When Illinois PTA first shared information about e-cigarette use among adolescents in 2014, we noted that use had more than doubled from 3.3% to 6.8% from 2011 to 2012. Today, the use of e-cigarettes or Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) has risen to nearly 15% in 2018. The growth in the use of ENDS comes … Continue reading E-Cigarette Update
Make Your School a Healthy One with Game On
Action for Healthy Kids, who will be presenting at the 2019 Illinois PTA Convention, has created a flexible online program to helps schools become healthier environments for students, staff, and the communities they serve. The free Game On program focuses on both eating better and moving more. An online guide walks you through how to … Continue reading Make Your School a Healthy One with Game On
Creating a Social Justice Reading Group for Children and Their Families
Seeing an increase in intolerance shortly after the 2016 election, National Education Policy Center(NEPC) director Kevin Welner and associate director Michelle Renée Valladares were discussing how to address the issue with their young children. They decided to collaborate other parents and their children to create an intergenerational social justice reading group. The aim was to … Continue reading Creating a Social Justice Reading Group for Children and Their Families
Nominations and Elections—A How to Guide for PTAs
One of the critical roles given to a PTA’s general membership is the election of its officers, a process that begins with the election of the nominating committee by the general membership. Nominating and electing a good slate of officers is essential for a PTA’s success. Nominations and Elections Timeline Because the nomination and election … Continue reading Nominations and Elections—A How to Guide for PTAs
Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child
Children’s success in school isn’t limited to just academics. PTA has known this since our founding, focusing our advocacy efforts not just on children’s needs at school, but at home and in their community as well. Now, the education and public health sectors are aiming to better align their efforts to improve each child’s cognitive, … Continue reading Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child
Advocacy Day 2019—A Challenging and Rewarding Day
Illinois PTA hosted is Advocacy Day in Springfield last Wednesday, February 6th. Though the weather did not cooperate, making travel difficult or impossible for some PTA advocates, Illinois PTA was still able to visit with every legislator’s staff and meet with a few legislators as well. A few of our advocates who had ducked in … Continue reading Advocacy Day 2019—A Challenging and Rewarding Day
New PTA Partnership Helps Families Advocate for Safer Schools
School shootings are in the headlines far too often, causing us to worry that our child’s school might be the next one. Accompanying that worry is often a feeling of not knowing how to change anything to make your child’s school safer and perhaps the thought that it would never happen here. That was Alissa … Continue reading New PTA Partnership Helps Families Advocate for Safer Schools
10 Steps to Deal with Suspected Fraud or Theft in Your PTA
Theft and fraud are relatively rare in PTA, but it does happen. For PTAs that are using best practices when handling money, making deposits, and writing checks, they are even less likely to occur. By being proactive and examining your PTA’s processes and controls, your PTA can better avoid being a victim of theft or … Continue reading 10 Steps to Deal with Suspected Fraud or Theft in Your PTA
One Voice Illinois 