Tips for After School Healthy Habits
Remember to encourage healthy habits to help avoid the spread of germs. Students are officially back to school, and so is increased exposure to viruses and bacteria. Try refreshing your sanitizing and disinfecting routine at home and practicing healthy habits with your kids. Here are a few tips that can help your family avoid the spread of illness-causing … [Read More...]
Supporting Arts Education through PTA’s School of Excellence Program
National PTA believes that all students deserve the opportunity to take part in high-quality arts programming. Through the National PTA School of Excellence program, PTAs can support this effort by making a commitment to enhancing and improving arts education access and programming in their school and community. National PTA’s Schools of Excellence have a history … [Read More...]
Plan Ahead for a Healthy School Year
Our kids are returning to school, but germs don’t have to. We’ve all learned just how important in-person learning is to our children’s academic and social development. Maximizing in-school time requires protecting our kids from the spread of the flu and other illnesses caused by germs. Local PTAs can play a role in cultivating healthy habits that make a big … [Read More...]
Thoughtful. Affirming. Trustworthy. Are You a Youth Champion?
A Growing Need for Youth Champions Driven by data that underscores rising rates of mental health stress and illness among youth and young adults, the youth mental health advocacy organization known as Active Minds is harnessing the power of one of the most significant determining factors in youth mental health and wellness: the power of thoughtful, affirming and … [Read More...]
How Parents Can Support Teachers for their Child’s Back-to-School Success
As parents, you know how much of a team effort it is to raise a child–that includes partnership between educators in school and family at home. Back-to-school season is quickly approaching, which means it’s already time to start thinking about the year ahead. Here are some tips to help support your child’s education this year. Encourage Teachers to Utilize … [Read More...]
Tips to Grow Your PTA Membership
As you prepare for back-to-school, a new school year means new opportunities to grow your PTA. We talked to PTAs across the country that continue to grow membership every year—here are the tips they shared to help engage families in the community and grow membership. Ask everyone to join (support or invest in) your PTA! Membership is open to … [Read More...]
Show Your PTA/PTSA’s Value and Grow Membership with the Reflections Program
National PTA has a long-standing commitment to arts education because of the important role the arts play in boosting children’s confidence and success. By participating in the arts, children explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in … [Read More...]
Meet the 2022-2023 Reflections Outstanding Interpretation Winners!
Last month, National PTA announced the national winners for the 2022-2023 Reflections program. From nearly 1,000 student submissions nationwide, a total of 223 original student artworks from 39 state PTA congresses advanced through local, regional, state and national-level review to earn national recognition, scholarships and other special … [Read More...]
Four Tips for Parents Whose Children Learn Differently
One in five students struggle with learning and attention issues. So, if you suspect your child has a learning difference—such as difficulty focusing or reading, writing or doing math—you are not alone. A national survey of parents who know or suspect their child has learning challenges, conducted by Learning Heroes with support from Oak Foundation, offers some … [Read More...]
Help Protect Your Child Against Meningococcal Disease
When we think of adolescence and young adulthood, we often think of exciting milestones and big moments. From prom, sporting events, college acceptances and more, it’s a period marked by change and anticipation for thrilling new chapters. But we know it can sometimes be challenging to keep up with things like routine doctor’s appointments and which vaccinations … [Read More...]
Healthy Habits for Spring Break
Use these tips to have a worry-free, healthy vacation. Spring break is just around the corner, and many families are getting ready to go on vacation. While this is an exciting time for kids and parents alike, it's important to make sure that everyone continues to practice healthy habits while enjoying their time off. Here are some healthy spring break habits … [Read More...]
5 Tips to Help Kids Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Kindergarten children eating lunch outdoors smiling to camera As a nutritional epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, I know that healthy eating in childhood and adolescence is important for optimal growth and brain development. A healthy diet can reduce the risk of serious health conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high … [Read More...]
National PTA Reflections Virtual Showcase Highlights Young Artists and Family Members
On January 25, 2023, National PTA concluded the celebration of the 2021-2022 “I Will Change the World By…” Reflections year with the Reflections Student Arts Virtual Showcase. This special event featured 20 extraordinary young creators sharing the inspiration for their national award-winning artwork, as well as a few of their parents who emphasized the … [Read More...]
4 Seasonal Illness Resources for Parents
We know every parent goes into protect mode when illness enters their home, especially during the cold winter months. Lysol and National PTA are here to help prevent illness-causing germs from spreading any further, so students can remain in school as much as possible. To help set both your family and broader school community up for success, here are some resources … [Read More...]
Firearm Violence and ACEs: Prevention Is Possible
Far too many people die or are injured by firearm violence and suicide. Far too many loved ones receive a phone call or a text that changes their lives forever. But their days started out like any other–adults getting ready for work and students heading to school–and in an instant, turned to tragedy. Trends in Violence and Disparities In 2021, there … [Read More...]
Meet Paige Opaska—the 2024-2025 Reflections Theme Search Contest Winner!
Every year, National PTA invites students across the PTA member network to participate in the annual Reflections Theme Search Contest—a national competition to select an original and inspiring theme for the upcoming Reflections year. We are so pleased to announce the winner of the 2024-2025 Reflections Theme Search… drumroll please! Congratulations to … [Read More...]
10 Ways to Share Notes from the Backpack with Your Community
National PTA’s podcast, Notes from the Backpack is helpful resource to share with families in your community! Since its launch in 2019, the show has released more than 60 episodes on a wide variety of topics from raising a curious kid to navigating the transition to middle school. As PTA leaders, it’s important to show the value of PTA to your community, and this … [Read More...]
New Generations United Report Highlights Grandfamilies’ Struggles with Food Insecurity
Existing help for food insecure families tends to assume kids live with parents, not grandparents, and should be fixed to reflect reality. Hunger hurts. Just ask Alice Carter. When she got a call from the Wyoming Department of Family Services (DFS) telling her that her daughter’s parental rights had been severed from her grandson, the department asked … [Read More...]
3 Healthy Habits for the Holiday Season
Practice healthy habits for the holiday season! As the weather begins to chill in parts of the country, Lysol and National PTA are looking forward to the special moments to come this time of the year! However, it’s important to remember the holiday months are also the start of cold & flu season. While your school communities prepare to celebrate with … [Read More...]
Teaming Up for Safer Online Learning
Learning technologies are changing fast, accelerated by the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Students now spend a significant part of each day learning online and working with school-issued technology. In this new reality—where digital learning is pervasive and evolving—parents and schools must work together to keep kids safer online. Digital learning is here to … [Read More...]
Show Your PTA Value with YOU Belong in PTA
With the 2022-2023 school year well underway, PTAs and PTSAs are hard at work with their initial membership drive, inviting people to join their local units or renew their PTA/PTSA memberships. Encouraging people to join doesn’t end with the back-to-school membership drive though. It’s an ongoing, year-round initiative. To support your commitment to membership … [Read More...]
Inclusion Matters: Engaging Families of Students with Disabilities
A few years ago, a flyer came home from my child’s high school announcing the first annual sensory-friendly school dance. Knowing that a school event was planned with the needs of all students in mind made me, a parent of children with disabilities, feel that my family was included in a meaningful way. When I found out the event was planned by other families like … [Read More...]
The Personalized Learning Children Deserve
Looking for resources to personalize learning and support teachers in meeting your child’s individual needs? Smarter Balanced tools go beyond end-of-year testing! We support teachers in meeting the individual needs of children throughout the year with lesson plans and classroom assessment. Our tools help to provide accurate measures of achievement and … [Read More...]
6 Ways to be a Reasonable, Unbending Advocate in a Divided World
PTA is committed to building community to support our children and their families across the country. I am always so amazed by all that PTA leaders and members do to make a positive impact, especially amid so many issues facing our children, families, schools and communities today. The expected challenges we typically experience throughout the school year have only … [Read More...]
Ask the Right Questions to Support Student Online Safety
November is Parent Involvement Month, and there are few topics needing our attention more than children’s online safety. But it’s not always easy to know where to begin. What type of digital safety measures should we expect schools to have in place? How do you know if your school or district is following best practices? We can help! National PTA recently teamed … [Read More...]
Why We Need a Parent Nation
I like to say that parents are children’s first and best teachers. And since science tells us learning begins on the first day of life—not the first day of school—the job starts early and lasts a lifetime. A child’s early experiences, particularly those of rich language and responsive interactions with a loving caregiver, fuel early brain development. They … [Read More...]
6 Essential Back-to-School Supplies
Your average school supply list contains the usual suspects: No. 2 pencils, glue sticks, plus folders in every color of the rainbow. But these are just a few of the tools that fuel success in the classroom. Teachers and students need other items you might not immediately think of—and that might be missing from your classroom supply lists. PTAs can help … [Read More...]
4 Ways Your PTA Can Simplify School Supplies
From crayons to calculators, students rely on a steady stream of school supplies to make it through the academic year. But securing these items can be a challenge for teachers and parents, especially when supply lists are long and they differ from grade to grade, even from classroom to classroom. That’s where PTA leaders can step in to support teachers, … [Read More...]
What Makes a Strong Family Engagement Policy?
Ensuring that every child can reach their full potential means investing in meaningful, inclusive and culturally competent family-school partnerships. By prioritizing policies that uplift the priorities outlined in the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships, PTAs can advance transformative family engagement in their local community and beyond. What makes … [Read More...]
Meet National PTA’s Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant Recipients
National PTA’s Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant awards two local PTAs $1,000 in funds for student-centered programs that increase access to high quality arts learning experiences and new pathways for students – especially those hardest to reach - to participate in the arts and National PTA’s Reflections program. We were so excited to … [Read More...]
Add ‘Get My Child Vaccinated Against COVID’ to Your Summer Plans
Great news: Our younger kids can now get vaccinated against COVID! After a thorough review of the safety and effectiveness data from the clinical trials, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized COVID vaccines for children ages 6 months through 4 years. That means that everyone as young as 6 months in the United States can now get the protection of a COVID … [Read More...]
Congratulations to National PTA’s Outstanding Interpretation Awardees!
Thousands of young artists from across the country participated in the 2021-2022 National PTA Reflections program by creating original works of art in response to the student-selected theme: I Will Change the World By…. Winning student artworks advanced from the local PTA level to the district, region, council, state and, ultimately, to the national level. … [Read More...]
We Are Well Beyond Enough Is Enough
In less than three weeks we’ve had a mass shooting in a grocery store, a shooting at a church, shootings at three separate high school graduations, another horrific shooting at a school, and more gun violence in our communities. This past weekend in my home state of Oklahoma, 1 person was killed and 7 injured after a shooting at an outdoor festival in Taft, … [Read More...]
