What would be some good legislative priorities for 2011 - Fall conference

Ø Budget
Ø Funding
Ø Standardized testing
Ø Extracurricular activities
Ø $$$
Ø Get rid of “no child left behind” – it’s not working
Ø PE brought back to school in full force
Ø Art brought back and music (not band)
Ø School lunch improvement for health!!!! Recess before lunch?
Ø Cell phone use in school
Ø Trust lands
Ø Local district school $
Ø PE and recess – keep recess in schools!!! Healthy lunches
Ø More money to schools. Not so much unknown
Ø Well rounded education to include the arts/music
Ø Healthy lunches – more healthy choices
Ø Funding
Ø Funding differences to charter schools versus public schools
Ø Eliminate school district “chance” to fund special pet projects
Ø Require teachers who teach children with extra needs (such as title 1 teachers) to have specialized training in educating children with those needs. A mainstream teacher is not qualified.
Ø Safety in schools (bullying, enough recess aids so that all parts of the playground are being watched at all times, etc)

How can you increase your PTA membership - Fall conference

Ø Play the power point
Ø Sign up at end of year
Ø Raffle tickets for items – get raffle ticket for signing up as a member of PTA
Ø More incentive to kids who’s parents join
Ø Class competition
Ø Display of membership
Ø Give Halloween carnival tickets
Ø Communication – educate parents on benefits of PTA
Ø Envelope (like Chubbuck does)
Ø File folder with school and PTA information at beginning of year with info to keep on one side and items to fill out and send back on the other (like Tendoy does – these are reusable every year)
Ø Get parents excited about their child’s school and how much their help makes a difference
Ø Back to school packets
Ø Deleta skating will allow school to have a PTA night where the family gets in free when parents pay membership dues
Ø PTA drive at grandparent’s night
Ø Call and use your parents who are PTA paying members and talk with as many parents to get them excited about being in the PTA and helping the children succeed
Ø Give kids a reward if parents join
Ø Safe House
Ø Raffle for those who join – other incentives
Ø Get all parents in one place – announce and sell
Ø Buy a PTA membership at a fundraising & hot dogs & coke are free (or discounted) that normally cost $3-$5 at the fundraiser
Ø Incentive - let PTA members get in free, or free raffle tickets, etc, etc
Ø Get teachers to join
Ø Carnival ticket at purchase

How can you get more people involved and prevent burnout - Fall Conference

ü Facebook for your PTA
ü Be friendly and welcoming to everyone
* Ask different people to help. Rotate positions, group managing, give incentives (treats). Say THANK YOU!!!
* Specific jobs
* ASK!!
* Get Dads involved – Donuts for Dads!!
* PTA 3 for me program (have parents sign a form committing to 3 hours of volunteer time and give options)
* Recruit people at kindergarten sign ups to get involved in PTA
* It’s OK to say no
* Call everyone that volunteers to help
* Make jobs really small – specific
* Offer snacks
* Special focus on kindergarten parents – they are excited
* Don’t have a PTA “clique” – Branch out
* Convention
* Be more open to everyone
* Share information like endowment lands or other vital information & how we can make a difference with people outside our “PTA circle” so they can understand how important PTA is
* Keeping paid members involved and let them know why their membership is important
* Push membership
* More communication is needed – especially for newer members on the goals and benefits of PTA

How to have a more successful reflections program - Fall Conference

Ø Make recognition a big deal
Ø Display entries
Ø When teachers are on board support is better!
Ø Show examples/post entries when promoting so kids don’t get intimidated, just excited
Ø Have teachers allow time for kids to brainstorm and get excited about it
Ø Have ideas presented to help begin an idea
Ø Narrow down categories
Ø Parent involvement and recognize winners at an assembly/convention
Ø Display entries at a school activity
Ø Promote more!!
Ø Have teacher do it as an assignment
Ø PTA party in gym for Reflections kickoff with parents
Ø Don’t have everything due around Christmas – volunteers will be grateful if they can focus on their families during this time
Ø Earlier in the school year the better
Ø Have an in school competition as well, candy bar & $5 for those who go on to district
Ø Do something for everyone who participated (mini candy bars)
Ø Have ideas presented in person with past examples shown in the class! We like the online idea…. But for small kids or kids whose parents are less involved?
Ø Have past winners from school (if still attending) give a small presentation on their Reflections project!
Ø Start the arts combined with Reflection
Ø Promote earlier so parents can be ready
Ø Have an “Art Show” display night
Ø Teacher can encourage kids with special abilities to enter the contest

Create A Bumper Sticker - Fall Conference

Ø PTA – It’s more than just my child
Ø PTA – Making a difference
Ø PTA – Together we CAN!
Ø Got PTA?
Ø I am PTA
Ø I make a Difference – I am PTA
Ø What have you invested in the future? PTA
Ø Who’s advocating for your child? Make a difference, Join PTA
Ø Your child’s lifeline to a better future – PTA
Ø Parent Teacher Advocate for Ellis Elementary
Ø Parents and Teachers = Best Education for Students. PTA – Join it!
Ø PTA – Because we care about children and education.
Ø P.T.A. Get involved for without you we fail ….
Ø PTA, It’s more than a piggy bank
Ø PTA – It’s not just for Moms
Ø Just do it!!! Join the PTA
Ø Who I am makes a difference – Join PTA
Ø Be a lifesaver – join PTA
Ø PTA, helping every child succeed

Membership Changes

Well, there is no option to do membership this year with OMDR (online membership data reporting). It is now done with Just Between Friends. If you go to www.pta.org, and then click on Running a PTA, then Just Between Friends, it will answer some questions for you about JBF. You can also go to http://www.justbetweenfriends.com/ and it has the PTA quick start links. Call me or email me if you are having any problems. I would be happy to help and troubleshoot for you! Price for membership is the same this year. If you are not going to enter your information into JBF , there is a form I can email you. Good luck with your membership drive! Together We Can!

Welcome Back!

We are about to start an exciting new year. I love this year's theme of "Together We Can". In a world of economic struggles, moral decay, and self doubt, we can rise above all this Together! Our children can have strong educations, safe homes, caring adults and positive self esteem as we work Together to make this happen. One step at a time, one person at a time, we will make it happen.

Regional Meeting March 4th

Please plan to attend our regional meeting and hear Secretary of State Ben Ysursa speak to us about Endowment Lands. These lands produce money for public education. Also we will be hearing from District 25 about their levy election coming up.
It is very important that our leaders know we are concerned and hear our voice.

District 25 Levy

The district would like to make presentations to all school PTA's about the levy in the month of February. Please contact Shelly Allen at the district office to set up a time. This will be an informational meeting. If your PTA would like to choose to vote about supporting the levy or not, that is up to your local PTA to hold a vote.

Our March 4th regional meeting will also have a levy presentation and we will vote as a region whether to support the levy or not. Please come and let your voices be heard!

Legislative Day

Please make plans to attend the state Legislative Day in Boise. It is on Feb. 11th starting at 7:30am and going to about 4pm. Check out the state website through our link on this blog for more information and to register. With very little revenue for our state government to work with, it is very important that our representatives see public education as an essential building block for our future. We can't pay for lobbyist to be at the capital, but we can have a voice. Our region has some money to pay for entrance fees if people need help with that. Please contact me, Brandi Barnes, at 238-2118.

Parent website to accompany new math program

At our December Region 5 PTA meeting we discussed the new math program. Several parents expressed that this math is different than the math that many of our parents learned growing up and they find it more difficult to help their children with homework. Our panel was very helpful and Mr Hyde from Tendoy was willing to find and share the website that is linked to the new math program so that us as parents can go there and reference any questions we might have. The web site is www.eduplace.com. Hope this is helpful.

Region 5 PTA meeting - December 10, 2009

REGIONAL PTA MEETING – DEC 10, 2009

* In attendance – 15

* Homestay for international students at ISU (exchange students)
· Looking for families – you are compensated $500/month
· Most are Asian and Saudi Arabian
· Contact Rita Haggardt if interested – 282-5201

* Watched endowment land video
· Idaho has 3.6 million acres for endowment land
· Revenue from this land is used to fund schools of Idaho

* Panel Questions discussed
· What program the district has in place to deal with bullying
· 6th graders in middle school, how is it working? School district will discuss this more at their meeting in March
· New math program – a web site linked to new program to help parents is www.eduplace.com
· Discussion on trimester school