There have been a few changes and additions to the First District PTA calendar for 2020 - 2021. An updated calendar is available on our website and can be downloaded HERE.

PTA Membership is down in First District. Don't forget to ask people to join PTA. How do you PTA?

 

Fall 2020 Membership Perks can be found on the CAPTA and First District website. Click HERE to view the flyer.

Twelve units have already met the First District PTA One More Member Challenge for 2020 - 2021. Congratulations to:

Alhambra Council - Fremont Elementary PTA and Park Elementary PTA

Arcadia Council - Longley Way PTA

El Monte Council - Rio Hondo Elementary School PTA

Glendale Council - Verdugo Woodlands PTA

Monrovia Council - Santa Fe PTA

Pasadena Council - Andrew Jackson Elementary PTA

Pomona Council - Madison PTSA

South Pasadena Council - South Pasadena High School PTSA

West Covina Council -Edgewood High School PTSA

Out of Council units - Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall School PTA and Newton Middle School PTA

This month, the Membership Trophy goes to San Marino Council with almost 90% of last year's membership, and the TOTEM Trophy goes to Bonita Council. Congratulations to all!

Questions? Contact First District PTA VP Membership, Michelle Hurst, at Membership@PTA1.org.

Thank you to all who attended the President's Orientation. Remember to reach out to your mentors or any of the First District Board members with your questions or assistance that you might need. If you did not receive a hard copy of the President's Orientation information, please contact me at Leadership@PTA1.org.

A Leadership Training schedule is being worked on and will be shared soon.

First District PTA is pleased to inform you that we will continue to offer Youth Mental Health First Aid Courses in the new year. Please watch your email for registration information.

IMPORTANT: These courses are extremely popular and often have a waiting list. If you register for a course but are unable to attend, please let us know immediately so that we can offer your spot to someone else.

Due to the virtual aspect of this course, registration will be closed one week before the class so that attendees can complete the prep work necessary.

Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth. This virtual training gives adults the skills they need to reach out and provide support to children and adolescents (ages 6-18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.

Questions? Email First District PTA VP Leadership, Sandy Russell, at Leadership@PTA1.org.

Hello treasurers!

The following items are due:

Don't forget to use your First District PTA Financial Calendar to stay up to date on what is due. CLICK HERE to view and download the First District PTA 2020 – 2021 Financial Calendar.

The California State PTA annual insurance webinar will be held on November 30, 2020, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. This call is for leaders at all levels and will go over our insurance coverage as well as the new procedure for submitting the workers compensation forms. CAPTA will be doing live translations during the presentation. Click HERE to join the event.

We are beginning monthly treasurer office hours on the 3rd Wednesday of the month: one morning session from 9:30 - 10:30 am and an evening session from 6:30 - 7:30 pm.

Presidents and treasurers are welcome...really anybody with questions for the First District PTA treasurer. Come with any questions or come to hear the discussion. Join either or both! Look for an email with the Zoom links in early December!

Contact First District PTA Treasurer, Jessica Sheen, at Treasurer@PTA1.org with questions.

Carol Green, the California State PTA President-Elect, joined us at our recent Superintendents’ and Administrators’ Conference. She highlighted the California State PTA partnership with the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE) and the three listening sessions held earlier this year with parents, guardians, PTA leaders, and educators.

Carol detailed what families shared regarding their experiences when schools closed and their concerns moving forward. Carol discussed resources that address parents’ needs and concerns while offering recommendations on how to support parents and families as schools navigate decision-making during this challenging time. These findings are described in more detail in the CCEE report. Click HERE to view the full report.

Carol also provided a list of resources for PTA leaders and parents:

Questions? Contact our VP of Legislation & Advocacy at Legislation@PTA1.org, or visit the California State PTA website HERE.

There is still time to complete Ed100 lessons and earn a ticket for the drawing on December 9^th for cash prizes. See the rules for detailed eligibility requirements. The rules include an important requirement: at least two people from your school must sign up for your school to be eligible to win. The purpose of this requirement is to promote discussion, which takes at least two!

The Ed100 Academy for California High School Student Leaders is an online summer conference that prepares California high school student leaders with the knowledge and connections they need to make a difference in their school, in their community, and beyond. The second annual conference will take place from June 21^st – 23^rd. Students should apply now for early decision and attend free.

Remember that even though you are not meeting in person or running into district leaders at school district events, you should still be engaging with them on issues that impact students and families. Brush up on some background information on Ed100.org and ask your school board members and superintendents about your district's plan for possible school re-openings or waiver applications. Share your experiences with distance learning and the impact on your students and families – not just the challenges but also what is working – and be prepared to offer suggestions about what might be adapted or changed. Ask about when/if budget cuts might be under consideration and how the district might be taking input on priorities. Continue to build relationships even under these less than ideal times. And keep the lines of communication open. everychild.onevoice.

Questions? Email First District PTA VP of Education, Patty Scripter, at Education@PTA1.org.

Thank you to all who offered the Reflections program this year under truly challenging conditions. We had 19 Councils/OOC Units participate, and almost 300 entries forwarded to First District PTA for additional consideration. An outstanding effort!

We are working hard to review the spreadsheets, links to student entries, and participation forms in preparation for forwarding the artwork to our judges. Please remind your units (and parents) not to delete any entries until at least the end of January 2021. And please respond to any emails from us ASAP so we can make sure that every student's artwork has the chance to be considered for additional recognition. Again, thank you for supporting the arts and our students – you are making a difference.

Questions? Email Reflections@pta1.org. Thank you for your efforts to keep our great Reflections Program going for another year. We appreciate each and every one of you.

California State PTA has created a series of social media kits to help PTAs create impactful online communication with ease. The kits are updated monthly. November's theme is giving thanks for our PTA volunteers. The images in the kit may be used on your personal and PTA social media accounts. They are customizable and fun!

What’s in the monthly kit for November 2020:

Click here to see social media kits from prior months.

National PTA and California State PTA have a wealth of resources for local PTA leaders available on their websites. Be sure to sign up for e-newsletters from both organizations to stay up-to-date. Your First District PTA friends have a little website, too. 😊 Check it out!

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!