Fundraising

Art to Remember
Art to Remember

Chair:
(none)
When:
October - November

Art to Remember helps parents and schools preserve children's artwork and support art education through custom-printed keepsakes.
Brown Bear Carwash Fundraiser
Brown Bear Carwash Fundraiser

Chair:
(none)
When:
Spring

The Brown Bear Charity Car Wash Program offers an easy and effective fundraising for Somerset PTSA. You can support our PTSA while also helping the environment!
Goodwill Drive
Goodwill Drive

Chair:
(none)

A Goodwill donation drive is a win for everyone involved. Clear out your clutter while raising money for Somerset PTSA and supporting Goodwill's mission of reducing waste and creating job opportunities in the community.

Grant Writing
Grant Writing

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

Work with our Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF) ambassador, teachers, and school administration to write grants that benefit our school and community.
Fall Fundraising Drive
Fall Fundraising Drive

Chair:
When:
August to October

Somerset PTSA’s 2022 Fall Fundraising Drive has officially begun and will run through 10/15/2022! We invite all families to participate in this campaign because your tax-deductible contributions, in any amount, make a big difference to our entire school community. Our goal this fall is $150,000. The suggested donation amount is $250 per household student, but we are grateful for any amount you are comfortable giving. Thank you so much for your generous support.

Picture Day
Picture Day

Chair:
(none)
When:
September - November (exact dates TBD)

During Picture Day, all Somerset students are welcome to get their photo taken, even if you are not planning to purchase the prints. Their picture will also be used for the yearbook and student identification cards.

Teachers will sign up for a date/time that will work for their class and will communicate directly with families on which day your child's class will be taking pictures.

Spiritwear
Spiritwear

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall and Spring

We sell high quality t-shirts and sweatshirts with our school colors and logo. Parents can purchase these items at the beginning of the year.
Fun Run
Fun Run

Chair:
(none)
When:
Spring

Coordinate and organize this very popular annual fall fundraiser. Raise money for valuable PTSA and School programs.
Yearbook
Yearbook

Chair:
When:
ongoing

This chair is responsible for working with photographer/historian and parents to assemble and create the annual yearbook.
Corporate Sponsorships
Corporate Sponsorships

Chair:
(none)
When:
ongoing

Communication

Advocacy & Legislative Affairs
Advocacy & Legislative Affairs

Chair:
(none)
When:
October - May

The National PTA is the largest and oldest child advocacy association in the country. Visit the National PTA (https://www.pta.org/home/advocacy) and WA state PTA (https://www.wastatepta.org/focus-areas/advocacy/) advocacy pages to learn about ways to join the voices advocating for our children, families, and schools.

Our PTSA's vision is that every child’s potential becomes a reality. Our mission is to make the PTSA a powerful voice for children; a relevant resource for families, schools and communities; and an advocate for the well-being and education of all children. Please consider volunteering to be our Advocacy Chair.

Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF)
Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF)

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

Communicate BSF news to our PTSA BOD monthly or as needed.

Founded in 1979, Bellevue Schools Foundation's mission is to promote and help fund the best possible learning opportunities for all students in the Bellevue School District. They raise funds to improve student learning through district wide academic initiatives, curriculum material and book purchases, training opportunities for teachers, and an array of programs that meet students' special needs. They also help bridge the gap between the basic funding provided by the State of Washington and what our District's students need to truly excel.


Membership
Membership

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

If you like to talk with parents and encourage PTSA participation, Membership is the role for you. This committee handles the PTSA membership drive throughout the school year. Staff a membership table at school and PTSA events. Some data input required. We strive for 100% membership!
Website Administrator
Website Administrator

Chair:
When:
Ongoing

Maintain the operating of our website, help Chairs set up event registration/payment, help create new pages, etc.

Room Parent Lead
Room Parent Lead

Chair:
When:
ongoing, but busiest in September, October and May

Serve as a liaison between Room Parents and PTSA. Hold a Room Parent Training a week or two after Curriculum Night after Room Parents have signed up. Update the Room Parent Guide and assist Room Parents in their roles. Most of the communication is done via email in a timely manner.

Community Relations

Somerset Show Evening Session
Somerset Show Evening Session

Chair:
(none)
When:
Feb 3, 2024 6:00-7:30pm

Somerset Show Afternoon Session
Somerset Show Afternoon Session

Chair:
(none)
When:
Feb 3, 2024 3:30-5:00pm

Back-to-School Ice Cream Social
Back-to-School Ice Cream Social

Chair:
When:
September

Every year, the PTSA welcomes students and families back to Somerset Elementary with a fun community event!
Birthday Club
Birthday Club

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

Create fun memories by celebrating student/teacher birthdays every month.
Cookie Blizzard
Cookie Blizzard

Chair:
(none)
When:
December

Shower Somerset Elementary staff with delicious cookies and sweets to express appreciation from Somerset families.
Field Day
Field Day

Chair:
When:
June

Field Day is a fun way to let loose at the end of the school year. In collaboration with the PE teacher, we organize an afternoon event full of games and athletic events for the entire school.
Movie Nights
Movie Nights

Chair:
(none)
When:
TBD

Movie nights are a fun way to engage with the community and spend time with your family while watching a kid-friendly movie.
Parenthood Development (PhD)
Parenthood Development (PhD)

Chair:
(none)
When:
October & April

PhD provides parents with learning opportunities throughout the year in the form of speakers and community resources.
Staff Appreciation
Staff Appreciation

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

The Staff Appreciation Committee plans and creates opportunities to thank our exceptional teachers and staff at Somerset Elementary for all their hard work. Our efforts to celebrate our wonderful teachers and staff, with small events throughout the year, culminate in May with Staff Appreciation Week.
Talent & Variety Show
Talent & Variety Show

Chair:
(none)
When:
May

A fun way to celebrate our students' diverse range of talents by literally putting them center stage in a talent show!
Trunk or Treat
Trunk or Treat

Chair:
When:
October 28, 2023

During Trunk or Treat, families and staff are invited to sign up to decorate the back of their cars for Halloween, load up on treats (small prizes or candy), and park in their designated parking spot for kids to come "trick or treat" from car-to-car, dressed in Halloween costumes and holding out bags or plastic pumpkins to collect their treats.

Volunteer Coordinator
Volunteer Coordinator

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

Match our Somerset volunteers to the right opportunities. Our community is rich in skills and talent with different time commitments. All of our committees and events could use additional help. Create time slots and advertise distinct tasks so everyone can find a way to participate. Recognize all volunteers in December and June.
Pizza & Bingo Night
Pizza & Bingo Night

Chair:
When:
May 12

Volunteer to plan this fun, popular annual event. Plan and coordinate the pizza dinner, Bingo game and prizes.

Enrichment

After-school Fitness
After-school Fitness

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

After-school Coding
After-school Coding

Chair:
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

STEAM Night
STEAM Night

Chair:
(none)
When:
April 30
Robotics Club
Robotics Club

Chair:
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

At the Somerset PTSA Robotics Club, students will learn how to code by using EV3 Robotics Kit curriculum, taught by Somerset elementary teachers and guided by mentors from Newport Robotics Group(NRG) who have experience in FIRST® LEGO® League(FLL). Students will dive into the fundamentals of robotics. Embrace the core values of the Robotics League as you investigate real-world problems and engineer creative solutions. Please note, this club mainly lays the foundation for robotics and doesn't participate in any tournaments.

After-school Drama
After-school Drama

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

We are very excited to be able to bring drama back to Somerset. Studio East has provided high-quality theater classes, workshops, and productions to local schools since 1992. Learn to act! We’ll explore character creation through improvisation, theater games, and scene work. We will build an encouraging environment in which to play! Then, we'll work on a play to share with our friends and family at the end of class.

After-school Taekwondo Club
After-school Taekwondo Club

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

After-school Chinese Drums
After-school Chinese Drums

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

This program is provided by coach BuYun Zhao, who is the director of the Washington Chinese Orchestra. She aims to advocate and promote traditional Chinese music to the Western world. Playing the Chinese Drum allows individuals to connect with traditional Chinese culture and heritage, foster social interaction and teamwork in group performance. Drumming also helps improve the player’s physical coordination, reduce stress, improve cognitive abilities such as concentration, memory and provide physical fitness as well.

After-school ShaoLin Kung Fu
After-school ShaoLin Kung Fu

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

Teaching children Shaolin Kung Fu isn’t about making them fighters but about building their character through martial arts. Every martial arts move involves the coordination of hands, eyes,body posture and footwork, which help a child’s flexibility, coordination, speed, strength and explosiveness.Kung Fu etiquette are also highly emphasized aspects of discipline,respect and focus training.The master hopes that children learning martial arts can cultivate both their inner and outer qualities.

After-school Math Fun
After-school Math Fun

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

Students in grades 1 through 4 are invited to join the Somerset Math Fun Club. The Math Fun Club is devoted to inspiring students’ love of mathematics with interesting Math Kangaroo problems. Math Kangaroo is an intro-level math competition with logic puzzle-type of questions. The test challenges students to think outside the box and develop confidence in their ability to comprehend mathematics.

After-school Chinese
After-school Chinese

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

Dawn Recitation Club

In the morning, We embrace the first ray of sunshine, traverse through time and space, filling the classroom with beautiful Chinese songs, and echoing the millennia-old Chinese poetry across the campus. In this moment, we encounter Chinese culture, we reunite with a thousand years of history. Let's embark on a joyful learning journey together with wonderful recitations!

After-School Art
After-School Art

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

This program is offered through the American Academy of Fine Art.

Passport Club
Passport Club

Chair:
(none)
When:
Once a month through entire school year

Students will be studying the locations of countries and will be tested each month. By the end of the year they will have learned many, or all, of the countries of the world! Students gain confidence and develop a strong curiosity if they practice regularly and learn about the countries they’re studying.

Running Club
Running Club

Chair:
(none)
When:
October

Run, make some new friends, and have some fun! This club provides a great opportunity for our students to spend time with their friends while participating in a fun and healthy activity!
Science Circle
Science Circle

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

Somerset Science Circle is a volunteer-run club aiming to enhance the science learning environment and introduce science competitions to our students.
Toymaker
Toymaker

Chair:
(none)
When:
TBD

Toymaker is an event that brings joyful hands-on learning to children through the workshops of educational toymaker Rick Hartman.

Rick Hartman’s passion for inspiring kids and inventing toys has powered his work as a “teaching toymaker” for nearly 30 years. His hands-on workshops and Giant Toy Shows are legendary at schools around the Pacific Northwest, and his patented products have sold around the world.
After-school Basketball
After-school Basketball

Chair:
(none)
When:
Winter

Join the basketball training program at Somerset Elementary! LOCALHOOPS offers skills & drills training during the winter season.

After-school Soccer
After-school Soccer

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall, Winter and Spring

Little Warriors After School Soccer program provides fundamental soccer skills by our professional coaches in an inclusive, safe and fun environment. One of the main goals of the Somerset After School program is developing players to their maximum potential and life-long enrichment. We will also recommend players with huge potential to attend our spring season tryouts and could play in the Washington Premier League.

Art Imagination (AI)
Art Imagination (AI)

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

Parent volunteers from each classroom coordinate monthly art projects or present information about various art methods and artists. This art enhancement is done in the classroom with teacher input.

Author Visits
Author Visits

Chair:
(none)
When:
Spring

This program is driven by our school librarian. Coordinate volunteers and support if needed. Last year, famous author, Candace Fleming visited. She delivered inspirational, educational, and entertaining grade level assemblies in the library. Parents could purchase her autographed books.
Book Swap
Book Swap

Chair:
(none)
When:
Spring

Encouraging kids to read and to reuse! What could be better? Kids can turn in already read books and take some new books home.
Chess Club
Chess Club

Chair:
When:
School Year

Chess is a fun game that incorporates many aspects of the IB learner profile: knowledgeable, inquirers, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective. It is a parent driven after school activity meant to foster students' intellectual growth while having fun.

Curriculum Enhancement
Curriculum Enhancement

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

Work with school administration, teachers, and a committee of parent volunteers to coordinate student activities which supplement and enhance the standard curriculum. Activities may include field trips, classroom experiences and grade-level assemblies. Most of the planning and work will take place in the Fall.
Egg Drop Challenge
Egg Drop Challenge

Chair:
(none)
When:
Spring

Our annual Egg Drop Challenge is a fun, highly-anticipated STEM activity that many students love to participate in. In this classic egg drop experiment, students try to build a structure out of recyclable materials that will prevent a raw egg from breaking when dropped from a significant height. They should think about creating a design that would reduce the amount of energy transferred from potential to kinetic energy on the egg shell.
Fifth Grade Activities
Fifth Grade Activities

Chair:
When:
April - June

Fifth Grade Activities celebrate students graduating from Somerset Elementary. Major events occur in June: Fifth Grade Promotion Ceremony (at the school) and the annual Pool Party at the Somerset Rec Club (after school is out).
Fifth Grade Drug & Alcohol Education
Fifth Grade Drug & Alcohol Education

Chair:
(none)
When:
ongoing

Abusing alcohol, drugs, and tobacco at a young age can be harmful to a student’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical development, and it increases the risk of unsafe behaviors, automobile fatalities, and substance abuse later in life. The PTSA organizes speakers to educate 5th grade students about these risks and dangers in an age-appropriate way.
Library Volunteers
Library Volunteers

Chair:
(none)
When:
ongoing

Volunteer in the school library by checking out books to students, re-shelving books, assisting the students when needed and working with the school librarian. Work with Library Volunteer Chair for schedule and specific duties.
Math Circle
Math Circle

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

Thank you for your interest in the Somerset PTSA Math Circle Club. Somerset Math Circle invites our 3rd to 5th grade students who are interested in math and would like to participate in math competitions.

Reading Club
Reading Club

Chair:
(none)
When:
Ongoing

We’re encouraging students to read by counting the reading time of the current curriculum and bonus time, sharing their favorite books, swapping books, and mentoring young readers with advanced readers. The more active they are, the more points they earn towards prizes!

Reflections
Reflections

Chair:
(none)
When:
Fall

The Reflections Program is a National PTA and Washington State PTA cultural arts competition. The purpose of this program is to provide an opportunity for students to use their creative talents by expressing themselves through their own original works. Each year, Reflections challenges students to create art that supports a specific theme. Themes are selected from thousands of ideas submitted by students to National PTA's Reflections Theme Search.

A student may submit an entry in any of six arts areas. Only original works of art are accepted. The six art areas are: Visual Arts Photography, Literature, Music Composition, Dance Choreography, and Film Production.

Future Problem Solving Club
Future Problem Solving Club

Chair:
(none)

At the Somerset PTSA Future Problem Solving club, students will learn about dynamic problem solving and futuristic creative thinking. FPS is a dynamic international program involving thousands of students annually from the United States and many other countries around the world. Future Problem Solving (FPS) teaches a unique six-step problem solving process which can be applied in the real world, in local and global communities, as well as in future societies. This six-step model teaches critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and decision making. Every year, students study a series of select topics like Biosecurity, Terraforming, Antibiotic Resistance, Neuroscience, and more.

Somerset Elementary

Hearing and Vision Screenings
Hearing and Vision Screenings

Chair:
When:
Sept. 17, 2023 Tuesday 8:50a - 1p

The school nurse is administering vision and hearing screening tests for students on Tuesday, September 17th, 2023 She needs 13 volunteers from approximately 8:50am to 1:00pm.
Walk to school
Walk to school

Chair:
(none)
When:
October

International Walk to School Day is promoted by the City of Bellevue and the official website is http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/. Somerset Elementary first participated in October 2013 where about six volunteers and their children handed out PedBee key chains donated by the program to children at school crosswalks and in front of school who walked to school or walked to their bus. 

Students can walk to school directly or can be sent to our Walking School Bus Stops. A Walking School Bus is essentially a group of students who are going to walk to school with volunteers. We are going to designate two Walking School Bus Routes. Here is the Walking School Bus Maps. Please follow the bus schedule if students choose Walking School Bus. The students who walk to school on that day will earn a small prize when they get to school.

Volunteers are needed to walk with  students along the two Walking School Bus routes and to greet students when they arrive at the school.  

Other

Spring Fundraising Drive
Spring Fundraising Drive

Chair:
(none)

Somerset PTSA’s Spring Fundraising Drive has officially begun! We invite all families to participate in this campaign because your tax-deductible contributions, in any amount, make a big difference to our entire school community. We are grateful for any amount you are comfortable giving. Thank you so much for your generous support.
STEM Stars Club
STEM Stars Club

Chair:
(none)

We have a plan to expand our original science club into STEM fields as well. With the generation of chatGPT and AI, mastering STEM knowledge will play a good foundation for future Robotic & AI. We urgently need a chair to make this club successful. We have a plan to open after-school program of Robotic and we need you to join to make it from dream to true.

Our mission is to support the education, health, and welfare of each and every child at Somerset Elementary School. As part of the Washington State PTA, we are a nonprofit membership association bringing together the home, school, and community on behalf of our children.