Bates Professional Technical Employees Association

08/22/2026

Thanks to everyone who came to the PTE Summer Potluck. It was a great turnout.

08/11/2026

The PTE Summer Potluck will be on August 22 at Wright Park from noon-1:30 p.m. Family and friends are welcome. PTEs check your email for details.

08/11/2026

Applications are now being accepted for the next statewide Hybrid Nakia Academy, designed for educators of color across Washington. This year's academy continues and expands the partnership between WEA, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Beginning Educator Support Team (OSPI's BEST), the Washington School Counselor Association (WSCA), and the Office of Native Education (ONE).

The Nakia Academy is not just a program—it’s a community. Rooted in culturally responsive coaching and mentoring, Nakia offers a safe, affirming space for educators of color to build relationships, deepen leadership, and organize for equity in their schools, unions, and communities. $500 stipend for all who complete the academy and 24 CCDEI clock hours awarded at completion.

This year’s offerings:
• Cohorts A, B, and C for certificated educators, ESAs, and higher education professionals.

• Cohort D is exclusively for school counselors in partnership with WSCA.

• Cohort E, which centers Indigenous educators, in collaboration with the Office of Native Education.

Note: All participants are expected to attend as close to all sessions as possible to be considered complete.

Each cohort will participate in 8 sessions over 4–5 months, with a focus on:
• Coaching and mentoring foundations
• Identity, bias, and equity
• Communication, trust, and relational leadership
• Systems change and advocacy

Capstone presentations and leadership planning
All participants receive 24 equity clock hours and a stipend at completion.

If you are not a Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) educator, we encourage you to apply for the upcoming WEA CAMI Coaching and Mentoring Institute, which offers the same structure and content and is open to all educators statewide. CAMI announcements will be shared soon.

Welcome to the Nakia Academy 2026-2027 – A Community of Coaching, Mentoring, and Equity-Driven Leadership We are thrilled to invite you to apply for the next statewide Hybrid Nakia Academy cohorts, designed for educators of color across Washington. This year’s academy continues and expands the p...

07/20/2026

PTE Reminder: Nominations for Employee of the Year are due by August 5. The link to the form was sent to your work email on July 16.

Nominees must exemplify the following attributes:
• Contributions to the college
• Commitment to teamwork and collaboration
• Exemplary work performance/leadership
• Positive impact on students (direct or indirect)

Nominee eligibility requirements:
• Full-time employee
• Two or more years of continuous service
• Nominators cannot nominate themselves
• Previous Employee of the Year awardees are not eligible for nomination (see list on nomination form)

07/18/2026

Photos from last night’s gathering at the game against the Oklahoma City Comets. Congrats to the Tacoma Rainiers for winning an exciting game. We had a great night of food, fun, and fireworks ⚾️🌭🎇

07/14/2026

Job Opening:
• Administrative Assistant, PTE III

This position is advertised both internally and externally at the same time. Internal PTE applicants receive first consideration if their application is submitted within five days of posting.

Individuals interested in employment with Bates Technical College are encouraged to apply for positions for which they feel qualified. Applications must include a complete online application and all of the required documents below to be considered complete:

07/06/2026

07/01/2026

Proud to announce that the Bates Board of Trustees voted and approved our bargained tentative agreement on Monday, June 29. The 2026-2029 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will start on July 1. This marks the first time in 15 years that this process has been completed on schedule. A huge thank you goes out to our bargaining team (Angie, Michelle, Jamie, Katie, Marvia, and Jeff) as well as the bargaining support team (Alexander, Kathy, Devon, and Billie Jo).

Some of the negotiated gains include:
• A new section on onboarding.
• A new section on workload issues that also outlines compensation for additional duties.
• Yearly increases in addition to the Cost of Living Adjustment, COLA. (0.4% 2026-2027, 0.5% 2027-2028, and 0.5% 2028-2029)

The final version of the new CBA will be posted on the Bates Employee Resources webpage soon.

Employee Assistance Program The Employee Assistance Program (EAP), The Washington State Employee Assistance Program (EAP), helps our employees and their family members resolve personal or work-related problems. Using your EAP does not cost employees anything. The Washington State EAP is a free, conf...