As our country and school communities become more diverse, our PTAs are working to become more diverse in their membership and leadership as well. Tohelp PTAs with that process, National PTA released the new Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit at the 2015 National PTA Convention at a breakfast honoring this year’s Jan Harp Domene Diversity and … Continue reading News from National Convention—New Diversity Toolkit
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
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
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
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
New Energy Balance 101 Enrichment Zone Program from National PTA
The key to maintaining a healthy weight is pretty simple—burn at least as many calories as you eat. National PTA has partnered with Together Counts to incorporate this simple rule into a program for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Energy Balance 101 is a collection of interactive lesson plans designed for teachers to use in the … Continue reading New Energy Balance 101 Enrichment Zone Program from National PTA
Simplify Your PTA Life with E-Learning Courses from National PTA
As PTA volunteers, we are all very busy. We recognize the importance of continuing leadership training, but with our children’s activities, work, and other volunteer commitments, it is difficult to find time to attend training meetings. Are you aware that National PTA offers a large variety of e-learning courses that, as a member of PTA, … Continue reading Simplify Your PTA Life with E-Learning Courses from National PTA
6 Reasons to Attend the 113th Illinois PTA Convention
The 113th Illinois PTA Convention will be held April 17-18, 2015 at the Embassy Suites East Peoria Hotel. Here are six great reasons to join us on the banks of the Illinois River: Time-Saving Ideas: Workshop will offer leadership training and show start-to-finish ways of using successful packaged programs. Engaging Families: Learn more ways to … Continue reading 6 Reasons to Attend the 113th Illinois PTA Convention
March is National Reading Month
“The more you read, the more things you know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss Dr. Seuss has inspired a love of reading for many generations. Many childhood memories include the sing-song rhythm unique to his writing. We learned to count, “One fish, two fish”; we learned our … Continue reading March is National Reading Month
The Nominating Committee—Getting Your PTA Ready for Next Year
The school year is about half over, and there a many things your PTA still has planned for the remainder of the year, but now is also the time to start the process of finding new leaders for your PTA for next year. That process begins with the nominating committee. PTAs generally elect their officers … Continue reading The Nominating Committee—Getting Your PTA Ready for Next Year
Great Resources to Plan a Take Your Family to School Week Celebration February 17-21
In an effort to expand and enhance family engagement in education, PTAs and schools across the country will be hosting a variety of events from February 17 through 21 as part of PTA Take Your Family to School Week. The weeklong initiative is designed to spotlight the importance of family-school partnerships, and this year incorporates … Continue reading Great Resources to Plan a Take Your Family to School Week Celebration February 17-21
Plan Now to Celebrate PTA Founders’ Day
Alice McLellan Birney aspired to create a better world for children at a time when many of them left school early in their teenage years to begin working in factories. Alice found someone who shared her vision in Phoebe Apperson Hearst, and on February 17, 1897 they began to implement that vision with the first … Continue reading Plan Now to Celebrate PTA Founders’ Day
How Do You Increase Your PTA’s Membership? Just Ask!
In a PTA survey, 49% of respondents said the reason people don’t join PTA is that no one asked them to. The way we ask people to join needs to be personal, powerful, and meaningful. Yet, even with the passion we have for PTA’s Mission, asking other people to join can seem daunting. Why is … Continue reading How Do You Increase Your PTA’s Membership? Just Ask!
Overcoming Membership Challenges—Ideas from the Illinois PTA Online Membership Chat
Illinois PTA understands there are challenges to PTAs in recruiting and retaining members. We believe we can best address these challenges by communicating with you, the local unit members, in finding out what works for your PTA and what doesn’t. On September 4th, Illinois PTA hosted an online membership chat that discussed why people join … Continue reading Overcoming Membership Challenges—Ideas from the Illinois PTA Online Membership Chat
A Message from the President
On August 9th several of us attended a Back to School Event in Aurora where Otha Thornton, National PTA President was the key- note speaker. Sue Kling, the president of Gwendolyn Brooks School PTA was asked to introduce Otha to the audience. What an awesome way to start her term as a new local unit … Continue reading A Message from the President
Running a PTA Committee
submitted by Brian Minsker, V.P. of Programs When you think about committees, chances are you aren’t having many positive thoughts about them. After all, just about every famous quote about committees is negative (e.g., “A camel is a horse designed by committee.”). But a well-run committee is the grease that keeps a PTA’s wheels turning … Continue reading Running a PTA Committee
Planning for a Successful PTA Year
Submitted by Brian Minsker, V.P. of Programs So here you are, a brand new PTA president, with the National PTA Back-to-School Kit and Illinois PTA Local Unit Packet USB drives sitting next to you packed full of information, and you are starting to feel a little overwhelmed by the job you’ve taken on. Take a … Continue reading Planning for a Successful PTA Year
One Voice Illinois 