Our Vision
The vision of the HiCap Council is for all Northshore School District (NSD) Highly Capable students to reach their full potential through programs that distinguish NSD as an exemplary district for Highly Capable education.
To advocate for the needs and unique challenges of both identified and non-identified Highly Capable students,
To educate families, educators, and community members about Highly Capable students, their needs, and the programs available to them,
To build a strong community of families that represent the diverse population of our district,
To collaborate effectively with families, educators, and community members, partnering closely together to enhance the quality of education in the Northshore School District, and
To provide resources that support Highly Capable student learning.
We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Elected representatives serve as our legal board of directors. Read our bylaws All board members are expected to uphold and abide by the organization's bylaws.
What do we do?
The elected representatives of the HiCap Parents Council meet with our district HiCap director about once a month, as well as organize or help out with several events a year, including evening speaker presentations, Q&A panels, and summer welcome events for new families joining EAP or AAP. Representatives also attend various school events to represent the HiCap council and to be accessible to their community to collect feedback. We typically meet about once a month from 10:00am-noon with the HiCap Department administrators. A few times per year we also schedule an evening meeting with just the parent council. We try to pick meeting days that work for the majority of council members.
We conduct much of our work and coordination via email. It is vital to provide us an email address that you check daily. Your name, photo and email address will be posted on the hcparents.org website to allow your region/school's families to know how to reach you with their feedback and concerns.
HiCap Council Representative Duties shall include, but not be limited to:
- Attend most of the monthly HiCap council meetings (expectation is no more than 2 absences/year)
- Be a PTA member of the school you represent and go to PTA meetings to deliver HiCap info as needed
- Gather feedback from your constituents and PTA to report back to the HiCap Council
- Create and manage contact lists, whatsapp, facebook groups, etc. for the school/area you represent (EAP reps)
- Coordinate summer playground dates for incoming families (EAP reps)
- Keep your constituents informed of HiCap related info via email, Facebook, school newsletters, etc.
- Attend back-to-school events, registration nights, parent nights for the school you represent to represent the HiCap Council
- Have your name, picture and email address on the hcparents.org website so people can find you
- Plus your great ideas for how to make HiCap better! Advocacy, education, community building, etc.
- Representatives may delegate any of the above duties to Volunteers, as appropriate, but are responsible for making sure that all duties are accomplished.
Additional duties to be performed collectively by Council Representatives and Volunteers:
(These duties may vary by need and available staff.)
- Help with District HiCap Info night
- Help with District HiCap testing days
- Help coordinate events for the HiCap Council
- Parent panel events
- Summer playground dates
- Special talks for the community
- Board game day or other social events
- Attend School Board meetings and speak on behalf of the Council as needed - elected representatives only
- Serve as an Executive board member (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer) - elected representatives only
- Help maintain the hcparents.org website
- Send out mailings as needed to our e-mail list
- Post relevant info and answer questions on NSD HiCap Discussion or other Facebook pages
Our first council meeting will be a transition meeting with the incoming and outgoing elected representatives at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7.