie, for all you give to our school.

Bell PTSA works with the Lake Washington Schools Foundation to provides packs of food to food-insecure families at Bell every week via the Pantry Packs program, so these donations help tremendously. Please consider purchasing items via our Pantry Pack's Amazon Wish List - select the gift registry address to ship the item(s) direct to Bell. 

Thank you to everyone who participated during last week's Focus on Advocacy week. Each day community members were invited to engage with their legislators about the legislative focus for that day. Our legislators heard stories about anti-racism, mental health, equity, preserving funding, safety and emergency preparedness, and so much more.

As the legislative session continues, there will be additional action alerts WSPTA will send out to utilize our collective voice for decisions being made in Olympia. Sign up for action alerts here. Check out our advocacy page to learn more.

We know there is a lot going on and a plethora of information coming our way. We have created a family resource page on our new website, which includes key information coming from the district and key information coming from Bell's administrative team. We have also included other links to helpful resources on this page.

We have a number of ways to get involved with our school community:

• The school is looking for volunteers to help in the morning during drop-off (starting Feb 18th). Volunteers would assist with the school crossings, holding signs to help direct traffic, helping our students stay socially distanced, etc. If interested, please reach out to Brian Story at bstory@lwsd.org
  
  
• As noted above, we are looking to fill the executive board for next year. Simply complete this nomination form. Email nominations@agbellptsa.org with feedback/questions.
  
  
• Other volunteer opportunities can be found on the volunteer page of our new website.
  
  
• Thank you to those of you who reached out to be on the financial review committee. We are so thankful and now have the three people we need to conduct the financial review. 

All volunteers must be approved through Lake Washington School District. Please complete the volunteer application if you have not already done so.

Please upload your remote learning photos to TreeRing, so we can create a yearbook to capture this unprecedented school year. We want to see your outdoor PE lessons, your science experiments, your remote learning in your jammies. We want to capture this unique year in photos! Go to TreeRing or download the app. Our school code is 1015269962362510. If you're unable to upload the photo(s) or if you have questions, please email yearbook@agbellptsa.org. 

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• Direct Donations 
• Corporate Matching- An easy way to double your donation!
• Amazon Smiles - Select "A G Bell PTSA" as your charity and shop via AmazonSmiles 
• Fred Meyer Rewards - Link your Fred Meyer Rewards card to AG Bell PTSA
• Get Involved: volunteer your time, contribute to our programs, attend PTSA meetings. There are many ways YOU can make a difference in your community.

Alexander Graham Bell PTSA

11212 NE 112th St

Kirkland, WA 98033