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DDiissttrriicctt 3377 DDiiaalloogguuee

National Congress of Parents and Teachers Illinois PTA – District 37 Publication - Winter: 2010

Nicole Fentem, Director Michele Sheppard, Editor

From Our Director Its 2010 and here we are again…or should I say still? This month we celebrate Founder’s Day in honor of our predecessors who had the courage to band together and speak out on behalf of all children. It is important as an association to remember where we have been, where we are now and where we would like to be in the future. PTA will always have a reason to exist as we will always have the good of our children to secure. With this in mind, we need to continually educate ourselves on the issues that may come to be. Unfortunately, in our world, money will always be an issue and we must continue to follow the budget and the spending of federal, state and local money for the benefit of our children and their education. Currently, we are overwhelmingly consumed with the quick spread of technology and its effects on our youth. This will continue for years to come. Advocacy is our foundation and we must be sure we don’t lose focus and continually stay abreast of the issues. A great way to do this is by attending State Convention each year. Illinois PTA brings many workshops and trainings to one location all in one weekend each year. This year the annual convention will take place March 12-14 in Naperville, Illinois again. For most of us this is a short 20 minute trip down I-355 to I-88. It is close enough to come for a day. It is important enough to stay for the weekend. PTA training is an excellent use of PTA funds. Every PTA should have at least one representative in attendance. The workshops that are offered throughout the weekend promise to be great learning experiences. Please share the convention bulletin that the presidents’ received in email with your entire

membership as well as your community. Let everyone know they can also view it on the Illinois PTA website at www.illinoispta.org. Take a look at the many workshops and training opportunities and take advantage of them. Read through the proposed resolution, which is real for all of us. There is plenty of information about the eventful weekend. The website is also the place to continually check on updates for convention; registration and Friday night’s dinner can be purchased online as well. February 19th is the deadline for pre-registration. Like last year’s convention, you do not have to be a registered convention delegate to attend the exhibits which are open on both Friday and Saturday. If you are not registered, you will need to bring your PTA membership card to be allowed in the Hall free of charge. Non-PTA members may also attend our Exhibit Hall at a cost of $10 per person. I urge each of you to be a registered delegate to convention; the experience is well worth it.

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DATES TO REMEMBER

February 19, 2010 – Illinois PTA Convention

Pre-registration Deadline

March 2, 2010 – Illinois PTA Road to Success 9:30 am. at SD25 Admin. Bldg., AH March 3, 2010 – Reflections Reception

7:00 pm. at Lincoln Prairie School, SCH

March 11-14, 2010 – Illinois PTA Convention Holiday Inn Select, Naperville March 13, 2010 – District 37’s Caucus - 8:30 am.

Holiday Inn Select, Naperville

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Director’s Article Continued Very important to note is that our District 37 Caucus will be on Saturday, March 13 from 8:30am to 9:30am. We will answer questions about candidates, bylaw issues, and legislation updates. If a ballot election is needed, an explanation of the voting process will be presented. Please plan to join us for “No Green Eggs and Ham” breakfast on Saturday. Check the message board by the Hospitality table for the exact room number for our meeting. Further details will be sent separately. Convention, again, is truly important for all of us to attend, please make sure your membership is aware of it. Friday night after the dinner, Illinois PTA will be hosting an Awards event celebrating the many units who have applied and earned recognition for their successes. Remember, deadlines for these awards are February 20th so if you haven’t already filled out the applications, please do so now. District 37 is filled with phenomenal PTAs and it is my honor to serve all of you, but I challenge you to make the rest of the state recognize what a driving force our units are and the innovative thinking we continually have which seems standard to us yet new and different to others. Please share your successes. One award that Illinois PTA continually honors at convention is membership success. Remember, membership is everyone’s business! In August we implemented the 3 for Free challenge within our district. The results have been tabulated and I would like to congratulate our top three units for membership increase as of December 31, 2009. This increase has been compared to their total membership as of June 30, 2009. These are some phenomenal results. Learning Academy PTA of NWSC had a 52% increase, Winston Campus Junior High PTA of NWSC had a 22.6 % increase and Fairview PTA of STC came in third place with a 20% increase. As you can see, these are awesome increases. Two other units came in very close to third place. I applaud you for your efforts and urge all of you to continue with your membership campaign. The more voices PTA has, the more impact we can make for ALL children. These three units will be granted the opportunity to send one delegate to convention free of registration charge.

How well do you compare to the membership results listed above? The council presidents have this information and they will be sharing it with you. Many of us pale in comparison. Please know that the District 37 board is here to help you and answer any questions that you may have. If you would like any assistance in conveying the PTA message at your meetings, please contact me and we will have a representative from our board join your meeting and help your membership understand our purposes and mission. It is imperative for PTA to continue if we want our children to be our successful future. See you in Naperville!

Sincerely,

Nicole Fentem

HEALTH & SAFETY– Linda Millar

Does your PTA focus on a healthy and safe school environment? Has your PTA hosted a health fair, a child safety workshop or a nutrition program? Your PTA should consider applying for the Illinois PTA Healthy Kidz Award and/or the Juvenile Protection and Safety award. Award submission is easy. All you or your Health & Safety Chair has to do is fill out the award paperwork and submit it as directed on the award form. Deadline for submission is February 20, 2010. All awards will be presented at the Illinois PTA Convention in March. Thanks for all you do to promote the health and well being of the children in District 37.

Below is a link to the awards section of the Illinois PTA website: http://www.illinoispta.org/adobe.files/AwardsPacket09.10.pdf

ILLINOIS PTA TAX EXEMPT LETTER

The new Illinois PTA Tax Exempt letter was included on the CD in the Fall Packet. Please make sure that your chairmen have a current letter. The old letter expired in January 2010.

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TREASURER – Barb Quinn WHERE DOES CONVENTION FIT IN YOUR PTA BUDGET? Did you ever wonder WHAT your PTA has in common with other PTAs in Illinois? Did you ever wonder just WHAT the Illinois PTA really is and how it relates to your PTA? Convention is the place to have those questions (any many others) answered!

The 108th Annual Convention of the Illinois PTA will be hosted this year right down the road in Naperville at the Holiday Inn Select, March 12th through 14th. This is your opportunity!

Every PTA in Illinois is entitled to be represented at the convention based on membership as defined in the Illinois PTA Bylaws, ARTICLE XVI. How many delegates is your PTA entitled to send? Find out on page 91 of the 2009-10 Yearbook! So, let's talk about WHY it is important for your PTA to be represented at convention:

The business of the Illinois PTA is conducted at convention. In odd numbered years, officers of the association are elected at convention. Annually, representatives from the general membership are elected to serve as part of the Board Development and Nominating Committee - the committee that selects the slate recommended to lead the association. Annually, the budget of the Illinois PTA is adopted at convention. Annually, bylaw amendments are presented at the convention. Sound familiar? Each year, your PTA conducts the same business--the election of officers, the presentation and adoption of a budget, and the presentation and adoption of bylaw amendments. Isn't it important for your PTA to have a voice in the business of the association?

Preparation for leadership in your PTA is presented through various workshops, general sessions and networking with representatives from the National PTA, the Illinois PTA and PTAs all over the state. Learning about the issues, programs and opportunities that exist as part of a national and statewide network is one of the keys to success in your PTA. Advocacy, efficacy and outreach are fundamentals to being a successful PTA leader in your PTA!

Here is the question: Have you budgeted to send delegates to the 108th Annual PTA? If not, there is still time to amend your budget. If so, determine WHO will represent your PTA at convention! There is no formula to determine WHO you should send. But, here are some suggestions: board members who are currently serving as officers and/or chairman; members who are interested in serving as officers and/or chairman; members who have expressed an interest in representing your PTA! Perhaps the person who is interested in convention may just be a future leader for your PTA.

ILLINOIS PTA AWARD DEADLINES

With Illinois PTA Convention taking place in March, all applications for awards will be due in February. To simplify things as much as possible the magic deadline date is the same for all applications, with a few exceptions, of course. What is the magic date?

FEBRUARY 20, 2010

If you haven’t already begun working on your applications and events, there’s no time like the present! The following award applications must be postmarked no later than February 20, 2010:

Council Membership Increase Award Environmental Concerns Award Membership Awards PTA Founders 50 Award Keeping Our Kids Healthy Award Juvenile Protection & Safety Award Newsletter Award

Each of these applications can be found on the 2009 Fall Packet CD that each unit received recently in the mail. The applications are also available for download online at: www.illinoispta.org under the About Illinois PTA tab in the InFORMation section. Be sure to fill out each application completely and then mail it to the address listed on the application.

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MEMBERSHIP – District 37 Whose Job Is It Anyway? Far too often, we take the approach that Membership is the JOB of the chairman. But, is it really? PTA membership recruitment is the responsibility of every member--a means of telling YOUR story to family, friends and neighbors. So, how's your membership recruitment campaign going this year? Have you hit a bump? Is the road a bit rocky? Making membership a top priority has been our goal for our district. Over the past two years, we have challenged local PTAs to increase membership by 2%--KUDOS to those PTAs who reached that goal. This year, we challenged you with the "Three for Free" campaign and say CONGRATULATIONS to the three PTAs with the largest percentage increase. In thinking about how you "market" your association, what are the things that you think are important for family, friends and neighbors to know about YOUR PTA? Does your "membership campaign" begin in August and end in September? Do you ask past leaders of your PTA to join again? Do you place a great deal of emphasis on fund-raising activities? Do you place a great deal of emphasis on programs and services you provide to the students and families of your school community? Do you give people a REASON to join your PTA? Is your PTA representative of all the students in your school community? The answers to these questions may help you focus on what makes membership matter to those people who have already joined the PTA, but more importantly to those who have not joined the PTA. As the second half of the school year is now well underway, what are you doing to "recruit" members to YOUR PTA? Remember, Membership is OUR responsibility! Ask someone to join today!

SCHOLARSHIP – Jeanne Hamilton The Illinois PTA Lillian Glover Scholarship applications are available at area high schools with a deadline of February 15, 2010. Students are eligible for one 1st place scholarship for $2500 and one 2nd place scholarship for $1000. Please encourage any public school senior high school students seeking education degrees to apply for this scholarship. Many high schools have scholarship information on their websites. If you need further information, please see the Illinois PTA state website: www.illinoispta.org and look for the Scholarship information under the Program icon. Council Scholarship chairs will need to provide one council judge (usually the chair) and one administrator from their school district for judging. Judging will take place sometime between March 8-March 19. More information on the time and location will be sent to the Council Scholarship chairs in the next couple of weeks by email. Don’t forget that each school can support this wonderful scholarship program through memorial gifts, direct donations or by purchasing any of the following recognitions through Illinois State PTA:

• Illinois PTA Life Membership • Book of Recognition • Distinguished Service Scroll • Certificate of Recognition • Local Unit Educator of the Year • Scholarship Gift Cards • PTA Note Cards • In Memoriam Cards • Scholarship Charms & Jewelry • Past District Director’s Pin • Convention Promotional Items • Gifts of T.H.A.N.K.S

These awards are wonderful ways to recognize your community, volunteers, and staff. Why not give a gift that gives twice? If each unit purchased or donated $75 for these recognitions each year, the annual Scholarship Award program would be fully funded. Please do your part in District 37. More information on the awards is also available on the Illinois PTA website under the Scholarship icon.

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TECHNOLOGY – Brent Fentem Source: www.commonsensemedia.org

By Caroline Knorr January 20, 2010 What Makes a Difference in Kids' Media Lives? You. For parents concerned about the impact that media has in their kids' lives, the latest Kaiser Family Foundation media use study brings good news. Kids whose parents make an effort to curb media use -- either through setting up time limits or by limiting access itself -- spend less time with media.

Sure, kids will fight your decision to limit screen time, and they'll whine and wheedle to get you to change your mind about not seeing Avatar or buying T-rated games. But it turns out that standing firm against the media tide and managing your family's media use (instead of it managing you) really does make a difference in kids' lives.

We know it's not always easy to come up with ways to insert yourself into your kids lives, but with a little advanced planning -- and our five tips -- you can take center stage 5 Tips to Get More Involved 1. Start good habits early. Establish boundaries. Start when your kids are young by restricting access to media: Turn the phone off during homework. IM, too. And keep an eye on the clock. The secret to healthy media use is to establish time limits and stick to them.

2. Use media together. For older kids, talk about what you see, hear, and read. Whenever you can, watch, play, listen, and surf with your kids. Talk about the content, and stay engaged with what your kids are doing online -- and on the go. Share your values, and help kids connect what they learn in the media to events and other activities in which they're involved, in order to broaden their understanding of the world.

3. Keep distractions to a minimum. Try to help kids do one thing at a time. For older kids, make sure that social networking and chatting happen after homework is over -- or at timed intervals.

4. Be a role model. When kids are around, set an example by using media the way you want them to use it. Keep mobile devices away from the dinner table, turn the TV off when it's not actively being watched, and use a DVR to record shows that may be inappropriate for your kids (even the news) and watch them at a later time when kids aren't around.

5. Seek balance. If our kids are going to thrive with digital media, balance is key. They'll be exposed to the good, bad, and ugly. Help kids develop responsible media habits and good digital citizenship so they can pursue their interests with media savvy. SECRETARY – Michele Sheppard

PTA minutes are extremely important which makes your role as secretary equally important. It is about halfway thru the school year, so how are your minutes coming along?

Are you keeping an accurate unbiased record of the business? Are you recording the date of approval on the minutes? The minutes with the date of approval constitute the official set of minutes which need to be kept forever in the PTA records. If you have questions when preparing your minutes, the Robert Rules of Order website is a great source of information. The following is an excerpt from the website, http://www.robertsrules.com/faq.html15.

Question 15: Isn't it necessary to summarize matters discussed at a meeting in the minutes of that meeting in order for the minutes to be complete?

Answer: Not only is it not necessary to summarize matters discussed at a meeting in the minutes of that meeting, it is improper to do so. Minutes are a record of what was done at a meeting, not a record of what was said. [RONR (10th ed.), p. 451, l. 25-28; see also p. 146 of RONR In Brief.]

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LEGISLATION – Paula Saban Three items are of particular note for this edition of the newsletter: 1. Illinois PTA is planning a “virtual lobby event” to be held during the Speak Up, Speak Out Week of April 19 – April 23, 2010. This will be an exciting opportunity for us to talk to our legislators, tell them of our

concerns, and hear their responses to our questions--all without traveling to Springfield! We will be able to talk with our legislators via phone, e-mail, or fax. Of course, traveling to Springfield to speak with them in person is also an option. Details for our first ever “virtual lobby event” will be rolled out over the next several weeks and will be posted in the Illinois PTA Bulletin, on the website, and, of course, at the Illinois PTA convention March 12-March14 at the Holiday Inn Select, in Naperville. 2. The Illinois State Board of Education met the deadline for filing application for the Obama Administration’s Race to the Top. The state could be in line for as much as $400 million dollars if selected. Lawmakers report that the key to Illinois’ Race to the Top request is linking teacher and principal evaluations to student performance, citing Education Secretary Arne Duncan’s clear edict that evaluation and performance must be linked to be awarded the funds. Expected timeframe for hearing if Illinois is to be one of the states awarded Race to the Top funds is April, 2010. 3. The Illinois State Board of Education has laid out three separate scenarios with regard to the 2011 Fiscal Budget:

• $1 Billion Reduction – assumes no new funds would be available in FY 2011 to offset the nearly $1 billion received in FY 2010 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) State Fiscal Stabilization.

• Level Funding – assumes the State would approve new funds to replace the General Revenue Funds received from the American

Recovery and Reinvestment Act in FY 2010.

• Full Needs Funding – assumes funding per

the Education Funding Advisory Board (EFAB) methodology. The scenario involved restoring some budget line items that had been cut in FY2010 back to FY 2009 level.

While the State Board of Education favors Level Funding, we encourage you to visit the State Board of Education website to review the entire budget and proposed funding scenarios. School board members and administrators will be able to explain how these funding alternatives would play in specific districts.

You are cordially invited to the

DISTRICT 37 CAUCUS

“No Green Eggs and Ham”

Saturday, March 13, 2010

8:30 – 9:30 AM

Holiday Inn Select, Naperville

Everyone is invited.

Come hear about the resolutions and bylaws

changes to be considered at convention.

Meet with other District 37 members and share ideas.

There is a charge of $5 per person for breakfast,

payable in advance.

Watch the District 37 website, www.ilpta-d37.org for more detail.

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RESOLUTIONS – Illinois PTA Legislation Committee Reprinted from the Illinois PTA 2010 Convention Bulletin Please share and discuss the resolution below with your local unit/council prior to convention. We will be considering the proposed resolution on Saturday, March 13, 2010, of the Illinois PTA Convention during General Session. Come and share your voice and vote on issues affecting our children. The Legislation Policies Committee has reviewed these resolutions and in its opinion they both meet the printed criteria for consideration by the convention body. RESOLUTION ON THE DANGERS OF

INAPPROPRIATE USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

Whereas the Illinois PTA holds a continuing position regarding the prevention of bullying; Whereas Item 7a of the Illinois PTA Legislation Platform provides support for the protection, health and welfare of children and youth; Whereas cyber bullying is willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices; Whereas certain characteristics inherent in new technologies increase the likelihood that they will be exploited to cause harm to others; e.g.

electronic bullies can remain “virtually” anonymous

internet venues can make it very difficult for adolescents to determine the identity of aggressors

individuals can hide behind some measure of anonymity when using electronic devices to bully another individual

cyber bullies do not have to deal with the immediate emotional, psychological or physical effects of face-to-face bullying on their victims

hurtful or humiliating content can be sent to a large number of people in a short period of time;

Whereas in a cyber safety survey conducted by the Illinois Attorney General, the first of its kind to focus exclusively on youth from all across Illinois in grades 3 to 12,

24.34% reported receiving an inappropriate picture of someone over a cell phone or computer; this statistic rises to 40.93% in grades 7 – 12.

18.55% reported having been threatened by someone online or by text

21.20% reported ever feeling uncomfortable with a conversation they have had with someone online or by text

25.15% reported having said something inappropriate to someone online or by text

24.53% reported having ever been approached by a stranger online or by text

Resolved that the Illinois PTA will maintain up-to-date information regarding evolving trends in the dangers inherent with inappropriate use of electronic communications by children and youth and disseminate this information to its constituent associations; Resolved that the Illinois PTA will work with other like-minded organizations to raise awareness of the dangers inherent in inappropriate use of electronic communications; and Resolved that the Illinois PTA will seek to raise awareness of legislation regarding electronic communications and its specific implications regarding consequences and affect on future opportunities for children and youth – supporting legislation which aligns with our platform and positions in protecting children and youth. Submitted by the Illinois PTA Legislation Policies Committee

Registration Form for the 108th Annual PTA Convention and additional information are

available on the Illinois PTA website, www.illinoispta.org.

To qualify for reduced rates all registrations

must be sent in one envelope and be members of the same local PTA unit.

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REFLECTIONS – Joan Scovic Reflections enjoyed another successful year in District 37! 1,464 projects were received at the local units throughout the district. Judging of the projects took place at the local, council and district levels, and now 69 projects are advancing to Illinois State PTA to represent our District 37. The following projects have advanced:

District 37 PHOTOGRAPHY Gr. Name School Council 2 Riley Brock Stuart R. Paddock PTA NWSC 2 Andrew Graham Nathan Hale PTA STC 4 Jillian Jordan Stuart R. Paddock PTA NWSC 4 Tyler Mercurio Link PTA AHC 4 Pierce Allord Pleasant Hill PTA NWSC 5 Austin Mathews Thomas Jefferson PTA NWSC 5 Eric Bennes Thomas Jefferson PTA NWSC 5 Miley Wiegold Hunting Ridge PTA NWSC 5 Alyssa Plank Hunting Ridge PTA NWSC 6 Amanda Check Kimball Hill PTA NWSC 6 Bradley Kolar Winston Campus Elem. PTA NWSC 8 Trevor Morrison South Middle School AHC

District 37 VISUAL ARTS Gr. Name School Council K Maggie Wu Stuart R. Paddock PTA NWSC 1 Yuwen Li Pleasant Hill PTA NWSC 1 Navya Esanakarra Fairview Elementary PTA STC 3 Veronica Lesak Patton PTA AHC 4 Vanshika Ramesh Pleasant Hill PTA NWSC 5 Bailey Hooker Thomas Jefferson PTA NWSC 6 Lisa Chen Central Road PTA NWSC 6 Kateri Baranowski South Middle School AHC 7 Shraddha Patel Robert Frost PTA STC 8 Lizzy Oi Walter R. Sundling PTA NWSC 8 Pranav Padmanabha Keller Junior High STC 8 Daniel Rosser Robert Frost PTA STC

District 37 LITERATURE Gr. Name School Council K Abby Moore Kimball Hill PTA NWSC K Delaney Garcea Stuart R. Paddock PTA NWSC 2 Michael Doulas Olive Mary Stitt PTA AHC 2 Emma Forman Virginia Lake PTA NWSC 3 Monica Wong Ivy Hill PTA AHC 4 Abby Citterman Winsdor PTA AHC 4 Maximillian Clark Stuart R. Paddock PTA NWSC 6 Annie Zheng Pleasant Hill PTA NWSC 7 Andrea Storey Mead Jr. High STC 7 Lisa Kehe Walter R. Sundling PTA NWSC 8 Lizzy Oi Walter R. Sundling PTA NWSC 8 Robert Bach Robert Frost PTA STC

District 37 DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY Gr. Name School Council K Elizabeth Doulas Olive Mary Stitt PTA AHC 1 Rebecca Wallace Enders-Salk PTA STC 2 Mary Tang Frank C. Whiteley PTA NWSC 2 Sarah Zhou Stuart R. Paddock PTA NWSC 4 Haley Skiko Patton PTA AHC 4 Kayla Kowalski Virginia Lake PTA NWSC 5 Katie Payne Ivy Hill PTA AHC 5 Jillian Hansen Patton PTA AHC 5 Jami Knopp Lincoln PTA NWSC

District 37FILM/VIDEO PRODUCTION Gr. Name School Council K Abaigeal James Stuart R. Paddock PTA NWSC 2 Nicolle Byrgiel Anne Fox PTA STC 3 Sidra Capriolo Frederick Nerge PTA STC 4 Arden Mroz Hoover PTA STC 4 Brianna Woodfork Virginia Lake PTA NWSC 4 Emily Jaszka Ivy Hill PTA AHC 4 Ryan Marr Windsor PTA AHC 5 Erika Jaszka Ivy Hill PTA AHC 6 Michelle Domanski Frederick Nerge PTA STC 6 Patrick Stach Virginia Lake PTA NWSC 7 Ian Joseph Eisenhower Jr. High PTA STC 8 George George Sundling Jr. High PTA NWSC

District 37 MUSICAL COMPOSITION Gr. Name School Council 2 Dylan Cardoza Central Road PTA NWSC 3 Claire Baudouin Windsor PTA AHC 4 Adam Chung Marion Jordan PTA NWSC 4 Krislyn Cardoza Hoover PTA STC 4 Shouki Rohbock Dooley PTA STC 5 Lauren Cardoza Central Road PTA NWSC 5 Adam Mead Windsor PTA AHC 5 Maximillian Weiss Olive Mary Stitt PTA AHC 6 Emily Jia Frank C. Whiteley PTA NWSC 7 Kristen Cardoza Carl Sandburg PTA NWSC 8 Akanksha Shah Mead Jr. High PTA STC 8 Alex Shozda Robert Frost PTA STC

The District 37 PTA Reflections Reception is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, March 3rd at 7:00pm at Lincoln Prairie School. The

school is located at 500 West Hillcrest in Hoffman Estates. All students with projects moving from District 37 PTA to Illinois State PTA will be individually recognized at the event. All are invited to attend! We hope to see you there. Thank you for all of your support of the arts this year!

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LEADERSHIP – Tom Goodrich

I hope everyone had a wonderful winter break and found time to spend with friends and family. January begins our journey to the end of the school year. Besides all the events our PTAs organize and do, we also have to concentrate on planning for next year. Our nominating committees are taking shape and we begin to build the executive committee and board positions for next year. As your 2010-11 board begins to be put together, a great way to help them succeed is to have every member obtain leadership training though our PTA courses - Road to Success, Money Matters, Presidents Course and PTA and the Law. PTA training course can lay the foundation to a successful year. Another great way to prepare for next year is to complete your procedure books before the end of the school year. As each committee completes their activities, updating the procedure book will ensure next year’s officer or chairman will have a clear picture of responsibilities and history from the past years. What is a procedure book? It is a file containing information describing an office or chairmanship; when and how the job should be done; past reports with successes and failures; resources; and suggestions for the future. Each procedure book is the property of the association, not that of any one person. It is a guide to help facilitate the work of the PTA and allow future officers and chairmen to build upon past successes. A procedure book should contain:

• Your name, address, phone, and years of your term

• A copy of the bylaws/standing rules, current budget, calendar and your plan of work

• Directory of local unit board members, state, council and district counterparts, and a list of your committee members

• Pertinent information from the National, Illinois, Council, and District PTAs; a list of appropriate resources

• Newsletters, flyers, newspaper and magazine articles, with those sections highlighted which pertain to your position

• Relevant workshop and conference notes

• Copies of all reports, including an annual report describing successes and pitfalls encountered;

• All pertinent correspondence • Evaluation of the year's work with

suggestions for improvements (i.e. your end of the year report)

Each board member should have and maintain an up-to-date procedure book for their position, and bring it to every meeting of the organization and the committee. It should be in a loose-leaf notebook, binder or folder with pockets. Each procedure book must be given to the president, or the newly elected officer or chairman at the end of the term of office. Including your electronic files on a CD will help your successor not have to recreate documents. Include all necessary information, so that anyone can successfully conduct an activity by just reading the book. The procedure book may be the only history of the position and is part of the history of the organization. Keep this in mind before discarding anything. The procedure book should include all information for each activity for which an officer or committee is responsible. Items to consider including are (it will vary depending on the position or activity): Planning

• Primary Purpose • Background information • Specific and measurable goals to be

accomplished • Specific materials, supplies and resources

required • Potential problems and solutions • Approved budget • Timeline of tasks that need to be

accomplished to be successful

Implementation and Evaluation • Revisions to the original plan • Solutions or recommendations for next

year’s officer or chairperson • Evaluate the goals you set in the planning

phase

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LEADERSHIP – continued The procedure book can be a valuable PTA tool to allow each year to build from the past - not wasting time “reinventing the wheel”. Excerpts from: Council Handbook 7/98, STC edited 05/07 We will be adding training course throughout the year. Do you have special training your PTA could use? Drop me an email at tgoodrich@ync.net and we can make it reality. If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. - John Quincy Adams

Ensuring Every Child’s Future by

Engaging Every Child’s Family

NEWSLETTER – Michele Sheppard The Illinois PTA will again present Outstanding PTA Newsletter Awards at the 2010 Illinois PTA Convention in the categories of Local Unit,

Council, and District. Each newsletter MUST meet the following criteria to be eligible for judging: It must be a PTA-sponsored newsletter, with an

easily identifiable PTA title. The correct PTA logo and tagline must be included in the flag. It can be found on the members’ section of the Illinois PTA website (www.illinoispta.org), or National PTA website (www.pta.org) along with directions for its use. It may be the generic logo and tagline, or may be customized for your PTA.

The PTA president’s message must be prominent;

It must contain material from the BOTH Illinois PTA and National PTA, reprinted or rewritten, AND the source credited;

It must contain information about PTA committees, activities and events. (fundraising is not an event)

The content cannot include material that is not consistent with the PTA’s 501 c 3 status (i.e. advertisements or logos for local businesses, etc. are not allowed under our not-for-profit status, this includes Market Day. You are allowed to thank any sponsors for their donation.)

Local Units and Councils must be a PTA in good standing with the Illinois PTA.

The use of periods in PTA will disqualify any newsletters.

One (1) copy of three (3) different issues of the newsletter from the current school year must be submitted.

Entries postmarked after the deadline date WILL NOT be considered.

Newsletters that meet the above criteria will then be evaluated on Content (65%), Format (20%), and Inclusiveness (15%). Check out the complete newsletter award criteria at www.illinoispta.org. Entries must be postmarked by February 20, 2010.

You are Cordially Invited…

Calling ALL District 37 PTA members!

Arlington Heights Council, Northwest Suburban Council and Schaumburg Township Council invite you to relax and enjoy good company with us at Convention. We are hosting a Hospitality Suite that will be at your service to: Hang up your coat Grab a free water & some snacks Be a meeting/check in place for your group Meet other PTA people from our area Put your feet up Stash your freebies Meet new friends and make connections

Be sure to stop by and visit. See you in Naperville!

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DISTRICT 37 COUNCIL CORNER

Schaumburg Township Council of PTAs First and Ten…Bid Again for Scholarships The beginning of the new year means the Schaumburg Township Council is busily getting two of our favorite programs underway - our Scholarship Programs and our annual Auction to benefit the scholarship fund. Applications for the STCs High School Scholarship are available right now at our website and at the College and Career Centers throughout School District 211. Eligible students must be graduating seniors that attended a School District 54 elementary school for one year and a School District 54 junior high for two years. Due to careful management of the scholarship fund in the last few years, STC had a surplus in that fund, so this year we were able to increase the amount of the twelve scholarships we will give to $2000. In an effort to get the word out about the scholarships, we have publicized the applications on our website, through an email campaign, and at the high schools. We’ve even launched a new Facebook group “I’m a Senior that attended District 54 and I need $2000 to go to College.” Applications for the STC High School scholarship can be found at http://www.stcofpta.org/scholarship.htm and are due January 27. STC also runs an Elementary Summer Scholarship Program. For this program, School District 54 students must be in grades 4-7 to apply, and one parent must be a PTA member by November 1, 2009. Scholarships pay for half (up to $250) of a summer camp, program or activity. Applications for that program will be out soon. To raise money for both of these worthwhile programs, STC hold an Auction with all proceeds going to our Scholarship Fund. This year’s First and Ten…Bid Again will have a casual football theme. We’ll be auctioning off sports tickets, hotel stays, services, gift baskets, handmade gifts and opportunities to shadow officials from both school and the political world. It should be a great night

for kids and for PTA – the Pro Bowl of fundraisers. We’re hoping for a big SCORE for the students of School District 54!

Mary Kay Prusnick STC President

Arlington Heights Council of PTAs DISTRICT 25 RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION:

Championing Success for All Children

Arlington Heights District 25 administrators and staff have been working for many months on implementing Response to Intervention (RtI) in our schools. What is Response to Intervention? It is the process of providing intervention to students who are in need of academic or behavioral support. It is a state mandated process designed to help schools provide high quality instruction and interventions to students who may be struggling with learning or underperforming. An intervention is a specific type of instruction that is used to help with a specific type of problem. RtI includes classroom instruction, small group interventions, and individual student interventions. District 25 provides a continuum of interventions that range in intensity and cross subject areas. A majority of students receive instructional interventions from their classroom teacher in a general education setting. Students requiring more intensive interventions are often grouped together for additional instruction, reinforcement, enrichment, extensions and/or support. These interventions may be delivered by the classroom teacher or other support personnel. We are proud as PTA Council Presidents to be included in the planning and implementing of this process in our schools. For additional information and to see the District 25 RtI brochure where the above information was provided, please visit our District 25 website at www.sd25.org/about_us/rti.

Sue Coops and Joyce Stenzel AHC Co-presidents

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DISTRICT 37 BOARD Director Nicole Fentem nfentem@ilpta-d37.org Secretary/ Michele Sheppard Newsletter mls1960@aol.com Treasurer Barbara Quinn BQuinnPTA@aol.com Health/Safety Linda Millar linmillar@comcast.net Hospitality Terrie Poczatek tpocz@sbcglobal.net Leadership Tom Goodrich tgoodrich@ync.net Legislation Paula Saban paulasaban@comcast.net Membership Liz Chlopowicz chlopie@wowway.com Parent Ed. Cindy Giambarberee Pcgia@sbcglobal.net Reflections Joan Scovic jscovic@sbpd.org Scholarship Jeanne Hamilton hamiltonjeanne@comcast.net Technology Brent Fentem bfentem@ilpta-d37.org AHC Sue Coops

suecoops@yahoo.com Joyce Stenzel

jmstenzel@aol.com

NWSC Lynn Topp Lynnietopp1@aol.com STC Mary Kay Prusnick mprusnick@hotmail.com

NATIONAL PTA NEWS Reprinted from National PTA Local Leaders News, December 2009 PTA Take Your Family to School Week: How Will You Engage Families?

A science discovery day. Reading circles. Art fairs. Lunch dates. Volunteer days. Curriculum-based games. Workshops on supporting students' academic and social success. Bullying and violence prevention. Class visits.

These are just a few of the activities PTAs are planning for PTA Take Your Family to School Week, February 7-13, 2010. What are you planning to connect parents to their children's education?

Web banners and a customizable poster to help you promote your events are available at PTA.org/FamilyToSchool. Also check out the membership form/family involvement flier and "Follow the Signs to Family Involvement" posters. If you're just getting started, read about some of the 2009 events for inspiration and ideas.

Thirty-two PTA schools received awards of $1,897 for their planned PTA Take Your Family to School Week events.

Awards funded by AXA Foundation, Proud National Sponsor of PTA.

NATIONAL PTA CONVENTION June 9 thru 15, 2010 Memphis, Tennessee

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Thursday, March 11, 2010 Registration 5:00 pm-10:00 pm Pre-Convention Workshops 6:00 pm-9:00 pm Money Matters PTA Road to Success (English and Spanish) Train the Trainers (By invitation only) Chit Chat with the Chief (7:30-9:00 pm) Friday, March 12, 2010 Registration 8:00 am-8:00 pm PTA Store & Scholarship 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Workshop Session I 10:15 am – 11:45 am Exhibits 11:30 am – 1:30 pm 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm Workshop Session II 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Workshop Session III 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm PTA Awards Dinner Dinner 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Awards 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm “Fun Fair” 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm Sponsored by Fun Services Illinois Saturday, March 13, 2010 Registration 7:30 am – 9:15 am 11:45 am – 12:30 pm 1:00 pm – 6:30 pm PTA Store & Scholarship 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (Closed during General Session) Exhibits 8:00 am – 5:30 pm (Closed during General Session) Kids’ Kamp 8:00 am – 11:30 am 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Welcome First Timers 8:00 am – 8:30 am District Caucus 8:30 am – 9:30 am

Saturday, March 13, 2010 continued General Session I 9:45 am – 11:30 am Ask the Experts 11:30 am – 1:00 pm Workshop Session IV 1:00 pm – 2:15 pm Elections 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm Workshop Session V 2:15 pm – 3:45 pm Town Hall Meeting 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm Dinner (on your own) 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm General Session II 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm Sunday, March 14, 2010 Registration 8:00 am – 9:30 pm PTA Store & Scholarship 8:00 am – 1:00 pm Kids’ Kamp 8:00 am – 10:30 am Inspirational Service 9:00 am – 9:30 am Workshop Session VI 9:30 am – 11:00 am Reflections Celebration 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Enjoy the Reflections Exhibit

Throughout the Convention!

Pre-Registration Deadline is February 19, 2010

Illinois PTA Hotel Reservation

Rate ($99.00/night plus tax) Deadline is

February 19, 2010

108th Annual Illinois PTA Convention at a Glance March 13– 15, 2009

Photos from Illinois PTA Convention 2009