Unit/Council Reminders

President's Phone Calls

Presidents shouldn't miss the bi-monthly
phone calls with Michigan PTA President, Shaton Berry. This is a great opportunity to receive updates, ask questions, and share
with other PTA/PTSA presidents throughout
the state.

The phone calls are scheduled on the second Monday of the month, staring promptly at 7:00 p.m. Mark the upcoming dates on your calendar:

• January 9th
• March 12th
• May 14th

Watch your Weekly Updates for call-in information.

Reflections

Reflections Update

The Reflections committee has been busy training since Summer Leadership Academy. We have held successful training sessions in Rochester, Northville, Farmington, Walled Lake and more! The rules and submission processes have changed a great deal - our Committee is happy to help make a smooth transition wherever possible. For assistance, contact Erika Golden at reflections@michiganpta.org.

Reminder – Entry Submission Dates

• January 13, 2012

Mailed submissions must be received in the Michigan PTA office

• January 14, 2012

Drop-off day in Birmingham and Battle Creek

For additional information, visit the Reflections Page on the Michigan PTA website.

Erika Golden
Michigan PTA Reflections Chair

Awards

So Many Awards...Prepare
To Apply Now!

Did you know there are (8) Michigan PTA Awards you can apply for? These are over
and above the Membership Awards your PTA/PTSA may qualify for. They are:

• Outstanding Council
  • Tell us how your Council is supporting its Local Units and the Community!
• Outstanding Unit
  • Describe your PTA/PTSA's most successful event or program and how it has impacted your membership.
• PTA Member of the Year
  • Every PTA Unit has that one special, outstanding member that consistently goes "above and beyond". Nominate them! Show them you appreciate what they do!
• Educator of the Year
  • There's that one Teacher that just never ceases to amaze kids and parents. They are involved in extra activities and lend a hand without being asked. Let them know that their extra efforts are not going unnoticed!
• Administrator of the Year
  • Your school just wouldn't be the great place it is without that superb Principal at the helm! Is your Superintendent just… SUPER?? Let them and us know just how super they are!
• Best Website
  • You have an awesome school website. Informative, colorful, easy to navigate. Show it off! Nominate it!
• Best Newsletter
  • There's nothing like a good newsletter to spread the word about what's happening and when. Whether yours is in paper form, or electronic, share your accomplishment! Be a model for other units looking to create their own!
• Michigan Men in PTA – Best Male Involvement Program
  • The big PUSH has arrived! We now have more men than ever getting involved in their children's education...PTA is not just for moms! Tell us about your program/ event that entices your dads to get involved and stay involved!

PLEASE BE SURE TO REVIEW COMPLETELY ALL CRITERIA AND REQUIREMENTS NECESSARY BEFORE YOU APPLY. The Award Forms are available on the Awards Page of the Michigan PTA website.

As you should be aware, ALL PTA/PTSA's must be in good standing to apply for any of the Michigan PTA awards.

The deadline for Michigan PTA Award applications is February 28, 2012. Entries must be RECEIVED at the State Office by this date (no exceptions!). Applications are accepted by mail or email.

We look forward to receiving LOTS of award applications, so get those fingers typing now!

Thanks for all you are doing for our kids and for your communities!

Libby Benton
Michigan PTA Awards ChairAwardsChair@michiganpta.org

Family Engagement

How Can PTAs Help to Improve Graduation Rates?

The dropout rate in the United States is staggering. One of every four Michigan students fails to graduate from public high school with his or her freshman class. When the PTA's goal is to insure that every child reaches his or her full potential, we must address the factors that influence improved graduation rates. The data is clear regarding strategies that positively influence completing high school.

Michigan PTA passed a resolution at our convention on dropout prevention. This resolution calls on all of us to work in our communities to implement strategies that increase graduation rates. One of these strategies is to ensure that families understand the importance of good attendance during elementary school because of its relationship to high school completion.

According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, attendance in elementary school is crucial to children developing a strong foundation for subsequent learning and ongoing academic success. Children who don't develop basic social and academic skills by the third grade are at great risk of dropping out of school.1

A study cited in Our Children Magazine states that absence is a predictor of high school graduation.2 This is something that we can address immediately.

What can a PTA do to help improve attendance in school? Using PTA's National Standards for Family School Partnerships provides a framework for improving school attendance.

• Make sure parents feel welcome in the school.
  
• Communicate with parents the impact attendance has on student achievement.
  
• Give parents the data on early school attendance and graduation rates.
  
• Parents must know that they are true partners with the school and classroom teacher in the education of their children. Having communication from the classroom teacher helps to reinforce this partnership.
  
• Are there community resources available for families that would provide needed support? Students may need academic support to be successful in school; families may need tools to support the student. Your PTA can share connections with community resources with families.
• Your PTA should address the importance of school attendance and coming to school on time EVERY DAY with the families in your community.

Mary DeYoung-Smith
Vice President for Children's Advocacy
Family Engagement Chair

1 Hedy Chang and Mariajose Romero. "Present, Engaged, and Accounted For." September 2008. National Center for Children in Poverty. www.nccp.org/publications/pub_837.html
2 Ken Seeley, EdD. "Will Your Kindergartner Drop Out of High School?"Our Children. December 2010 – January 2011, 9 – 10.

Advocacy

Should Your PTA Write a Resolution?

If your PTA members have a concern regarding a particular issue that affects children in your community, consider writing a resolution to address the issue. PTA resolutions address local, state, or national problems, situations, or concerns that affect the health and welfare of children and youth.

A resolution is a concise statement about an issue. This formal statement outlines action to be taken. Resolutions help to focus the position of the association on important and relevant issues.

Michigan PTA accepts proposed resolutions from our local units and PTA Councils that are state-wide in scope. Resolutions submitted to the Michigan PTA for consideration are reviewed by the Resolutions committee, and if accepted are presented to the Convention body for discussion. The position is then voted on for adoption.

The Michigan PTA Committee for Childrenís Advocacy would be happy to assist you with questions regarding the writing of a resolution. You may contact Michigan PTAís Vice President for Childrenís Advocacy, Mary DeYoung-Smith, at ChildAdvocacyVP@michiganpta.org.

All proposed resolutions must be submitted to the Michigan PTA State Office no later than December 31, 2011. More information on resolutions can be found on the Michigan PTA website at www.michiganpta.org/advocacy.html.

The PTA Resolutions Toolkit can be found at: http://www.pta.org/2471.htm.

Health and Wellness

SCHEDULE A SHUT-IN

As we approach the down time that the Holiday season brings, schedule a shut-in with your family.

If you're a person who is always busy and develops lists – whether you write them on paper or post-its and put them on the family refrigerator or use the latest forms of technology – we recognize that this is a way in which we manage our schedules. Well, whatever tool you use to plan and schedule, carve out a 24-hour period just for the family with no interruptions from electronic devices (televisions included, unless you're enjoying a good family movie), friends or other family.

When was the last time that your children had your undivided attention; or you, theirs? It seems as if every family member (even our beloved pets) has a list of things to do that exceed the hours in the day. Our families spend countless hours outside of the home involved in a multitude of activities, all of which are very enriching and lots of fun. But sometimes we take the simple things in life for granted; and, before we know it, our children have grown up. We can't stop time but we can bring a stop to the things that consume our time outside of the home, for just one day. We owe it to our children. They're waiting for it!

Here are just a few things that students shared that they would like to do:

• Just relax and talk!
  
• Take pictures of each other
  
• Play board/card games
  
• Scrapbooking
  
• Share in preparing a family meal
  
• Have a Home Spa Day
  
• Plan another Shut-In Day

Remember we are the most influential "Memory-Makers" in our children's lives!

Debby Ector
Vice President for Student Involvement