On April 4, ECCPTA hosted the Student of the Year ceremony at Washington High. Baptist Health Care was our major sponsor for this event which saw awards given to 60 local students. On April 6, we published a special legislative newsletter

with an overview of U.S. House Bill 610 and statements from Rep. Matt Gaetz and Superintendent Malcolm Thomas. This bill aims to distribute federal funds for elementary and secondary education in the form of vouchers for eligible students and to repeal a certain rule relating to nutrition standards in schools. The newsletter was widely distributed and can be found on our ECCPTA website as well as our Facebook page. While PTA is a nonpartisan organization, advocacy is at our core, and we believe it is important for parents, teachers and community members to stay informed about legislation that would have an impact on our schools. On April 22, we had a team representing ECCPTA walk in the annual March of

Dimes Walk for Babies! On April 28, we supported the kid’s cooking class, Hunger for Justice, at the

Woodland Heights Resource Center.

President – Michelle Salzman1st Vice President – Anessa Flannigan

2nd Vice President – Sally BergoshSecretary – Debbie Malsberger

Treasurer – Samarys KervinArea Vice Presidents – Cat Grantham,

Peuschel Schneier, Kirsten Efird, Brittney Cruise

Immediate Past President – Brigette Brooks

ECCPTA Board, 2016-17

SAVE THE DATE!

2017 Florida PTA Annual Leadership Conference

July 13-17Innisbrook Resort,

Palm Harbor, FL

Registration is now open online at www.floridapta.org.

More details, last page.

The newsletter of the Escambia County Council of PTAs/PTSAs

April/May 2017 Vol. X Issue No. 5

∼ Calendar ∼April4 Student of the Year ceremony, 6 p.m., Washington High School18 ECCPTABoardmeeting,11:30a.m., HallCenter,room14018 SchoolBoardmeeting,5:30p.m., HallCenter,room160

May1-5 NationalTeacherAppreciationWeek12 ECCPTA Awards Banquet, 6-9 p.m., Heritage Hall, Seville Quarter16 ECCPTA Taste of Training, 9-11 a.m., HallCenter,room13016 SchoolBoardmeeting,5:30p.m., HallCenter,room16013 BattleoftheBooks,8a.m.-noon, Washington High School24 Last day for students – half day25-26 HighSchoolGraduations29 Memorial Day holiday

Note: School district offices will be closed on Fridays during the summer.

ECCPTA working until the very end!C O U N T Y C O U N C I L U P D AT E

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ECCPTAFL/

Twitter: @eccptanews

Website: www.EscambiaPTA.org

Connect with us:

matters

PTA Matters is a publication of the Escambia County Council of PTAs/PTSAs.

It is published bimonthly. Submissions are welcome. Send to:

kirstenefirdpta@gmail.com.The next deadline is July 30.

ECCPTA • J.E. Hall Center • 30 E. Texar Dr. Pensacola, FL 32503

2017-2018 Slate of Officers and Committee Chairs for Escambia County Council of PTAs/PTSAs 2017-18

The Nominating Committee has brought forth the following names for consideration:President: Michelle Salzman

1st VP: Tori Woods2nd VP: Pueschel Schneider

Area VPs: Anessa Flannigan, Catheryn Grantham, Debbie Malsberger, Jameque DavisTreasurer: Samarys Kervin

Treasurer Assistant: April PawlessSecretary: Jolene French

Legislative: Dennis MillsReflections: Kim Chandler and Pueschel SchneierHospitality: Amy SandersExceptional Student: Debbie MalsbergerLeadership: Brigette BrooksWays & Means: Mary EnglehartAwards Chair: Tori Woods

Health & Safety: Tori Woods and Angel BradleyStudent of the Year: Sally Bergosh and Angel BradleyIT/WEB: Phillip SalzmanNewsletter: Kirsten EirdStudent Rep: David SchneierTeacher Rep: Kayla Henderson

The proposed Slate of Officers will be presented, and any nominations from the floor heard, on May 12 at the Awards Banquet at Heritage Hall.

2 April/May 2017mattersmatters

2017-18 Theme: “Within Reach”

Congrats, Escambia Reflections winners!Congratulations to the 14 Escambia County students who won awards at the state

level for Reflections! Awards of Merit are state awards; Awards of Excellence move on to national judging! All Reflections winners will be on display at the Florida PTA Convention at Innisbrook in July.

Visual ArtsAvian Sanders, West Florida High School,

Award of Merit, High School divisionKhuyen Tran, Bailey Middle, Award of

Merit, Middle School divisionMadilyn Lewing-Merchant, Cordova

Park Elementary, Award of Merit, Primary division

Music CompositionHayley Seligman, Washington High,

Award of Excellence, High School divisionJonathan French, Ransom Middle,

Award of Merit, Middle School divisionTucker Philley, Ransom Middle, Award

of Merit, Middle School divisionSrinidhi Rao, Cordova Park Elementary,

Award of Merit, Primary division

LiteratureWilliam Kent, Cordova Park Elementary,

Award of Merit, Intermediate divisionAlexandria Drea, Ransom Middle,

Award of Excellence, Middle School divisionMaile Apongan, Bailey Middle, Award of

Merit, Middle School division

PhotographyOliver Cantrell, Beulah Elementary,

Award of Merit, Primary division

Charlotte Nesmith, N.B. Cook Elemen-tary, Award of Merit, Intermediate division

Mason Rhea, Bailey Middle School, Award of Merit, Middle School division

Walton Kent, Cordova Park Elementary, Award of Excellence, Primary division

Treasurers’ notes for the end of the yearPTA’s fiscal year is July 1 through June 30.

Here’s a checklist to help you with finalizing your finances for the school year.Remit all state and national dues to

Florida PTA. The final dues payment is due May 1. Be sure to email FPTA at membership.data@floridapta.org the number of unsold membership cards to be destroyed. There is no need to return unsold cards to FPTA. Pay all outstanding bills by the last day

of school to allow time for the checks to clear the bank. Prepare the Annual Financial Review

(PTA Audit) Report. All PTAs must conduct a financial review annually after the books close on June 30. A financial review is an examination of the financial books and records. It serves to certify that receipts and expenditures, as authorized in the minutes, are in conformity with bylaws, standing rules, and budget limitations. A financial review determines the accuracy of the books, detects incon-sistencies or errors, provides recommendations for corrective action, protects the officers, veri-fies that funds were sent through channels as appropriate, and as-sures the general membership that the PTA’s resources were managed in a businesslike manner within the regulations established for their use.

a. The audit is conducted by an appointed and impartial audit committee of three non-check signers or by an outside auditor. The report should start with beginning cash balance and finish with the ending cash balance.

b. Refer to either “Finance Quick Reference Guide” at www.pta.org or Florida PTA Dollars and Sense (page 39) on how to conduct a finan-cial review. The financial review is to be done after the books close June 30 and covers the entire fiscal year.

c. The Treasurer should deliver to the committee the following: Copy of the prior year’s financial review

(audit report)Current bylaws and standing rules Monthly Treasurer’s Reports

All original financial docu-mentation: bank statements, deposit slips, deposit count forms, cancelled or carbon checks, receipts, check request forms, any reconciliations and supporting documentation

Checkbook (including voided checks) Original and amended budgets Copies of minutes showing budget

approval and amendments from General

Meetings Treasury Ledger Report for

all accountsAnnual Financial Report Any other information as

requested by audit committeed. Submit a copy of the signed

financial review to the school bookkeeper if you are required to in your county (each county has

different reporting requirements.)e. Submit a copy of the financial review by

Sept. 30 to audit@floridapta.org.f. The financial review is presented to and

adopted by the General Membership at the first meeting next year. After the close of the fiscal year, the

retiring treasurer should file the appropriate 990 form with the IRS. The absolute deadline for filing these forms is Nov. 15. Transfer all records, reports, and files

to the incoming Treasurer. After the new officers have been elected, work with the incoming Treasurer to change the signers on the bank account. You will need a copy of the minutes showing the names of the elected officers. The incoming treasurer will chair the

budget committee for the next year.If you have any questions, feel free to con-

tact me, Katrena McMahan, at treasurer@floridapta.org.

3 April/May 2017mattersmatters

Celebrate your success: Apply for state awards!

The 2017 Florida PTA Award deadline is May 1, so you still have time to apply for the following categories easily online. We know that our local units are doing a great job but you can’t win if you don’t apply. Presentation of the awards will be at the annual Leadership/Convention in Innisbrook, July 13-15. Advocacy Award PTSA Recognition Award Diversity & Inclusion Program Award Safety Program Award Friends of the Environment Award Student Advocate Award Literacy Award Student Community Service Award Local Unit Achievement Award Student Involvement Award Mentor-A-PTA Award Thomas Newsletter Award Outstanding Principal of the Year Nomination Volunteer Award Program Award 500+ PTA Service Award

Find all the awards forms online at: http://floridapta.org/programs/recognition

– Jenny DyessFlorida PTA Awards Chair

Scenes from Founders Day

Booker T. Washington High School11 a.m. Thursday, May 25, Pensacola Bay Center

Pensacola High School2:30 p.m. Thursday, May 25, Pensacola Bay Center

Escambia High School6 p.m. Thursday, May 25, Pensacola Bay Center

Pine Forest High School11 a.m. Friday, May 26, Pensacola Bay Center

West Florida High School2:30 p.m. Friday, May 26, Pensacola Bay Center

J.M. Tate High School6 p.m. Friday, May 26, Pensacola Bay Center

Northview High School4 p.m. Saturday, May 27, Northview High School

Graduations will be Live Streamed and then will be added

to the District’s Youtube page. www.youtube.com/c/ECSDFlorida

Live streaming is a great way for military parents who are deployed and family members who are not able to attend to participate. In

addition, graduates can go back and watch their ceremony and get a closer view of the activities on stage, listen to a speaker’s message

again, or watch a friend from another high school graduate.

High school graduation dates

Thanks to our most recent sponsors!

Feb. 17, The Wright Place, First UMC, downtown Pensacola

4 April/May 2017matters

Esca

mbi

a Co

unty

Cou

ncil

of P

TAs/

PTSA

sJ.

E. H

all C

ente

r30

E. T

exar

Dr.

Pens

acol

a, F

L 32

503

April4 Student of the Year ceremony, 6 p.m., Washington High School18 ECCPTA Board meeting, 11:30 a.m., Hall Center, room 14018 School Board meeting, 5:30 p.m., Hall Center, room 160

May1-5 National Teacher Appreciation Week6 Sunshine Math Competition, 9 a.m.-noon, Washington High School12 ECCPTA Awards Banquet and Elections, 6 p.m., Heritage Hall, Seville Quarter16 ECCPTA Taste of Training, 9-11 a.m. Hall Center, room 130. Bring your 2017-18 board to prepare now for a successful year!16 School Board meeting, 5:30 p.m., Hall Center, room 16013 Battle of the Books, 8 a.m.- noon, Washington High School24 Last day for students – half day25-26 High School Graduations29 Memorial Day holiday

Save the Date! Florida PTA Annual Leadership Convention, July 14-17, Innisbrook Resort, Palm Harbor, Fla. Registration is now available online at flapta.org. Registration is $85 before June 2; $105 June 3-July11; and $130 after July 12. ECCPTA Leadership Training “Boot Camp,” 8 a.m.-noon, Aug. 19, Pen-sacola State College (NEW location!). FREE event with free childcare, breakfast, lunch, giveaways! Plan now for your entire board to attend. There are classes for every board position, free giveaways, breakfast, lunch and childcare too. Be on the lookout for information this summer!

ECCPTA Events Calendar

ECCPTA AWARDS AND ELECTIONS

6 p.m. Friday, May 12 Heritage Hall in Seville Quarter

148 E. Government St.

Bring your board and party like rock stars! Dinner, DJ, dancing, door prizes! Dress like your favorite actor

or rock star – fun, not formal!$20 per person

Remember, all units who have paid county dues receive one free ticket!

RSVP no later than May 5 to michelle@sysctl.net

Training Date

Tuesday, May 16 9 a.m.-11 a.m.J.E. Hall Center

Room 130

RSVP no later than noon

the day before to president@ eccpta.org

Next Taste of TrainingInvite your incoming board to a Taste of

Training session! ECCPTA will be offering one from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, May 16, at the Hall Center. Please encourage your new board to attend to get prepared for a suc-cessful next school year!

Come learn what is new, what is helpful, and what is required. Two hours prepara-tion in May will save you countless hours of extra work in September!

This is a great time to network with other PTAs and share ideas. A light meal will be provided.

Get your 2017-18 PTA Board off to a great start! All PTA board members are invited!