Florida PTA     1747 Orlando Central Parkway     Orlando, Florida     32809     407-855-7604     800-373-5782
*Please share this publication with your members*
Throughout the past two years I have had the opportunity to work alongside many of you, watching to see  what inspires you.  I believe now that you not only inspired me to lead, you have inspired me to live the legacy we have built - a legacy of being an association of inclusiveness, caring and dedicated to improving the lives of our children.

As I have said in the past, Florida PTA will be here for years to come regardless of what the statistics say; members across our great state will never give up on our children. We will continue to be an example of the way we should treat our neighbors, our schools and our community.  Let us all continue to inspire this association to not only affect change but to shape the way Florida PTA is looked upon for many years to come. 

It is my hope that you will continue to find your inspiration and work along with our next leader. I know Cindy will inspire you to be awesome and inspire you to be the best you, for your families, your friends, your PTA and your community. 

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to be the leader you asked for, and the leader I always hoped to be.  I AM PTA PROUD!!!!

Mindy Haas
President
 Leadership Convention 2016
The Florida PTA 2016 Annual Leadership Convention will be held July 14-17 at the beautiful Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort in Tarpon Springs. Please know, you can still attend if you didn't preregister!  Registration fee is just $130 for PTA members and you can come enjoy a great convention.  We hope you'll join us! 


Healthy Children, Healthy Future...Being the Best You!
#FLPTALeadingTheWay

**Don't forget to download the Convention App!  Click here for instructions!
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
PTA Members/Parents/Teachers/Students, 
 
Now is Your Time to Speak Up!
 


The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) is now accepting public input on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and would greatly appreciate your engagement in this very important dialogue. Through
July 22, 2016, all members of the public will be able to submit comments on each component of the law.  The FDOE will consider this feedback as they develop Florida's draft state plan. To access the public input form, please visit this  site.
 
For more information on ESSA, visit the National PTA   website.


Membership Matters...Even In July!
July is for flip-flops, bathing suits, and Innisbrook! The Membership Committee gets super excited at this time of year because we get to recognize the great work of our local PTA units. We take the time to call out the hard work of our volunteers and bestow certificates, medals and plaques upon them.

PTA parents, teachers and school administrators gather to network; we take the time to reconnect with other members and talk of our successes and concerns.  This is part of our membership; we unite under one roof and support our common cause, tell war stories of late night PTA accomplishments and console the hosts of unattended events. Our membership is not just $5, $10, $12; it is friendships, relationships, and bonding. Toot your own horn, stand up and be counted, however you express yourself make it a point to travel to Innisbrook where your fellow passionate PTA volunteer waits with open arms to comfort and encourage your adventure.  
National PTA Convention - a huge success for Florida PTA!


From top left: Awesome convention volunteers; President-Elect Cindy Gerhardt sings The National Anthem to open the convention; President Mindy Haas welcomes all; award winners representing Hidden Oaks Elementary PTA, Pinellas County Council PTA, and Sandra West; President Mindy Haas and Convention Volunteer Coordinator Jen Martinez; President Mindy Haas accepts the NPTA bronze medal for membership growth.


The National PTA Convention, "Think Big, Think PTA" was held in Orlando, Florida from June 30th - July 3rd. Florida PTA, as the host state, was charged with coordinating volunteers for the enormous event.  Jen Martinez, our FL PTA Host State Chair, did an amazing job!  She made sure all areas were staffed, all volunteers were trained and fed, and made sure the convention overall was a huge success...and it was!  Great job Jen, and thank you for showcasing how awesome Florida PTA is on a national level!

Florida PTA is proud to have received the following awards at the National PTA Reflections and Awards Celebration: Outstanding Service Awards to a Local Unit - Hidden Oaks Elementary PTA, a County Council - Pinellas County Council PTA and an Individual - Sandra West.

Florida PTA was also proud to receive the  National PTA bronze medal for membership growth!

Congratulations to everyone!
National PTA's Back To School Kit
It's that time of year again! The 2016-2017 National PTA Official Back-To-School Kit is now available.  As always, it's jam-packed with tools, resources and info-all specially designed to help you run your PTA. It's a one-stop click for everything you need to know.

For the second year, the kit is completely digital and mobile-friendly. This means you can view the website from your phone, tablet or other mobile devices. Having the Back-To-School Kit with you while you're on the go is a big perk. We guarantee it will help you be more efficient and productive as a PTA leader.

Registration is a very simple process. Visit this website, watch Laura Bay's short video, and register.  After your user name and password are set, you'll have full access to the kit.
"Spill The Water"


Don't let Florida's kids be a mosquito snack.
Teach them to cover up and Spill the Water!

Mosquitoes are more than just an everyday nuisance, they can carry dangerous diseases like West Nile and Zika virus. As Florida's youth head outside to play this summer, we need to protect kids from mosquito bites by teaching them to cover their skin with long clothing and repellant and to Spill the Water! around their home.

Led by the Florida Department of Health,  Spill the Water!  is a fun, educational campaign that teaches kids about mosquitoes. Mosquitoes can breed in as little as one teaspoon or a bottle cap of water, so eliminating sources of standing water around homes is critical to keep mosquitoes from multiplying. When kids Spill the Water!, they can be superheroes in their home and community!

SpilltheWater.com is full of great resources tailored to kids, parents and teachers including:
  • A 30-second superhero themed  video just for kids;
  • Activity sheets for pre-K, elementary, middle and high school levels;
  • A  Teacher Tool filled with brain teaser exercises that correspond to activity sheets and meet Florida Standards benchmarks;
  • Important information for parents about how to protect their kids from mosquitoes; and
  • Resources for young adults to volunteer to help Spill the Water! in their community.

Don't let Florida's kids be a mosquito snack. Teach them to cover up and Spill the Water! For more information and tips on how to protect yourself from mosquito bites, please visit  www.FloridaHealth.gov.

The Florida PTA Store has many great items to help build your PTA spirit!  Click on the picture to see all the great promotional items you can use as awards and incentives!