At the 2015 National PTA Convention, US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan unveiled a set of rights that outlined what families should be able to expect for their children’s education. These three key rights aimed at three pivotal stages of a child’s life are: Free, quality preschool; High, challenging standards and engaging teaching and leadership … Continue reading News from National Convention—Education Secretary Arne Duncan
Wrapping Up Your PTA’s Fiscal Year
Many PTAs have their fiscal year ending on June 30th (check your bylaws), which means it’s time to handle all of those end-of-the-year tasks so your PTA is ready to start off on the right foot when school starts. Close your books. Make sure you get those last deposits in and write those last checks … Continue reading Wrapping Up Your PTA’s Fiscal Year
Spider Bite Do’s and Don’ts
Arachnophobia—fear of spiders—is pretty common, but spiders generally avoid humans unless threatened. As a result, most spider bites happen when webs are disturbed or torn down or when the spider is about to be crushed such as when it is trapped in a glove or boot. While most spiders in Illinois have bites that only … Continue reading Spider Bite Do’s and Don’ts
Building Relationships Between Families and Schools
Research has shown that engaged families play a crucial role in student success, and today’s schools are reaching out to families more than ever for that support. Whether it is e-mail lists, robo-calls, Facebook, Twitter, websites, or the good old “backpack express,” schools are trying to provide families with more information about their child’s school … Continue reading Building Relationships Between Families and Schools
Engaging Teens to Start an Emotion Revolution
A recent article in the Harvard Business Review indicates that today’s teenagers may not be ready to become tomorrow’s leaders, innovators, and educators—not because they lack technical skills, but because they are emotionally unprepared. The results come from work done by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence focused on the future workforce. Teens in the … Continue reading Engaging Teens to Start an Emotion Revolution
A Green Thumb’s Up for Science and Math in Your Garden
Spring is a time of renewal, and one great way to get children outside and connected with nature is through gardening. It’s an opportunity for them to learn not only about fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy eating but also about science, math, and language arts in a hands-on living laboratory. Whether your garden is a windowsill … Continue reading A Green Thumb’s Up for Science and Math in Your Garden
Health and Relationship Information for Girls Ages 10 to 16
The ages of 10 to 16 can be difficult ones for girls and their parents. It’s an exciting time, but also a time often filled with worry, concerns, doubts, and struggles. The US Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health created the girlshealth.gov website to promote healthy, positive behaviors in girls by … Continue reading Health and Relationship Information for Girls Ages 10 to 16
The 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book
The KIDS COUNT Data Book is an annual publication that assesses child well-being nationally and across the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia andPuerto Rico. Using an index of 16 indicators, the 2014 report ranks states on overall child well-being and in four domains: economic well-being education health family and community For 2014, the … Continue reading The 2014 KIDS COUNT Data Book
Standing Rules—Your PTA’s Guide Beyond the Bylaws
Sometimes your PTA runs into an issue that no one has seen before or knows how to handle. You’ve checked your bylaws, but they don’t seem to address the issue directly. Your next step should be to turn to your PTA’s standing rules. Standing rules are your PTA’s administrative and operational rules. If your PTA … Continue reading Standing Rules—Your PTA’s Guide Beyond the Bylaws
A Parents’ Guide to Student Data Privacy
Students are online now more than ever, both academically and socially, allowing students to learn about virtually any subject and connectwith people and places around the world. Teachers are also using technology to enhance instruction to meet the needs of every child while also making curriculum more engaging. However, as recent headlines remind us, online … Continue reading A Parents’ Guide to Student Data Privacy
Procedure Books—Preserving Your PTA’s Knowledge
Every PTA has that one person, the one who took over an event and turned it into something more than it ever had beenbefore, the event that every parent and child at your school looks forward to all year. Their kids were spaced just right, and they’ve been doing this job for years and years. … Continue reading Procedure Books—Preserving Your PTA’s Knowledge
Six Keys to a Smooth PTA Leadership Transition
As your school year comes to a close, it’s time to make sure your PTA board provides a smooth transition to next year’s board. Your board has worked hard all year for your PTA’s success, and now is not the time to damage that legacy by having your PTA fall apart over the summer or … Continue reading Six Keys to a Smooth PTA Leadership Transition
Beat Summer Learning Loss with These Great Resources
Summer learning loss is a well-documented problem. Students lose approximately 2.6 months of learning in math skills over the summer on average regardless of socioeconomic status. For reading skills, the loss varies by income level, with middle-income students showing slight gains while low-income students lost more than 2 months of reading achievement over the summer. Here … Continue reading Beat Summer Learning Loss with These Great Resources
Starting a Run, Walk, or Bike Club
Many schools in Illinois participated in Bike to School Day on May 6th. Others participated in Walk to School Day back in October. But being active on theway to school shouldn’t be limited to one or two days a year. Action for Healthy Kids, an Illinois PTA partner, has a Game On! program designed to … Continue reading Starting a Run, Walk, or Bike Club
Teach Your Kids About Water Safety Before Heading to the Pool or Beach
With the warmer weather and summer months coming up, more people will be spending time taking part in swimming, boating, fishing, and other recreational activities in and around water. Before you and your kids hit the pool or lake, take the time to review some basics of water safety. Drowning is the number 1 cause of unintentional … Continue reading Teach Your Kids About Water Safety Before Heading to the Pool or Beach
Top 10 Ways to Ruin Your Next PTA Year
As a PTA leader, you’re probably busy wrapping up this year of school. However, some things done (or not done) now can really mess up next year’s PTAactivities. Don’t bother with a nominating committee. Yes, it can be difficult and uncomfortable asking someone to be an officer or committee chair, and it’s certainly easier to … Continue reading Top 10 Ways to Ruin Your Next PTA Year
Is Your Child Learning for the 21st Century?
Your child will graduate into a world far more complicated than the one you did. What will they face? An innovation and creativity-driven economy with a job market that rewards creativity, flexible thinking, on-the-job learning, and comfort with technology. A more globally-connected world where their classmates and co-workers may live in the same zip code or … Continue reading Is Your Child Learning for the 21st Century?
May is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month: Focus on Trauma and Violence and Their Effect on Children’s Mental Health and Behavior
In honor of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Illinois PTA would like to bring awareness to the importance of the mental well-being of our children. Trauma and violence are widespread, harmful, and costly public health concerns. They have no boundaries with regard to age, gender, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. … Continue reading May is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Month: Focus on Trauma and Violence and Their Effect on Children’s Mental Health and Behavior
Time to Get Active for National Physical Fitness and Sports Month!
As the weather warms up, it’s important for all of us to get outside and be active, and May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. If your kids aren’t involved in soccer, baseball, softball, or some other warm-weather sport, here are some resources to help you get them off the couch and moving. The … Continue reading Time to Get Active for National Physical Fitness and Sports Month!
Surviving the Teen Years—Kids Health has You Covered
At times, having a teenager in the house feels like having a giant toddler—it seems as if practically every word out of their mouth is “No” or “Why?” Liketoddlerhood, the teenage years are periods of intense growth both physically, emotionally, and intellectually. Kids Health has created A Parent’s Guide to Surviving the Teen Years to … Continue reading Surviving the Teen Years—Kids Health has You Covered
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