JUNE 2023 NEWSLETTER

2022-2023 Officers will be removed from our mailing list on Aug 1st! Please update Exec Board Contacts for 2023-2024 in MemberHub today, if you haven't already.

Wrap-Up & Prepare for 2023-24 School Year

Below you'll find tips and resources to help you wrap up the 2022-23 school year and prepare for the 2023-2024 school year.

End of Year Annual Standards of Affiliation Checklist
2023 Bylaws Updates
Summer Leadership Webinars
NEW Membership Challenges for 2023-24
Reflections (National Arts Contest) Planning
Save the Date: 2024 Virginia PTA Annual Meeting (May 18th)

Annual Standards of Affiliation Submissions

Standards of Affiliation

Annual Submissions

Standards of Affiliation are defined in Virginia PTA's Local Unit Uniform bylaws and ensure local and council PTAs maintain 501(c)3 best practices and comply with applicable federal and state laws. Standards of Affiliation are sometimes referred to as 'Good Standing'

All documentation should be submitted via your Virginia PTA provided MemberHub account

June 15th: Exec Board Contact Information
July 15th: Proof of Insurance
Aug 1st: IRS 990 Tax filing (2022-23)
Aug 1st: Financial Review (Audit)
1st of Month: Membership List & Dues

Set-up your stripe account in MemberHub to submit dues electronically.
Membership lists are automatically submitted if membership is sold in MemberHub. However, Membership dues do not automatically transfer to Virginia PTA. Your Treasurer or President must initiate dues payment within MemberHub.
Bylaws Local Unit Organizational Structure Form
Upload when modified, or annually if you prefer.

Learn More

RECORDED WEBINARS:

Financial Review Form

Treasurer Planning Calendar

Treasurer Sample Docs

JULY CHECKLIST

Enter Contacts in MemberHub
Complete 990 Filing w/IRS
Complete Financial Review
Upload Proof of Insurance
Prepare to receive dues from members and electronically remit membership dues to Virginia PTA

501c(3) Good Standing Letter

Virginia PTA issues a letter annually verifying your good standing and tax exempt status. This letter will be loaded to your MemberHub Compliance panel AFTER all standards of affiliation requirements have been met. Please allow a week for your letter to be uploaded.

GOOGLE FOR NON-PROFITS

Google for Non-Profits provides your PTA with a Google suite of valuable tools including administration of multiple email accounts (e.g. President@schoolPTA.org), document sharing, forms and google meets. You will need to verify your non-profit status via Techsoup and submit your 501(c)3 letter.

LEARN MORE

2023 Bylaws Resources

Bylaws represent the most important legal document of a PTA. It is critical that all officers understand their bylaws.

Bylaws define the basic governance of your PTA in accordance with state and federal laws, define your mission and purpose, link your PTA to Virginia PTA and National PTA, and establish operating norms, voting rights, and responsibilities of elected officers, committees and members.

All PTAs in Virginia use Uniform Bylaws which can be adapted to document specifics about how your PTA operates. Adaptations should be documented on an Organizational Structure Form and stored in the compliance section of your Virginia PTA provided MemberHub account. Changes to your Organizational Structure Form require 30 day notice and a General Membership vote.

At the May 20, 2023 Virginia PTA Annual Meeting the voting body adopted amendments to the Local Unit, SEPTA, and Council Uniform Bylaws as well as the Virginia PTA Bylaws.

A high level summary of the changes are listed below.

Linked here are the Bylaws documents you should reference in conducting your PTA work. They are also available on the Virgina PTA website.

2023 Highlights of Adopted Bylaws Amendments

Provides flexibility for local units and councils with complicated tax filings by allowing local units and councils who are ineligible to file a Form 990N (e-Postcard) to request an extension to Good Standing requirements. The President of the unit must submit a request in writing before August 1 to the Virginia PTA treasurer to request an extension up to November 15th to complete their 990EZ or 990 filing.
Finalizes the removal of president-elect positions from councils, local units, and SEPTA
Clarifies in the Virginia PTA and council bylaws that the voting body, not general membership, takes votes.
Clarifies that individuals do not have a good standing status -- only council and units have such status with the Virginia PTA.
Allows for remote participation of Virginia PTA delegates during an Annual Meeting as long as there are live communication opportunities provided.
Clarifies that if a treasurer resigns, a financial review is required, covering 1) the time period up to the date of resignation and 2) from that date to the remainder of the fiscal year.
Specifies that a quorum for council business is the lesser of either 1 delegate each from a majority of member units in good standing, or 10 such delegates.

Summer Leadership Webinars

Sessions will be recorded and posted to our website.

June webinar recordings are available here.

Family Engagement for a

Thriving Community

(Mon. July 24th | 7-8 pm)

This workshop will introduce you to PTA’s nationally recognized Standards for Family School Partnerships and PTA event toolkits you can use to engage your community and support student success. We’ll be talking about STEM+ Families, Math Night, Family Reading Events, Digital Safety, Reflections Arts Contest (generally) and more.

Presented by: Monique Womack, Virginia PTA VP of Family Engagement

Membership Matters

(Tues. July 25th | 7-8 pm)

PTA membership drives the impact of our voice and reflects our commitment to including all families. Join this workshop to learn about how to communicate the value of your PTA to grow and sustain your membership. We’ll exchange membership drive ideas and cover the basics of using MemberHub to sell memberships and remit dues.

Presented By: Ashley Smith, Virginia PTA, VP of Membership

Why Does Your PTA Need Insurance & How it Works

(Wed. July 26th | 7-8 pm)

Join this workshop presented by AIM Insurance to learn the basics of why PTAs need insurance, what the different types of coverage protect against, what to consider when selecting coverage for your PTA, and how to use your insurance coverage when a problem arises.

Presented by: AIM Insurance, a Virginia PTA Platinum Partner. AIM specializes in providing insurance for PTAs and insures more than 23,000 parent groups

Navigating Memberhub and Compliance

(Thurs. July 27th | 7-8 pm)

Let’s get together to discuss Memberhub! You and your PTA are about to begin a new year and may have some questions about Memberhub functionality. Come with your questions and we can walk through things together! Have questions about compliance? We will also talk about Standards of Affiliation deadlines and how to upload compliance documents to Memberhub.

Presented by: Christina Whitehouse, VP of Leadership Development & Hamid Munir, VP of Local Unit Operations

Run an Effective Meeting: Robert’s Rules to Recordkeeping

(Tues. August 1st 7-8 pm)

Join this workshop to learn about Robert’s Rules, what they are, and how to use motions to present business professionally while allowing for open discussion. We’ll also cover best practices for setting your Agenda, recording minutes and establishing a strong record-keeping system for your PTA.

Presented by: Claire Noakes, Virginia PTA Bylaws Director & Victor Chen, Virginia PTA Secretary

Budgeting and Financials: Should My PTA Pay for That?

(Mon. Aug 8th | 7-8 pm)

Join this workshop to learn the basics of how to develop your PTA budget and provide transparent monthly reporting. We’ll cover the financial basics of record keeping for events, Teacher Grant Programs, and afterschool enrichment. We’ll also talk about how to manage principal financial requests and identify opportunities to raise your voices for better school funding instead of fundraising.

Presented by: Jenna Alexander, Virginia PTA President & Ann-Marie Ward, Virginia PTA Treasurer

2023 - 2024 Membership Challenges

Membership Challenges

Virginia PTA regularly shares membership tips to help PTA leaders grow their membership in fun and engaging ways.

Follow our #MembershipMatters tips on social media and participate in our Membership Challenges to grow your PTA and celebrate or recognize your hard work.

To be eligible for cash prizes, your unit must have met the Standards of Affiliation for the year to be in good standing.

Membership Challenges

Reflections Arts Contest

Start Planning to Celebrate Student Art

The National PTA Reflections Arts Contest, started in 1969, encourages students to explore the arts and express themselves by providing positive recognition for their artistic efforts.

Students in Pre-K through grade 12, and a special artist division are invited to create theme-based artwork in six art categories: dance choreography; film production; literature; musical composition; photography; or visual arts.

2023-2024 Reflections Due Dates for Virginia

Sept 18th: Virginia PTA Reflections Planning Webinar
Oct/Nov: Students submit entries to local school PTA
Dec 15th: Local Unit first place submissions due to Council PTAs
Jan. 5th: Non-Council Local Unit submissions due to Virginia PTA
Jan 17th: Council winners due to Virginia PTA
Feb 20th: Virginia PTA winners announced
Apr 13th: Virginia PTA Student Awards Celebration (Richmond)
May 2024: National PTA Winners announced

Get Tools to Start Planning

Virginia PTA Annual Meeting

May 18, 2024 - SAVE THE DATE

As a local unit officer you are an important member of the Virginia PTA voting body. Please save the date and plan to attend the 2024 Virginia PTA Annual Meeting.

This annual event provides an opportunity to discuss the state of our association, vote on bylaws amendments and resolutions that are proposed by members, celebrate and recognize your successful school year, and engage in training and collaboration with PTA leaders from across Virginia.

Together, we can make an impact and improve opportunities for Virginia's students.

Facebook Groups for PTA Leaders

Join the Virginia Discussion

Join the National Discussion

This is your space to share, collaborate, and celebrate the work you are doing to build a strong, vibrant school community. Share pictures of a great family engagement activity you hosted, or ask for ideas, tips and resources. These closed groups are for active local PTA and council PTA volunteers. You must answer the questions to be approved to join.