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eNews & Notes
October 2023
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Happy Fall to one and all.
As we fall forward, school schedules are settled, PTA/PTSA calendars and budgets have been approved, and we are well on our way to solidifying our advocacy efforts for the school year.
With this in mind, Florida PTA hosted our first educational town hall for this school year, in Duval County, on October 7, 2023. On hand were representatives of the Duval County Council PTA, community partners, school district personnel, including the Duval Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Dana Kriznar, faith-based organizations (shout out to our hosts Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church), local nonprofits, and individuals with a vested interest in public education.
This town hall differed from past events, in that we added a pre-town hall presentation on Friday night which was hosted by Active Minds to promote mental health, especially among young adults, via peer-to-peer dialogue and interaction.
Bringing stakeholders together is beneficial for everyone involved. The Florida PTA townhall meetings, which have been held across the state, are designed to accomplish several things:
*Share PTA’s mission, history, and the importance of family engagement;
*Stress the importance of stakeholder engagement to help us proactively consider the needs and desires of individuals with a vested interest, in a specific geographical area of the state, including parents, teachers, community partners, school district personnel, students, local nonprofits, and others;
*Foster connections, trust, and confidence among participants, and;
*Facilitate buy-in for Florida PTA's key initiatives of advocacy and family and community engagement, taking us further in our efforts toward making every child's potential a reality.
By the end of each town hall, we have connected people who care and helped them identify the most important issues, for them as a community, along with viable existing community resources for their collective use.
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Congratulations to the team for another successful Florida PTA Educational Town Hall. We look forward to partnering with Pasco County Council PTA and Orange County Council PTA for our last two endeavors of the 2022 - 2024 term.
I urge you to take every opportunity to connect your local unit with like-minded community individuals and organizations. Our children will benefit from your outreach efforts.
Be sure to check out the leadership training opportunities included below. In order for our organization to thrive we need a cadre of well-rounded leaders. Training ensures that you are ready to lead when opportunities are presented.
This month also brings a number of opportunities for our student leaders. Deadlines are fast approaching so don’t delay.
Lastly, Florida PTA LegCon 24 registration opens soon, so be on the lookout.
For the pumpkin spice fans, enjoy your season! 🎃
Peace and blessings,
Carolyn Nelson-Goedert
Carolyn Nelson-Goedert, President 🐝
President@floridapta.org
#flptacultivatingleaders
#mychildyourchildourchildren
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Lead yourself first in challenging workplace moments
The world of work is filled with challenging moments, unexpected events and unanticipated reactions. Learning to lead yourself first is critical for survival and seizing any possibility of success in these stressful moments. One of today’s essential skills is developing a personal system for keeping control of the logical thinking part of your brain when your body’s natural reaction is to rip away this control in a flood of chemicals. Get this right, and you’re at your best when many are at their worst. Get it wrong, and you’ll set an example for those around you — just not the type of example you want.
To continue reading, click here.
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Prudential Emerging Visionaries | | |
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Do you know a young leader working to address society's most pressing issues? Now is the time to introduce them to Prudential Emerging Visionaries, the exciting national recognition program that awards young people for their innovative solutions to financial or societal challenges.
Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people who challenge the status quo, who bring fresh perspectives to solving problems and empowering their communities. Applying to be an Emerging Visionary offers students the opportunity to think more deeply about financial and societal problems while finding innovative ways to tackle them. Applications are now being accepted through November 2, 2023, from young people (ages 14-18) who have powerful ideas for bringing about meaningful change in their hometowns, their communities, and the world. Those selected may qualify for up to $15,000 in awards, an all-expenses-paid trip with their parent or guardian to Prudential headquarters, and coaching and skills to development to help take their innovation to the next level.
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November 2, 2023 (11:59 PM ET / 8:59 PM PT): Final Entry Deadline
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November 7 - 24, 2023: Screening and Community Review
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February 13, 2024: Winners Announcement
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April 20 - 23, 2024: Prudential Emerging Visionaries Award Summit
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April - June 2024: Coaching for 2024 Prudential Emerging Visionaries
Learn more and help an emerging visionary apply here.
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Florida PTA Partnership with Level All | | |
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Florida PTA is excited to announce a transformative partnership with Level All, an innovative online platform supporting families in navigating crucial life decisions.
Level All's library includes bite-sized videos and articles on vital topics such as achieving high school success, college applications, affording college, career exploration, financial literacy, life skills, and more. Level All's platform empowers parents and provides resources for their own personal life decisions such as making a career change, pursuing further education, purchasing a car, and much more!
In partnership with local leadership, Level All will host expert-led webinars, Facebook Live events, Q&As, and insights on topics like "Starting College Savings in Elementary School."
Florida PTA urges local units and county councils to explore this invaluable resource, which is currently valued at $100 per subscriber, per year. Register now and your individual subscription is free for life. Everyone in your family should register for their account! Click this link to set up your account! Once you have set up your account, you can invite your child/children to create their own account. If you have any issues or questions, please refer to their FAQ page or reach out to the Level All team at success@levelall.com.
In addition, Level All’s goal is to provide the platform for free to every student and family in your school community and across the state of Florida. If you believe your student’s school could benefit from Level All, please reach out to them at success@levelall.com.
For partnership opportunities, contact success@levelall.com. For more information, visit LevelAll.com.
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You can start applying now, or even browse the list of Awards you might want to apply for in the near future! There are awards based on membership numbers and judged awards for various categories.
Click here for more information.
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What We Are Celebrating This Month:
- Bullying Prevention Month
- Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- Halloween Safety Month
- LGBT History Month
- National Literacy Month
- ADHD Awareness Month
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Depression Awareness Month
- National Book Month
- Dyslexia Awareness Month
- Learning Disability Awareness Month
- National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month
- October 10 - World Homeless Day
- October 11 - Indigenous People’s Day
- October 15 - 21 - National Teen Driver Safety Week
- October 16 - World Food/Hunger Day
- Mental Illness Awareness Week - 1st Week
- October 31 - Halloween
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Program Planning Suggestions for Next Month:
- Native American Heritage Month
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November 9 - World Adoption Day
- November 11 - Veterans Day
- November 12 - Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week
- November 12 - World Kindness Day
- November 23 - Thanksgiving
- November 29 - Giving Tuesday
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Diabetes Awareness Month
- Epilepsy Awareness Month
- Lung Cancer Awareness Month
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National Bullying Prevention Month is a nationwide campaign founded in 2006 by PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center. The campaign is held during the month of October and unites communities around the world to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention.
Bullying Prevention Month through Florida PTA is crucial for raising awareness about the impact of bullying on students' mental and physical well-being, fostering a safe and supportive school environment, and promoting policies to address and prevent bullying effectively. It encourages collaboration between schools, parents, and communities to combact bullying and create a positive educational experience for all students.
Source
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Indigenous Peoples' Day is celebrated on the second Monday of October (October 9th this year), to honor the culture and histories of the Native American people. The day is centered around reflecting on their tribal roots and the tragic stories that hurt but strengthened their communities.
National Indigenous Peoples Day through Florida PTA is significant for honoring and celebrating the diverse cultures, histories, and contributions of indigenous people. It promotes understanding, respect, and awareness of the Indigenous heritage, fostering a sense of unity and appreciation within schools and communities. Through education and cultural events, Florida PTA can raise awareness about the unique challenges indigenous communities face and advocate for policies that support their rights, well-being, and representation.
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Over 14 percent of high school students have considered suicide. Almost 7 percent have attempted it. Keeping communication lines WIDE OPEN is vitally important. Here are some simple ways to let your kids know you are always there, even for the hardest conversations… | |
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Six ways to create a safe space for kids to communicate with you:
- Judgment free zone
- Open door policy
- Nothing off-limits
- Laugh together
- Hug them
- Take action
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Five ways to get (and keep) your kids talking:
- Ask them to send you an emoji or gif to describe their day
- Ask them to tell you the best and worst things that happened today
- Take time to grab their favorite coffee or snack on the way home
- Ask what they (and their friends) are laughing about lately
- Text them at school to remind them WHO they are by SPEAKING LIFE over them
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Small actions create a BIG foundation for strong communication. Simple questions show how much you care. Your daily actions build TRUST that assures them they are never ALONE. When the hardest conversations need to happen, YOU will be their safe place to land.
*From Speak Life End Bullying, the Musical
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It’s officially #NationalTeenDriverSafetyWeek. The National Safety Council #DriveitHOME program teamed up with Honda to create a free toolkit to provide exclusive resources for instructors to get parents involved behind the wheel. Sign up now: nsc.org/NTDSW.
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PTA resolutions and position statements are official documents outlining the opinion, will, or intent of the association to address national problems, situations, or concerns that affect children and youth and require national action to seek resolution on the issue.
The documents serve an important purpose in formalizing and focusing the positions of the organization on various important and relevant issues.
Please see below for both Florida PTA and National PTA Call for Resolutions.
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Florida PTA Call for Resolutions
Are you and other local unit/county council members concerned about an issue that impacts Florida's youth? Resolutions are a way to shape PTA's future work in advocacy, legislative priorities, program development, and more. Please email your ideas to resolutions@floridapta.org to start the process for proposing a resolution for consideration at Leadership Convention 2024.
First draft due date: October 15, 2023
Final draft due date: December 7, 2023
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National PTA Call for Resolutions
The below links include instructions and information on the criteria for establishing a resolution in accordance with National PTA procedure. All proposed resolutions must be received at resolutions@pta.org no later than 11:59 PM EST on October 15th.
Background on Resolution Criteria
Cover Sheet for Submitting Resolutions
Checklist for Submitting a Resolution to NPTA
View or Resolutions
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Notes from the Backpack is Back!
Notes From the Backpack: A National PTA Podcast has returned with season 8! This season we will feature experts giving you advice on everything from vaping to a child’s friendships. Listen now to our first episode of the new season, "How to Talk with Your Kids About Addiction".
Many parents feel unsure when they should start talking to their children about addiction and even more uncertain about what to say. In this episode, author and educator, Jessica Lahey, offers practical tips and guidance for having conversations about drug and alcohol use. She draws on the latest research and her own experiences to share what families need to know to keep their kids safe.
Become a Podcast Ambassador!
Calling all Notes from the Backpack enthusiasts! We are looking for podcast ambassadors to receive podcast social media graphics and sample language when our new episodes are released! Help to share out this incredible series with your contacts and network! And listen to our new season of Notes from the Backpack NOW!
Sign-Up Here
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Let Your Dream Change Your Life
Leave after 4 days with the motivation, guidance and skills to help make your dreams come true.
- Get energized by mentors who blazed their own trails to success.
- Expand your horizons at career workshops.
- Develop skills—like interviewing, networking and even dressing for success—that give you an edge in the workplace.
- Receive complimentary airfare, hotel accommodations and theme park tickets for yourself and a parent or guardian.
Selected participants and one parent or guardian will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Walt Disney World Resort, where they will engage in life-changing experiences and enjoy Disney's magical theme parks. Once selected, participants must pass all eligibility requirements and attend the 4-day Disney Dreamers Academy during the designated weekend at Walt Disney World.
The 2024 Disney Dreamers Academy applications are open through October 31, 2023 for high school students 13-19.
Click here for more information.
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FLORIDA PTA | floridapta.org
1747 Orlando Central Pkwy.
Orlando, Florida 32809
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