How Do They Do It?

(Sponsored Post)

One hardworking local PTA meets the wide-ranging needs of 1,800 K-8 students and their families spread across four grade level centers.

Kim Mayton, a mom to seven-year-old twins, has a familiar story about how she ended up in a PTA leadership role. “When my kids were entering pre-K, the teacher told us parents that the class needed a Room Mom. I was interested in getting involved, but also intimidated. You couldn’t volunteer as a Room Mom unless you first joined the PTA. That made me pause. I had certain stereotypes in my head about the PTA and I definitely hesitated. But I wanted to help my kids transition well into school, so I went ahead and joined.” Kim laughs as she recalls, “It kind of snowballed from there.”

Kim now serves as the vice president of fundraising, co-chair of hospitality and chair of the school supply committee at Homewood PTA. Located 25 miles south of Chicago in the village of Homewood, Ill., this one hardworking PTA supports 1,800 K-8 students and their families spread across four grade level centers. “It definitely can be a challenge to have one PTA spanning multiple campuses,” remarks Kim. “We probably don’t run exactly like a traditional elementary school PTA but I’m betting we are more alike than different.”

Homewood PTA currently has their dues set at $10. With a little over 600 paid members and a typical annual operating budget of approximately $40,000, successful fundraisers are critical to ensuring they have adequate resources to deliver the depth and breadth of programs their PTA has become known for. “We simply cannot afford to have unsuccessful or underperforming fundraisers,” says Homewood PTA president Ann-Marie Webster. “We have to get this right to hit our budget. We carefully consider which fundraisers will yield the best results while not being a burden to our volunteers and families.”

So, that prompts the burning question: Which fundraisers does Homewood PTA choose?

A member of the Homewood PTA board was a longtime Schwan’s Home Service customer and advocated for the group to consider the Schwan’s Caresprogram (the charitable fundraising platform within Schwan’s Home Service, Inc.). When Homewood PTA discovered that Schwan’s Home Service delivers right to individual customers’ doors, instead of requiring a scheduled pick-up by families or requiring the PTA to accept and manage inventory for distribution, “We were thrilled!” says Kim.

Homewood PTA launched their first Schwan’s Cares campaign this school year. In addition to all the “usual” promotions, such as featuring the campaign on the PTA’s website, Facebook and sending home printed materials to families, they recognized that “tasting how great the food is would probably lead a lot more people to buy it.” So the PTA used a small amount of funds to purchase a selection of Schwan’s® foods and encouraged tastings at two PTA general meetings. Kim notes, “I highly recommend offering samples for any food-based fundraiser based on this experience – even if you have to buy the sample food out of PTA funds. It really helped people decide what to order!”

The PTA took some additional steps to promote the fundraiser, including:

  • Passing out Schwan’s® catalogs (tagged with a sticker for the Homewood PTA fundraiser) at local libraries and senior centers, after receiving permission to do so at those locations
  • Collaborated with the secretaries at the four campuses to compose and send an e-blast to all families about the campaign
  • Making sure that fliers and catalogs are featured at any school events during the campaign

Ann-Marie cautions that the relationship with Schwan’s Home Service is new and they don’t yet have a full grasp on how profitable these campaigns will be, but she is optimistic based on how things are going. “Have you had Schwan’s® ice cream? It’s amazing. If people just order lots of that, we’re going to do fine.”

Advice for Fellow PTA Leaders

Given Homewood PTA’s success over the years, what advice does Kim and Ann-Marie have for other local PTAs?

Ann-Marie has plenty of suggestions. To start: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. One or two people cannot run a PTA! If people indicate a willingness to serve in some way, actually ask them to serve! Delegate!” In addition, she suggests:

  • Homewood PTA prioritized having a modern website for their PTA and they keep it current so members will want to check it frequently and rely on it for information.
  • Use all forms of communication. Paper is fine, such as the typical PTA newsletter that goes home in the backpacks. But also use social media. Find parents who are really good at those and ask them to take responsibility for updating. Homewood PTA values social media because “it creates two-way dialogue.”
  • Show appreciation constantly to your volunteers, administrators and teachers. Homewood PTA has a strong bond with their campus principals and “they are amazing allies. They promote the value of PTA at all opportunities. They encourage all the teachers to join PTA and always are supporting us.”
  • Always talk about and “promote” what PTA is doing to support the students. “When individuals know all the things that PTA has been doing to benefit their kids and the community, they will pay dues and maybe even donate more than the dues.”

For more info about the fundraising opportunities and discounts available to schools and PTA members through the Schwan’s Cares™ program, visit PTA.org/Benefits.


 

Kris Carey Prevatte is the Associate Director of Corporate Alliances for National PTA and a former local PTA president in Maryland.

Schwan’s Home Service, Inc. is a financial sponsor of National PTA. National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, or service, and no endorsement is implied by this content.

PowerTalk 21 Creates Lifesaving Conversations Between Parents and Kids

Sometimes it just takes a word.

The right conversation between a parent and a child can be life changing – and lifesaving.

That’s what PowerTalk 21® – a day dedicated to inspiring intentional, ongoing, and possibly lifesaving conversations about alcohol between parents and their kids – is all about.

This year, PowerTalk 21® celebrates a significant milestone – the fifth anniversary of MADD’s Power of Parents program, sponsored by Nationwide. That’s five years of stressing the importance of having parent-child conversations regarding alcohol, sharing parenting strategies to help prevent underage drinking, and identifying dangerous teen drinking myths.

This year, MADD is rolling out several new components of the program.

First, they are again working with Dr. Robert Turrisi, PhD, whose groundbreaking research on teens and alcohol consumption continues to shatter drinking myths.  Based on new research from Dr. Turrisi and a nationwide public opinion survey, MADD explores why teens make the decision to ride with drinking drivers and, more importantly, how parents can help teens make a safer decision. MADD will share his recommendations and the survey results during the week of April 18th.

Here’s a sneak peek – surprisingly, one of the largest indicators of if a teen will ride with a drinking driver depends on how the teen sees his or her parents act in regards to alcohol. While many parents believe their teen’s friends have the largest influence, that’s simply not so!

Then, MADD is giving away some great prizes for signing up for their 15-minute virtual workshop or downloading a handbook. Each action a person takes will earn them an entry into drawings for an Amazon Echo, Kindle Fire HD, or gift cards for a date night!

Additionally, MADD developed an overview guide introducing parents to the resources available to them.  All of their materials are now available in Spanish as well. Download these useful resources here. 

Look for more about PowerTalk 21® as we move closer to the week of April 18th. Discover more about our Power of Parents program or download a handbook today at Madd.org/Powertalk21.


Jan Withers is the National President at Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

 

A Special Message from President Laura Bay: I Challenge You!

Hello PTA Leaders,

Think BIG… Think PTA! 2016 National PTA Convention & Expo is just two months away, and I challenge you to register for our BIGGEST convention yet.

This year’s convention will take place June 30-July 3 at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort—a great excuse to plan a family vacation to Disney World! In addition to enjoying the magic of Disney, PTA leaders will connect with one another at convention and be inspired by big thinkers including New York Times best-selling author Julie Lythcott-Haims.

So what are you waiting for? Join the excitement and be a part of our biggest convention yet!

Help me spread the word about convention by making a video just like this one, and share it on Facebook or Twitter using the official hashtag #PTAcon16! You can also find promo tools like badges, sample messaging and more in our toolkit at PTA.org/Convention.

I look forward to seeing you at convention!


Laura Bay is National PTA’s president.

 

Come to #PTAcon16 and Plan Now

If you haven’t heard the news by now, the Think BIG… Think PTA! 2016 National PTA Convention & Expo will be held in sunny Orlando, Fla. June 30-July 3 at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort.

We’re so excited and hope you and your family can plan to spend your summer vacation with us! Think BIG… Think PTA! is going to be BIGGER than ever so you will go back to your community and think BIGGER about the possibilities for your PTA.

To get you ready for June 30, National PTA’s convention committee co-chair Roxanne Rhinehart has a few words for you:

Now It’s Your Turn
We want you to help spread the buzz about our BIGGEST convention yet! Make your own video—like this one—and challenge your family, friends and fellow PTA members to register too. Be sure to use the official convention hashtag #PTAcon16 when sharing it on your Twitter and Facebook!

Use Our Special Discount
Are you a newly-chartered local PTA? For a limited time only, the first 50 registered local PTAs will pay only $250, which is 23% off the regular rate. Enter “6398648” at checkout.

Download the #PTAcon16 Toolkit
Get social with National PTA and download our ready-made graphics for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and even Pinterest! We have attendee badges, sample social media tweets and more. Check it out!


Catherine Llamido is the digital communications specialist at National PTA.

Free Tools: National PTA’s 2016 #ThankATeacher Toolkit

2016 TAW Twitter 2
Everyday teachers touch the lives of millions of children for their hard work and impact beyond the boundaries of the classroom. We’re so excited to celebrate these real life superheroes during National PTA’s Teacher Appreciation Week, May 2-6.

Teacher Appreciation Week is the perfect time to thank teachers for making the difference they make.

To help you plan for the week, we’ve created a Teacher Appreciation Week Promotional Toolkit with ideas and resources you can use to honor teachers:

We also encourage you to celebrate a special teacher in your life or a teacher of a child in your life. Tell them the impact they’ve had or what you’ve accomplished because of their influence. Use #ThankATeacher to join the conversation online.

Sometimes a simple thanks is all a teacher needs to feel valued. Share the toolkit with your PTAs and families.

Let’s make our teachers feel extra special this Teacher Appreciation Week because their incredible superpowers truly make a difference in children’s lives.


Catherine Llamido is the digital communications specialist at National PTA.

#PTA4STEM Thought Leaders Meeting

stem meetingOn March 22, National PTA and Bayer USA Foundation convened industry leaders, educators, association and corporate executives, government officials and family engagement researchers to launch National PTA’s STEM Initiative.

STEM has been a hot topic in education over the past few years. Nearly 8.6 million science, technology, engineering and mathematics jobs represented 6.2 percent of U.S. employment in May 2015. In addition, the Administration has made significant strides to close the access and equity gaps in STEM education.

So what does this mean for us and your local PTAs? Family engagement is essential to strengthen STEM education and help all children realize their fullest potential, and we are here to support student success in STEM. National PTA’s STEM Initiative aims to model what effective family engagement looks like in STEM by engaging entire families in STEM activities.

A recent survey commissioned by Bayer underscores the importance of family engagement to STEM education. Key findings from the survey include:

  • Parents are most likely to say that they play the biggest role in stimulating their child’s interest in science (46%), followed closely by teachers (44%).
  • Nearly one-third (31%) of parents don’t feel confident enough in their scientific knowledge to help their children engage in hands-on science activities.
  • Almost one-third (32%) of teachers say parent support or involvement at home would be most helpful in increasing hands-on science learning experiences.

The STEM Thought Leaders Meeting was filled with innovation and excitement—participants broke out into groups and brainstormed on the concept of “What is STEM?” and talked about effective family engagement STEM practices at school.

What does family engagement in STEM look like for you? Comment below. Check out our Storify and presentation to see what happened at STEM Thought Leaders event.

PTA’s Advocacy Efforts Ramp Up After 2016 LegCon

LegCon Around Conference Photos by Lifetouch-103-L

More than 200 PTA members nationwide attended National PTA’s 2016 Legislative Conference (LegCon) to hone their advocacy skills and learn new ways to strengthen their PTA voice. During workshops and panel discussions, PTA leaders heard from experts about best practices to expand their grassroots network of PTA advocates, build relationships with policymakers and how to amplify their message through social media.

On the last day of LegCon, PTA advocates met with their elected officials on Capitol Hill to discuss key issues affecting children and families, including obtaining funding for Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFECs) in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). PTA members’ dedicated advocacy efforts and collective voice resulted in 38 Representatives and 22 Senators signing on to a Dear Colleague letter in support of funding SFECs.

The bipartisan, bicameral support for the Dear Colleague letter is a great example of the power of our PTA advocacy efforts. That success is just the beginning of what the PTA can achieve when our 4 million members advocate for “Every Child with One Voice.”

To push back against the expected budget cuts to federal education programs, it is imperative for PTA members to continue to be engaged with Congress in 2016. The LegCon workshops and trainings have been uploaded to the LegCon website and can be utilized year-round to expand PTA members’ advocacy efforts at all levels of government.

The key to effective advocacy is building relationships with your Members of Congress and their office staff. Below are a few relationship building strategies that you can do throughout the year to develop a rapport with your Congressional offices:

  • Send letters to your member of Congress through National PTA’s Takes Action Center
  • Call your member of Congress’ office to discuss issues affecting children and families in your district and state
  • Meet with your member of Congress and their staff in the district office
  • Invite your member of Congress to visit your school and/or attend a PTA meeting
  • Engage with your member of Congress on social media

By developing a strong line of communication with your members of Congress and their staff, our association will be able to meet our policy goals that will help to improve the lives of children and families across the country.

Sign-up to receive our PTA Takes Action e-newsletter and follow @NationalPTA on Twitter for updates on National PTA legislative priorities.


Joshua Westfall is the government affairs manager at National PTA.

 

 

How Robots are Teaching STEM to a New Generation

STEM(Sponsored Post)

When it comes to getting kids interested in STEM learning, there’s one word that works every time—robots.

In fact, the potential for robots is so promising to help draw student interest in STEM, that robots have been given their own week. This year, April 2-10 is National Robotics Week, which in addition to celebrating the U.S. as a global robotics leader, is raising awareness among educators, parents and children about the benefits of incorporating a robotics curriculum.

And while the idea of using robots in the classroom may have seem farfetched a few years ago, a growing number of affordable robot kits for students are entering the market. This makes robots a more realistic option for many schools and educational programs.

Here at the Sylvan Learning Center I oversee in Lafayette, La., we started offering two levels of robotics classes for grades 2-4 and 4-6 in 2014, shortly after Sylvan added the concept in its national curriculum.

The robots are so popular that it’s often difficult to get students to stop working on them once class is over. And while they are fun for the kids, they are truly educational. Designing and building programmable robots bring to life math, physics and engineering concepts.

Students as young as 7 are introduced to the amazing world of robotics by building and programming robots and engaging in friendly competitions using LEGO® bricks and award-winning software. Once a concept is introduced, the students begin to create and program complex robots with friends while learning problem-solving skills and engineering concepts. Kids are soon making calculations and gaining exposure to computational thinking on their own accord. They’re also learning programming skills as they command their bots to move!

The robots can be designed in the form of familiar objects such as animals, people and vehicles as well as more abstract concepts purpose-built for the task.

We find this engagement really encourages students who may have otherwise previously been intimidated or uninterested in STEM subjects. Given the tremendous educational and career opportunities that will be available to these children as they grow older, it is critical we use all the tools we have in order to reach them.

Sylvan is a financial sponsor of PTA as Member Benefit Provider.


Christy Sharon, a former grade school and high school teacher, has been executive director of the Sylvan Learning Center in Lafayette, La. since 1997.

 

Tips to Protect Your Identity This Summer

Travelers with Map 600x340LifeLock is a financial sponsor of National PTA, and has been invited to submit a blog post as part of their engagement with PTA. National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, or service, and no endorsement is implied by this content.

We were flying to the Caribbean—no simple task from the West Coast. First we took the red eye to Miami. Then we had a five-hour layover, only to find out our connecting flight had been canceled when tropical storms moved in. While scrambling to find a new flight, I left my billfold in an airport waiting area. And when we decamped to a Miami hotel for the night, I left my phone in the taxi.

I was lucky. When I realized my billfold was missing, I ran back and found it right where I left it. And I was able to use the find-my-phone feature to alert the cabbie to its whereabouts in his backseat. He drove the phone back to me. Had I lost either—or both—identity theft could have soon followed.

I don’t think I’m alone in not thinking clearly when I’m out of my element, particularly after a red eye and when everything seems to be going wrong. But even if you’re a levelheaded, clear-eyed, always-on road warrior, things can happen that are out of your control.

With spring here and the end of the school year in sight, many of us are starting to make travel plans. We’ve rounded up some useful tips to help protect yourself—and your identity—as you hit the road.

Smart travel starts before you leave. At home, make sure to keep your most important documents in a safe place. Use a fireproof safe to protect your personal information and valuables, including your Social Security cards, birth certificates and marriage license.

Protect your smartphone and other devices with a passcode. Should your device get stolen or lost, a passcode will help protect you from theft, unwanted usage charges and misuse of your personal data.

Place a hold on your mail and newspapers while you’re gone. A stack of newspapers at your front door is a give-away that no one is home. And bank statements and credit card offers piling up in your mailbox can quickly become a treasure-trove of information to crooks. The U.S. Postal Service will hold your mail while you’re away and deliver it all at once or hold it for you to pick up when you return. Simply fill out this easy online form.

Be careful when using ATMs. Identity thieves have been known to modify ATMs by adding card skimmer devices to them. Sometimes you can spot these altered card readers by inspection. If parts look loose or not quite right, find another machine or use an ATM inside the bank.

Don’t get lazy when it’s time to walk out of your hotel room. Lock up your valuables in the hotel safe. Stow your passport, financial cards and IDs securely.

As it turns out, a LOT can go wrong when you’re on the road. But the more you think about it and plan ahead, the better off you’ll be. Oh, and don’t leave your billfold in an airport waiting area or your phone in a cab! You might not be as lucky as I was, and even if you are, you don’t need the grief from your travel companions. Trust me on this.

SPECIAL OFFER

Learn more about a special offer from LifeLock for PTA members and families.


Cory Warren is the blog editor of LifeLock UnLocked.