In addition to the school administration, there are several entities at Pathfinder K8 that serve this community. This compilation was created to help families learn about the various entities, their roles, the work they do, and how to learn more. These entities are: the Building Leadership Team, the Parent Teacher Student Association, the family-based Racial Equity Committee and the school-based Racial Equity Team.
Building Leadership Team (BLT)
Pathfinder’s BLT is a multi-constituent team that meets regularly to oversee Pathfinder’s progress toward its goals. The team includes the principal, teachers, staff, parents, and Blazing Trails representation and meets twice/month.
The purpose of the BLT is:
To promote and facilitate the collaborative decision-making process which affects academic achievement, and to advise and consent on building management issues. Specific responsibilities of the BLT, as indicated in the Seattle Education Association bargaining contract, are to oversee the facilitation and development of:
- The Continuous School Improvement Plan (C-SIP). This also includes the school’s efforts to ensure equity in discipline, learning, and opportunities for all students.
- A school-wide professional development plan to support the C-SIP.
- The Pathfinder K-8 School Budget.
- Creation and yearly review of Decision-making Matrix (DMM)
Parents have the ability to make recommendations in the following areas:
- School wide events
- School wide student expectations
- Community Involvement
- Field Trips
- Safety
Parents interested in joining the BLT, please contact the school Principal for further information.
Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA)
General PTSA Membership
Your Pathfinder PTSA is comprised of fellow parents who serve the Pathfinder K-8 Community as a powerful voice for all children, a meaningful resource for families and as a strong advocate for education and well-being of every child inside and outside the classroom. We focus on Advocacy, Community, Equity, Inclusion and Outdoor Education. General meetings are held 2-3 times per year, focusing on the upcoming PTSA activities and collective decision making. Our meetings are open to anyone, but voting is reserved for those with paid memberships (buy here). Our PTSA funds the following: Classroom support, Race & Equity books and training, Teacher and Specialist classroom funds, Earth Project/Garden, Community Building & School Wide Events, Outdoor Education, and Community Giving.
PTSA Executive Board: The Executive Board is comprised of elected officers that run the day to day PTSA operations and provide guidance and leadership oversight to PTSA Committees. This group meets on a monthly basis and facilitates the monthly Board meetings and General PTSA meetings.
PTSA Board: The PTSA Board is comprised of Committee Chairs, Program Coordinators, and liaison members. This board meets monthly to plan and execute PTSA activities and discuss/approve decisions and rules as they arise. Our 2023-2024 Board is listed here on our website. These positions are volunteer-based and there are many fun and unique opportunities available to take part in!
Family-Based Racial Equity Committee (REC)
Pathfinder’s Racial Equity Committee (REC) was formed in 2020 as an all-volunteer, family-based committee dedicated to addressing racial equity in the Pathfinder community. REC’s mission is to create a self-sustaining, anti-racist culture at Pathfinder. REC is an independent committee of the Pathfinder PTSA that consists of committee members and project-based volunteers. REC operates autonomously on a horizontal, community-based decision-making model. REC created and administers annually the Pathfinder Racial Equity Questionnaire for Pathfinder families. REC’s annual scope of work is informed directly by the results of the Questionnaire, and also by repeated themes arising from REC-hosted events during the school year.
You may contact REC at equity@pathfinderk8ptsa.org. Please give us a week to respond.
School-Based Racial Equity Team (RET) (not currently meeting)
RET is a team of educators, administrators, families, and community members who
- commit with learning from the school district’s Department of Racial Equity and Advancement (DREA) about the latest anti-racist pedagogy.
- coordinate with other leadership bodies within Pathfinder K-8 to ensure racial equity and justice is at the forefront of decision making.
- organize staff professional development and create and share tools to support anti-racist teaching practices.
- connect with South End Stories, a community organization that provides arts education for students of color.
- Create space for our own and collective learning about racial equity.
If you are interested in joining this team, contact Megan Marks memarks@seattleschools.org or Dianne Espinosa dcespinosa@seattleschools.org