the
Georgia
VOICE December 2015
What’s inside this issue? MESSAGES FROM: Georgia’s PTA President & President Elect and Georgia’s State School Superintendent
ARTICLES ABOUT: Membership, Legislation, Male Involvement, Bylaws, Health & Wellness and Family Engagement
HELPFUL INFORMATION: PTA University Training Dates, CLT 2016 Information, National PTA Resources and much more!
Message from the Georgia PTA President
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hen I grew up in school, we had paddling. It was an art form really — we had an Industrial Arts teacher that made a plexi-glass paddle with holes drilled into it to allow for maximum air flow. People whispered in the halls about our Vice-Principal’s paddling attempts and whether or not you were asked to hold onto the desk or touch your toes before punishment was administered. I was not a child that spent time in the Principal’s office — I didn’t get into trouble at school. For me, that was because I knew that if I did, the trouble would be so much worse for me when I got home. My parents made education a priority, and teachers were people to respect (and fear). When I say fear, I mean that I was well aware of the relationship between teacher, parent, and student. It was a perfect triangle — everyone stayed in their corner and did their job. I came to school prepared, on-time and ready to learn. I completed my assignments and homework. I stayed quiet in class, walked in straight lines, didn’t chew gum or eat anything on the school bus.
Parents are the first line educators and teachers for their children. Their manners, their character, and their disposition when dealing with authority come from YOU.
My parents both worked full-time, would come home to prepare meals, sign any paperwork my teachers sent home, and then would sit back and wait for my glowing report cards. They expected me to complete my household chores and homework before I went outside to play.
My teachers had quiet and cooperative classrooms, wrote on blackboards, which I enthusiastically offered to clean for them, and I believe they were the smartest, prettiest, and nicest people that were ever made. In my childhood, you did not want the teacher to call home about anything — you did everything you could to please them! If I had ever gotten into trouble at school, it could not possibly compare to the trouble I would be in when my parents got home. Those times have changed. Paddling is long gone, and in most instances, so are any consequences from parents. We see violent videos of classroom and school yard fights, tussles between school enforcement officers and students, bullying, and campus shootings. It feels like today’s children have not learned to respect teachers, policemen, or anyone in authority. They question everything—and if a teacher calls home about a problem, oftentimes the parents are combative with teachers and administrators, taking the sides of the children, even when they are wrong. That culture change shapes everything in the classrooms our children are in. There are children in classes ready to learn that are dealing with other kids that are disruptive, not engaged, and taking their chances to learn away from them. These changes start at home. Parents are the first line educators and teachers for their children. Their manners, their character, and their disposition when dealing with authority come from YOU. It is important to lead by example with your children. Pay close attention to how you communicate with your spouse, your relatives, and your acquaintances. Your children are like sponges, and if you model respect for them, they learn it from you. If your language is harsh or demeaning, they learn to speak to others in the same tone. Their character — good or bad — is near fully formed before they enter public school for kindergarten. Whether they will lie, cheat, steal, love, learn, or respect is really up to you.
Welcome New PTA Charters! 5th DISTRICT Eagle Ridge Elementary PTA Kathy Cummings, President 6th DISTRICT Rice Creek PTSA Brittany Riddle, President Savannah Early College High School PTSA Rebecca Newport, President 7th DISTRICT Thurgood Marshall ES PTA 9th DISTRICT Douglas Career & College PTSA Tyfani Carrington, President H.A.V.E.N. Academy at Sky View PTA Holli Cash, President Holly Springs Elementary PTA Ferneis White, President Winston Elementary PTA Kimberly Freund, President 10th DISTRICT College Park Elementary PTA Ditanjah Reid-Haynes & Chris Webb, Co-Presidents E. L. Connally Elementary PTA Tamika Boyce, President Mimosa Elementary PTA Andrea Groves, President 11th DISTRICT Peachcrest Elementary School PTA Sequoyah Middle School PTSA Laura Velazquez, President
Georgia
What kind of children are you raising? Lisa-Marie Haygood, Georgia PTA President, lmhaygood@georgiapta.org
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Georgia PTA « THE VOICE
Message from the Georgia State School Superintendent Dear Georgia parents, When a child is given the opportunity to succeed in school, you can guarantee many people have played a role: from teachers to principals to support staff. But I’d be remiss if I didn’t recognize one of the most essential, irreplaceable components of students’ academic success: Georgia’s parents. It’s Parent Engagement Month in Georgia, a time when we recognize the enormous impact of involved parents on the educational achievement of all students. Research shows that when schools and families support each other, students of all backgrounds and various abilities achieve at higher levels. Children with involved parents tend to achieve more, attend school more frequently, consistently complete homework and show positive motivation toward their schooling. And when parents get involved, their children aren’t the only ones who benefit – all children at the school are affected. Often, the hard work these parents put forth goes unnoticed and unappreciated – because it happens in the quiet, out of the spotlight, in small moments helping with homework or reading a story at night or volunteering in class. It’s those small moments, repeated throughout the life of a child, that can change the course of that student’s future. Our parent engagement team gave parents a chance to share their “get involved moments”; reading through them paints a picture of the big difference these seemingly small moments can make. Here are a few of those stories: “I assisted my daughter with her volcano project, which we built out of paper-mache. She also did a report about volcanoes. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with her. It allowed me to learn as she taught, instead of me being the teacher.” – Elaine Mathews, Westside High School “My favorite moments have all been helping the teachers. It builds relationships that last a lifetime and they are always so appreciative for any help received - big or small! I am able to run errands for the teachers as well as help with classroom parties and clerical work. What a joy it is when the teachers know me by name, not because my children are always in trouble, but because they know I support what they do.” – Ramona Lunsford, Perry Middle School “About four years ago I was in school and graduated with a 3.97 GPA. After seeing her dad in school getting straight As, my daughter wanted to do the same. For the past two and half years she has been a straight A student. The only thing I have ever asked was that she do her best.” – William Benningfield, Warner Robins Middle School “My best Get Involved Moment was teaching my son how to read. To me, reading is the most important skill one needs in life. If you teach someone to read you open the whole world of knowledge to them. Now my son reads for fun, which is great to see.” – Jennifer Castro, Warner Robins Middle School “I realized that my son was having a little trouble writing his name and the rest of the class wasn’t. So every afternoon when he got home we would work on his name. The day he didn’t have to trace his name was the best day for me because he was so proud of himself that he did it like a big boy and at that moment tears filled my eyes and I was so proud of him. I felt that us working together as a team was the best thing ever.” – Charlie Wisham, Perry Primary School “My daughter attended Quail Run Elementary School. At that time, I tutored some students in reading. One day, the student looked up at me and said, ‘Thank you for helping me.’ From that moment forward, I realized that I volunteered for ALL of the students and parents...not just my child.” – Elaine Malone, Perry High School To each of Georgia’s parents: thank you for the time you’ve spent tracing names, tutoring young readers, working on reports, and serving as encouragers, teachers, and a constant reminder to your children that it’s worthwhile to work hard and do their best. It makes all the difference in the world – to your children, and many others. Sincerely, Richard Woods Georgia’s School Superintendent
December 2015
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Georgia PTA Board of Directors President, Lisa-Marie Haygood President Elect, Tyler Barr 1st Vice President, Jacqueline Angel Little 2nd Vice President, Marina Staples Secretary, Kizzy Weathersby Treasurer, Neatie Green Parliamentarian, Kyle Wallace Immediate Past President, Rita Erves
District Directors 1st District Director, Vacant 3rd District Director, Vacant 4th District Director, Becky Lawhon 5th District Director, Thomas Wheeler 6th District Director, Sandra Narcisse-Jones 7th District Director, Shanda Ross 8th District Director, Sheila McCants 9th District Director, Irene Barton 10th District Director, Melissa Hodge-Penn 11th District Director, Abdul Akbar 12th District Director, Dee Dee Jackson 13th District Director, Tracy Thompson
Standing Committees Bylaws, Sandra Perrino Convention & Events, Debbie Rabjohn Diversity & Inclusion, Tammie Jenkins Education, William Green, Jr. Early Childhood Education, Caroline Harris Family Engagement, Keith Lamar Health-Wellness, JoAnne Hammermaster Hispanic/Latino Outreach, Jose Cerrato Leadership Development, Susan Hayes Legislation, Tynettia Elrod Membership, Margie Ringfield Reflections, Janice Gurley Resource Development, Evelyn Cunningham Youth Services, Angela Hupert
Message from the Georgia PTA President Elect Dear PTA Advocate, Every year Georgia PTA recognizes the month of November as Family Engagement Month, and celebrates the role parents play in education. The National Family Engagement Month also known as Parental Involvement Month, is a National celebrated theme for families to be engaged in their school’s academic and school wide programs to increase and support student achievement. On March 02, 2015 the Family Engagement in Education Act of 2015 (S. 622/H.R. 1194) was introduced in Congress. This important legislation is intended to strengthen families’ engagement in the education of their children. Research shows that family engagement in a child’s education increases student achievement, improves attendance and reduces dropout rates. The Family Engagement in Education Act of 2015 seeks to target capacity-building and technical assistance for effective family engagement strategies by promoting district flexibility to identify programming that works best for individual communities. Georgia PTA encourage our PTA advocates and supporters to write or call your member of Congress and ask them to co-sponsor the Family Engagement in Education Act. Georgia PTA believes that students with involved parents are more likely to earn higher grades, pass their classes, attend school regularly, have better social skills, and go on to postsecondary education. Today’s PTA is the vehicle through which engaged parents can accomplish great things for their children and ensure their overall success. In addition, I would like to thank our local PTA associations that recognized the role men play in their child’s education. During several local PTA invitations I received this month, I was able to visit our local schools and speak to fathers, grandfathers, and men about the barriers to male involvement and increasing their male PTA membership. Topics included “10 Ways to Get Men More Involved in PTAs”, “ABC’s of Male Involvement”, and “Male involvement in Education.” In fact, studies show students perform better when mothers and fathers are involved in the education of their children, and adult men volunteering in school sends positive messages to our children that their education is important. Male involvement is the other half, and in too many cases it’s missing, especially in education. I sincerely thank you for your service on behalf of Georgia’s children. Georgia PTA looks forward to advocating with you as we continue to build on the great legacy of this association. Together, we will achieve excellence! Tyler L. Barr, Georgia PTA President-Elect, tbarr@georgiapta.org
SAVE THE DATE for PTA Day at the Capitol!
Specialists/Consultants
Mark your calendars now for PTA Day at
DOE Liaison, Amy Park Environmental Education, Travis Williams Fraud & Conflict Resolution, Nicole Ponziani Male Involvement, Keith Schumacher Scholarship Advisor, Sophronia Qualls Special Services Advisor, Barbara Pitts Student Advisor, Daniel White Teacher Advisor, John Palmer
the Capitol, Tuesday, March 1, 2016. This is your opportunity to join other PTA members from around the state to advocate for children during the 2016 Legislative Session! You will have the opportunity to advocate at the Capitol and have lunch at The Freight Depot. Remember to invite your legislators to join you at lunch. Plan to join us to make a positive difference for all Georgia children!
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Georgia PTA « THE VOICE
Legislation & Advocacy
Legislative Priorities
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eorgia PTA serves to strengthen collective voices to educate, empower, and engage families and communities to advocate on statewide issues that affect the lives of our children. The legislative priorities are based on child related education and safety policy issues surveyed by the members of Georgia PTA. Georgia PTA 2015-16 state legislative priorities includes: • Georgia PTA support efforts to increase state spending in public Pre-K – 12 and post-secondary education and equitable distribution of public funds for public schools. • Georgia PTA support more efficiently and effectively family engagement initiatives to increase student achievement and parent involvement in decisions of their children in our local schools. • Georgia PTA support the constitutional authority that continues local control, accountability, and transparency of public schools by local school boards of education as specified by current state requirements. • Georgia PTA support efforts to maintain the responsibility of developing education curriculum and assessments by the Georgia Department of Education. • Georgia PTA support safe and supportive environments that ensures all children are safe in their homes, communities, and schools including school safety zones and school buses. • Georgia PTA support education to ensure families are better informed on the use of technology in schools and their rights under federal law to protect their children identity and student data. • Georgia PTA support stronger legislation and policies that reduce criminal acts, abuse, neglect, bullying, and unintentional injuries to children, and the privacy of personal information. • Georgia PTA support efforts to strengthen Georgia’s law that criminalize domestic minor sex trafficking and enforce strict penalties associated with child trafficking and exploitation. The Georgia PTA Board of Directors approved on 10/3/15.
Advocacy Day
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eorgia PTA held its annual Advocacy Day on October 15, 2015 at the State Capitol. One hundred attended from across the state. The guest speakers were Senator Lindsey Tippins and Representative Valencia Stovall. Training was also provided by Tynettia Elrod, Lisa-Marie Haygood, Tyler Barr, John Palmer, Dr. Detrius Jones, Neatie Green and William Green.
Georgia Milestones Test Results Released State scores from the 2014-15 administration of the Georgia Milestones Assessment System (Georgia Milestones in grades 3-8 and Georgia Milestones EOCs in grades 9-12) have been released. These preliminary scores reflect the first administration of Georgia’s new comprehensive testing system. Georgia Milestones assesses student learning along four levels of performance, compared to three, as was the case for the CRCT. These designations aim to shift the focus away from just test scores, instead capturing the progression of students’ learning: Grading explanation below: Beginning Learners do not yet demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/ course of learning, as specified in Georgia’s content standards. The students need substantial academic support to be prepared for the next grade level or course and to be on track for college and career readiness. Developing Learners demonstrate partial proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified by Georgia’s content standards. The students need additional academic support to ensure success in the next grade level or course and to be on track for college and career readiness. Proficient Learners demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia’s content standards. The students are prepared for the next grade level or course and are on track for college and career readiness. Distinguished Learners demonstrate advanced proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level/course of learning, as specified in Georgia’s content standards. The students are well prepared for the next grade level or course and are well prepared for college and career readiness. Want to better understand the Milestones test and the results? Georgia PTA can provide training at your Council or Local Unit meetings. Email gapta@bellsouth.net to learn more.
December 2015
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Congratulations to the Winners! Elkins Pointe Middle School PTSA named 2015 Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award of Merit and Fifteen PTAs in Georgia Recognized Nationally as a National PTA School of Excellence
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lkins Pointe Middle School in Roswell, Georgia has been awarded the 2015 Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award of Merit for its leadership and dedication to building strong family-school partnerships. Additionally, National PTA® has recognized fifteen schools in Georgia as National PTA Schools of Excellence for their achievement in building effective family-school partnerships. Research shows that when families and schools work together, student achievement increases, schools improve and communities grow stronger. Being recognized as a National PTA School of Excellence demonstrates leadership and commitment to partnering to support student success and continuous school improvement. Recipients include: Beecher Hills Elementary School PTA
Hightower Trail Middle School PTSA
Crabapple Middle School PTSA
Johns Creek High School PTSA
Dr. M. H. Mason Elementary School PTA
Miller Grove High School PTSA
Elkins Pointe Middle School PTSA (2015 Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award of Merit Recipient)
Mountain View Elementary School PTA
Esther F. Garrison SVPA K-8 PTA Georgetown Elementary School PTA Hickory Flat Elementary School PTA
Murdock Elementary School PTA Rocky Mount Elementary School PTA South Cobb High School PTSA Wheeler High School PTSA
“Elkins Pointe Middle School sets the standard for what family-school partnerships can achieve. We are thrilled that they have been recognized with the 2015 Hearst Award of Merit. Family engagement is a key focus of what we do here in Georgia PTA. We are incredibly proud of all fifteen of our School of Excellence winners and appreciate their dedication to the importance of building a solid partnership between the school and family,” said Lisa-Marie Haygood, president of Georgia PTA. National PTA launched its National PTA School of Excellence program to help strengthen family-school partnerships across the country and make measurable progress in the areas of education, health and safety, and arts and cultural exploration. As a National PTA School of Excellence, families feel welcomed and empowered to support student success, and PTA is a key partner for continuous school improvement. To be recognized as a National PTA School of Excellence, PTAs evaluate their current family engagement strategies and submit a goal for school improvement that families, teachers and administrators have set together. They improve upon their family engagement strategies throughout the year, while focusing on their goal. The National PTA School of Excellence designation is awarded with demonstrated improvement in the family-school partnership and significant progress toward their goal. To celebrate their achievements, National PTA presented all fifteen schools with a National PTA School of Excellence banner. For more information about the National PTA School of Excellence program, visit PTA.org/excellence.
District 9’s School of Excellence Winners were celebrated at the D9 Fall Conference on September 17, 2015.
Mason Elementary proudly showing their School of Excellence Banner!
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See photos of other School of Excellence winners featured throughout The Voice.
Georgia PTA « THE VOICE
Leadership Development
Training and Development Opportunities Offered
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eorgia PTA is committed to providing the necessary training all local unit and council leaders need to be successful this school year. If you weren’t able to attend our Convention Leadership Training in July or feel that there is an area you need to learn more about, we’ve got training opportunities available to you all year long.
There are several ways to receive PTA training.
Award-winning Reflections artwork was on display at the High Museum in downtown Atlanta from September 22 thru October 25, 2015.
1) Attend training offered by your Council or District. Each Council and District has its own calendar of meetings and training opportunities offered throughout the year. Local unit officers are highly encouraged to attend those meetings as a way to ensure they receive the necessary training to be a successful PTA leader. 2) Attend a PTA University at the State Office. This is a great place to receive training and be able to ask questions! (schedule provided below) 3) Watch our Georgia PTA Online Training Sessions at www.vimeo.com/ georgiaptatraining from the comfort of your own home. We currently have 18 videos uploaded. They include: President, Treasurer, Secretary, Membership, Reflections, Conflict Resolution, Keys to Successful Family Engagement, Why PTA?,Opportunity School District – Georgia PTA’s Position, New PTA Officers – Jumpstart Your PTA Success, Build a Better Board, Grassroots Advocacy, Understanding Common Core Standards, Breakfast in the Classroom, Best Ideas, Report Writing, Developing Your PTA Communications Plan and How to Fill an Officer Vacancy. 4) Invite the Leadership Development Committee to come to you! Reach out to Susan Hayes, Leadership Development Chair, at shayes@georgiapta.org to schedule a council, district or local unit training session.
PTA University Schedule Report Writing
January 27, 2016
10am - 12pm
Report Writing
January 30, 2016
10am - 12pm
Nominations & Elections
February 20, 2016
10am - 12pm
Nominations & Elections
February 24, 2016
10am - 12pm
PTA Universities will be held in the large conference room at the Georgia PTA State Office at 114 Baker Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30308. Please RSVP to confirm your attendance at the PTA University. Email us at gapta@bellsouth.net and let us know which PTA University you will be attending!
December 2015
Incorporation Renewals Incorporation renewals will be mailed from the state office to local units on December 1, 2015. They will be mailed to the home addresses for both the President and Treasurer of local units and councils. If no officer address information has been provided, they will be mailed directly to the school to the attention of the President.
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Breakfast in the Classroom
A Great Way for PTA to Help Our Children be Happy and Successful
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f you knew you could impact hundreds of students to promote their success, would you take that opportunity? We have a great opportunity right now! Georgia PTA is a member in the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom grant program. What is Breakfast in the Classroom? It is a program that takes the traditional school breakfast approach and improves it by moving it to the classroom, where every child is eligible to participate. The approach is simple: children eat together in the classroom – usually the homeroom – at the start of the school day. They enjoy nutritionally well-balanced foods like breakfast wraps, yogurt, or fruit served directly in their classroom or grabbed from a cart in the hallway. Students then eat breakfast while the teacher takes attendance, collects homework or teaches a short lesson plan. One of the most important factors for our children is a solid breakfast to start their day. According to the Food Research and Action Center, eating breakfast at school helps children learn: studies show that children who eat breakfast at the start of their school day have higher math and reading scores, have sharper memory and show faster speed on cognitive tests, have broader vocabularies, do better on standardized tests, and focus better and behave better. Eating breakfast at school has health benefits too. Children are less likely to be absent. They’re less likely to see the school nurse and less likely to be overweight. They eat more fruit, drink more milk and consume a wider variety of foods. Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom is a consortium of national education and nutrition organizations including the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), the National Association of Elementary School Principals Foundation, the National Education Association Healthy Futures and the School Nutrition Foundation (SNF) that came together in 2010 in response to a shared passion for childhood nutrition and its potential for improving educational outcomes and child health. Funding is provided by the Wal-Mart Foundation. Here in Georgia, the partners include the Georgia PTA, the Georgia Association of Elementary School Principals, the Georgia Association of Educators, and the Georgia School Nutrition Association.
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GRANT FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR: • Equipment needs and Supplies (including cleaning supplies like trash bags, garbage bins, etc…) • Limited Staff Support (up to three months) and Training • Marketing and Promotion (marketing is typically $1/child)
GRANT QUALIFICATIONS • 70% of students qualify for Free- or Reduced-Priced (FRP) Meals (or operating CEP) • Less than 50% School Breakfast average daily participation (ADP) • Willingness to serve Breakfast in the Classroom at no charge to all students • Strong support from Superintendent • 3-year commitment to making reasonable efforts to continue the program • Willingness to promote the program We encourage you to explore this opportunity for your school and/or school district. The PTA can support a school’s application for the grant. We have a direct impact on a school with these positive changes. Need some assistance? Please contact JoAnne Hammermaster, Health & Wellness Chair for Georgia PTA at jhammermaster@georgiapta.org for more info on how to get started. Let’s give all of our students the best opportunity to be successful during the school day with a jump start to their day!
Georgia PTA « THE VOICE
Health & Wellness
What is the PTA Health & Wellness Committee at a School?
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t is my pleasure and honor to work with schools across Georgia over the next two years as the Health & Wellness Chair for the Georgia PTA. My goal is to assist local leaders and health advocates on a path to a healthier school environment. But what does it mean to be the Health & Wellness Chair (H&W) at a school? I have received several questions from individuals who are not sure where they should start. It is a great question! One of the main objectives of a H&W Chair is to plan, coordinate, and facilitate fitness and nutrition initiatives at a school. These can be projects such as a Walk to School Day, a Farm to School program, a running club, or a Food Day event. There are many options. These types of programs are We need to set the a really fun way to expose students to the many facets stage and lay the of a healthy lifestyle. With a running program, it can spark groundwork so that a new interest in a student, H&W is an integral help alleviate stress at home or school, improve physical health, part of the culture in and teach students proper technique to avoid injury in later every school. years. With a Farm to School program, you can expose students to the many wonders of our environment: plan a trip to a farm or invite a farmer to visit your school; have the farmer bring fresh produce from their fields for the students to taste; or have the students measure, test, and create with the produce. Again, there are many options. Don’t have a lot of time? Implement a program in school where students will move at the beginning of every day before classes to get their blood flowing. To help support your efforts, we will post several program ideas on the H&W page of the Georgia PTA website. Click on Health & Wellness under the Leadership Resources tab. These types of programs are essential, but H&W is so much more. We need to set the stage and lay the groundwork so that H&W is an integral part of the culture in every school. How do you do that? • Before you start: keep your message positive at all levels. To gain support and have sustainable changes, it is important to work collaboratively and build trust. • First: Sit down with the Executive Officers in your PTA. What are their plans over the next year? What are their priorities? How does H&W fit into it? Come prepared at this meeting with some ideas for what you would like to do for the year. Do you want to start a Power Up for 30
December 2015
fresh food
exercise
HEALTHY BODY HEALTHY MIND
relaxation
program? Start a garden? Change the school policy on birthday celebrations or candy as incentives? Work to build a good relationship with the leadership team. Get their support. • Second: Set up a meeting with the principal of the school. It may be beneficial to have the PTA President with you to show support. Develop a strong relationship. Find out the goals and priorities of the principal for the year and over the next several years. Is H&W a part of that plan? How do fundraisers at the school affect health and wellness? Lay out your ideas with the principal. Note: be sure to set realistic goals for the school. Don’t come in with plans to do sweeping changes, as it may cause opposition. Gain an understanding of different perspectives and work together with a plan that is beneficial for all stakeholders. • Third: Lay out your plans with parents at a PTA meeting. Make sure the teachers are a part of this message. Communicate why these changes will be effective, fun, and important for the entire school community. Sign up volunteers to help on your committee and share your message. • Fourth: Get students involved. Changes at the school will directly impact students, so it is important to hear their voice. Start a nutrition club. Teach students how to advocate for positive changes so they can celebrate the impact they have personally made at their school and in their community. • Fifth: Communicate fun activities, community support, and positive results. Keep H&W a relevant issue. Make sure all stakeholders know that progress is in the works. • Sixth: Evaluate, revise, and keep moving forward. Note that creating a healthy school environment takes time. Take it one step at a time, and celebrate successes.
STAY POSITIVE. COLLABORATE. HAVE FUN! JoAnne Hammermaster, Georgia PTA Health & Wellness Chair, jhammermaster@georgiapta.org
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Planning Ahead for 2016
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earching for a resolution for 2016? Consider making a real commitment to supporting Family Engagement. There are programs such as Take Your Family to School Week, Three for Me, like the Georgia DOE’s Family Engagement Facebook page, commit to implementing one of the six National Standards on your campus – it’s never too late to engage!
Take Your Family to School Week National PTA’s Take Your Family to School Week — February 15-19, 2016 — will celebrate PTAs, families and schools working together to support your student. On the National PTA website (www.pta. org) under the At School section, PTAs can find a lot of resources for planning a Take Your Family to School Week program. Resources on the National PTA website include the Connect to Respect Toolkit, Creative Career Fair Event Guide, Family Reading Experience Powered by Kindle Toolkit, Multicultural Event Guide, PTA Reflections Toolkit, Safety Toolkit, Smart Talk Toolkit. The website also includes helpful templates for flyers, invitation letters, donation letters, media advisories and social media messaging.
PTA Three for Me Three for Me is a PTA program designed to effectively involve parents and families in support of children and their education. This program will help PTAs and parents find different ways to volunteer at home, in school, and in the community—all which support student learning. This way, parents can volunteer when they have time during the day, in the evening or on the weekends. Three for Me online resources include: • Creative ways to connect all families to their child’s school and education • Ideas to strengthen home-school-community partnerships • Resources to motivate parent forum for program and idea sharing • Helpful ways to track volunteers and the positive impact they are having on student success Get Three for Me started at your school today and put a new face on parent involvement.
Georgia PTA Partners with Hines Ward and Positive Athlete Georgia After two years of unprecedented growth in the Atlanta Metro area, Positive Athlete Georgia, with the help of the Georgia PTA will be promoted to every high school in the state of Georgia. Last year, over 2,000 high school student-athletes from over 150 high schools across the metro Atlanta area were nominated by parents, coaches, teachers, family members and fans for awards tied to positivity. Former Georgia Bulldog, Pittsburgh Steelers and “Dancing with the Stars” champion Hines Ward put out a search for high school student-athletes who had either overcome difficult circumstances (illness, disability, poverty), or gave back to their schools and communities in significant ways. 7 regional awards this past Spring, as well as the state-wide awards at the College Football Hall of Fame in June. For the 2015-16 school year, the Georgia PTA, as well as the Georgia Vision Project (the school superintendents and school boards), and Georgia High School Association (GHSA) are
getting behind this movement to increase nominations not only in the Atlanta Metro area, but across the entire state of Georgia. Positive Athlete anticipates receiving between 5,000 and 7,000 nominations in 2015-16, and companies like Delta Air Lines, Northside Hospital, LGE Community Credit Union and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta have already jumped on board and are awarding scholarships to these kids. Nominating a high school student-athlete is an easy process. Simply go to the nominations section of the Positive Athlete Georgia website http://georgia.positiveathlete.org/awards/ nominations/ and tell Positive Athlete about your nominee. Nominations are now open and will close on March 15, 2016. This program is changing culture in the high schools, and identifying high-character, teamwork-oriented leaders who companies want to have on their radar screens. Any athlete nominated as a Positive Athlete will be eligible to win the Most Positive Athlete in their sport for the state of Georgia, but now 15 Regions have been created so that student-athletes have the opportunity to win Positive High School Athlete awards closer to home. For more information about Positive Athlete Georgia, go to their website at http://georgia.positiveathlete.org/
Winter Safari Day Camp at the Atlanta Zoo Spend your winter break at the Atlanta Zoo! Learn hands-on about our animals through nature discovery and wildlife appreciation. December 21, 22, 23: Flight of the Freezing Learn about the birds that travel during the winter season and manage those long cold flights. December 28, 29, 30, 31 and January 4, 5: Meet the Family Learn about how animal families and how they interact with each other. Each day focuses on a different animal!
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Georgia PTA « THE VOICE
Membership Update
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know everyone has been engaged in some type of membership campaign at your schools. Every community is unique and you work diligently to communicate why belonging to the oldest and largest child advocacy association is so important. For all of our efforts, please know how grateful I am. Not just during the Thanksgiving season either, but all year long for all you do behind the scenes to promote membership. When I stated in July at our Board of Directors retreat that I as the membership chair was expecting….many people were stunned into silence and hesitant to ask “Expecting What, Margie?!” I’m happy to tell you that I am expecting a miracle — a membership increase for Georgia PTA! We have set a goal to increase membership to 300,000 for the 2015-16 year — that’s an increase of slightly over 22%!! We can do this!
Leadership Resource Guide Want to know the specific duties of officers? Have a question about policy or procedure? Need report forms? The Georgia PTA Leadership Resource Guide is a great place to find those answers. You can access it online at http://www.georgiapta.org/for-ptaleaders/174-2/.
We have several programs that have been designed to support our local units in their membership recruitment efforts:
Leadership 2015-2016 Resource Guide
Membership Madness (see details on next page) Male Membership Awards MTAFGM (More Than A Few Good Men) MOH – Men of Honor MTA – Men Taking Action In addition, there are many things that you can offer your school communities to promote membership including grade level contests, homeroom contests, principal accepting a “challenge” (think dyeing hair purple, kissing a pig, wearing a rival’s spiritwear, etc.), asking local business to offer an incentive for all PTA members, communicating your goal to the school. Have a PTA membership table at all of the upcoming chorus, band and orchestra concerts. Have a poster of the National PTA benefits at your table. Local Units: Remember to submit dues every month to Georgia PTA using the Membership Dues Transmittal Form. If you need additional membership cards, complete the Additional Membership Cards form. We hope that our state office is overflowing with bountiful harvests from our members! Margie Ringfield,Georgia PTA Membership Chair, mringfield@georgiapta.org
Georgia
114 Baker Street, NE Atlanta, GA 30308-3366 (404) 659-0214 800-PTA-TODAY (782-8632) info@georgiapta.org www.georgiapta.org
Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. – Jack Welch
Georgia
Membership Madness! Advance to the tournament of our Membership Madness with an exciting new incentive for our local units!
December 2015
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Georgia
Georgia
Advance to the tournament of our Membership Madness with an exciting new incentive for our local units!
Georgia PTA is sponsoring a “Membership Madness Tournament” in which your local unit can compete to win a $1,600 cash prize and an in-school assembly with the Harlem Wizards. How to Qualify for the Membership Madness Tournament: 32 Schools will be announced as tournament qualifiers on January 5th. Only schools in Good Standing qualify to enter. How the selection process occurs: • Each District will have ONE school in the tournament based on highest total members submitted to Georgia PTA by December 31, 2015. • Each District will have ONE school in the tournament based on largest number of membership increase (by December 31, 2015) over last year. • To fill out the bracket, the remaining schools entered into the top 32 will be the PTAs with the highest total members, regardless of District. Once there are 32 qualifying schools, all qualifiers will start on equal footing as they begin our Membership Madness Tournament. Advancing to the next round of the tournament is based on NEW memberships turned in during the specified month.
Membership Madness begins January 5, 2016. To advance to the SWEET SIXTEEN: The top 16 schools with the largest amount of NEW memberships submitted to Georgia PTA by January 31st advance to the Sweet Sixteen. To advance to the ELITE EIGHT: The top 8 schools with the largest amount of NEW memberships submitted to Georgia PTA by February 28th will advance to the Elite Eight. MEMBERSHIP MADNESS FINALS: In the month of March, the top 8 schools will compete against each other to sign up the most NEW members. The school with the most NEW MEMBERSHIPS in March is our TOURNAMENT WINNER.
TOURNAMENT PRIZE:
1st place – $1,600 cash prize and an in-school assembly with the Harlem Wizards 2nd place – $400 plus a shooting clinic with the Harlem Wizards 3rd and 4th place winners – $400 each
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Georgia PTA « THE VOICE
Your Goal: 25% Male Membership Your Goal is OUR Goal!
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ig Zigler says, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” Quite often in PTA, we know what we would like to see, but we just can’t figure out — on our own — exactly how to get there.
In regard to membership, I have seen a lot of frustration and perceived failure. I recently heard a respected PTA official say, “Membership numbers are going down and we just have to accept that.” Well, I for one am absolutely NOT willing to accept that. I have the wonderful opportunity to travel from coast to coast and speak at PTA conferences and other events. I see some amazing things going on at state levels and some phenomenal things going on in local units — just like yours. The one thing that I see quite often that disturbs me is people who continuously see PTA as the “Stay at Home Moms Club.” That might have been your mother’s PTA. But Today’s PTA is quite different. More and more parents — and particularly DADS are stepping up to the plate. They are joining and actually participating in PTA local units all across our great country. Many of these guys, like me, are also moving up into council, district, state and national PTA roles. So, why the change? Why are men suddenly stepping into an organization that was organized and has been dominated by women for over 100 years? The answer is simple. Men want to be a part of their children’s lives. Many men are recognizing the decline of the American family and want to do their part to hold the ship together. But, the biggest reason is that many schools and PTAs are recognizing the need for positive male role models for students who don’t have a positive father figure in their lives. They are doing something about it. This summer, I had the opportunity to speak at the Virginia PTA Conference in Richmond. While I was there, I attended the VA PTA Award Breakfast. I was stunned when it came time for the VA PTA 25% Male Membership Award. There was a FULL PAGE of Virginia PTA local units who had achieved the status of 25% MALE membership. I thought to myself, “WOW, I wonder how they did that…?” Then it occurred to me. Virginia has the third largest number of Watch D.O.G.S. schools behind Texas and Washington. They have 295 active Watch D.O.G.S. schools and another 25 currently launching. Virginia also has 30 active All Pro Dads schools. Virginia PTA local units have figured out how to successfully convert dads who have an interest in their child’s education into engaged PTA members. We can easily do this too. My good friend, Mike Hall of Strong Fathers - Strong Families often says, “If fathers aren’t responding to your programs, it’s not the dads – it’s the programs!” We have to understand that an event like a single PTA sponsored “Donuts with Dad” is not a “program”, it’s an event. We have to have something to offer these guys the other 179 days of the school year to actually engage them. One of the things that I always say when I am presenting father involvement training is, “If you want someone to answer the phone, you have to dial the right number — otherwise, they will never know that you are calling them.” Do you have a local unit Male Engagement Committee? Do you have a Male Engagement Chairman? There may be a guy (or girl) in your school community who might fit the role very well, but is missing the mark by not having the opportunity.
December 2015
Are you hitting every opportunity to ask men for membership — or are you assuming that they aren’t interested? As I mentioned, many people outside of our organization, especially men, still think of PTA as the “Stay at Home Moms Club.” They cannot begin to imagine how they might fit into PTA. If we make it a “guy” thing, they will almost literally run to you. They have to know that you are specifically calling them — as an individual. We have to be bold and direct. PTA sponsored programs such as Watch D.O.G.S. and All Pro Dads leave no room to question who you are directing your invitation to. These programs are time tested and proven to be effective. Texas, Washington, Virginia and Nevada have shown us this. Their membership numbers prove it. When we have opportunities at events where men are participating, we need to never miss an opportunity to talk about all of the great things that Today’s PTA does and ask for their membership. If we want to know where we are going with Male Membership in Georgia PTA, we have to set a goal. Otherwise, like Zig said, we will be successful in getting nowhere. So as your Male Involvement representative to the Georgia PTA State Board of Directors, I’m challenging you and every PTA local unit in the State of Georgia to set a goal of reaching 25% MALE MENbership. If you need some help in getting started, email me directly or go to the following web pages: www.fathers.com/watchdogs www.allprodads.com We CAN do this! Keith Schumacher, Georgia PTA Male Involvement Advisor, kschumacher@georgiapta.org
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Meet our Family Engagement Chair I am honored to serve as your Family Engagement Chair. November is Family Engagement month!
What is Family Engagement? I have read many definitions over the past several months; I have concluded that family engagement is the process of bringing together school administrators, parents, students, and community for the purpose of providing the best academic experience to each child. The National PTA standards for family engagement are: 1) Welcoming all families to the school community 2) Communicating effectively 3) Supporting student success 4) Speaking up for every child 5) Sharing power 6) Collaborating with community Family engagement is not a one time event. Each of us should be searching for ways to bring parents, students, and community business leaders into our school. In the coming days the family engagement team will offer several opportunities for training on how to become a model PTA. We will also be sending information how to participate in our upcoming family engagement campaign “It Takes A Village”, as February’s “Men In Black”at the state capitol campaign. Look for more from Gerogia PTA’s Family Engagement committee. Keith Lamar, Georgia PTA Family Engagement Chair, klamar@georgiapta.org.
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Family Engagement
National Standards for Family-School Partnerships Standard 1: Welcoming all families into the school community — Families are active participants in the life of the school, and feel welcomed, valued, and connected to each other, to school staff, and to what students are learning and doing in class. Standard 2: Communicating effectively — Families and school staff engage in regular, two-way, meaningful communication about student learning. Standard 3: Supporting student success — Families and school staff continuously collaborate to support students’ learning and healthy development both at home and at school, and have regular opportunities to strengthen their knowledge and skills to do so effectively. Standard 4: Speaking up for every child — Families are empowered to be advocates for their own and other children, to ensure that students are treated fairly and have access to learning opportunities that will support their success. Standard 5: Sharing power — Families and school staff are equal partners in decisions that affect children and families and together inform, influence, and create policies, practices, and programs. Standard 6: Collaborating with community — Families and school staff collaborate with community members to connect students, families, and staff to expanded learning opportunities, community services, and civic participation.
Research shows that family engagement promotes student success. Students with involved parents are more likely to earn higher grades, pass their classes, attend school regularly, have better social skills, and go on to postsecondary education. Learn more about Family Engagement at www.pta.org > At School > Family Engagement Tools.
Hispanic Latino PTA in the National Spotlight We are proud to announce that the Georgia Hispanic/Latino Statewide PTA has been nationally recognized by the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics as a Bright Spot in Hispanic Education. Thank you to all the leaders within Georgia PTA who have worked tirelessly to make the Georgia Hispanic/Latino Statewide PTA so successful as they strengthen the engagement with Hispanic families in our communities.
Georgia PTA « THE VOICE
Make-A-Wish® Georgia’s Kids For Wish Kids® Program
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ake-A-Wish is the nation’s largest wish-granting organization. It has fulfilled the Wishes of more than 240,000 children in the United States and its territories since 1980. We grant the Wishes of children with lifethreatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength, and joy. In Georgia we have granted 6,800 Wishes since 1995 and in 2016 we will grant over 400 Wishes throughout our state.
Reflections
Make-A-Wish has an exceptional program for kids K-12, called Kids For Wish Kids®. This custom-tailored fundraising program provides local schools and youth organizations the opportunity to engage in philanthropy and service activities to help grant the Wishes of children battling life-threatening medical conditions.
The Countdown Is On!
But Kids For Wish Kids does much more than grant Wishes: classmates and peers walk away having learned the importance of community involvement and philanthropy, leadership skills, and how to work with others toward a common goal. All of this while having fun! Kids and teens are responsible for the program; from brainstorming fundraising ideas, to developing a plan of action and managing their fundraisers from start to finish. Teachers and parents often serve as advisors, but ownership of the project belongs solely to the kids involved.
The tips below were shared by Melissa Potter, Cherokee County Council PTA Reflections Chair with her local units. They also represent the same issues we see at the state level. Please check these items throoughly before advancing entries to Georgia PTA.
Starting a Kids For Wish Kids fundraiser is easy, and Make-A-Wish is committed to ensuing it’s a positive experience from start to finish. To learn more, please contact Jaylie Welch, Community Partnerships Assistant at (770) 916-9474x145 or jwelch@georgia.wish.org.
Thank you, in advance, for helping to share the power of a wish®.
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efore we can continue this journey we must THANK those who made this journey possible – the LOCAL REFLECTIONS CHAIRS. They formed committees, created flyers, came every morning to school to accept entries and encourage students to “Let Your Imagination Fly.” Again, we say “thank you.”
• Missing signatures of students and/or parents. This is REQUIRED in order for entries to advance. You may email forms to local units and parents to obtain signatures. • Missing artists’ statement. This too is REQUIRED. Please email the forms to Reflections chairs or parents to obtain these statements. • Incomplete entry forms (specifically where local PTA information is requested). This is how Georgia PTA contacts the local unit chairs, so it is critical that it be completed. Do not depend on your council chair to complete the information. • Literature entries MUST have the original plus 2 extra copies. There are typically multiple judges due to the high volume of entries and multiple copies are needed. The extra copies go in the manila folder, NOT THE ENVELOPE. Entry from is stapled to the outside of the folder. Janice Gurley, Georgia PTA Reflections Chair, jgurley@georgiapta.org
The arts — and the National PTA Reflections Program — support student success and serve as a valuable tool for building strong partnerships in your school community. December 2015
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National PTA Connect For Respect Program
Making Health & Wellness a Part of Your School Culture Mountain View Elementary School, Marietta, GA
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his October, Mountain View Elementary held a carrot tasting during lunch for Farm to School Month. Students had the option to try two carrot recipes and then vote for their favorite. The options were a chilled Carrot Salad or a warm Parmesan-crusted Carrots. Overall, the big winner was the Carrot Salad. The recipe includes pineapple and raisins mixed with shredded carrots. The event was led by the Mountain View Elementary PTA Health & Wellness Committee along with the cafeteria manager and staff. Parent volunteers spoke with the students to explain the recipes, offer the carrots, and to take their vote. A special appearance was made by Ms. Carrot which made the students smile. The Mountain View PTA Health & Wellness Committee stays busy year round with their monthly Walk to School Days and Wellness Wednesdays where local businesses donate fruit to a grade level every week. Additionally, the teachers lead their students in a weekly Morning Milers program and run monthly contests to encourage friendly competition among the classes. And after school, students can join the Kilometer Kids program to stay active. Just last school year, Mountain View Elementary won the 3-2-1 Blastoff award from Safe Routes to Schools’ “Fire Up Your Feet” for the amount of time spent exercising among students and staff. Furthermore, Mountain View was awarded the 2015 Platinum Achievement in Wellness from the Governor’s SHAPE Honor Roll. This award recognizes Mountain View’s dedication to creating a healthy school environment and a culture of wellness for staff, students, and community.
Connect for Respect (C4R) is National PTA’s initiative to help students, parents and educators to create school climates full of safe and supportive peer relationships. Research shows that one of the most effective ways to prevent bullying behavior is to create a positive school climate. School climate encompasses everything that contributes to a student’s experience with a school—from the physical building to policies, staff and peer culture. Positive school climates exist in schools where students, families and educators all work collaboratively to build a culture of respect. Use the Connect for Respect (C4R) Toolkit to guide your PTA/PTSA on ways to engage students in improving the school climate and reducing bullying. To get the C4R Toolkit, visit www.pta.org.
National PTA®
Connect For Respect
Guide for PTA Leaders
Connect For Respect
Jennifer Saboura, Health & Wellness, Mountain View Elementary PTA and East Cobb County Council of PTAs, 404-429-8225
Georgia
Georgia PTA is pleased to announce that we have entered into a partnership with O rlando Employee Discounts!
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Georgia PTA « THE VOICE
Bylaws Spotlight Quorum 1. A minimum number of people required at a meeting in order for business to be conducted. 2. The minimum number of members of an assembly or society that must be present at any of its meetings to make the proceedings of that meeting valid. This information is listed in local unit, council, and state bylaws, and the district standing rules.
Bylaws 1. The legal operating guidelines for a board; a legal document outlining the self-imposed rules that will regulate an organization’s own actions. Since it is a required element when forming a corporation, Bylaws are a form of agreement or contract between the corporation and its owners to conduct itself in a certain way. While for a commercial business the owners are its shareholders, the ownership of a nonprofit corporation belongs to the public as represented by the nonprofit organization’s Board of Directors and the government. 2. The rules and regulations enacted by an association or a corporation to provide a framework for its operation and management. Bylaws may specify the qualifications, rights, and liabilities of membership, and the powers, duties, and grounds for the dissolution of an organization.
Executive Committee 1. A committee that has specific powers, outlined in the bylaws, which allow it to act on the board’s behalf when a full board meeting is not possible or necessary 2. A committee, consisting of the elected officers of a PTA unit, the principal or their designee, and an appointed Parliamentarian. Refer to preceding definition.
Board of Directors not Executive Board Governing body of a nonprofit or for-profit corporation; the board has specific legal and ethical responsibilities to the organization.
Amending Bylaws When a change to the bylaws is desired, members should follow the procedure outlined in the bylaws for making amendments. Refer to Article XVIII: Amendments, Section 1. Bylaws may be amended at any regular general membership meeting by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, a quorum being present and notice of the proposed amendments has been provided to the membership thirty (30) days prior to the meeting. The amendment becomes effective upon receipt of approval from Georgia PTA. When giving notice that an amendment will be proposed, you should word the notice formally: For example: To “Amend Article III, Section 4, Line 2 Dues, by striking out $5.00 and inserting $6.00.” Include a brief explanation as to the reason for the proposed change. Each amendment to the bylaws needs to be submitted to the state office on a separate form. Please send two (2) copies of each amendment that you want to be approved to the state office. Upon approval, the original will be attached to the bylaws at the state office and a copy will be returned to the local unit. Need a copy of the bylaws amendment form? It can be found in the Leadership Resource Guide or on the Georgia PTA website under Leadership Resources.
New Resource From National PTA National PTA presents their newest resource for PTAs – College and Career Ready Standards – 5 Pillars of Successful Implementation which includes information on planning an advocacy strategy to impact the adoption, implementation, assessment and accountability of College and Career Ready Standards in our states. National PTA, in partnership with the Learning First Alliance, has outlined five areas where states must focus — in a communications strategy called “Get it Right”— to ensure the higher standards have the supports needed for successful implementation. To get the full resource, visit www.pta.org.
Board Member A person sharing the responsibility and liability for the organization with the rest of the members of the board. Sandra Perrino, Georgia PTA Bylaws Chair, sperrino@georgiapta.org
College and Career Ready Standards: 5 Pillars of Successful Implementation
Areas of Focus for Successful Standards-Based Education Reforms All states have renewed their efforts to give each child a quality education by evaluating and in many cases overhauling their state education standards. By now, most states have adopted higher College and Career Ready Standards; some have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), some have opted for a hybrid of the CCSS, and others have created their own standards entirely. Whichever standards your state uses, the goal is the same: to ensure that every child graduates high school ready for college or career. College and Career Ready Standards are an important step in creating better educational outcomes for all students, but new standards cannot stand alone. Each state must implement a robust action plan to ensure that the standards can be successful. National PTA, in partnership with the Learning First Alliance, has outlined five areas where states must focus—in a communications strategy called “Get it Right”—to ensure the higher standards have the supports needed for successful implementation. These areas are broad and the work must be a comprehensive effort at the state level in conjunction with all state and local education agencies and education coalitions in individual states. Please note, PTAs cannot expect to be the lead in this work; but as parents we need to ensure that we are involved in the effort. PTAs should familiarize themselves with the topics and decide where their individual state PTA can actively participate. That participation may vary based on a variety of factors. Some examples might include serving on education coalitions or committees, reviewing and offering suggestions for plans, communicating information to all parents, etc. As state PTAs, you determine where you fit and how to balance the work with all of your other areas of importance.
5 Pillars of Successful Implementation of College and Career Ready Standards: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
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December 2015
Alignment of standards, curriculum and assessments. Adequate professional development for teachers and principals. Sufficient resources and support for each child to meet high standards. Ongoing communication about the importance of standards and accountability. Balanced and comprehensive accountability systems.
PTA.org
College and Career Ready Standards
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PTA News from Around the State Healthy Lifestyles Energy Balance 101 Grant District 5 welcomes Eagle Ridge Elemetnary PTA as a new charter.
District 6 Welcomes Rice Creek PTA
Russell Elementary School in Smyrna was selected by National PTA to receive a $2,000 Healthy Lifestyles: Energy Balance 101 Grant. On October 26, 2015 they hosted an event at their school to promote healthy eating and staying fit. After playing games and dancing, the students were treated to fruit and vegetable smoothies. Their special guests were athletes from South Cobb High School.
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ice Creek School became the first Local Unit to be chartered in District 6 this year. Dr. Troy Brown, Principal of the Rice Creek School, worked with officers of Savannah-Chatham Council and the District to ensure that a PTA was formed by the beginning of the school year. One of the goals of the district was to charter at least four schools this year. We are well on our way to reaching that goal! In keeping with the PTAOPOLY theme for the District 6 Conference, officers were installed in which each newly elected officer was given either a PTAOPOLY playing board, Community Chest, the unit’s Property Card and monopoly money. Officers were then challenged to keep everything above the board and play fair. Welcome to the team, Rice Creek PTSA Cardinals! Sandra Narcisse-Jones, District 6 Director, snarcisse-jones@georgiapta.org
Hickory Flat ES PTA in District 13 celebrates being named a National PTA School of Excellence.
Local Unit Spotlight Hats off to Freedom Park Elementary PTA in District 8 for their display during Hispanic Heritage Month and having PTA information in Spanish to share with parents.
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Georgia PTA ÂŤ THE VOICE
PTA News from Around the State 9th District Charters H.A.V.E.N. Academy at Sky View in Cobb County Chartering a new PTA is always an exciting activity. The energy and enthusiasm are practically tangible, and charter attendees proudly show their Charter Member cards. The 9th District was honored to charter H.A.V.E.N. Academy at Sky View at the end of September. H.A.V.E.N. Academy provides comprehensive special education and support for students with severe Emotional Behavior Disorders and Autism. The acronym stands for the five qualities that the program is built upon: Hope, Achievement, Victory, Encouragement, Nobility. The program serves students from Cobb County, Douglas County and the city of Marietta. The Academy is part of the Georgia Network of Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS), comprised of 24 programs statewide that support students with special needs from every school system in Georgia. Principal Dr. Isaac Kelly, Director Shannon Svetlay, and other staff members provided families with materials developed by the 9th District PTA and others available from Georgia and National PTA about the chartering process and the opportunity to be engaged. Many members of Cobb County School District’s Special Education division were on hand the night of the charter meeting as well as Georgia PTA President Lisa-Marie Haygood who presented the new officers with an official blue PTA flag. Several members of the District 9 Board of Directors were also present to network, handle hospitality duties, oversee the membership sign up and launch the 2015 Reflections program! Thank you to council presidents Jenny Bradley, Jessica Jones, Annissa Katzman, Laura Shyman, and Brigette Thompson for all of their support. The newly elected Executive Committee is comprised of parents and staff – the perfect collaboration. The team is continuing the membership drive, planning its first general membership meeting, developing a budget, working on a parent survey – just the types of things that every newly chartered PTA tackles. “We are extremely excited to have chartered the H.A.V.E.N. at Sky View PTA,” said Dr. Isaac Kelly. “It is our goal to be a local and state leader with respect to an organized council of parents and staff totally focused on schoolfamily engagement for students with disabilities. “ We welcome H.A.V.E.N. Academy at Sky View “Where the Sky’s the Limit” to the Georgia PTA family. Great things are in store for this local unit and we thank Dr. Kelly, Ms. Svetlay and the entire team for their enthusiasm, energy and support. This is truly an opportunity to speak for “every child with one voice.”
Congratulations Georgetown Elementary PTA October 26, 2015 was a date to remember. What an awesome night at Georgetown Elementary School for the National PTA School of Excellence Award Program. We had a standing room only crowd. We were blessed to have our very own Georgia PTA State President Lisa-Marie Haygood, President Elect Tyler Barr and Secretary Kizzy Weathersby drive down from Atlanta to attend this event. Georgetown PTA officers were on hand selling memberships, serving a delicious meal and greeting parents as they arrived. We were so impressed to see several of their Partners in Education attend the event. They included members of the military and a local motorcycle group. We were so excited to celebrate with them. They are truly deserving of this award. Becky Lawhon, District 4 Director, blawhon@georgiapta.org
We Celebrate our PTA Kindle Recipients! National PTA awarded both Heritage Elementary School PTA and J.A. Alford Elementary School a classroom of 20 Kindles and a bonus $50 Amazon Gift Card to support their upcoming PTA Family Reading Experience. The PTAs were selected to receive the Kindles from more than 200 applicants from low-income schools where 40% or more of enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. All schools and PTAs are invited to host PTA Family Reading Experience events using the digital toolkit available at www.PTA.org/FamilyReading.
Irene M. Barton, District 9 Director, ibarton@georgiapta.org
December 2015
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Congratulations to Elkins Pointe Middle School in Roswell, GA for being awarded the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award of Merit!
Every Child in Focus Leadership Series: Hispanic Students National PTA offers a wealth of information on their webiste (www.pta.org) under the “At School” tab, tlisted under the Every Child Leadership Series. There is a discussion guide for the Hispanic series as well as information on upcoming webinars. The next webinar will be on January 14 and the topic is Engaging Hispanic Families in Schools, PTA and Community to Support Student Success. There is also a recorded webinar about understanding the many perspectives of Hispanic families.
Stay Connected to Georgia PTA We make it easy to be in-the-know!
Bookmark our website: www.georgiapta.org Like us on Facebook: Georgia PTA Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/GeorgiaPTA Follow us on Instagram: GeorgiaPTA
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Student Advocate for Health & Wellness
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eorgia PTA is very excited to be working with an impressive advocate for student health and wellness, Tyler Tucker. Tyler is a junior at Fitzgerald High School in Ben Hill County, GA. He is a National Youth Ambassador for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, as well as other health-related organizations. Tyler is passionate about sharing his message to work with students to be healthy and strong in school: There are variety of factors that affect childhood obesity rates. By carefully choosing meals (school or home) and having the health literacy it takes in defining the right snack, the rates could significantly impact the lives of many youth not only nationally, Tyler Tucker, a junior at but globally as well. Being a Fitzgerald High School in National Youth Ambassador from Ben Hill County Georgia for the Alliance for a Healthier Generation has helped me realize what it takes in choosing the healthiest choice. Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to attend the National Smart Snacks Convention in Washington D.C. Across the nation, school nutrition coordinators are creating policies and establishing school wellness councils in order to enhance the school environment on a health level. Smart Snacks are just one way of creating that healthier environment. Created by the USDA, these standards are put into place to reduce the access of unhealthy food. I have had the opportunity to share my message on this topic to people nationwide. Through creating project clubs and teaching youth (and adults), I have grown to love the impact that health makes on children. It has also impacted my life physically and mentally. Being healthy and fit, makes you more focused, energetic, and alert. I have also encountered numerous successes this year. I have created my school district’s first school wellness committee and have spoken to over 1.2 million people on nutrition and its benefits. Overall, health has made me into the person I am today. It keeps me alive and happy. It has also allowed me to create goals for myself, such as becoming the United States Acting Surgeon General.
We thank Tyler for his work to promote healthy students in all of our schools!
Georgia PTA « THE VOICE
Georgia PTA Family Day with the Atlanta Braves Georgia PTA sold 923 tickets and had 44 schools participating in the annual PTA Family Day at the Braves.
Georgia PTA Executive Committee Never Stops Learning On October 23, 2015, the Georgia PTA Executive Committee attended nonprofit board training at the Georgia Center for Nonprofits.
Sign up for Capitol Watch The Capitol Watch section of the GA PTA website stays updated with legislative news to ensure that our families are informed about what our legislators are voting on during session. Join Capitol Watch at http://www.ciclt.net/sn/sec/ join.aspx?ClientCode=gapta
Georgia
Georgia Standards
of Excellence
Have you picked up one of Georgia PTA’s new car magnets yet? The next time you stop by the Georgia PTA state office, be sure to ask for one of the magnets and help Georgia PTA spread the word about the Georgia Standards of Excellence.
December 2015
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The 2015-2017 Georgia PTA Board of DIrectors Fall Board Meeting was held over the weekend of October 2, 2015. Lifetouch photography took this group photo and individual portraits of our board members who were in attendance.
Why Every School Needs a PTA
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aced with shrinking budgets and growing class sizes, not to mention high standards for teacher and student performance— schools today need the support of families and the community. PTA can help! Harness the power of PTA to: • Increase family engagement and volunteerism • Implement programs to engage families in student success and school improvements • Qualify for grants and awards to support your school • Communicate with families more effectively • Partner with other community organizations • Enhance fundraising efforts The number one reason why parents and teachers join PTA is to benefit the children. PTAs partner with school to engage families and their communities to enrich the educational experience and overall well-being of all students. PTA is at the forefront of boosting parent involvement by using the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships as a roadmap for creating collaboration among families, schools and community members.
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Access quality family engagement programs National PTA has programs that have been developed by experts with turnkey resources. From health and safety topics to collaborating with teachers to fundraising programs—the programs get results.
Qualify for grants and awards Local units are able to receive exclusive grants and awards for healthy lifestyles, arts in education, family engagement and family school partnerships.
Belong to a large network PTA is a national community of professionals and volunteer leaders who network and share best practices, while the National PTA and Georgia PTA provide relevant training and advocacy opportunities all year long.
Advocate on state and federal levels We keep you up-to-date on all the legislation you need to know and who to contact to share your opinion.
Visit pta.org and georgiapta.org to learn more about the work of America’s largest child advocacy association.
Georgia PTA « THE VOICE
Save the Date 102nd GEORGIA PTA
Convention Leadership Training
BACK to the
FUTURE
BACK TO ATHENS & BACK TO BASICS
June 23-25, 2016 Classic Center Athens, Georgia Join hundreds of PTA leaders where you can: • Choose from over 50 workshops led by dynamic presenters to enhance your confidence and leadership skills as a PTA leader • Enjoy your time in Athens, GA — check out some of the local attractions, shops and eateries • Understand the ins and outs of your role as a Local Unit leader — specific training provided for Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers and Reflections Chairs • Learn Best Practices for your Local Unit to put into use right away • Network with over 100 exhibitors and hundreds of attendees
Convention Leadership Training will be held at the Classic Center in Athens, Georgia. Please plan to join us! Keep checking back to www.georgiapta.org for more information about Convention Leadership Training.
December 2015
Important Dates to Remember December 4:
Reflections turn in at Georgia PTA
January 27:
PTA University: Report Writing
30:
PTA University: Report Writing
February 4-6:
Georgia Family Engagement Conference (Athens, GA)
15-19: National PTA Take Your Family to School Week 17:
Founders Day
20:
PTA University: Nominations and Elections
24:
PTA University: Nominations and Elections
March 1:
PTA Day at the Capitol
6:
Reports Due to Georgia PTA
8-10:
National PTA Legislative Conference
11:
Reports Due to Georgia PTA
April TBA:
PTA Day at Atlanta Hawks
The Voice Official publication of the Georgia PTA A Branch of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers Georgia PTA 114 Baker Street, NE Atlanta, GA 30308
Georgia
404-659-0214 or 1-800-PTA-TODAY Fax: 404-525-0210 www.georgiapta.org President: Lisa-Marie Haygood Editor: Susan Hayes, Leadership Development Chair Information from this newsletter may be excerpted for other PTA publications at the local, council and district levels as long as credit is given to Georgia PTA and any byline that may appear with the item must be included.
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Georgia PTA is proud to introduce SOLARO... Who Benefits from SOLARO? • • • • •
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Teacher
Parent
Student
● 100% aligned to the Georgia Standards of
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● Lessons and thousands of practice
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● Instructional content for Grades
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FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT
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(800) 840-6224
hELpiNg thE WorLd LEarN...oNE sTUdENt at a tiME Georgia PTA « THE VOICE