The "Ohio PTA Voice" - September 2015 Issue

The Ohio PTA Voice

Table of Contents:

Pg. 1- Note from President

Pg. 2- Scholarship

Pg. 2- To Do List

Pg. 3- Treasurer Tips

Pg. 5- Bylaws

Pg. 6- PTA Branding

Pg. 7- Health, Safety, Welfare

Pg. 8- Communications

Pg. 9- Advocacy

Pg. 10- Membership

Pg. 11- Reflections Art Program

Pg. 12- Family School Partnership

Pg. 13- Social Media & PTA

Pg. 14- PTA Board

Page 1 September 2015

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Note from the President...

Ohio PTA

40 Northwoods Blvd Ste A

Columbus, OH 43235-4718

(614) 781-6344

Fax: (614) 781-6349

[email protected]

www.ohiopta.org

A powerful voice for all children A relevant resource for families and communities

A strong advocate for the education and well-being of every child

Greetings Membership,

My name is Sheila Ragland. I am the Oho PTA President for 2015-2017. The theme for my term is “ We Are Family. ” Anyone who knows me is not surprised by my theme. My husband, Robert of 27 years, and I have worked together in our PTA community for two decades .Our son, Robert Jr., is following in our footsteps. For two years he has served as the Reflections chair for his school, where he teaches. I believe PTA is a family affair.

As a PTA Family, I believe that our thoughts about PTA should be in one accord. To make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children – Our mission. A Family can be defined as a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation. Successful Organizational Families are established and maintained on principles of respect, forgiveness, compassion, work, inclusiveness, and wholesome recreational activities. A family truly only succeeds when each member has the proper information to get the job done and pitches in and helps.

I am asking for your help. Please step up to the plate and join the Ohio PTA Committees. Have your voice heard for all the children of Ohio. Some of the committees are Advocacy, Diversity and Inclusion, Education, Family and School Partnership, Health, Welfare and Safety, and Membership. We have not left out the Dads - Male Involvement Committee. As the saying goes “We Need Good Men.”

To become a member of an Ohio PTA Committee contact the Ohio PTA office at [email protected]. I hope all of my Family Members get off to a great start this school year. If you have questions, contact your District Advisor. If you are not sure of your District Advisor – contact the Ohio PTA office. They will direct you to the right individual.

Again - Let’s work together to make all children’s potential a reality.

Sheila Ragland 2015-2017 Ohio PTA President Theme: “We Are Family”

Since 1901, Ohio PTA is the oldest and largest volunteer organization in the State of Ohio focusing on the health, welfare, safety and education of children and youth

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 2 September 2015

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Here’s to Another Great School Year!

Traditionally with the commencement of a new school year, parents, teachers, and students search for encouraging, useful resources. Some of the best and most beneficial ones are in our own PTAs! In the coming months, the education section will feature a PTA parent, teacher and/or student who is truly inspiring! In keeping with our Ohio PTA theme of family, we will showcase our family members doing great work locally, around the state, and even across the country! In the October issue, our inaugural Inspiration in Education feature will be a northeast Ohio teacher, administrator, and parent who continually works not only for her district but for every child across Ohio! She has amassed many resources and tools from her years as a science teacher and her continued collaboration within her district and around the state. Who is she??? Find out next month!

Scholarship Award

Since 1947, the Ohio PTA Memorial Scholarship Program has assisted thousands of Ohio’s high school seniors with college expenses. This year, Ohio PTA was able to award 116 college bound seniors $58,000! The scholarships are awarded in three categories, academic, technical and special education. While the details can be found on the Ohio PTA website under PROGRAMS, it is important to encourage students graduating next year to get an application from their school counseling office. Also we need help to continue the funding of these excellent financial awards! Look for the “Got Change” canisters at the next Ohio PTA event you attend or consider creating a change jar at your meeting and turning it into your District Advisor. Units and Councils can contribute directly to the fund by using the contribution form available on the website. Help Ohio PTA celebrate higher education by participating in this program!

SEPTEMBER TO DO LIST

September 17- Fame Fathers Walk http://www.famefathers.org/walk/

September 21-State- Wide Membership Conference Call

September 22- School Of Excellence Webinar- NPTA

September 24-State-Wide FSP Conference Call

September 27- State -Wide Communications Conference Call

September 30- Early Bird Membership Due

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 3 September 2015

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22 Treasurer Tips

As a volunteer treasurer for a non-profit organization, it is not enough to be honest; you must also take steps that will enable you to back up your honest treasury practices.

Follow These Basic Treasury Tips to Protect all Individuals in your Organization:

Always have at least 2 people count money

Use a standard counting sheet that both counters sign

Reconcile the amount taken in with the amount banked (if you had 12 members sign up, and each membership is $10, you should have $120 to deposit)

Give receipts for money received (this can be a copy of the counting sheet)

Require 2 signatures on each check (it may be expensive to have your bank do this, but you can audit this yourselves after the fact by looking at your returned checks)

Keep all voided checks – do not destroy them!

Don’t pay for anything with cash

Ensure that a board member that is not a signer on the account verifies bank statements against the treasurer’s report every month, and have the person sign the statement to show that they have done this.

Continued...

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 4 September 2015

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Treasurers Should Create a Paper Trail for Clarification if Questions Arise at a Later Date:

Use duplicate bank deposit books (these have a carbonless copy of your deposit slip that stays in the book)

Identify each deposit slip with the activity for which it was received

Record every check by name on the deposit slip – even when there are many! (When you are trying to figure out if Jane paid for that T-shirt, that adding machine tape won’t help you much.)

Photocopy all checks you receive as payment. These will reconcile against your deposit slip

Use duplicate checks (carbonless copy) for all the checks you write

Get cancelled checks returned to you OR (even better) choose a bank that supplies check images with your monthly statement.

Design and use a standard Check Request Form for every check without fail Organize Treasury Information for Efficiency:

Use a 3-ring binder with monthly dividers

Have a plastic sheet protector for each month to put all the odd things you get (like the notice from the bank about an NSF check) that you don’t want to throw out, but you don’t know what to do with

Store Check Request Forms with the receipt attached in check number order by month (use tape to attach the receipt to the back of the Check Report Form – all those staples in the top left corner really jam up your binder)

Ensure that every check written has a Check Request Form

Store voided checks in check number order or in that plastic sheet protector

Store bank statements and reconciliations.

Store the treasurer’s report for each month (work from the bottom up: if your financial year goes from January to December, put the plastic sheet protector in the binder on the right side; then check #1, then check # 2 etc. for the month; then your reports, then the divider tab that says January, Then do February. Usually, recent items are the ones you need to access most frequently, and they will be right at the top where they are easiest to find.

Cyndi Meuchel MoneyMinder Treasurer Software Partner with OH PTA

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 5 September 2015

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Bylaws and Standing Rules

The beginning of the school year is a great time to review your bylaws and make any amendments needed to reflect changes in your unit, council, or school district taking place in the new school year. Keep in mind that any changes that are made will take several months to take effect.

Here is a condensed version of the steps for making revisions:

1) Form a bylaws committee and review your bylaws line by line. 2) Read the changes at a regular membership meeting to allow for

member input. 3) Re-read the changes and any amendments made to them by the

members and vote at a membership meeting 30 days later.

Once the changes are approved by your membership, submit them to [email protected] for approval.

To make the process easier, contact me first at the above email address and request the sample unit or council bylaws. That document has all the updated mandatory language changes in it from Ohio PTA that need to be in your bylaws. It also contains helpful hints on each article of your bylaws. And remember, your District Advisor and I are available to answer questions and assist you through this process.

Cindy Schanz Director of Bylaws and Standing Rules

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 6 September 2015

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PTA Branding and Web Guidelines

Consistency is Key PTA has established guidelines for the proper use of the PTA name, logos, and tagline (everychild.onevoice). When used properly, PTA’s logo and tagline create a consistent message, help to unify all PTAs, and set PTA apart from the competition. The success of our PTA brand identity system depends on all PTAs’ adherence to the established guidelines. The following guidelines are provided to establish a uniform, effective system for PTAs to use in order to maintain a consistent, visual style and brand identity for all PTA-produced materials. PTA Logos & Graphics Logos in English and Spanish for PTAs and PTSAs. Guidelines for Using PTA Logos Customizing PTA Logos Read here for information

Submitted by: Venezuela Robinson Director of Communications [email protected]

Source: www.pta.org

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 7 September 2015

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Your PTA Health, Welfare and Safety Resources

Studies show that children’s physical and mental well-being have a significant effect on their long-term success. When children are well-rested, well-nourished, emotionally supported and physically fit, they are more ready to learn. The goal of PTA’s health and safety programming is to be a resource for PTA leaders in partnering with schools to create safe environments that encourage healthy, safe choices and social and emotional support for all students. National PTA health and safety programs include the following:

Healthy Lifestyles. PTA’s Healthy Lifestyles program provides family-centered education and tools to empower families to partner with schools and advocate for healthy changes around nutrition and physical activity. It also strives to create an environment at home that supports the positive changes happening at school. Fire Up Your Feet. National PTA is partnering with Safe Routes to School National Partnership and Kaiser Permanente to encourage families to walk more while keeping track of their steps. PTAs may also access the tools available to turn this program into a healthy fundraising option. Fire Up Your Feet helps PTA members live healthier and connect with their families. Healthy Habits Program. National PTA, National Education Association (NEA), and LYSOL have partnered to educate students and families about health and hygiene both in the classroom and at home.

Anaphylaxis: Be Aware, Prepared and Ready to Respond. A three-part video series is designed to help create a safer environment for children with severe allergies. Safety at Home and at Play. National PTA partnered with Safe Kids Worldwide to develop a program guide, safety lessons and promotional tools. Connect for Respect. Bullying can happen anywhere that young people gather, including online, via text and on social networks. This program encourages PTAs to engage student leaders to lead conversations about how bullying is affecting their communities and to develop collaborative solutions.

Source: http://www.ptakit.org/Programs/About-National-PTAs-Programs/Health-and-Safety.aspx

Lisa Catalano Director of Health, Welfare and Safety

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 8 September 2015

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Welcome to the 2015-2016 School Year!

As the Director of Communications for Ohio PTA, it is my responsibility to engage units and councils in exploring, executing, and actively using social media and other communication tools to increase membership by promoting the mission of PTA throughout the state. Know that I am available, as are all Ohio PTA Board Members, to educate, encourage, and assist PTA leaders as needed.

The Ohio PTA Communications Committee is currently comprised of five members – Elise Skolnick, Natalie DeRosha, President Sheila Ragland, President-elect Susan Hans, and the Director of Communications. We have four (4) committee conference calls planned for the school year: August 9th, October 11, January 10, and March 13th. In addition, we are planning three (3) state-wide conference calls to occur in September , November , and February. Look for the exact dates on Ohio PTA’s various communication tools -– website, Facebook and Twitter.

If you are interested in serving on the Communications Committee, please email a brief paragraph about why you would like to join the committee and what skill(s) you will contribute. [email protected]

The Ohio PTA Facebook page provides a wealth of information that can be shared on unit and/or council FB pages. https://www.facebook.com/OhioPTA

We also have an active Twitter page, so feel free to retweet any of our tweets. https://twitter.com/OhioPTA

I reside in the Northern Ohio area. As part of the District 11 Field Service Team, I am ready, willing, and able to provide a communications workshop with reasonable notification. Please utilize the tangible resources provided to you by Ohio PTA and National PTA and the human capital available through Ohio PTA Board Members.

Have a positive, productive PTA school year!

Venezuela Robinson Director of Communications [email protected]

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 9 September 2015

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Ohio PTA Advocacy Award

In the context of PTA, advocacy is supporting and speaking up for children- in schools, in communities and before government bodies and other organizations that make decisions affecting children. Founded in 1897, PTA has a long history of influencing federal policy resulting in kindergarten classes, child labor laws, school lunch programs, a juvenile justice system, and strengthened parent-teacher relationships. PTA continues that legacy today by fighting for federal, state and local policies that benefit children. For more information on PTA’s legacy of advocacy, please view National PTA’s video on YouTube titled, PTA Advocacy: A Legacy of Leadership.

All PTA members can be advocates. In fact, you may be one already and on your way to earning the Ohio PTA Advocacy Award. Here are some examples of ways YOU can be an advocate: join Ohio PTA’s email ListServ (www.ohiopta.org), National PTA’s “Take Action Network” (www.pta.org) or Ohio PTA’s Advocacy Committee. Attend Ohio PTA /National PTA convention, summer leadership conference and your district conference in the fall. Consider serving on your local school board or attending school board meetings. Organize or attend a candidates’ forum. Write an article for the school newsletter or a letter to the editor regarding a children’s advocacy issue.

To recognize the advocacy efforts of its members, Ohio PTA developed the Ohio PTA Advocacy Award. PTA members who engage in advocacy activities at the local, state, and federal levels within a one year time period (March 1st-February 28th) can earn this award. It is presented annually at the Ohio PTA convention and consists of a pin, certificate, and recognition in The Ohio PTA Voice. The award is available to any PTA member who accumulates 150 points or more for advocacy-related activities such as the ones listed above. To download the Ohio PTA Advocacy Award reporting form, go to ohiopta.org/programs and click on “awards.” To learn more about PTA advocacy, go to PTA.org/TakeAction, contact the Ohio PTA office at 614.781.6344 or email advocacy@ohiopta.

Tandra Rutledge Director of Advocacy

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 10 September 2015

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You are Cordially Invited to Join….

The Ohio PTA Membership Committee!

Welcome back to a new school year and new and refreshed Membership Drive! I hope that you are as excited as I am and that each unit has formed a committee for Membership with everyone ready to recruit! This year, Ohio PTA has a goal of a 5% increase in members state-wide which means that for each unit and council we would also like to see a 5% increase! It is very important that PTA remain relevant in our schools and our states if we hope to continue advocacy efforts. Without an increase in membership we do not increase our POWERFUL VOICE FOR ALL CHILDREN.

New Member Perk Incentives! Please check your summer packets and the Ohio PTA website for our new Quarterly Perks Incentives. Some activities will be very familiar such as sending in dues and your member list to achieve Cardinal Early Bird and others will require you to be creative as you journey toward completing the Bronze Membership Award application this year. Each month, we will still list a membership fact or tip in The Voice. However, the actual Perks have now been condensed into a quarterly format. Each quarter any unit that has participated in all the requirements will be entered into a raffle for One Free Registration to the 2016 Ohio PTA Convention plus a T-Shirt that you can use as an incentive in your own unit. Units that have participated in the activities of all 4 quarters will also be entered into a special year-end raffle for a gift card or a basket of items from the PTA store to help you promote your membership. The program was updated to help units share an exchange of membership ideas as well as increase participation in the Bronze Membership Award contest this year. You will still need to use the 2014-2015 form to cash in on your points earned during last school year. Feel free to contact me with any questions along the way!

There may be surprise contests throughout the year for units that are ahead of their membership totals from last year so be sure to keep your membership drive going strong and turn in dues and members lists! Please plan to participate in our monthly Membership calls when you are able and invite not only your Membership Chairs, but your entire unit, to participate. Calls will not last more than one hour and they are a great way to exchange ideas and see what works for recruiting and retaining members! Some calls will have a guest speaker and three calls will be statewide. A list of dates and times will be available on the website under the Membership Tab. I urge you to join the Ohio PTA Membership Committee as well as other Ohio PTA committees. All of the committees are formed from grassroots members like yourself and we can only be effective with your input! Joining does not mean that you have to be a part of each and every call but it does give you a great chance to engage with others and share in the areas that spark your interest.

I want to thank each and every one of you for all of the time and commitment that you put into strengthening your units and your membership! It all starts with volunteers like us and it always amazes me how much we achieve working together toward common goals. If at any time throughout the year you have questions regarding membership or know of a school looking to form a PTA unit, please be sure to contact us at Ohio PTA. I am looking forward to working with each of you and hearing some great ideas this year!

Angela Revay [email protected] Director of Membership

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 11 September 2015

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REFLECTIONS® ART PROGRAM

The theme for 2015-2016 is “Let Your Imagination Fly.”

SUMMARY OF REFLECTIONS: PTA’s National Reflections® Art Program has brought the arts to life for more than 10 million students since 1969. Participation in the Reflections Program is open to any student, preschool to 12th grade in Ohio through a local PTA/PTSA in good standing. Students are in the following grade divisions - Primary: preschool–grade 2, Intermediate: grades 3–5, Middle/Junior: grades 6–8 and Senior: grades 9–12. They may submit works in any of the six arts areas: Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts, Dance Choreography, and Film Production. Special artists can submit in any category, or Special Artists can choose to enter at an age level they feel is most appropriate. Our Reflections Program begins at the local level, advances to PTA Council level, then to State for judging. The State winners of the Award of Excellence advance to National PTA. Be sure to follow all local, council and state rules for entries including deadlines. The current Reflections Handbook is posted on the ohiopta.org website. The At-a-Glance (also on website) provides a brief summary of the rules. The Reflections Program is one way we can take an active role to speak on behalf of children. By using the PTA's National Standards for Family-School Partnerships in the development your local Reflections program, you can help improve your school in the areas of arts and cultural exploration. For more info, see www.ohiopta.org and www.pta.org

“START THE ARTS” – REFLECTIONS KICK-OFF: Celebrate ar ts education in your school with millions of PTAs across the country and in U.S. schools overseas during National Arts in Education Week—September 14-18, 2015. To help plan for the week, National PTA has created a special toolkit with ideas and resources you can use to kick-off your PTA Reflections program and encourage creativity in your school-community. Be sure to post to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram how you plan to celebrate #ArtsEdWeek and kick-off #PTAReflections in your school-community. National PTA Reflections THEME SEARCH: National PTA is currently seeking a theme for the 2017-2018 Reflections program year. The student who submits the winning entry receives $100, and his or her theme will be presented at the Annual National PTA Convention and Exhibition in Orlando, Florida, next June. Ohio PTA will accept theme idea entries until November 6, 2015. Mail directly to Ohio PTA office, 40 Northwoods Blvd., Suite A, Columbus, OH 43235-4718. Please use the application form for all entries (includes list of past themes). Only signed original forms will be considered. See ohiopta.org/programs/reflections for downloadable form.

National PTA Mary Lou Anderson GRANT

Matching grants of up to $1,000 are awarded each year to local PTAs to enhance arts education projects. Eligible applicants must be a PTA in good standing. Applications will be accepted January 4 through March 11, 2016. More information will be available soon. Please feel free to contact Pam Bonnett, Director FSP at any time with your questions, email: [email protected].

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 12 September 2015

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Family-School Partnership (FSP) the PTA Way!

FSP focuses on strengthening the family unit, engaging with schools and connecting with other PTA families, and partnering with the community. The six National Standards for Family-School Partnership serve as the framework and guide for PTA activities. These include 1) welcoming all families, 2)

communicating effectively, 3) supporting student success, 4) speaking up for every child, 5) sharing power, and 6) collaborating with the community.

Throughout the year, Ohio PTA promotes the following FSP programs:

Take Your Family to School Week February 15-19, 2016: This National PTA Family-School partnership program sets aside a week each year to focus on activities where parents can directly partner with schools. The theme this year is Supporting Student Success: Preventing Drop-outs. See www.pta.org for a copy of the TYFTSW Leader’s Guide.

National PTA School of Excellence: National PTA Schools of Excellence is an award for schools to acknowledge achievement in building strong family-school partnerships. Register your school by October 1. See www.pta.org/Excellence for details.

Ohio PTA Family-School Partnership Certificate Award: This is an individual award that acknowledges your achievement in building family-school partnerships in your home, school and community. The application form is a checklist to track your activities to reach a total of 150 points. First year winners received the FSP pin; all winners receive a certificate. The award runs starts October 1 and runs through September 30. The downloadable form is posted on the ohiopta.org web page.

Community Outreach: Currently Ohio PTA is collecting shoes that will be recycled for use in communities of need. Shoes can be collected in your unit, council, and/or district and brought to state meetings and Convention. We are sending the shoes to Shoebox Recycling. Proceeds from the project will help fund Ohio PTA Scholarships.

If you have shoes to donate or have any questions about Ohio PTA Family-School Partnership programs, please contact Pam Bonnett at [email protected].

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 13 September 2015

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Social media is a powerful tool that is changing the way people absorb information, mobilize for advocacy, and raise awareness about issue campaigns. Research shows that more than 90% of people trust peer recommendations, but only 33% trust messages from brands and organizations. This is the power of social media, where networks are comprised of friends, family, community, and connections, which allows organizations to amplify a singular message and spread it quickly. Getting Started

Building PTA Awareness

Facebook

Twitter

Dealing with Negative Comments

Interactions with Elected or Appointed Officials

For More Information Click Here

Submitted by: Venezuela Robinson Director of Communications [email protected]

Source: www.pta.org

Where Social Media and PTA Advocacy Collide

ALL PTAs MUST FILE WITH THE IRS AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE BY NOVEMEBER 30.

Send a copy of both to the Ohio PTA Office to fulfill your new Ohio PTA Standard of Affiliation (SOA).

Ohio PTA 40 Northwoods Blvd Ste A Columbus, OH 43235

[email protected] fax: 614-781-6349

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 14 September 2015

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Your PTA Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE BOARD

President

Sheila Ragland

614-351-8083

[email protected]

President-elect

Susan Hans

440-243-8776

[email protected]

VP Leadership

Ana Chapman

440-234-2504

[email protected]

VP Field Service

Lisa Weaver

330-825-8252

[email protected]

Secretary/Treasurer

Suzie Smith-Rios

614-878=3596

[email protected]

DIRECTORS

Advocacy Tandra Rutledge 216-860-4575 [email protected]

Diversity Jeanne Groetz-Shockling 330-313-1544 [email protected]

FSP Pam Bonnett 440-781-2927 [email protected]

Bylaws & SRules Cindy Schanz 330– 329-6335 [email protected]

Education Jackie Arendt 440-230-1567 [email protected]

HWS Lisa Catalano 440-498-9545 [email protected]

Communications Venezuela Robinson 440-786-9855 [email protected]

Events Linda Read 330-923-7248 [email protected]

Membership Angela Revay 216-328-9668 [email protected]

DISTRICT ADVI-SORS

District 3 Lois Monroe 937-653-8741 [email protected]

District 11 Debbie Tidwell 440-779-7141 [email protected]

District 17 Carol Beasley 1839 Sagamore Dr [email protected]

District 7 Dana Paul 440-843-6951 [email protected]

District 12 Maria Lang 440-289-9696 [email protected]

OFFICE Sue Owen [email protected]

District 10 Terry Hickey 614-870-9570 [email protected]

District 13 Rebecca Gawsyszawski 440-315-9097 [email protected]

Jeri Gookin [email protected]

Immediate Past President Lisa Mack

Vacant Advisor Positions: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 18, 19. If anyone is interested in serving on the Ohio PTA Board of Directors, contact Venezuela Robinson at [email protected]. Job descriptions and an application are posted on the Ohio PTA website.