The Newsletter for PTA leaders

in San Diego and Imperial Counties


March 2023


Click Here to share this newsletter.

Para leer in español, Clic Aqui.

Message from the Executive Vice President

Summer Leadership Conference is Back in Person!

Ninth District PTA is busy planning for the return of our Summer Leadership Conference!  We're excited to be back in person for our premier training event and general meeting. Our District and State PTA leaders, as well as specialists from the community, will lead workshops on important topics for PTA leaders. 


The conference will be held on Saturday, June 3rd at the University of San Diego’s Joan Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice. Early bird registration is $50 per person, starting April 1 through the end of April. The registration fee includes morning coffee and a boxed lunch. The Institute’s beautiful back patio will be open for dining and socializing with old and new friends. 

 

The day’s events open at 8:15 am with the final general meeting of the 2021-2023 term. We will conduct the business of the association, and former Ninth District PTA President and State PTA President Carol Green will delivery the keynote address. We'll close the meeting with the installation of your newly-elected 2023-2025 Ninth District PTA Board of Directors. Spanish interpretation will be provided for the general meeting and several workshops.

 

Workshops begin at 9:15 am with four 1-1/2 hour sessions. During each session, you can choose from six workshop options. The 24 workshops are intended for both new and experienced PTA leaders. Some focus on officer duties and responsibilities, while others feature information about programs, leadership enrichment, and special interest areas. Our exhibitor fair returns this year with a variety of exhibitors to help you plan your events and fundraising efforts. 

 

We look forward to seeing you on this day of learning exclusively for PTA leaders. We’re glad to be back!


Helen Crenshaw

2023 Summer Leadership Conference Chair

Upcoming Events

Registration for California State PTA

Convention is now open


Our Annual State PTA Convention is the ultimate PTA leadership experience and an excellent PTA investment. Join us in Sacramento to celebrate 126 years of changing children’s lives – you are an important voice for all children and families! You will be inspired by other PTA leaders and understand the connection to the larger PTA picture. You’ll return home with fresh ideas, improved skills, new friends and inspiration for the work ahead.

Register Here

Apply for a grant to attend State Convention

Ninth District PTA has grants available for units and council PTA leaders to attend the 2023 California State PTA Convention April 21-23 in Sacramento, California. This is the premier PTA event of the year where you can connect and celebrate with PTA members from across California!


Click Here for Grant Rules and Application.


Questions? Contact Betsy Mueller, Convention Grants Committee Chair

PTA News

Welcome to our newest PTA!

Nipaquay PTA

San Diego Unified School District

San Diego Unified Council of PTAs

 

San Diego Unified’s newest elementary school, Nipaquay Elementary, is named after an indigenous Kumeyaay village located at the site. Serving Mission Valley families and students in grades Universal Transitional Kinder - grade 2 for the 2022/23 school year, Nipaquay will add 3rd grade in the Fall of 2023, with 4th and 5th in 2024 and 2025. This new campus features next generation first-grade through fifth grade classrooms with roll-up doors that open to the outside, creating hybrid indoor and outdoor learning spaces. This PTA was organized on February 28, 2023, with 40 charter members!

Officers elected at Founders Day Annual Meeting


The following people were elected as officers of Ninth District PTA for the 2023-2025 term:

Shawna Straw District President

Denae Senise Executive Vice President

Anne Emfinger Vice President, Leadership Services Director

Lori Fentress Vice President, Member Services Director

Jemima Dutra Vice President, Communications Director

Mary Patterson Vice President, Community Concerns Director

Betsy Mueller Vice President, Education Director

Julie Pallia Vice President, Health Director

Dena Estrada Vice President, Legislation Director

Helen Crenshaw Vice President, Family Engagement Director

Sue King Secretary

Steph Cole Treasurer

Laura Schumacher Financial Secretary

Deborah Childers Financial Reviewer

Sonya Vargas Historian

Reflections Winners Move to National Level

Three Ninth District PTA students received an Award of Excellence in the Reflections arts program at the State level. The Award of Excellence entries will be displayed at the California State PTA Convention and will continue to the National PTA Reflections level for reviewing. These students will be invited to attend the Convention. Their artwork will be displayed in the Reflections Art Gallery and in a video presentation at one of the General Sessions.


  • Olivia De Abreu, 8th Grade, Bernardo Heights Middle, Literature
  • Sophia Chung, 3rd Grade, Kelly Elementary, Photography
  • Seohyun Ellie Bae, 5th Grade, Sycamore Ridge, Visual Arts


Mary Patterson, Reflections Chair

Seeking Volunteers for Summer Leadership Conference

If you are interested in attending Ninth District PTA's Summer Leadership Conference on June 3, 2023 at the University of San Diego and require financial assistance, we’d be happy for you to volunteer with us. A limited number of complimentary registrations for those who can assist with a combination of folder stuffing the day prior, registration help the morning of, or packing up after the conference are available. If interested, please email volunteer@ninthdistrictpta.org.

Ninth District PTA office will now be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.

New Office Hours for Ninth District PTA Office

The Ninth District PTA office on the campus of the San Diego County Office of Education will now only be open on Tuesday and Thursday. On Monday and Wednesday you can still reach JoAnn Butler, office manager, by phone or email. The office will remain closed on Fridays.


Monday: Phone and email only 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Tuesday: Office open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wednesday: Phone and email only 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Thursday: Office open 8:30 am to 4 p.m.

Friday: Office closed

Running Your PTA

Leadership

Have you turned in the following items?

  • Workers Comp Report
  • Unit insurance premium
  • Tax filings due November 15 for most units
  • At least 15 members through channels
  • Year-end audit for FY 2021-2022

For a complete list of due dates for the year, Click Here.

Send us your Rosters!

The first thing to do after your election is upload your roster into myPTEZ. This will let California State PTA know you have held your election. Be sure and include the home mailing address for your president so he or she will receive the important summer mailing from California State PTA. If you're unsure how to upload your roster, just call JoAnn Butler at Ninth District PTA for assistance at 858-268-8077.

Finance

Final Duty for Financial Reviewers

If you're thinking about being out of office on July 1 or whenever your next fiscal year starts like all of your friends on your Board, and then relaxing on the beach, hold on. You still have one more review to complete – the final period for this fiscal year. That also means the Treasurer, Secretary, President, your Financial Review Committee, and maybe a few other officers still have to hang around past the end of this term and wrap up the last financial review.


Once the review is complete, this year’s review officer needs to present the results to next year's Executive Board/Board of Directors, and then to the association for adoption. Hopefully you can use that as an opportunity to hand off to the next Reviewer; you might even have your President appoint the Financial Reviewer-elect to your Financial Review Committee.  


The latest financial review forms are available from the California State PTA website.


Questions? Email Michael King if you need help with your financial review or the forms.

Membership

We're Almost there!

We need just over 2,500 members to reach our goal of 45,000 PTA members in San Diego and Imperial Counties! We have 42,454 members to date. Remind your community at every PTA event that they can join. Check your membership history and see if you are ahead of last year. If you qualify for the Best in Five award (your highest membership in five years) you could win $500!


Check out these State PTA membership challenges!

Family Engagement

PTA's National Standards Webinar Series

The Center for Family Engagement is thrilled to partner with the Institute for Educational Leadership for a five-part webinar series around the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. This series is designed to help district, school and parent/community leaders explore PTA’s six National Standards through panel discussions with leading practitioners, researchers and policymakers who are improving family-school partnerships so that all children can reach their full potential.


Webinar 4:"Speak up for Every Child and Share Power

March 29, 11 am PST


Webinar 5: Collaborate with Community

April 19, 11 am PST


Register Now.

PTA Day of Service - Earth Day

PTAs will activate Earth Day activities on Saturday, April 22, 2023, and build a better environment in their local community and have fun! Your PTA Day of Service project can be an Earth Day event already being planned or something new. What’s most important is that the event is meaningful to your PTA community.


Replace Screen time with Green time

There is so much children can learn from the great outdoors! Learn how families can explore the environment together and raise kids who care for the planet. Replace screentime with green time at home and advocate for environmental education in your child’s school. Listen to the podcast Raising Children who Love the Earth. For more resources, explore PTA’s Healthy Earth webpage

Parliamentarian

Follow this Script for Easy Elections

Elections are easy to run if you know what to say. As president, you are expected to run the election for your PTA officers. Here is an easy to follow script if you have but one nominee for each office.


Questions? Contact Sue King, parliamentarian

Health

National Nutrition Month

Every year the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates National Nutrition Month - a time to help people develop healthy eating habits. You can use our MyHealthfinder nutrition resources to encourage people to make healthy food choices. Review the Dietary Guidelines for Americans - and share the related consumer and professional resources with your community and networks. Finally, explore the Healthy People 2030 Nutrition and Healthy Eating objectives to learn about national efforts to improve health by promoting healthy eating.


Diana Godfrey, Health Director

Community Events for your Members

Money for College with CalKids

Learn all about the state's new CalKIDS program, which provides historically underserved children with free money for college. Attend a free, in-person Town Hall sponsored by San Diego County Office of Education on April 20 in San Marcos.

Youth Depression & Anxiety Webinar

Saturday, March 21, 6 - 7 PM

Dr. Bowers, an expert in the field of mental health, and the mother of five children will:

  • Highlight the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety in youth
  • Share strategies to lower anxiety levels
  • Discuss how to build trust and connection in the home setting


Register Here.

Facebook  Instagram