Information on charitable solicitations and additional financial disclosure information on file can be obtained through the Washington Secretary of State at 1-800-332-4483.
Program & Committee Descriptions
The PTSA does much of its work through various committees and their appointed chairs. Somerset Elementary PTSA is extremely thankful for those who continuously give of their time. We are grateful for the many who have taken on the duties and responsibilities of chairperson for various committees and programs. These programs benefit many, if not all, of the students and staff in our school.
The PTSA board is looking for volunteers to chair numerous committees and serve on the Board. We need creative, hard working, dedicated, and enthusiastic people (Dads and Grandparents are welcome)! Please remember that you don't have to do all the work yourself. A big part of your job is delegating, communicating, and assigning the volunteers to serve under you.
The chairs report to various elected officers of the PTSA Board of Directors.
Art Imagination: 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.
Auction: The Somerset Elementary Parent Teacher Student Association hosts an auction every other year featuring donated products and services from neighborhood, regional and national companies, businesses and organizations, as well as works from Somerset students and other donations from the Somerset Elementary community. Our yearly auction helps us maintain and foster quality education and experiences for Somerset students and the community.
Fall Festival / Walkathon: Raise money for valuable PTSA and School programs as well as meet your teachers and have a great time at our yearly Back to School and Walkathon celebration!
Bellevue Schools Foundation: 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. We 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. We 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.
Care and Share: Care & Share was established by the Somerset PTSA to teach Somerset students about philanthropy to help them see perspectives other than their own. Through philanthropic actions taken by PTSA's Care & Share committee, families in need are identified and served both locally and globally. Care & Share representatives work in tandem with Somerset staff representatives. Specifically they work with the teachers who lead Somerset's Student Council to develop a timeline for giving throughout the school year.
Chess Club: Somerset's Chess Program unleashes a person's positive potential by utilizing chess as a tool to improve their academic abilities, intellectual performance, and social skills through chess-centered learning programs. Participants develop critical thinking skills, build self-esteem and discipline, good sportsmanship, positive social skills and leadership, and it empowers them to succeed while having a great time in the process!
Child Safety / Emergency Preparedness: Weather-related events and natural disasters occur without warning. How would we do if basic services such as water, gas, electricity or telephone were cut off? What if bridges or tunnels collapsed, or highways became impassable? It is possible that some schools could be cut off from city services for hours or even days, depending on the seriousness of the emergency. It is the goal of the Emergency Preparedness Committee to provide Somerset Elementary School with sufficient supplies for at least one day (the eventual goal will be to assemble supplies that could last for three days).
Cookie Dough Fundraiser: Join us in our most delicious annual fundraiser. Tasty tubs of cookie dough are just what the doctor ordered!
eNews Newsletter: The Somerset Elementary PTSA weekly eNews Newsletter serves to keep families informed of PTSA events and programs happening throughout the year.
Festival of Cultures: The Festival of Culture is one of the best attended PTSA events. This event has become a Somerset tradition. We celebrate our diverse culture with kids’ performances, poster boards for cultural information and many cultural booths. This year, we are planning to have Festival of Culture in early February. We need many parent volunteers to participate in the event for it to be successful! Please join us today!
Field Day: Field Day is a fun way to let loose at the end of the school year. In collaboration with Judy Bryson, the PTSA organizes a half-day event full of athletic events. Some common events include the Fireman's Relay, Sack Races, Frisbee Throw, Tug of War, and much more!
GAME (Games And More Enrichment): Family Game Nights feature exciting and educational board and card games. We bring in local game stores and companies to give families the opportunity to play and test new games as well as have fun with favorites. Past game nights have featured Games & Gizmos, Math 'N' Stuff, and a Pokemon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic event. The Committee also coordinates procuring games and storage for rainy day recess and in-class enrichment that may also be used for some Family Game Nights.
Math Adventure: Math Adventures are math-oriented puzzle events for 1st through 5th graders. With disaster looming, small teams of students and their parent coach must each solve a set of puzzles to save the day. A party awaits everyone to celebrate their victory. The events are not competitive, and no winners are declared.
Math Olympiad: An excellent opportunity for 5th graders to practice, improve, and demonstrate math skills by working in a team of no more than four students. The students form teams, with assistance from the Math Olympiad committee, if necessary.
Movie Nights: New for 2011-2012! Choose the movies for our fun new monthly event. We will need to pick the dates, coordinate volunteers, and run refreshments.
Parenthood Development (PhD): Providing parents with learning opportunities throughout the year in the form of speakers and community resources.
Playground Equipment: Our new playground structure will be built Summer 2011. We need continued coordination with our community for any other structural improvements than can be phased in the future. We also need to manage our small equipment such as balls and jump ropes by ensuring there are sufficient and accessible supplies for each class.
Reflections: Each year, the PTSA Reflections Program challenges students to create art inspired by a specific theme. Themes are selected from hundreds of ideas submitted by students to the PTA Reflections Program Theme Search. Past themes have included "Exploring New Beginnings," "If I Could Give the World a Gift...," "A Different Kind of Hero," and most recently, "I Can Make a Difference by…" and "Wow!" The 2010–2011 theme is "Together we can…". Students participate in the Reflections Program by submitting entries to a local PTA or PTSA. Nationally, the program has six arts areas—dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts—and four grade divisions—primary, intermediate, middle/junior, and senior.
Somerset SpringFest: New for 2012: Celebrate being a Somerset Superstar Family! Take the best of your favorite events and create a fun fabulous new tradition for our whole school community.
Staff Appreciation: Staff Appreciation Committee is responsible for planning and creating 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.
Staff-Parent Action Network: This forum allows staff and parents to come together to work on projects of importance to our Somerset Community, as well as discuss relevant educational issues. Monthly meetings will be held before school.
Volunteer Coordinator: 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 discrete tasks so everyone can find a way to participate.
Walkabout & Recess: Walkabout & Recess is a volunteer program designed by PTSA to help ensure that we have extra eyes and ears at recess when children are on the playground. We support this role on the playground during recess. Lunch recess: Monday – Friday 11:35am – 12:55pm. Afternoon Recess: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday, 1:35pm – 2:10pm. All parents with children at Somerset can participate who register as volunteers are welcome to join the Walkabout program. The school will provide training (compulsory for all new volunteers) before you start your duty.
Yearbook: This chair is responsible for working with photographer/historian and parents to assemble and create the annual yearbook.
Young Scientist Week: Young Scientist Week is an annual event provided for by the Somerset Elementary PTSA. This program encourages all Somerset students to get excited about learning and actively participating in science and engineering activities. Activities leading up to and during Young Scientist Week include a Pacific Science Center Demonstration, Student Science Projects, In-Class Science Activities, and Egg-Drop Contest, and culminates in the Family Science Night Carnival.