September 2009 |
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In this Issue
Official PTA Kit Distribution Update Alert your units: Official PTA Kit registration will close September 30, 2009. PTAs that have not yet registered for the kit should go to PTA.org/ptakit_register/ or call the National PTA Information Center at (800) 307-4782 to register today. On October 1, the above registration form will be removed from the website and phone orders will no longer be accepted. On that date, we will run the list of all PTAs that have not yet registered for the kit and begin shipping kits to those units so that no PTA is without its free Official PTA Kit. PTAs will still be able to purchase additional kits for $35 each through the order form at https://www.pta.org/local_leader/kit/kitorder.asp. New PTAs chartered after October 1 will still be able to request a free kit through the Information Center (while supplies last).
The new kit distribution process this summer has been a great success, especially for the first year of implementation. The number of kits ordered far surpasses the number of units that have responded to any other PTA offering. We have already learned a number of things that will help strengthen the process for next year, and we will be gathering additional data and feedback through the Official PTA Kit Survey starting September 21. Thank you for all the work you have done, and are continuing to do, to make sure that PTAs receive The Official PTA Kit. Each year, over 38 million school days are missed because of the seasonal influenza and its complications. Parents and community members can also go online to register for a school-based clinic near them. Go to PTA.org/flushotclinics, click on "Schedule a Vaccination" in the top right corner, and search for a clinic near you. The pre-registration process allows individuals to choose convenient appointment times that work best for them and their families. Please encourage your local units to host a clinic to keep everyone healthy this flu season. For more information, go to PTA.org/flushotclinics. For newsletter articles, webinars for your specific state, materials, and more, contact Annie Krysl, Outreach Manager, at akrysl@pta.org. The Value of Membership Cards and Importance of the Membership Year
As we promote membership on a year-round basis, the activation and expiration date of the card often comes into question by local unit leaders. It is important for state associations to offer guidance to local units regarding the unit's membership year. There are states which have uniform local unit bylaws and include within them a consistent membership year for all units statewide. For those states that do not have uniform bylaws, it is important to inform units as to what their membership year is, or where to locate it, and to stress the significance of stating the activation and expiration dates on the membership cards. This way the unit can ensure that the current members are involved in the decision making process of the association. Are You Interested in Serving in a National Leadership Role? National PTA is seeking individuals to serve in national leadership positions to be elected in June 2010. The list of positions, descriptions of service requirements and responsibilities, letter of intent form, professional/personal references form, and signature of agreement and submission form are available at PTA.org/letterintent. Applicants must send all materials to the National PTA Office on or before Friday, October 9, 2009. Mail or e-mail materials to the attention of Diane Tremblay. No faxes please. You will receive an e-mail confirming receipt of the materials. Mail to National PTA Headquarters, 541 N. Fairbanks Court, Suite 1300, Chicago, IL 60611-3396 or e-mail to leadershipdevelopment@pta.org. Please direct any questions to leadershipdevelopment@pta.org or to Diane Tremblay at (800) 307-4PTA (4782) Ext. 389 PTA's Family-School Partnership Awards—Application Available October 1 How family-friendly are the schools in your state? What are PTAs in your state doing to increase family involvement? How effective are PTAs at connecting their programs to student learning? The Phoebe Apperson Hearst Family-School Partnership Awards give PTAs an opportunity to answer these questions and receive national recognition for their success. The online application will be available October 1 at PTA.org/Hearst. Please encourage your units to review the application questions now and consider applying after the new year (applications are due March 1). PTAs could receive $500 or even $2,000 for their success in achieving the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. Learn more at PTA.org/Hearst or contact Bryce Jacobs, program specialist, at bjacobs@pta.org or (800) 307-4782 Ext. 205. PTA Healthy Lifestyles: Working Hard Now for a Great Celebration in November The National PTA office has been flooded with applications for the 2009 PTA Healthy Lifestyles Awards. As we read about all the creative ways local units will be celebrating PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month in November, we ask that you continue to encourage all PTAs in your state to promote healthier habits among families through participation in PTA's Healthy Lifestyles program. Whether or not they applied for an award, all PTAs can participate in PTA Healthy Lifestyles Month by promoting nutrition and physical activity in some way. PTA.org/HealthyLifestyles provides resources to help plan a PTA Healthy Lifestyles event. Share the link with local leaders, or use the tools and tips to plan something yourself. Also be sure to visit PTA .org/GoodChoices for information on health topics to include in your newsletters or website. Stay tuned for the announcement of this year's PTA Healthy Lifestyles Award winners in early October, and be ready to help us spread the word about the great activities the winners and participants have planned. If you are interested in receiving information about the units in your state that applied for an award, please send an e-mail to HealthyLifestyles@pta.org. Make the PTA Gateway Public Service Announcements (PSAs) part of your state's membership marketing plans and support the national campaign. Coordinate with your local and council/district/region PTAs in reaching out to TV and radio stations about airing the spots this fall. Go to PTA.org/GatewayPSAs to access all the campaign tools through the PSA Web portal. First, check the PSA "Receiving Lists"—sortable by market and state—to see which stations received the PSAs from National PTA in July. Follow up with these stations to encourage them to air the spots, or to thank them for already doing so. (Advice on reaching out to media gatekeepers is available under "Resources.") Find contact information for additional stations in the "National TV Station List" and "National Radio Station List." You can order PSAs for these stations (and for your PTA's general use) through the online order form—with the option of customizing the contact information. Be sure to keep checking the TV and radio reports to see who's airing the spots and how many people we're reaching. Go to PTA.org/GatewayPSAs and check out the campaign today. New PTA Take Your Family to School Week Poster Arriving Soon PTA Take Your Family to School Week is February 7–13, 2010, and it's not too soon for PTAs to start planning their events. This year's Take Your Family to School Week mailer ships out next week and includes event ideas from last year's award recipients plus a poster to help PTAs promote their events. More posters and planning tools—as well as the PTA Take Your Family to School Week Award application—are available online at PTA.org/FamilyToSchool. Applications for the PTA Take Your Family to School Week Awards, also called the $1,897 Awards, must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. CST, Friday, November 6, 2009. Applications will be accepted only through the online application form. Awards funded by AXA Foundation, Proud National Sponsor of PTA. What's Happening in Your State? PTA news from across the country
PTA Arts Enhancement Grant Recipients Announced Each year, National PTA supports student-centered arts education programs with the Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grants. This year's grants honor 11 local PTAs—selected from more than 260 applications—who will receive matching grants of up to $1,000 to support student-centered arts education programs. A press release about the grant recipients will be available shortly at the PTA Newsroom. Member Benefit Provider Message
There really is a simpler way to raise money. This free credit card fundraising program contributes 1% of your supporters' purchases to PTA, in addition to a $25 first purchase bonus to PTA with each new account. You can even create up to three card designs to help your supporters show their school spirit! PTA, Capital One®, and OneCause®, a PTA National Member Benefits Provider, introduced this new fundraising program as a way to help you raise money without asking your supporters to write a check. All contributions will be shared among your local, state, and national PTA. Bonus giveaway: Create a card program by October 14, 2009, and your local PTA will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win one of three cash prizes – a $250, $500, or $1,000 contribution! See Official Rules and get started now at www.onecause.com/onevoice. |
The PTA membership card offers the member a wealth of opportunities, from access to all the important information on the National PTA website to proof of voting privileges to exclusive member benefits. Each dues paying member has the right to a membership card, which verifies their support of the mission of PTA.
New Jersey PTA Participates in Camden City Youth Day
Texas PTA Celebrates 100 Years