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Special Founders Day Message from Past President Diane Bynum
In February we celebrate the founding of PTA 110 years ago on February 17 by Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst. If not for these women and their vision and determination, there would not be a PTA.
The organization that these women began more than a century ago to provide support, information and resources to families focused on the health and education of children has flourished to become the largest child advocacy organization in the nation.
If you look back at the accomplishments of the PTA, you will see that the list is long and varied. Too long to cover in this brief time slot, but well worth reviewing and including major issues like child labor laws and the national school lunch program; if you have not done so already, I suggest you take the time to read the National PTA Timeline on the National PTA website. Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of the legacy of the dedicated PTA volunteers who came before us.
It is easy to think of the National PTA as some distant organization. But it is powered by volunteers who once served at the local levels just like us. And, in actuality, the National PTA’s strength comes from the strength of its local organizations.
I know that we are all busy people, and sometimes the idea of taking on a project of magnitude is a daunting prospect, but ask yourself, “What are you doing to create a lasting legacy for your PTA?” Are you working on programs and projects that will benefit not only the current students and families of your school and community, but also future ones? If someone were to ask you to give them just two examples of work that your PTA has done with long lasting affects could you do so? I can:
1. While serving as president of my children’s elementary school PTA, we formed a committee to do a study of traffic safety around the school. At the time, our young city did not have a traffic engineer on staff, so we worked with the consultant they had on contract to analyze the safety issues and create an action plan to address them. There were times that us parents sat on the street corners in our camping chairs counting cars so that the data could be used in our advocacy efforts to lobby the city for a stop sign and a crosswalk. After many months, many meetings, and many phone calls, the city installed a stop sign, a crosswalk, and painted some of the curbs red, and the school instituted a new drop off loop. Both city and school administration told us that it was directly because of our efforts that these changes were made. For many years we have been able to drive by the school and know that we contributed to the safety of students for years to come. In time, the stop sign was replaced by a traffic light, and we know that PTA paved the way.
2. While serving as the council president of my children’s school district, we took on retail giant Rite-aid when they built a store adjacent to a sports park and within 300 feet of a middle school. We had no problem with the store itself, but we did have a problem with the fact that the store planned to sell alcohol in such close proximity to the children. We organized a letter writing campaign to the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) protesting the issuance of a liquor license. We also lobbied the city council to enforce their own ordinance prohibiting the sale of alcohol in such close proximity to parks and schools. At many city council meetings it was us “PTA parents” voicing our opposition going up against Rite-aid’s legal team. There were times we felt out of our league, but in the end, our grass roots advocacy efforts paid off and the liquor license was denied. The store opened in that location and seems to do a booming business without the sale of alcohol.
At the unit level our advocacy efforts did not replace our on-campus programs such as family nights; parent education events; book fairs, student education programs, etc. At the council level they did not replace the priorities of training and mentoring unit PTAs—instead, they were an added component; our PTAs identified health risks to the children and took action. There were definitely times when some of us felt out of our league; however, what I hope you noticed in both those examples was that the projects were not taken on by one or two individuals, but by committees made up of parents, school administration and/or staff, and community members. These were collective efforts that prove what can be accomplished over time with a committed group of caring adults.
Founders Day is a reminder of the substantial role that PTA has played locally, regionally, and nationally in supporting parent involvement and working on behalf of children and families. It is a time to reflect and take pride in our many accomplishments, and to renew our commitment to be a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for parents, and a strong advocate for public education.
In closing, I would like to remind you of the words of Forest E. Witcraft, an author, scholar, teacher, and Boy Scout administrator: “A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”
Thank you, for being important in the lives of many children!
ADDITIONAL ADVOCACY SUCCESSES
In the early 1990s, the Murrieta Council PTA board and the Murrieta Valley Unified School District Board of Education partnered together in creating a Parent Center, a place to house resources as well as a learning center where workshops are offered on a variety of topics important to parents on the education and well being of their children. Modeling the Parent Center after a successful Long Beach area program, and after a year of effort, the PTA and the school district eventually brought the parent center to fruition. The school district, seeing the long term benefits of such a center, took on the commitment of housing and staffing it with some funding assistance from community sources. In addition to becoming an important resource for parents, the center also serves the school community by offering speakers for PTA meetings and teacher in-service and offering court mandated parenting workshops.
2-1-1 Riverside County
The mission of 2-1-1 Riverside County is to provide accurate, timely, effective and comprehensive access to information and referral for the residents of Riverside County. The 2-1-1 system in Riverside County is a toll free single point of access, universally available countywide, servicing everyone who needs information and referral services.
A program of the Riverside County Volunteer Center that links the community with services, 2-1-1 Riverside is a comprehensive Information and Referral agency consisting of a comprehensive database and call center managed by trained staff, most of whom are certified and bilingual. Free telephone access to this service is available by dialing 1-800-464-1123.
2-1-1 services help Riverside County citizens identify and access community services by combining state-of-the-art technology with human services expertise.
2-1-1 services harness the power of people and technology to provide service by telephone, Internet and information products in both electronic and print versions.
2-1-1 works with the community to increase service availability to address unmet and emerging human service needs.
Visit the web site of the Volunteer Center of Riverside County and click on 211 Riverside County.
California State PTA 110th Annual Convention
April 30 - May 3, 2009 San Jose
Click here for the convention dinner reservation form
Registration: February 2 – April 20th, 2009
Early registration fee, February 2 through March 31 - $140
Name badges and workshop/event tickets will be mailed to you in April. When you arrive at convention, stop at registration at your convenience to pick up your voting card, badge holder and tote. Save money and avoid the long lines.
Registration fee, April 1 through April 20 - $180 ● Online registration closes April 20
Onsite Registration required after April 20th
Onsite registration fee - $200
You can register: Online – www.capta.org Payments by credit card ONLY.
Mail – SMART-REG International. Pay by check, money order or credit card.
Convention Registration Booklets mailed to all Unit and Council Presidents. If you have not received one and would like to have one, they are available for download at www.capta.org.
There is a required $25.00 District fee to be paid directly to 23rd District PTA.
23rd District PTA will have a Hospitality Suite at the Hilton San Jose and Towers.
23rd District delegates are encouraged to stay at the Hilton which is conveniently located at one end of the Convention Center. All reservations must be made through the “San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau”. You can reserve your hotel room beginning February 2nd by mail, fax or online at www.capta.org (Click Convention, there will be a link for housing reservations). Reserve early as the hotels will fill up quickly.
California State PTA has awarded each PTA District a $1000.00 Emerging Leadership Grant to assist Units and Councils to attend Convention. Scholarship applications are available through 23rd District PTA and on their website at www.23rdpta.org. Scholarship deadline is March 20, 2009.
23rd District Convention Dinner will be Friday night, May 1st. Information on the price, time and location will be forthcoming.
23rd District Convention Orientation will be Thursday Night, April 16th, 7:00pm at RCOE. All delegates are encouraged to attend.
California State PTA has planned an informative, empowering and enjoyable convention for you this year in San Jose. Please plan on attending and register early!
Convention Scholarship Application for Councils PDF file to download.
The EAP: An Assessment of Students’ Readiness for College
In collaboration with the California Department of Education and the State Board of Education, the California State University developed the Early Assessment Program (EAP) to provide students, their families, and high schools the opportunity to assess 11th grade student readiness for college-level English and mathematics. These are skills that students who choose either to enter college or the workforce directly out of high school will need to be successful.
The EAP consists of questions from the 11th grade California Standards Test (CST) in English/Language Arts, Algebra II, and Summative High School Mathematics plus fifteen additional objective questions and a written essay. The spring 2006 administration represents the third year that the EAP will be available to all students enrolled in 11th grade who are eligible to take the 11th grade CST in English and mathematics.
While the EAP questions are voluntary for 11th grade students, the response to the EAP has been overwhelming. For spring 2005, 69 percent of all 11th grade students eligible to take the CST in Algebra II/Summative High School Mathematics completed the state-mandated CST plus the optional EAP questions. A total of 46 percent of all 11th grade students eligible to take the CST in English/Language Arts completed the state-mandated CST plus the optional EAP questions in addition the EAP written essay.
The California Department of Education and the California State University encourage all 11th grade students to participate in the EAP because it:
Provides valuable information to the high school and to the student about student readiness for college-level English and mathematics.
The EAP report enables the student, family, and high school to identify the student’s need for additional preparation in English and mathematics while still enrolled in high school.
Working with high school counselors and teachers, students have the opportunity to enroll in mathematics classes in 12th grade or web-based mathematics, interactive tutorials and to enroll in English classes that include additional instruction in critical reading and writing,
These are essential skills that high school teachers have identified as necessary for success not only in English but also across the curriculum.
The EAP not only provides an opportunity to high schools to identify students, who need additional work in English and mathematics in 12th grade,
It also provides an additional benefit to students who attend any of the California State University’s twenty-three campuses.
Students who are determined to be college-ready on the basis of the EAP are exempt from taking the California State University’s placement tests in English and mathematics and move directly into baccalaureate-level classes upon enrollment.
Students who are not college-ready at the end of 11th grade have the opportunity to strengthen those skills in 12th grade, which will help to increase their mastery of the subjects and ability to demonstrate proficiency on the California State University’s English and mathematics placement tests.
The Early Assessment Program (EAP) is free for all 11th graders, who take the California Standards Test (CST)
Via the EAP (an extension to tests that 11th graders must already take) students and their families can learn more about students’ readiness for higher education. Most importantly, students and their schools have access to this feedback in time make modifications to their educational plans for the 12th grade.
Research and common sense both indicate that a challenging and appropriate Senior Year is one the best ways to prepare for success in college. The Early Assessment Program (EAP) helps students to plan for the most beneficial Senior Year.
For more information:
Visit the EAP website at http://www.calstate.edu/eap/
Early Physical Education Is a Parent Priority
One-third of all children 6-19 years old are considered obese or at risk for obesity. Childhood obesity can cause Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and low self-esteem.
Physical education classes are extremely important in helping children avoid these risks. Not only do they provide the children energy for the rest of their classes, but also they improve general health and well-being. Unfortunately, the vast majority of elementary schools do not provide daily physical education classes. Good habits regarding exercise need to be formed early, in elementary school, and continued throughout a child's school days and beyond.
You can help by promoting physical education in your school! First, check out National PTA's Health and Wellness parent resources online. Then, contact your school's principal and teachers and work with them to start and maintain a regular physical education program for children.
Wellness Policy and Health-e Living™
Are you aware that all school districts must have a wellness policy and a committee that should include parents? Do you know the nutritional value of what your child is eating at school? Check out the Health-e Living web site for more information and an interactive web site that can assist you in determining how well your child eats.
Make Family Fitness a Priority
As gym classes get scaled back and sedentary pursuits like video games become ever more popular, children are getting less and less daily physical exercise. Here are some tips from National PTA to help you make sure your kids are exercising daily:
Expose your children to a variety of sports and activities. Often children are not active because they have not found something that interests them.
Encourage noncompetitive, individual, or team activities that can become part of a lifelong physical fitness regimen. (Read about competition and kids at www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/helpchild/competition.asp.)
Make physical activity a part of the family routine. Walk after dinner or plan hiking trips with the whole family.
Set a good example for your children. Teach your children that being active is not just for athletes. It's for anyone who wants to have fun!
These tips are available in English and Spanish at www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/helpchild/bhc/pdf/tip2.PDF. For more tips from National PTA about keeping kids healthy, visit www.pta.org/parentinvolvement/helpchild/hc_apple_day.asp and http://www.pta.org/members/partea/helpchild/physicalfamily.asp.
The President's Challenge, a program of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, offers another way for parents to teach children the importance of being physically fit and engaging in physical activity. The Active Lifestyle Program is a plan to help adults get active at least 30 minutes a day (youths under 18 should get active at least 60 minutes a day), 5 days a week; while the Presidential Champions Program challenges adults and youths who are already active to raise their activity and fitness levels. Through these programs and others, the President's Challenge gives children, educators, parents, communities--anyone--the opportunity and motivation to be more physically active.
For details about the President's Challenge programs and how to get involved, visit www.presidentschallenge.org/.
"Challenge USA," a free promotional DVD, explains how to take part in the President's Challenge at home, at school, at work, and in the community. Request a DVD by calling (800) 258-8146, or by visiting www.presidentschallenge.org/. To request printed information about the President's Challenge, send an e-mail to preschal@indiana.edu.
The theme for this year’s Reflections program is “Wow”. Please pass this information onto the unit and Council Reflections’ chairs:
Changes this year include:
¨ Artist statements are mandatory this year and must be filled out by the student on the entry form;
¨ Due date that all councils have to turn in their award of excellence entries is December 4-no exceptions-we cannot accept late entries due to the Christmas and New Years holidays and the Judges’ schedules
¨ Form A’s must be turned in with the award of excellence entries-no exceptions
¨ CD’s for the music entries and DVDs for the Film/Video production and Dance Choreography must be used this year—if a council receives cassettes or VHS tapes they are to have the entry copied onto a DVD—it is becoming increasingly difficult for judges to have access to VHS or cassette players
The 23rd District Awards Ceremony will be March 18 at Great Oak High School-more details to follow
Please make sure the units and councils have all had their awards ceremonies prior to 23rd Districts—there was confusion last year when councils did not have their awards ceremonies until after 23rd Districts
VERY IMPORTANT: Each council should only be forwarding at the most 24 entries-the award of excellence entry. If a council does not have a High school music entry, for example, but has entries in all of the other 23 categories then only 23 entries will be forwarded. Councils cannot substitute an entry in another category to fill a category slot—if you have any questions please feel free to call me at (951) 526-8501
If a council has award of excellence entries in all categories then what they advance to the next level should be the following:
Music: 1 High school, 1 Middle, 1 Intermediate, 1 Primary
Visual Arts: 1 High school, 1 Middle, 1 Intermediate, 1 Primary
Dance Choreography: 1 High school, 1 Middle, 1 Intermediate, 1 Primary
Photography: 1 High school, 1 Middle, 1 Intermediate, 1 Primary
Literature: 1 High school, 1 Middle, 1 Intermediate, 1 Primary
Film/video production: 1 High school, 1 Middle, 1 Intermediate, 1 Primary
Council Reflections entries are due to District on December 4th.
Reflections 2007-08 PDF Forms
Entry Form | General Rules | FAQs | Dance | Film | Literature | Music | Photography | Visual Arts
Form A Unit | Form A Council | Theme Search 2009-2010
Spanish:
Reglas Generales 2007-08 | Preguntas frecuentes 2007-08 | Formulario oficial de inscripción 2007-08
For more information go to the California State PTA Reflections Webpage
or the National PTA Web site
Red Ribbon Week: “Drug Free I Have the POWER”
At 2 pm on Thursday, February 7, 1985, Enrique (Kiki) Camarena, A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent, headed for a luncheon date with his wife, Mika. Kiki had been stationed in Mexico for four and a half years on the trail of Mexico’s marijuana and cocaine barons. He was dangerously close to unlocking a multi-billion dollar drug pipeline.
Before Kiki could enter his truck, five men appeared at the agent’s side and shoved him into a beige Volkswagen Atlantic, threw a jacket over his head and sped away. That was the last time anyone but the kidnappers would see him alive.
Special Agent Camarena’s death touched the nation deeply. Americans felt outraged and frustrated that more could not be done to end the brutal violence of the drug war. They felt that Camarena’s sacrifice should not be forgotten. To show their respect for his courage and their commitment to take a stand against drug abuse, millions of Americans began to wear red ribbons.
As this red ribbon tribute began to spread across the nation in 1985, the Virginia Federation of Parents and the Illinois Drug Education Alliance called on members of grassroots organizations across the country to wear a red ribbon during the last week of October as a symbol of their commitment to make America drug free.
The red ribbon became the symbol to eliminate the demand for drugs, and the Red Ribbon Campaign became the annual catalyst to show intolerance for drugs in our schools, work places, and communities. Red Ribbon Weeks were celebrated throughout the nation. In 1988, the National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth coordinated the first National Red Ribbon Week, an eight-day celebration proclaimed by the United States Congress, with President and Mrs. Reagan serving as honorary chairpersons.
Today, millions of Americans across the nation and around the world proudly wear a red ribbon between October 23rd and 30th to declare their commitment to suffer no more the loss of even one of our citizens—not a youngster, or a loved one, or another Enrique Camarena—to drugs.
Hopefully, your PTA is planning for an awesome Red Ribbon Celebration. This year’s theme is “Drug Free I have the POWER.” Get everyone involved, not only at the elementary level. Visit your local Police department and see how they can help you start a tradition in your community. Have parent education nights, invite speakers to your school, and get your Police Chief involved...they are willing to help. It is a big help to them if you start educating kids at a young age. Remember, Prevention is Preparing; Prevention is Parenting.
The following will help you find free resources to use with your students:
Teacher resources, materials, and lesson plans, can be downloaded at www.theantidrug.com/teachersguide/resources.asp.
Prevention web sites for youth are available at www.sadd.org or www.theantidrug.com.
Parenting information for parents and caregivers is accessible at www.nfp.org or 1-800-705-8997.
Resources for Spanish-speaking families can be downloaded at www.drugfreeamerica.org/tips and www.laantidroga.com.
“Steer Clear of Pot” teen postcard highlights the harmful effects of marijuana, and how the drug impairs judgment, reaction time, and other driving abilities. Postcards can be ordered through the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at (800) 788-2800 (ask for document AVD172), or downloaded at www.theantidrug.com/teendriving or www.freevibe.com.
Take an active role during National Red Ribbon Week. If you have any questions, please contact the Safe Schools Unit at (951) 826-6246.
23rd District PTA High School Senior Scholarship Application
(Click to open/download pdf file)
Scholarships Change Lives
Give a motivated person that extra financial boost they need to continue their education and that gift will impact their entire future. The California State PTA offers just this opportunity through an excellent grant and scholarship program that supports people who are PTA members and would like to pursue their dreams of continued education.
These grants and scholarships are available to units, councils, district and individual members. Application forms are now available on the California State PTA website at www.capta.org. Deadlines for many scholarships and grants are NOW:
Scholarships
Type
Purpose
Eligibility
Deadline
PTA Volunteers
Enables PTA volunteers to continue their education
Must be a current member of a PTA/PTSA unit in good standing.
Has given three years’ volunteer service to PTA
November 15
Credentialed Classroom Teachers & Counselors
Continuing education
Must be a current member of a PTA/PTSA unit in good standing.
Must be in position at that PTA/PTSA school
November 15
School Nurses
Continuing education
Must be a current member of a PTA/PTSA unit in good standing.
Must be a licensed registered nurse; minimum three years’ experience in public schools; possess contract for current year.
November 15
High School Graduating Seniors
(Click for a link to the application on the CA State PTA Web Site.)
Acknowledge achievement of high school seniors of volunteer work in the school & community.
Scholarships are for use during fall semester/quarter following high school graduation.
Must be a current member of a PTA/PTSA unit in good standing.
Applicant must have volunteered in school and community.
Must be graduating from California public school that has a PTA in good standing.
February 1
Grants
Type
Purpose
Eligibility
Deadline
Parent Education
Parent education projects & programs
Must be a unit, council, or district PTA in good standing
November 15
Outreach Translation
Provides written/verbal translation of PTA materials
Must be a unit, council, or district PTA in good standing.
November 15
Cultural Arts
Implement student-centered cultural arts programs & projects; focus is on expanding student’s awareness & appreciation of cultural arts.
Must be a unit, council, or district PTA in good standing.
November 15
Leadership Development
Supports an individual PTA members first time attendance at California State PTA Convention
Selected by district PTA
May 31(Refer to submission requirements)
Keep the dream of a college education alive for America’s young people. Submit completed applications to the California State PTA via mail on or before the above stated due dates.