CURRENT VOLUNTEER NEEDS
Volunteering with the PTA allows our community to continue to do the important work of supporting our teachers, our students, and all of Happy Valley Elementary! We need folks like you to help! There are always many ways to support from being hands-on at events to acting behind the scenes. The role that the PTA plays is vital to the school and the role you can play is vital to the PTA! Click below to see current needs and sign up.
Education Funding Advocacy
As the state legislature begins to craft the budget for the 2025-27 biennium, we need parents and caregivers to demand they fully fund PreK-12 education. Otherwise we are looking at more painful budget cuts similar to what we experienced two years ago.
Please take 1-2 minutes to send this very easy email to your representatives.
Our PTA is working hard to get the word out about the potential for upcoming budget cuts and asking Happy Valley parents and supporters to take action now to prevent those cuts, by contacting their legislators and asking them to fully fund K-12 education.
Here is a simple way for you to help: send this email about Closing the Funding Gaps from the Washington State PTA. Personalize it with your school (if you aren't a PTA member that's fine! Just change "As a member of _____________ PTA," to say "I am a parent at Happy Valley Elementary") and town, and replace the second paragraph (all caps) with your own personal story - it can be just one or two sentences.
I know we are all busy, but taking a few minutes to do this now can have a big impact, especially if we all do it! Ready to make a bigger impact? Share the email form with any friends and family in Washington and ask them to send it, too!
Fall 2024 Video from Dr. Baker (16 min): https://bellinghamps.wistia.com/medias/em0epxgt2x
Bellingham School Board letter to state legislators:
https://go.boarddocs.com/wa/bsdwa/Board.nsf/files/DBTMG55B0FD7/$file/Proposed%20Letter%20to%20Legislators.pdf
January 2025 Video from State Superintendent Chris Reykdal:
https://tvw.org/video/state-superintendent-chris-reykdal-press-conference-2025011128/?eventID=2025011128
2025 Legislative Priorities (the “Big 3”) with info specific to Bellingham School District:
https://bellinghamschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Bellingham-Public-Schools-2025-Legislative-Priorities_Fall-2024.pdf
All volunteers need to complete a Background Check Application through Bellingham School District in order to volunteer in any capacity, including the classroom, as an enrichment chaperone, chaperoning a field trip, or supporting other school functions.
Applications must be renewed every two years. Update your info or check your status here!
Click here to read the Recess & Lunch Volunteer Guidelines.
Please contact Volunteercoordinator@happyvalleypta.com if you are interested in serving as a recess and/or lunch volunteer.
For questions about district-wide volunteer policies, visit the district volunteer page or email Jennifer.Gaer@BellinghamSchools.org.