First District PTA Newsletter for Local Leaders | August 29, 2020
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Welcome to the 2020 - 2021 term!

We welcome our new leaders and welcome back our seasoned advocates. As members of our organization, each of us have made a conscious decision to positively impact the lives of all children and families.” 

I’m not going to sugarcoat the last five months; it’s been difficult for each one of us. Adjusting to change has become a daily expectation, with endless questions: “How will my child learn? How will I manage technology needs? How will I keep my family safe? What will be the effects on my child’s mental wellness due to the exposure to stressors? How will we pay bills? How could PTA possibly be relevant?”

Now, more than ever, our children and families need PTA. We need a community of people that care enough to make the health, welfare, and education of children a priority. Just like our organization has adjusted over the last 123 years, we need to guide one another and acknowledge that each one of us is at a different place in the journey. 

Each of us handles these new stressors differently. I ask that you honor one another’s experience. I ask that you show kindness, patience, and compassion to one another. Share virtual hugs, a note in the mail, a kind text message. 

Although our units, councils, and district PTAs may not be hosting the Ways and Means activities of past terms, please know that our communities desperately need family engagement activities with an emphasis on the Arts and Sciences. If you need ideas, drop us a line. 

At First District PTA, we are glad to help you through all your PTA processes. We are a phone call away. For more information, please visit our website at PTA1.org.

At our association meeting on August 24, I shared a couple of important reminders:


  • We have a “Help Wanted” sign at First District PTA. We are recruiting for a:

  • District Reflections Chair
  • District Auditor
  • District Special Events Chair

For more information on these volunteer positions, please contact me directly via email: President@PTA1.org

  • On Monday, September 21, 2020, at 7 pm, California State PTA will be hosting a webinar: “Why PTA?” Conversations will revolve around how to make your PTA relevant to families now and in the future. I hope you can join in. The link to the presentation will be available soon.

Take care, and a heartfelt thank you for all that you do for our children and families.

Diane Hyland, President
First District PTA
LEGISLATION & ADVOCACY
PTAs AND ELECTIONS + CENSUS 2020
Election Campaigns and the Role of the PTA
PTA is a powerful voice advocating for issues affecting the health and well-being of every child and using this voice is vital when it comes to creating informed citizens. With the strength of our collective voice, comes a huge responsibility, particularly in holding to the regulations of a 501(c)(3) organization.

To maintain the IRS tax-exempt status and continue to receive tax-deductible contributions, a PTA may not participate in any type of political campaign or other activity on behalf of or in opposition to a candidate for any public office. Nor may a PTA devote more than an insubstantial part of its volunteer activity and expenditures to influence the outcome of ballot measures and other legislation.


 Please keep these points in mind during this election season:

  • Your PTA is never allowed to endorse any candidate for office
  • You may not invite a candidate for office to speak at a PTA event unless all candidates have been invited and are given equal time. Have a candidate forum instead!
  • This includes current school board members who may be reporting on something seemingly not related to the election
  • If a PTA member is running for office, be very mindful of their participation in PTA meetings and make sure discussion is related items at hand and could not be perceived as electioneering
  • Your PTA may endorse a bond or ballot measure provided you follow PTA and school guidelines and your PTA association has voted to endorse said measure with the vote recorded in the minutes. (see additional resources below)
  • You may personally endorse a candidate or ballot measure, but you may not use any current, or past, PTA affiliation as part of the endorsement; use something like “local parent leader” instead.

Register to vote and check your voter status

Please encourage all your members, who are eligible to vote, to either register and/or check their voter status (https://registertovote.ca.gov/)

All registered voters will automatically receive a mail-in ballot for the November 3, 2020, General Election. Since early voting starts on October 5th, it is best to make sure you are registered and have your status verified as soon as possible. You may track your ballot: when it is mailed to you, received after you send it in, and counted if you register here (whereismyballot.sos.ca.gov). This only tracks your ballot and not how you voted. 

Voters are still able to vote in person, up to 11 days early. To help alleviate overwhelming the voting centers, during a pandemic, please take advantage of either mail-in or early in-person voting.  

Census 2020
We have one month left to get everyone counted, and our numbers are lower than the last time we counted. We need everyone to encourage friends, family, neighbors to make sure everyone in their family is counted! The 2020 United States Census will determine federal funding for California and our community for the next 10 years (through 2030). Your response matters!

This funding supports important community needs, including free/reduced school lunch, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medi-Cal, Head Start, grants and loans for college students, adult education, housing, roads and highways, and the number of representatives we have in Washington D.C. Census results affect our community every day. (https://2020census.gov/)
 
A note on privacy: all residents should take the census, including citizens, permanent residents, US Visa holders, and undocumented Californians. The Census Bureau is bound by Title 13 of the U.S. Code to keep your information confidential. This law protects your answers to the 2020 Census. Under Title 13, the Census Bureau cannot release any identifiable information about you, your home, or your business, even to law enforcement agencies. The law ensures that your private data is protected and that your answers cannot be used against you by any government agency or court. The answers you provide are used only to produce statistics. You are kept anonymous: The Census Bureau is not permitted to publicly release your responses in any way that could identify you or anyone else in your home.  Read more about Census privacy here: (https://2020census.gov/en/data-protection.html)

Questions about any of the topics covered here? Contact VP of Legislation & Advocacy, Geoff Albert, at Legislation@PTA1.org.
TREASURERS & FINANCE
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO START YOUR YEAR
All Council and Unit Treasurers!
It's that time of year to collect your "Conflict Whistleblower Forms." Remember that every board member, officer, and staff member must fill out a form annually. Treasurers should keep these with their permanent files.

CLICK HERE to view a fillable version of the Conflict/Whistleblower form.

Don't forget to close out the business of the prior year before beginning the new year!

Close out the prior fiscal year:

  • Present the Treasurer's Report and ratify checks written for the period from the last association meeting to the end of the fiscal year.
  • Present and adopt your Annual Financial Report for the 2019-20 fiscal year
  • Present and adopt the Year-End Audit

Begin the new fiscal year:

  • Present and adopt proposed budget for 2020-21
  • Release funds
  • Present the Treasurer's Report and ratify checks written for the period from the beginning of the fiscal year to the meeting date
  • Present and approve fundraisers, contracts and programs for the current fiscal year

Once you've closed out the prior year business and adopted your audit, it's time to file taxes! Each council and unit must file a Federal IRS Form 990/990EZ/99N, California State FTB Form 199/199N, and California State OAG Annual Registration Form RRF-1 with accompanying 990/990EZ/CT-TR-1(new). Please ensure these are filed by the following due dates:

  • For units with fiscal years ending May 31 – taxes are due October 15, 2020
  • For units with fiscal year ending June 30 – taxes are due November 16, 2020 (November 15 is a Sunday)

Councils and units that are incorporated must also file with the State of California Secretary of State their Statement of Information Form SI-100 (due biennially in the month of incorporation)

If you plan to hold a raffle this upcoming year, file the Nonprofit Raffle Registration Form (CT-NRP-1) with the $20.00 fee for the coming year beginning 9/1/2020 or 60 days prior to raffle event. If you held a raffle last year (9/1/2019-8/31/2020) or received a raffle permit, file the Nonprofit Raffle Report (CT-NRP-2) due to the Attorney General's Registry of Charitable Trusts by 10/1/2020.

Only Council and OOC Unit Treasurers!
The following forms were due to First District on Monday, August 24. If you haven't had a chance to upload them to MyPTEZ, please do so ASAP. Also, please e-mail your updated Financial Data Transmittal Forms (sent via e-mail on Friday, August 21) to Treasurer@PTA1.org and OfficeManager@PTA1.org:

• Council and Unit Budgets for 2020-21
• Council and Unit Year End Audit Reports 2019-20
• Council and Unit Annual Financial Reports 2019-20

Per capita membership dues and membership envelope payments were also due Monday, August 24. If you weren't able to remit those by the August 24 meeting, please do so ASAP by sending them to the First District office with your First District Remittance Form (sent via e-mail on Friday, August 21).

Questions? Email First District PTA Treasurer, Jessica Sheen, at Treasurer@PTA1.org.
LEADERSHIP
IMPORTANT EVENT DATES AND INFORMATION FOR PTA LEADERS
Youth Mental Health First Aid Course
Thanks to our partnership with Senator Portantino and our generous sponsors, we are able to continue the Youth Mental Health First Aid Certification classes online.

Course dates:

·        September 18th – 9:30 am - 3:00 pm
·        October 17th – 9:00 am - 2:30 pm
·        October 20th and 21st – 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm (course is held over two days)
·        January 12th and 14th – 9:30 am – 12:00 pm (course is held over two days)

Be on the lookout for registration information in the near future.

Also coming soon is our Virtual Leadership Training program! Details to follow.

PTA Professional Governance Standards
First District PTA encourages all units and councils to adopt the PTA Professional Governance Standards.

In both schools and communities, PTA volunteers are recognized as leaders and advocates. They bring unique energy, perspectives, and skills to the table based on their life experiences. A shared commitment to the PTA mission "to positively impact the lives of children and their families" is the driving force behind their efforts.

As board members, PTA leaders have a special set of responsibilities to oversee the management of their PTA as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and govern responsibly on behalf of their members.

That's why California State PTA has adopted Professional Governance Standards. These standards outline the key principles and responsibilities for board members to follow in running a PTA.

First District PTA is Here to Support YOU!
Each council and out of council president has been assigned a mentor. Please reach out to your mentor for assistance. If we don't have the answer, we know how to get the answer. We are here to support you and your PTA units in any way we can. Your mentor will be reaching out to you shortly, but in the meantime, you can find your mentor listed on the First District website.

If you are in need of a First District officer to attend one of your events or meetings, please fill out a Leadership Services Request Form. This form can be found on our website HERE. Send the completed form to Leadership@pta1.org.

Questions? Contact First District PTA VP Leadership, Sandy Russell, at Leadership@PTA1.org.
MEMBERSHIP
RESOURCES AND INFORMATION FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
We know membership is going to be a challenge, but it is important to continue to have a membership campaign. There is no single answer for every PTA, so each council and unit must think outside the box for their membership campaign. One thing that has not changed because we cannot be on campus is the mission of PTA, to positively impact the lives of all children and families. It is important to remember that PTA is the oldest and largest non-profit child advocacy organization in the United States.

National PTA commissioned a study regarding people’s perceptions of PTA. The biggest take away was that parents’ image and perceived value of PTA is completely based on the people, programs, and tangible benefits they see at their own school. That means that you, the local PTA leader is the most important connection people have to PTA. The study also found that current PTA members believe in the value and benefit of PTA, but prospective members have a strong perception of old stereotypes of PTA, that PTA is a clique. I encourage you to watch the National PTA Membership presentation!

California State PTA and National PTA websites have lots of membership information and tools. Click the links below.

CAPTA Membership Toolbox – Marketing plans, membership theme ideas, ready to print, and customizable fliers in several languages are available.

CAPTA Social Media KitProvides content, including membership content and support for promoting PTA on social media.



Questions? Contact First District PTA VP Membership, Michelle Hurst, at Membership@PTA1.org.
COMMUNITY CONCERNS
TONS OF RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ADVOCATE FOR ALL CHILDREN
General PTA Resources for Health, Safety, Diversity and Inclusion

National PTA

California PTA

Health and Safety

COVID-19



Several First District units and one First District council won National PTA Covid Relief Grants! Congratulations to:

  • Pasadena Council ($15,000 award)
  • Plymouth PTA and Monroe PTA in Monrovia USD (OOC) ($5,000 awards)
  • Marguerita PTA in Alhambra Council ($5,000 award)
  • Hillcrest PTA in Garvey Council ($5,000 award)
  • Benjamin Franklin PTA in Glendale Council ($5,000 award)


August is Month of:

September is month of:
 
Diversity and Inclusion

September is:


Questions? Email First District PTA VP of Community Concerns, Kitty Cahalan, at CommunityConcerns@PTA1.org.
EDUCATION & FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
REFLECTIONS UPDATE
Greetings to all Reflections Chairs and Council & OOC Unit Presidents. Normally at this time, your unit and council Reflections programs would be getting underway with flyers being handed out at school along with student information packets.

Well as we all know by now, normal is relative. But Reflections is carrying on! This year we are figuring out how to help you do Reflections. In the next few weeks, we will be sharing information and guidance on how entries can/will be submitted “virtually” but I encourage you to kick off and promote your Reflections program now. Rules and Student Entry information are posted on the California State PTA website.

With many schools opening with only remote learning and limited contact allowed, we have to reinvent how we handle student entries. We are encouraging Councils/Units to join First District PTA in going “virtual” this year by accepting student entries electronically. This will be a challenge for all of us, but we believe we can all adapt and that this is the safest way to maintain this great PTA program. Details about how this will work will be coming but remember this will impact only how the student entries are submitted but not how they are created.

Great News: California State PTA has created an electronic Student Entry Form that can be filled out on a computer, tablet, or cell phone with some great features. Training on how it works are coming.

COUNCILS: Watch for invite to set up a time to get the form. If we have your email, you will hear from First District.

UNITS: Watch for email invites from your Council to get the form.

STAY TUNED!

Here are some important next steps:

  • Make sure that you have entered the President and Reflections Chair contact information into PTEZ. This will be critical to getting information in a timely manner.
  • Make sure your Board has a motion to participate in Reflections and budgets for expenses.
  • Plan to get information out to as many students as possible. Does your district allow links to be posted on their website? Would your district include information about Reflections in their email to parents? Pandemics make us think outside the box!
  • Set up a technical committee to plan and handle digital entries – a unique email address, file naming protocols, organization techniques. Infrastructure will be critical for success. First District will support you as best we can.
  • Visit the California State PTA website and view the archived trainings on Reflections.
  • Share your successes and challenges with Reflections@PTA1.org and we’ll share with all.

Questions? Email First District PTA VP of Education, Patty Scripter, at Education@PTA1.org.
COMMUNICATIONS
UPDATES TO PTAEZ - NOW "MyPTEZ"
PTAEZ is now MyPTEZ
Whether you are new to MyPTEZ (formerly PTAEZ), the online accounting system for PTAs, or an experienced user looking for more information, you’ll want to review the recording of the “MyPTEZ Made Simpler” webinar, which took place Tuesday, August 25.

CSM, the creator of MyPTEZ, and members of the Leadership Services Commission went over both the basics of MyPTEZ and more advanced topics, including:

  • Deposits and check writing
  • Reporting options
  • Bank reconciliations
  • Uploading documents
  • Accounting for income from third-party systems like PayPal or Square
  • Handling fees related to donations


Once you are familiar with MyPTEZ, be sure to visit often to upload your unit and council financial documents and keep your officer information up to date. First District PTA uses the officer contact system in MyPTEZ to send our PTA leaders important news and information.

Note: You do not have to be a current MyPTEZ subscriber to enter and view your unit or council contact information or to upload your PTA documents.

Questions? Email First District PTA VP of Communications, Amy Kamm, at Communications@PTA1.org.
Be sure to follow us on social media! We want to see what amazing things your PTAs are doing for kids!

#FirstDistrictPTA
#PTA4Kids
#JoinPTA
#AllChildrenAreOurChildren
#PTAProud
This email was sent to all First District PTA unit and council PTA officers and chairpersons, principals, superintendents, and the First District PTA Board of Directors.