March 2010 |
|||||||||
114th Annual National PTA Convention and Exhibition The 2010 National PTA Convention is a great opportunity for new and seasoned leaders to learn how to make the most of their involvement in children's lives. In addition to providing PTA basics, this year National PTA has developed specialized workshop tracks which focus on male engagement, Parental Involvement Resource Centers (PIRC), engaging Emerging Minority Leaders and youth. View the complete schedule of events and additional convention details at PTA.org/convention. Select the workshops that are right for you as a leader and child advocate. Here are a few examples of what's NEW at convention in 2010:
Start recruiting new leaders to attend convention today, and encourage them to bring the whole family. Memphis is the home of Graceland, the National Civil Rights Museum, Beale Street, great barbecue and the blues! Plan to attend now and bring the whole family to enjoy the many sites Memphis has to offer. Visit the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau website for more info.
On March 10, the draft of the common core state standards for English-language arts and mathematics for grades K-12 were released for public comment. The Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) is a state-led effort coordinated by the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. Thanks to generous funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, National PTA, as an endorsing partner of this education reform, is mobilizing parents and members to support this effort. PTA leaders can help educate and mobilize members and parents by sharing information on CCSSI available at PTA.org/common_core_state_standards.asp. The public will have through Friday, April 2 to comment on the draft standards. PTA leaders and parents are encouraged to write a letter to their chief state school officer urging adoption and implementation of the standards. CCSSI is a first step to leveling the playing field for the nation's students by increasing rigor in underperforming schools and setting equal expectations for what all students will need to know and be able to do once they graduate from high school. PTA's efforts to advance the common core state standards builds on the association's rich history in advocating for key education, health, and child welfare reforms, while complementing National PTA's current Public Policy Agenda. Renowned chef and TV personality, Jamie Oliver, is determined to start a food revolution to get better food into our schools and change what our kids eat. Nearly one-third of American children are either overweight or obese, according to Oliver. The obesity epidemic is so great that it may actually reduce the life expectancy of today’s generation of children. Jamie Oliver and PTA are proud to release a toolkit for parents and families to give them the tools they need to eat healthy and to be active together. The toolkit will be released next week and will be available at PTA.org/healthy_lifestyles.asp. To find out more about Jamie Oliver’s work, watch the series premiere of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution," on Friday, March 26th at 8p.m. EST on ABC. PTA members can click here to watch a sneak peak of his new show. May 3 Deadline: Arts Enhancement Grants for Local Units
Check out the new teacher appreciation stickers and newsletter ad! Alert your local units: All applications for PTA's Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grants must be submitted online by 11:59 p.m. EDT, Monday, May 3. The grant program offers a limited number of matching grants of up to $1,000 to help local units establish or enhance student-centered arts programs in visual The grant application and program details are available online at PTA.org/ArtsGrants. Thank a Teacher This May Join your local PTAs in honoring teachers during PTA Teacher Appreciation Week May 2-8.
More ideas and resources are available at PTA.org/Teachers. State Spotlight: First Rural States Conference For the first time, six states from the mid and western part of the U.S. participated in a pilot conference in February which focused on the issues impacting their sparsely populated states. Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota were chosen because their populations are geographically widespread with little opportunity for board members to meet face to face; therefore, each state PTA has unique challenges. The conference, held February 15-17 in Nevada, was led by two of National PTA's National Service Representatives, and the agenda was developed collaboratively through a series of conference calls in which each state had the opportunity to have input. Some of the issues discussed were: building capacity, non-dues revenue, diversity, as well as partnering with nearby states for revenue share from companies and grant opportunities. There was further discussion of sharing leadership training between states to offer members flexibility to attend training that may be located in a neighboring state. There is a plan to request specific workshops at the national convention in 2011 which would address the specific needs of states with underserved rural regions.
Have you visited PTA.org lately? Well of course you have! Why not visit your E-Learning page for some new and improved courses? New courses available to you today include:
You will find new features in many of our latest offerings like course navigation and course evaluations. Log in today to expand your knowledge and let us know how we are doing and what we can offer in the future. Just go to Leadership Training page to access the courses. TCBI 2010: It's Trainer Nomination Time! Let the nominations begin! It's time to begin the selection process for your state's Training and Capacity Building Initiative (TCBI) Volunteer Trainers. This year National PTA will invite two trainers from each state to attend the TCBI Train-The-Trainer Event in Oakbrook, IL on November 4-7, 2010. Each state is asked to send the State-President Elect along with an up and coming leader from your state, local or regional level. State PTA Presidents will be sent a link to the form for submitting nominations for attendees. Please contact your state president if you would like to suggest a nominee from your state to attend the train-the-trainer event. Win a $1,000 Mini-Grant from Safe Routes to School! Apply by Wednesday, April 7 The National Center for Safe Routes to School is now accepting applications for up to 35 $1,000 mini-grants for creative, youth-focused ideas that support safe walking and/or bicycling to school. Eligible activities must occur at an elementary or middle school in Fall 2010 and support the overall goal of Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programs — to enable and encourage children nationwide to safely walk and bicycle to school. Successful applications will focus on either increasing safe walking and/or bicycling to school or improving the safety of students already walking and/or bicycling to school. Activities may also explore a variety of issues related to SRTS, including physical activity and environmental benefits, distracted driving, personal safety, integrating children with disabilities and community building. Mini-grant activities with high levels of age-appropriate student engagement are encouraged. Looking Ahead
|
New Leaders WANTED at Convention: Registration Opens March 31st!
Apples to Apples: Update on Common Core State Standards
arts, photography, music (including dance), or literature (including theater). The grants can be used to support arts education in the classroom or other learning environments through the introduction of new technologies, techniques, or methods; visiting artists; or other activities. Special consideration is given to applicants that reach large numbers of at-risk students.
E-Learning – New Additions, New Features Designed Especially for You!