"You Heard it Here FIRST!" e-Newsletter

First District PTA Newsletter for Local Leaders | September 5, 2023

IN THIS ISSUE

President's Message
Membership
Financial Officers
Financial Reviewer
Parliamentarian

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

WELCOME BACK

We welcome our new leaders and welcome back our parents, teachers, students, administrators, and community leaders to the 2023 – 2024 term! As members of our organization, each of us has made a conscious decision to ‘positively impact the lives of all children and families,’ while ‘making every child’s potential a reality.’ Now, more than ever, our children and families need PTA. We need a community of people who care enough to make the health, welfare, and education of children a top priority. As our organization has adjusted to the times over the last 126 years, we also must adjust as we guide one another and acknowledge that each of us is at a different place in the journey.

It was great fun to see so many of you at our association meeting on Monday, August 28, 2023. Many took advantage of our “Our Sweet Adventure” membership photo-op, and connected with your First District mentors. We are grateful to our California State PTA President-Elect Heather Ippolito, and Leadership Commissioner, Leslie Powell, who joined us with their informative follow-up presentation on Family Engagement. The presentation resources can be found here.

Please remember that each of us handles issues and stressors differently. I ask that you honor one another’s experiences; and that you show kindness, patience, and compassion to one another. Many of you asked for tips on handling civility in our PTA meetings and events. These are National PTA’s ‘Expectations of Civility’ from our annual meeting in June 2023 (click here).

Now that our schools are back in session, our email boxes are filling up quickly and our phones and text messages are on the rise. At First District PTA, we are glad to guide and train you through all your PTA processes. To get connected, please visit our pta1.org website.

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

Diane H, President

First District PTA

President@PTA1.org

SPECIAL EVENTS

SUPERINTENDENTS & ADMINISTRATORS CONFERENCE AND LUNCHEON

MEMBERSHIP

FIRST DISTRICT AND STATE CHALLENGES

MEMBERSHIP IS SWEET!

COMMIT-MINT TO MEMBERSHIP GROWTH

As of Friday, August 25, 2023, First District PTA had 17,848 members, which is 24% of the way to our year-end goal of 73,000! Please thank your membership teams for their efforts to promote membership in your school communities, and for demonstrating the value of PTA every day.

MEMBERSHIP CHALLENGES

Postings of you and your membership themes and goals on our social media was a delight to see! Thank you for supporting the first First District PTA membership challenge, “Yes, You CAN-dy!” We love your enthusiasm and creativity!

As part of this membership challenge, units and councils attending the August 28, 2023 First District PTA Association meeting were invited to take selfies with their goals at the meeting. Prizes were awarded by drawing to participating units and councils: Arcadia High, Dana Middle, Gabrielino High, Hoover High, Burbank Council, and Garvey Council. Congratulations!

Met your goal by now? Increase your goal and update me!

FDPTA Membership Incentives 2023-2024, Deadlines for Councils and Units with Deadlines Summary

First District PTA Membership Challenges for councils, out-of-council units, and council-affiliated units. A deadlines summary is included as a guide to pertinent deadlines per level of participating PTA.

FDPTA Membership Challenges 2023-2024, Councils to Fill In Deadlines

Councils, before distributing to your affiliated units, you may fill in your council remittance deadline for your units in all applicable challenges (see fillable fields).

CAPTA Membership Incentives 2023-2024

Councils, before distributing to your affiliated units, you may fill in your council remittance deadline for your units in all applicable challenges (see fillable fields).

DEADLINES

1) Councils and ALL Units: Membership challenge deadlines are firm.

2) Councils and Out-of-Council Units: If you have missed the deadline for a particular membership challenge, you must still turn in a monthly membership per capita dues remittance by the monthly deadline on the Financial Calendar.

a. No members that month? Note “0” on the remittance form.

Yours in Membership Growth,

Wendy Tateishi, VP of Membership

Membership@pta1.org

TREASURER & FINANCE

IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO START YOUR YEAR

FINANCIAL OFFICER BEGINNING TERM TASKS

HELLO, PTA FINANCIAL OFFICERS!

As you've undoubtedly figured out by now, PTA treasurers and financial officers have lots to do, especially this time of year! Below is important information and resources to help your PTA finance team start your fiscal year on the right foot.

2023 - 2024 INSURANCE PREMIUMS

The California State PTA Board of Directors has approved the following costs for insurance premiums for this year.

Unit PTAs -- $282 Council PTAs --$195

Remember, all insurance premium payments must be made directly to our insurance broker, AIM (Association Insurance Management, Inc). DO NOT SEND INSURANCE PREMIUMS THROUGH CHANNELS. Any insurance payments received in the First District PTA office will be returned.
On or around October 1, you will receive an email directly from AIM with instructions on how to pay your premiums using the new process.
All insurance payments are due no later than December 20, 2023, or late fees will apply.
Don’t forget to visit California State PTA’s website to learn more about your PTA insurance coverage and to download the latest copy of the PTA Insurance Guide (ENGLISH | SPANISH)

PTA FINANCE RESOURCES FOR PTA TREASURERS, PRESIDENTS, AND EXECUTIVE BOARDS

At the August 28, 2023, First District PTA association meeting, information was distributed to help with the financial responsibilities of running your PTA. This information is accessible by clicking the links below.

August 2023 Treasurer’s Update (In this update: How to submit payments and financial documents to First District PTA, tax filing reminders and due dates, and new information about raffle permits)
First District PTA 2023 – 2024 Financial Calendar (Includes important monthly due dates and instructions for council and out-of-council unit treasurers)
First District PTA 2023 – 2024 Financial Procedures (Includes information about how to submit payments and financial documents to First District PTA, tax filing reminders and due dates [for councils and out-of-council PTAs], and new information about raffle permits [all PTAs])
PTA Compliance and Good Standing: What is it and why is it important? (Discusses PTA financial and tax compliance, provides tools and resources for PTA tax preparation, and answers questions like “Why do PTAs need to be compliant?” and “What is the worst thing that could happen if our PTA is not compliant?”)

If your PTA is in-council, your council treasurer is your resource for all things related to PTA finance! (Not sure if your PTA is in-council or out-of-council? Click HERE to view the Out-of-Council PTA list.)

CONFLICT OF INTEREST/WHISTLEBLOWER FORMS

The IRS requires that every PTA board member complete the Conflict of Interest/Whistleblower Annual Questionnaire each year. The treasurer or secretary must retain the signed Conflict of Interest Form in their files for a minimum of three (3) years.

For your convenience, below is a link to a PDF version of the Conflict of Interest/Whistleblower forms and policies. Please be sure to download these forms and have them completed by your PTA’s executive board members.

Conflict of Interest/Whistleblower Form and Policies

QUESTIONS? CONTACT US!

If you have any PTA finance questions, please get in touch with us at Treasurer@PTA1.org or the First District PTA office at (626) 289-1448.

For PTA compliance questions, contact Amy Kamm, First District PTA Compliance Support Officer, at Compliance@PTA1.org or via text or call at (818) 653-7703.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

PTA PROCEDURES

FINANCIAL REVIEWS "THE NEW AUDIT"

All unit, council, and district PTAs must conduct financial reviews twice a year — a mid-year financial review that covers the first six months of your fiscal year and an end-of-year financial review that covers the last half of your fiscal year.

A financial review must also be conducted upon the resignation of the treasurer, financial secretary, any check signer, or at any time deemed necessary by the executive board. There are a few important things you need to keep in mind for the financial review process:

1. The financial reviewer needs to be appointed by or elected to the Executive Board per your bylaws.

2. The financial reviewer cannot be related to any of the check signers by blood, marriage, or live in the same household.

3. The financial review must be presented to the Executive Board as well as the General Association for adoption.

4. The financial review must be reviewed by a review committee unless the financial review is conducted by a qualified accountant.

California State PTA has resources to answer your financial review questions about this new process. Please read their Q&A sheet and review the Financial Review section of the online Toolkit for more information.

If you have any questions about financial reviews, please email me.

Jessica Sheen, Financial Reviewer

Financialreviewer@pta1.org

PARLIAMENTARIAN

BYLAWS REVIEW

BYLAWS ARE YOUR GUIDE!

Have you ever wondered why you have certain officers on your PTA board, how many people you need at a meeting to conduct business, or why we say certain things in an election meeting? Check your bylaws! PTA bylaws are the foundation of the organization. What officers you will elect, when you will have your meetings, how many voting members must be in meetings – even meeting notice requirements and budget adoption requirements – are in the bylaws.

At the beginning of the year the parliamentarian should make sure that every member of your executive board has a copy of the current bylaws. Encourage your board members to read the bylaws so that they understand why your PTA operates the way that it does!

Bylaws should be reviewed annually, and must be updated at least every five years, so the beginning of the year is a perfect time to start! As you review the bylaws, you may notice components that need to be updated. Don’t worry – that’s part of the process!

To update your bylaws, the president should appoint a bylaws review committee, chaired by the parliamentarian. That committee examines the existing bylaws and the current bylaws template and recommends any changes to the bylaws. After the executive board approves the changes, the parliamentarian creates a new set of the bylaws including the changes, using the ebylaws system or the fillable template (links available on the First District website), and forwards them to Council, for in council units, or to First District, for councils and out-of-council units. After we review the bylaws, we will send them to the California State PTA parliamentarian. The California State PTA parliamentarian reviews the changes and signs the bylaws to be returned to the unit through channels.

But you are not done yet! The process is complete only when the bylaws changes have been adopted by a 2/3 vote at a unit association meeting with 30 days’ notice. Plan wisely because the process takes some time!

After your association adopts the bylaws, the unit president and secretary sign and date the bylaws. Scan and email a copy of the signature page back to your Council Parliamentarian and to the First District Parliamentarian. Then distribute a copy of your signed bylaws to your executive board and upload it into myPTEZ.

Need help with the steps? Your council and First District parliamentarians are here to help guide and support you every step of the way. Reach out if you need help.

Find more information about reviewing bylaws in the Toolkit and in the California State PTA Leaders’ Website.

Karin Graver, Parliamentarian

Parliamentarian@pta1.org