What you need to know for Capitol Day on Monday February 15th!
4th Annual Online Learning Day at the Capitol
WA Families for Online Learning (http://www.waonlinefamilies.org/)
ONLINE REGISTRATION
- Thank you for registering in advance! It's not too late to invite others to join you.
- Before you come...please print yourself information about your two state representatives and your senator. It's easy to do by just typing in your address at; http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx . It's important to know your legislators' names, legislative district #'s and something about legislators you may meet with. Legislators write both the budgets and the laws governing all online public school programs.
PARKING
Parking is limited. The parking atop the Children's Museum is most convenient, yet won't work for vans and SUVs. Since Monday is a holiday city parking should be free and parking at the Dept. of Natural Resources should be available. Here's a link to directions, maps, parking and free shuttle service: http://www.leg.wa.gov/legislature/Pages/Parking.aspx
CHIILDREN'S MUSEUM - 106 11th Ave. SW, Olympia
- Greeting by a museum staffer with a name tag for you. Please step inside to fill out your name tag and sign in.
- Sign in for your info bag and lanyards. Then please move into the "Backyard Gallery' room to the right for a briefing and get answers to any questions you might have.
- Briefing by expert "insiders" on how to "pull" your elected legislators off the "floor" to meet you; tips on delivering your own personal messages (online public school, not home-school); and insight into the "action" in the Legislature. Please exit thru the side door as others come in the front.
CAPITOL After the briefing, walk a couple blocks across the Capitol grounds to the Capitol Dome. If it's raining on Monday - please remember to bring an umbrella.
- Walk up the steps to the House Chamber and hand Security your notes inviting your own two state representatives to come out to meet you. You will need to wait patiently outside the chamber doors. He or she may not even be able to come out at all. After waiting about fifteen minutes, feel free to go upstairs to the House Gallery to view the "floor action" or repeat the process across the Rotunda for your Senator in the Senate Chamber.
- Explore the Capitol on your own. Some possibilities: visit your legislators' offices to meet their legislative assistants, visit the Governor's Office or Secretary of State's Office, visit the Legislative Information Center to pick up bill information or a state coloring book, or visit the state Gift Shop. The Capitol grounds will be over-flowing with thousands of citizens rallying for and against state budget issues. It promises to be a real civics lesson.
- Group photo and awards ceremony on the steps between the House and Senate, hopefully when the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate announce a break for lunch. If the House and Senate do not adjourn for lunch by 12:30pm - please go to the Rotunda steps and we'll begin our ceremony. We'd like everyone seated on the steps for our group photo and presentation of awards to our legislative champions and teacher-of-the-year. Remember: go to the Rotunda for the ceremony either when the House and Senate adjourn for lunch or at 12:30 pm - whichever comes first!
Post ceremony - Lunch on your own: either bring one or visit the Pritchard Cafeteria.
These personal visits with our legislators; short, upbeat video-taped remarks; and the group photo will send powerful, lasting messages to our elected lawmakers.
We suggest bringing your own camera to record your own experiences, too.
See you Monday for news-making action in our representative republic!
Question? Please email info@waonlinefamilies.org
