June 2009 |
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2009–2010 Official PTA Kit: On Its Way to You and Yours The Official PTA Kit just shipped to all state PTA offices, presidents, and presidents-elect, as well as state membership and extension chairs identified in OMDR. It should be arriving soon, if it hasn't already. Take some time to look through the kit's exciting collection of resources, and share the kit with board members, committee chairs, and field personnel. The kitcontents address key PTA needs and are conveniently packaged into four folders to make them easy to find and easy to share with fellow leaders. Read more for a summary of the kit's contents. Market PTA and Grow Your Membership: PTA's latest membership posters and brochures help spread the word about the benefits of PTA for children, families, schools, and communities. Plus, there's a PTA Store catalog and an introduction to the newly expanded—and free—online membership management system OMDRplus.
In addition to all this, the kit includes the invaluable PTA Quick-Reference Guides, easy-to-use primers on PTA management, membership, programs, and finances. PDFs of key items from the kit—and several online exclusives—are available at PTA.org/OfficialKit. Over the next few months, PTA Local Leader News will feature articles on how to put the kit to use. Reprint these articles in your state newsletter, and put together your own Official PTA Kit advice column on how units can use the kit to support local, state, and national initiatives and programs. State leaders should be familiar with the kit contents and online resources so they can refer local leaders to the information and materials they need, particularly in the PTA Quick-Reference Guides [http://www.pta.org/reference_guides.asp]. Also take the kit along when talking to potential new units; show schools and parents groups the type of great support they'll get as part of the PTA family. New Family-School Partnerships Resource Available Online! Alert your units! PTA offers a practical guide to effectively engaging families and communities in schools—the new National Standards for Family-School Partnerships Implementation Guide. For each National Standard, the implementation guide provides:
The guide also contains:
Find the implementation guide online at PTA.org/partnerships. For another National Standards success story, read about the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Outstanding Family-School Partnership Award recipient. Go to PTA.org/Hearst. PTA Making A Difference in Savannah, Georgia Latino Outreach by Georgia PTA and National PTA in Savannah, GA Parents and PTA leaders in Savannah, Georgia have set the stage for the development of an international community PTA which will serve as a model for Georgia and perhaps other states. A workshop was held in Savannah recently led jointly by Georgia PTA leaders and PTA national staff to engage Latino parents who expressed an interest in being involved in their children's schools. This community has the full support of the superintendent as well as "Join PTA" signs on their city buses! They were provided information and resources and as well as a response to the needs which they had asked to have addressed. The Standards for Family-School Partnerships was presented in Spanish and the dialogue was in Spanish and English. The leaders who attended this workshop were already interested in finding alternatives to the many issues Latino parents face in Savannah. For these parents, PTA is seen as the organization that can bring them together. Members of the GAPTA as well as national staff, were encouraged about what this group promises to the children of Savannah. Furthermore, these Latino leaders have the potential to grow to higher levels of the PTA organization. This group plans to form the first International Community PTA in GA and has set a planning meeting date in June, under the leadership of the District Director. A debriefing meeting was held to address the strengths and challenges of this plan going forward, and strategies for building a successful model continue to be explored.
The 113th Annual PTA National Convention is right around the corner: June 26-29 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL! When you pack for your Florida trip, don't forget to bring your confirmation packet (including your badge and workshop/event tickets) as well as your PTA membership and voting cards. Please also make sure to bring a government issued photo ID which is required for entry into the convention center. If you haven't already, you may want to review the business that will be conducted at this year's convention. Voting delegates will consider several national bylaws amendments:
Delegates will also debate and vote on a number of resolutions:
You can find detailed information about the proposed bylaws changes and resolutions, as well as biographies for the slate of candidates at PTA.org. Results of convention business (including elections, adopted bylaws amendments, and resolutions), will be posted on PTA.org following the close of convention. Meet PTA Ambassador CeCe Peniston at Convention Fresh off the release of PTA's new song, "Above Horizons," National PTA Ambassador CeCe Peniston will be at PTA's National Convention (June 27-29) in Ft. Lauderdale... and attendees will have an opportunity to meet her! Simply pick up the Above Horizons CD containing all three remixes of the song anytime during convention hours at the Registration Booth. It's available to all attendees for only a $5 requested donation. Then, visit the PTA Booth in the Exhibit Hall on either Saturday, June 27 between 3 p.m.-4 p.m. or Sunday, June 28 between 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Peniston will sign CDs and take photos with attendees. The song is the first official PTA song released from the organization's recording label, National PTA Recordings. Peniston began recording "Above Horizons" when she became a National PTA Ambassador in October 2008. You can also download the song at PTAmusic.org.
PTA Reflections Program Theme Search Students are invited to submit theme suggestions to their state PTA office, and each state may submit up to five themes to the national PTA office. PTA national board members select the winning theme from the submitted state entries. The 2009–2010 theme is "Beauty is...," submitted by a student from the Carver School of Health Sciences and Research PTSA in Atlanta, Georgia. The 2010–2011 theme is "Together We Can," submitted by a student from Green Council of PTAs in Uniontown, Ohio. PTA is now searching for a theme for the 2011–2012 program year. Learn how your state can participate in the theme search. Increase the Impact of PTA Healthy Lifestyles
In 2008, units from 47 states participated, reaching a total of 463,421 students and 117,648 PTA members with events and messages promoting healthy eating habits and regular exercise. We are proud of the combined impact these PTA activities had on student health, but we think we can do even better. Help us meet our goal of participation from every state congress in 2009—and at least half a million students reached. Use your state PTA website and other communications to promote PTA Healthy Lifestyles, and direct units to PTA.org/HealthyLifestyles for resources to help them plan. Plus, encourage units to apply for the PTA Healthy Lifestyles Awards—up to $1,000 to support their events and activities. While you're online, be sure to check out the new PTA Healthy Lifestyles Health and Wellness Facts posters—they give dietary, physical activity, and sleep recommendations for kids ages 2 to 18. Look in the Official PTA Kit or stop by the PTA Booth (Booth 603) at the PTA National Convention for a printed 20" x 30" poster. Giveaways, games, resources, stickers, and buttons. We'll have it all at the PTA Booth during this month's PTA National Convention in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. We'll be in the Exhibit Hall—Booth 603. Stop by, say hello, ask your questions... challenge us to bowling on the Wii. Because, at PTA, that's how we roll.
MetLife Auto & Home® has worked with PTA to bring you auto1 and home insurance at special discount prices. PTA Members will receive:
Have a Teen Driver?
Learn more about benefits available to PTA members or get your free no-obligation quote by calling 1-800-888-2308 (mention promotion code BMG). You can also get your auto quote online. 1: NC auto policies are issued with state-mandated industry-wide forms coverages. 2: Not available in NC, nor to NH auto customers. Not available with all policy forms. 3: Repairs guaranteed when a repair shop in our nationwide (xMA) Guaranteed Repair Program network is chosen. In MA, guarantee provided as part of Platinum Auto Service. 4: Only valid for losses covered on your insurance policy. 5: Repairs guaranteed for two years when using our Guaranteed Repair Contractor Program. MetLife Auto & Home is a brand of Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliates. See a list of affiliates. |
Summer has barely begun, which means one thing—time to start planning for the 2009–2010 school year! Encourage units to help families raise healthy kids by taking part in PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month this coming November.
