Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs) we hear from our Puesta del Sol Community:

What is a PTA (Parent Teacher Association)?

The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is a partnership between parents and educators who strive to enhance student learning and enrich the lives of the students within the school. It is also a forum for parents to obtain knowledge and voice their opinions about what is happening in their school.  The PTA is the largest grass-roots non-profit organization dedicated solely to children in Washington State and the country.  Please see our What is PTA? page for greater detail.

What is PTA Membership?

Everyone—parents, educators, students and other citizens active in their schools and communities—is invited to join our not-for-profit parent association. The number one reason to join the Parent Teacher Association is to benefit your child.  The PTA is here to advocate for you and your student for just about any issue that affects your student's experience at Puesta del Sol.  Through our partnerships with district, state, and National PTA, our PTA advocates for our students and issues affecting their health, welfare, safety, and education.

Why would I want to be a PTA Member?

Your PTA membership helps support school activities and programs.  In addition to voting, members also receive some incredible additional benefits such as access to the PTA online student and family directory and other member only resources.  By joining you also receive membership benefits available to all Washington State PTA members like discounts at the Fed-Ex Store and at Great Wolf Lodge. Learn more about the discounts available on our PTA Member Benefits page. 

What do PTA members do?  Do they have to volunteer?

PTA members are encouraged to actively participate in our Puesta del Sol community.  We hope you will come to our meetings, attend special events, and we are always happy to have more volunteers to assist or run our fabulous programs.  Volunteering is not required!  Without volunteers, we will not be able to serve our students as well and enrich their lives with more art, music, literature, movie nights, school dances and festivals, and educational enhancement beyond the classrooms.  Consider volunteering in a small way or a big way.  While it's absolutely not required, we all know that many hands make light work.

What do my membership dues pay for?

A portion of each member's dues goes to the Bellevue PTSA Council, Washington State PTA, and National PTA. The remainder helps pay for PTA board training, Advocacy efforts and contributions, and costs associated with providing PTA membership.  For less than 5 cents a day, you can be a PTA member.  

What portions of my PTA membership dues are paid to National, State, and Council PTA supports?

As of July 2019, the National PTA collects $2.25, WSPTA collects $5.75, and Bellevue PTSA Council collects $1.50 out of the Puesta del Sol PTA membership dues, for a total of $9.50.  The remainder of your paid dues is used by Puesta del Sol PTA to support membership costs, advocacy initiatives, board training supplies and expenses, and PTA programs.

Can my student join the PTA?

All of our Puesta del Sol students are honorary PTA members.  Currently, the Puesta del Sol PTA recognizes only adult members for voting privileges.  We encourage students who wish to share feedback or raise an issue to reach out to PTA through their parents or directly to any member of the PTA board and we can share their voice and address any concerns.  Students who are interested in learning more about leadership may join us at PTA membership meetings to see leadership in action!  There are also occasional opportunities to reach out to a broader audience including the Bellevue School District and even our state legislators in Olympia.

Who can be a member?

Puesta Del Sol PTA membership is open to everyone! PTA is an inclusive organization, and we invite any community members who care about healthy children and strong schools to join.  Students are considered honorary members and may attend meetings if they are interested.  We welcome the parents of our students to join as members as well as extended family members, guardians, neighbors, and members of our community.  The more voices who stand up for our children, the better.

My family struggles financially.  It would be hard for us to spend anything extra, even on a PTA membership.  Can I still participate?

The PTA offers scholarship aid to families in need who want to participate and have a voice!  Email the Treasurer at Deposits@puestadelsolpta.org to inquire.  Your privacy will be respected and ensured.  It is important to our PTA that all of our interested community members have the opportunity to have a voice!  Membership benefits everyone and building community and trust across the full socio-economic spectrum of our families is a critical component of a successful PTA.

Who decides the PTA budget? 

The PTA membership votes on the annual budget twice each year.  The Treasurer and Budget Committee within the PTA Board will prepare a proposed budget based on historical spending and anticipated program changes.  Then in June the membership will vote on it for the year ahead and once again in September the membership will review the budget and vote on any changes for it.

Who picks out the PTA programs?

PTA programs are run by PTA volunteers.  Each program must be led by a PTA member with an eye to providing beneficial experiences to our Puesta del Sol students or supporting our teachers and staff members.  Diversity, inclusiveness, and equity are evaluated for each program and the PTA does its best to serve the greatest number of students with a mind to our mission and vision.  When the PTA Board and Membership no longer support a program due to lack of interest, lack of volunteers, an inability to manage the program with a mindfulness of diversity, inclusiveness, or equity, or because of funding issues, it is dropped.  New programs or events are proposed by PTA members and then allocated funds from the budget upon approval by PTA membership.

If you have any more questions, please contact Membership at membership@puestadelsolpta.org.

If you're ready to join the PTA then we invite you to sign up today! 

Whether there’s a complicated issue that needs solving or a great new opportunity for students, a PTA with a strong collective voice is part of the decision-making process. That is PTA Power. And that is why membership matters.

Join the PTA!