| Title: | St. Patrick's Day |
| When: | 03.17.2013 |
| Copy: | Copy to my calendar |
MOPTA News
This year, 85 PTAs received 10 Kindles each to implement the PTA Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle, as well as other programs that expand and enhance family engagement in schools.
Eligible PTAs “in good-standing” were selected on a first come, first serve basis using the timestamp of their application entry.
Congratulations to two Missouri PTA units who have received this award!
William N. Southern Elementary PTA - Independence, MO
Thomas Hart Benton Elementary School PTA – Columbia, MO
Take the First Step in Becoming a National PTA School of Excellence—Enrollment is now open!
Whether you are looking to step-up your PTA’s involvement in school improvements or something meaningful is happening between your PTA and school that deserves recognition, you will soon have a new opportunity to make a substantial, positive impact on school and student success.
We have rejuvenated the National PTA School of Excellence program to help PTAs strengthen the family-school partnership and make measurable progress together in one of three areas:
- Education
- Health and safety
- Arts and cultural exploration
At a National PTA School of Excellence, families feel welcomed and empowered to support student success, and PTA is a key partner for continuous school improvement.
What does it take to become a National PTA School of Excellence? Read more...
PTA Leaders,
The first set of curriculum for PTA Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle is now available at PTA.org! Here you will find all the materials you need to bring a PTA Family Reading Experience event to your school, Read more...
Good morning to each of you!
Today, National PTA announced an exciting new partnership with Amazon Kindle. As many of you know, literacy has always been dear to my heart, and I am thrilled that this program will help motivate and support more families as they engage in their child’s reading.
We have teamed up with Kindle to offer the PTA Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle—a set of free activities in Spanish and English that PTAs can use to organize events to engage the entire family and focus on improving reading skills between kindergarten and fifth grade.
At these events, families visit stations that highlight all of the literacy domains—phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary—using both physical books and e-books. They also receive take-home activities so they can continue to support their child’s learning outside of school.
The program is flexible so that PTAs can offer a series of events in the evenings, on the weekends, and in their schools’ classrooms—reinforcing a year-round commitment to family reading.
National PTA will make the curriculum available for PTAs nationwide starting in March—National Reading Month. Please mark your calendars according to the program roll out schedule below. To receive notification when new resources become available, please email programs@pta.org.
Roll Out Schedule
March 18 – Marketing toolkit, Leader’s Guide and On a Safari-themed activities released
April 1 – Online applications for donated e-readers available
April 10 – Under the Sea-themed activities released
April 30 – Out of this World-themed activities released
May 21 – Around the World-themed activities released
As a new National Sponsor and the “Official E-reader of the National PTA”, Amazon Kindle also will donate a limited number of e-readers to PTAs at low‐income or at‐risk Title 1 schools (i.e., schools that have a significant number of students who receive free or reduced-priced lunch) that complete an online application and commit to hosting family reading experiences. National PTA will work to ensure that PTAs with the greatest need receive the donated Kindles in time for the start of the 2013‐2014 school year.
To help answer your questions about this new partnership and the PTA Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle, we have attached a few resources to this email:
· A copy of the national news release announcing our partnership
· A Frequently Asked Questions resource, which provides additional details about the program
· A set of key messages, calls to action by audience, and sample social media messages, which will help you promote the new program within your states
· An infographic promoting family engagement in reading
· A link to the National PTA web pages (PTA.org/familyreading) where program materials will be posted. New reading tips and two sample activities are available today!
A link to the Kindle webpages (www.amazon.com/kindleforkids) where Books PTA Families Love to Read Together and other resources are available
If you have questions after reviewing these resources, please contact programs@pta.org for more information.
We have several highly visible promotions for the program planned throughout the spring, including media outreach, blogging and advertising, and we would appreciate your help to encourage participation among PTAs in your state. As you market the program and hear of plans forming, please let us know so we can help amplify your efforts and success. You can start today by liking/following @AmazonKindle and sharing these messages via social media using the hashtag #PTAfamilyreading:
· @NationalPTA and @AmazonKindle are teaming up to support family reading www.PTA.org/familyreading
· @AmazonKindle is now the Official E-reader of the @NationalPTA www.PTA.org/familyreading
· Join today to bring @NationalPTA Family Reading Experience, Powered by @AmazonKindle to your school www.PTA.org/familyreading
· Check out the @NationalPTA list of books that families love to read together: www.amazon.com/kindleforkids
· Want to inspire your child to read more? Here are 10 tips from @NationalPTA and @AmazonKindle www.amazon.com/kindleforkids
Thank you for helping to launch this incredible new partnership and program. Again, please contact programs@pta.org for more information or answers to your questions.
Warm regards,
Betsy
Betsy Landers|National PTA President
blanders@pta.org | www.pta.org
Read more...
Congratulations to our very own Meagan Gardner for her recognition as Youth Outstanding Advocate by National PTA!
ALEXANDRIA, VA. (January 30, 2013) – National PTA® today announced the recipients of its 2013 Outstanding Advocacy Awards, which honor state and local PTAs, as well as individuals for their dedication, leadership and sustained efforts to positively affect child related policy, regulation and legislation. In addition, a student will be honored this year with PTA’s first annual Youth Advocate Award.
Programs
Missouri PTA is pleased to announce that we have 9 students that have placed in five of the six art categories in the National PTA Reflections Contest. These students submitted their entries through their local PTA, and placed first at the Missouri State PTA level. Read more...
WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) - Engage men, inspire children, reduce bullying and enhance the educational environment at your school.
WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) - is the father involvement initiative of the National Center for Fathering that organizes fathers and father figures in order to provide positive male role models for the students and to enhance school security. Today, more than 2200 active programs in 40 states and New Zealand participate in the WATCH D.O.G.S. Program!
Learn more at www.fathers.com/watchdogs
We are making a difference. Let us make a difference for YOUR school. Join the WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads Of Great Students) program!
What Can A 3 Hour Promise Really Do? (Benefits For Your School)
1. When parents sign a promise card to volunteer three hours, you just gave them a reason to come into the school or ask to do things from home to support the school and its students.
2. Male involvement increases. Three for Me lends a new perception of “getting in-volved,” therefore more dads, step dads, grandfathers, and big brothers join in.
3. Parents become more in tune to the needs of the school and students.
Read more...Missouri PTA recognizes the outstanding job done by Missouri students across four grade divisions—primary, intermediate, middle/junior, and senior—in six arts categories—dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography, and visual arts. Winners were chosen from numerous submissions from students across the state who participated in this year’s program, themed “The Magic of a Moment…”
Click here to see a complete list of winners
National PTA has partnered with Safe Routes to School National Partnership and Kaiser Permanente with a new physical activity fundraising program that encourages families to walk more to and from school and in daily life while keeping track of their steps, and raising money for their PTA or school. This program is called Fire Up Your Feet and it basically provides a fun new opportunity for families to become more active while spending quality time together AND helping out their PTAs/PTSAs and schools!
Read more...
