#PTA4STEM Thought Leaders Meeting

April 11, 2016 By Leave a Comment

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.

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Celebrating Schools of Excellence in Garland, TX

November 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Garland 1For the past two months, 170 schools throughout the country have been celebrating their designation as a National PTA School of Excellence. The designation recognized schools and PTAs for building strong, effective family-school partnerships.  Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Garland, Independent School District (ISD) in Garland, Texas to celebrate the 34 schools in this school district that make up an exuberant cohort of Schools of Excellence. With 30 elementary schools, one middle school, and three high schools receiving the designation, Garland ISD represents 80 percent of Texas’s School of Excellence designees and 20 percent of the nation’s.

Garland ISD took a district approach to encourage their schools to enroll and participate in the School of Excellence program. They believed that participation in the program would provide them with specific strategies to engage families at each school building to strengthen family-school partnerships. The vision was set by superintendent Dr. Bob Morrison and supported by family engagement facilitator Dr. Pat Mullins. All of the schools in Garland ISD are fortunate to have either a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or a Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA). Consequently, the district approach to participation in the School of Excellence program was monumental and truly a trend setter.

Garland 2Before the bi-monthly Board of Trustee meeting, a reception was hosted to honor each school. At the reception, Shannon Sevier, National PTA vice president of advocacy; Leslie Boggs, Texas State PTA president; and I congratulated each school on their achievement and expressed to them how important the precedence that they had set is for schools in their district and across the nation. Each school was given a small token to celebrate their recognition at the reception.  For me, it was most rewarding to finally meet, face-to-face, with many of the principals, PTA leaders, and family engagement coordinators that I had spoken with on the phone or corresponded with through emails numerous times throughout the school year. Together, we worked to create a successful and impactful program.

Garland ISD 3At the board meeting, Leslie Boggs presented Suellen Atteberry, the immediate past president of Garland ISD, and Shannon Wainscott, president of Garland ISD Council of PTAs with a proclamation to celebrate this outstanding achievement for the district and their support to the schools throughout the program year. Shannon Sevier then awarded Dr. Bob Morrison and Dr. Pat Mullins with a National PTA Lifetime Achievement Award for their unwavering commitment to children. Finally, school board trustee president Rick Lambert awarded each school with a certificate of excellence for their achievement.

As the new school year progresses, I encourage schools and school districts nationwide to evaluate their current family engagement strategies, and commit to establish meaningful partnerships in every school and in every district. Garland ISD has accepted the challenge, and set the mark, where families feel welcomed and empowered to support student success, and PTA is a key partner for continuous school improvement through participation and recognition in the National PTA School of Excellence Program.

Learn more about National PTA School of Excellence at PTA.org/Excellence.

Filed Under: Education News, Family Engagement, Membership, Slider

Ready, Set, Go! Creating Your Back to School Routines

September 6, 2013 By 1 Comment

Routine_BlogSummer has come and gone—and for families across the nation—back-to-school season has officially begun. The end of summer indicates the end of vacations and flexible schedules and the beginning of school bells and bus schedules. Families today are involved in many activities and many strive to set consistent routines for their children. Every family has a routine, whether or not they fully realize it.  Believe it or not, it’s the simple things—from the time we wake up our children in the morning, to the time we set for bed, to the location we select to review homework – that make up family routines.

Children watch and learn habits from their parents. For that reason, setting or helping our children develop routines during this time of the year is especially important.  Routines help children learn a sense of security and help them develop self-discipline. Developing routines provide opportunities for children to experience success in what they are doing. Routines also allow for more flexibility in a day. As parents, a desire for independence is something that we want for our children as they develop through each stage of their childhood and beyond.

As you begin this school year, take 10 minutes to reflect and examine the routines you have established for your family by participating in the Learning Habit Study. This study, conducted by researchers from Brown University School of Medicine, Children’s National Medical Center, and New England Center for Pediatric Psychology, examines how media use, family routines, and parenting style impact a child’s ability to learn. It will heighten your awareness about specific family routines that impact learning.

Learn more about the Learning Habit Study.

Renee Jackson, Ed.D, Manager of School Relations & Diversity. Contact Renee at rjackson@pta.org

Filed Under: Education News, Family Engagement, Slider

Kindergarten Registration: Don’t Delay and Register Your Child Today!

June 18, 2012 By 5 Comments

Many parents are excited and feeling anxious about their child beginning kindergarten in the fall. Some parents feel this way simply because they may have unanswered questions about registration processes, transportation to and from school, and school expectations. This feeling is normal for parents; however there are several steps parents can do now to get their son or daughter ready for this exciting day.
• Don’t put off registering your child for kindergarten. Many schools across the nation begin registration for kindergarten in the spring of the year. There is no need to fret if you may have missed the special day set aside by many schools for registrations because schools will continue to register children throughout the summer.
• Check your school district’s website to determine the location of your child’s school. These sites have quick and easy navigation tools to locate your child’s school. The district website is the best website to use because it provides you with specific boundary information based on your home address. Other websites available to find schools in your area include www.greatschools.com.
• Check with your school district or school to determine the specific documents you will need to register your child. These documents usually include a birth certificate, proof of residency (e.g., utility bill, lease or mortgage agreement), and current immunization record.
If you don’t have a copy of these documents for registration, order these documents as soon as possible, so you won’t delay the registration process. Many states have online access to order birth certificates. Contact your child’s pediatrician to obtain their immunization records.
• Visit the school with your child to help ease the transition for your child and yourself. Many schools will allow you to schedule a tour.
Take the summer months to read books with your child that correlate with the beginning of school. Look for books that will help lessen apprehensions, and most importantly, can open a channel of communication about school between you and your child… the start of a lifelong habit; parent involvement.

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