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First District PTA Newsletter for Local Leaders | May 29, 2021

Visit our website to see past issues of "You Heard it Here First!"

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Hello First District PTA Leaders,

It's hard to believe that our two-year term is coming to an end. Where has the time gone? So many words have been added to our vocabulary: Zoom, Dojo, Google MeetUp, and hybrid meetings. It is definitely a time of so much transition. Outgoing boards will be sharing past successes, and incoming boards will be setting goals and preparing budgets and calendars for the upcoming term. Be generous with the information you pass on to future boards; it is critical for their success and the future success of your associations.

This past month, First District had 185 representatives from unit, council, and district PTAs attend the 122nd state PTA convention. Leadership and subject matter training was offered to local leaders. Workshops emphasized the importance of collaboration with school site principals and school district administration while respectfully advocating for all children and families.

Our year-end schedules are starting to fill up; I hope you'll join us on Saturday, June 12, 2021, for our District Leadership Conference. If you are new to PTA or a seasoned advocate, all local leaders are welcome to attend our training with live Q&A. Well-trained leaders are the greatest gift you can give to your PTA. To register, please CLICK HERE.

We truly could not impact the lives of all children and families in our region without your volunteerism. I thank you for your passion and continued dedication throughout this past term.

Take care,

Diane Hyland, President

First District PTA

[email protected]

SPECIAL EVENTS

It's not too late to register for our First District PTA Leadership Conference! If you are new to PTA or a seasoned advocate, all local leaders are welcome to attend our training with live Q&A. Well-trained leaders are the greatest gift you can give to your PTA.

The deadline to register is Wednesday, June 9th, 2021. Visit our website for more information.

Questions? Contact our office Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, at (626) 289-1448 or email [email protected].

COMMUNICATIONS

TIME TO UPDATE MYPTEZ + CAPTA SOCIAL MEDIA KITS

Time to Report Newly-Elected PTA Officer Information

By now, you should have held your election for the 2021-22 school year. The next step is to enter the newly elected officers' information into MyPTEZ.

Every PTA entity in the state of California can access and enter their officers' information into the MyPTEZ Officer Reporting System. This is a free service offered to all PTAs.

Click here for a full tutorial on how to enter your roster information. If you encounter any issues, please contact us at [email protected].

California State PTA Social Media Resources

California State PTA Resources for Communications

National PTA Resources for Communications

California State PTA continues to share its social media kits to help PTAs create impactful online communication with ease. The kits are updated monthly. The images in the kit may be used on your personal and PTA social media accounts. They are customizable and fun!

Click here to see social media kits from prior months.

Questions? Email First District PTA VP of Communications, Amy Kamm, at [email protected].

MEMBERSHIP

YEAR-END WRAP-UP

As we are approaching the end of the 2020 – 2021 PTA fiscal year, it is important to review the membership reports from First District and compare them with your council and unit records for accuracy. Please contact me as soon as possible if you find any issues.

Please be aware that all through-channels memberships for this year must be in the First District PTA office by June 14, 2021. Anything received after that date will not be counted for the 2020 – 2021 Membership year. TOTEM memberships after May 31 will not be counted for the 2020 – 2021 Membership year.

Lastly, as your unit and council executive boards transition to the new year, be sure to update the leaders and the banking information in TOTEM. You can find instructions in the TOTEM help desk under Leader FAQ.

Questions? Contact First District PTA VP Membership, Michelle Hurst, at [email protected].

PARLIAMENTARIAN

EXTENSION OF ALLOWANCE FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS

At the start of the pandemic, we allowed units, councils, and districts to hold their meetings via a virtual format. We have updated the 2020 bylaws template reflecting this change.

If you have not amended your unit or council bylaws to account for virtual meetings, California State PTA has extended the deadline to December 31st, 2021.

Questions? Contact First District PTA Parliamentarian, Christy Brown, at [email protected].

COMMUNITY CONCERNS

RESOURCES FOR PTA LEADERS

General PTA resources for Health, Safety, Diversity, and Inclusion

California State PTA

California State PTA is offering weekly virtual Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office hours every Tuesday evening from 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm through June 29, 2021. Click here to make an appointment.
New issue of The Pulse, covering Stress Awareness month and Community Concerns topics at CAPTA Convention.
CAPTA Community Concerns page: Community Concerns page

National PTA

Family Resources
Center for Family Engagement
Notes from the Backpack Podcast Episodes: New Miniseries on Mental Health
Is My Teen Having a Mental Health Crisis?
How Can We Prioritize Wellness at School?
How Can I Help My Teen Manage Stress?
How Can We Normalize Talking about Mental Health?
Are You Practicing Parent Self-Care?

Health and Safety

COVID-19

Big changes in the last month:

Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine became available for everyone age 12 and over on May 13. Everyone over 12 can be given a vaccine appointment at myturn.ca.gov, and there are many walk-in clinics (make sure to check that they offer the Pfizer vaccine). Vaccines are free regardless of insurance status. Be sure to bring some proof of age to the appointment. Also remember that the Pfizer covid-19 vaccine requires two injections 3 weeks apart (the second injection can be given up to 10 weeks after the first, but is most effective 3-4 weeks after), and full immunity is reached two weeks after the second shot.
The CDC gave guidance in mid-May that masks were not necessary in many outdoor settings and even some indoor settings for vaccinated individuals, but California elected to maintain masking orders for the time being. California will be announcing changes to COVID restrictions on June 15. If current low infection rates persist, it is likely that the current tier system will be scrapped and mask orders will be lifted for most places and situations.
Pfizer announced that they plan to ask the FDA for emergency authorization to vaccinate children ages 2 to 11 as early as September. If the request is approved, it could mean that age group getting vaccine access mid-to-late fall 2021.
New studies indicate that vaccinated individuals who have reached full immunity (2 weeks after the final shot) seem to be resistant to the known variants of Covid-19, as well.

As of mid-May, about 50% of eligible Californians are vaccinated. What do these changes in social distancing and masking orders mean for parents with children too young to be vaccinated and/or households with individuals with immune disorders? This article discusses the relative risks of different activities for kids given the current conditions.

Check your school district's communications over the summer to learn what their plans for fall are. Many are passing resolutions to commit to full, in-person schooling in the fall, but that doesn't necessarily mean a return to the prior "normal." Schools will likely have some modifications in protocols to accommodate disease prevention measures, especially schools with children too young for vaccines. Links below will help keep you up to date on the latest state and nationwide trends.