One of the key focuses of effective family engagement is communication, so important that communicating effectively is the second of National PTA’s National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. The University of Chicago’s Consortium on School Research has just released a research brief on the lessons learned during remote schooling about how to improve school-family communication. The … Continue reading Improving School-Family Communication and Engagement
Supporting the Arts at Your School
The arts are more than just another class at school—they can positively affect student motivation, attendance, and the entire culture of a school. That’s why PTA has long supported the arts through the PTA Reflections program and arts advocacy. National PTA has now added resources for PTAs to help them use the arts to advance … Continue reading Supporting the Arts at Your School
Building Meaningful Family Engagement At Your School
Illinois PTA has focused on creating meaningful family engagement for years, as truly engaged families can make a significant difference in student success. National PTA recognizes its importance, too, having launched The Center for Family Engagement four years ago. Now, a new report from our friends at Learning Heroes further supports what PTA has been … Continue reading Building Meaningful Family Engagement At Your School
Introducing the Family STEAM Book
The Illinois PTA Local Unit Advocacy Toolkit wasn’t the only thing making its debut at the Illinois PTA Convention and Advocacy Conference. Illinois PTA also released the Family STEAM Book, a collection of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) activities for K-5 students that families can do at home or PTAs can use for … Continue reading Introducing the Family STEAM Book
Announcing the Illinois PTA Local Unit Advocacy Toolkit
Advocacy is at the heart of what PTA does, but you may not be sure what role advocacy has for your local PTA. As we shared in Why Advocate? a few weeks ago, you and your PTA members are likely already doing some advocacy even if you didn’t know you were. To help your PTA … Continue reading Announcing the Illinois PTA Local Unit Advocacy Toolkit
Why Advocate?
The following is the introductory piece to the new Illinois PTA Local Unit Advocacy Toolkit that will be unveiled at the Illinois PTA Convention and Advocacy Conference on March 29-30. Join us in Springfield to learn more about the toolkit, hear great keynote speakers, meet with state legislators, and conduct the business of the Illinois … Continue reading Why Advocate?
Programs for Healthy Kids
Illinois PTA has long been a fan of Action for Healthy Kids, and recently, they updated their website and resources, including translating many of the resources into Spanish. If your PTA is looking for program ideas, the updated website has plenty for you. The resources are now split into three areas: NourishEd (hunger and nutrition)EnergizEd … Continue reading Programs for Healthy Kids
125 Years of PTA
Alice McClellan Birney, a widow, a school teacher, and a mother of two, looked around her community and saw children often ending their education at the eighth grade or even the fifth grade. She saw children working in factories and mines. And she determined that somebody needed to speak up for children and their needs. … Continue reading 125 Years of PTA
What PTAs Need to Kow About the Illinois PTA Proposed Dues Increase
The Illinois PTA State Board of Directors has proposed a $0.75 dues increase starting July 1, 2022. Delegates to the Illinois PTA Convention in Springfield on March 29-30, 2022 will vote on the proposal as part of the business of convention. Here’s what PTAs need to know about the proposed dues increase. Why a Dues … Continue reading What PTAs Need to Kow About the Illinois PTA Proposed Dues Increase
9 Family Engagement Strategies for Middle School PTAs
Family engagement is a lot easier at the elementary school level: kids want their parents around and events and programs are easy to come by. That changes with middle school and children beginning to assert their independence. As Illinois PTA has pointed out in the past, middle school PTAs can find success by focusing more … Continue reading 9 Family Engagement Strategies for Middle School PTAs
5 PTA Leader New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s resolutions have been made for millennia. The start of a new calendar year is the opportunity to start new habits and new projects. Here are five New Year’s resolutions for PTA leaders. Advocate. PTA advocacy has made a difference in the lives of children for over 120 years in Illinois. A more equitable … Continue reading 5 PTA Leader New Year’s Resolutions
Bullying Prevention Resources for Your PTA
The recent suicide of a 10-year-old autistic black student in Utah, along with reports that school officials did not act when alerted to the repeated bullying the child endured, has brought bullying back into the spotlight. If your PTA is interested in hosting a bullying prevention event or looking for materials to share with families, … Continue reading Bullying Prevention Resources for Your PTA
8 Grant Writing Tips for PTAs
Illinois PTA recently celebrated four local PTAs earning National PTA program grants. These PTAs received $1,000 from National PTA and program sponsors to help bring PTA programs on STEM, literacy, digital citizenship, mental health, and the arts to their school. Here are some tips to help your PTA prepare for the next round of National … Continue reading 8 Grant Writing Tips for PTAs
10 Secrets to Getting and Keeping Volunteers
Your PTA needs volunteers to be successful, and as we begin to have more in-person events, your PTA’s need for volunteers is likely growing over what you’ve gotten by with during the pandemic. If your PTA is struggling to find volunteers, here are ten secrets to getting and keeping them. Toot your PTA’s horn. Make … Continue reading 10 Secrets to Getting and Keeping Volunteers
Reach for the Stars with Our New Membership Recognition Program!
Illinois PTA has a new membership recognition program to honor PTAs, PTA Councils, and Regions that grow and support PTA membership. The tiered program will recognize membership growth not just in the 2021-2022 school year, but is also structured for PTAs to build on their success year after year. Rewards Recognition will be awarded based … Continue reading Reach for the Stars with Our New Membership Recognition Program!
Ask a Stupid Question
Today, September 28th, is Ask a Stupid Question Day. The day was created in the 1980s by teachers to encourage students to ask more questions in the classroom. But as the day is intended to point out, no question asked in search of knowledge or understanding is stupid. In honor of Ask a Stupid Question Day, … Continue reading Ask a Stupid Question
8 Steps to a Successful PTA Year
The start of the school year is always a busy time, and even more so if you are a PTA leader. In addition to all the usual back-to-school activities, you’re also juggling all your new PTA duties and learning to work with your PTA team. Here are 8 steps to get your PTA year off … Continue reading 8 Steps to a Successful PTA Year
Right to Play and Your PTA
In our wrap-up of this spring’s legislative session, Illinois PTA noted the passage of SB654, the Right to Play Every Day bill that guaranteed every kindergarten through fifth grade student 30 minutes of “supervised, unstructured, child-directed play” every school day. Governor Pritzker has now signed the bill into law, and its requirements take effect immediately. If … Continue reading Right to Play and Your PTA
PTA Membership Mythbusting
When asking people to join your PTA, you will likely hear a lot of reasons why they don’t want to join, and many of these reasons are myths about PTA. National PTA has created a flyer of 10 PTA Membership Myths & Truths that you can share with potential members to help with your membership campaign. The … Continue reading PTA Membership Mythbusting
Planning for Your PTA Year
Once again, PTA leaders planning for the coming year are faced with a lot of uncertainty. From the growing prevalence of the delta variant to breakthrough infections in vaccinated people and shifting recommendations on mask wearing, it is difficult to know how your coming school year will play out. Much of what Illinois PTA shared with … Continue reading Planning for Your PTA Year
One Voice Illinois 