2012 Convention

The main purpose of the California State PTA Convention is to offer educational workshops and to conduct the business of the state PTA. Convention is also an excellent PTA investment, the ultimate leadership experience, and a PTA budget expense upon approval of your association. Check this site often for information regarding the upcoming Fifth District orientation meeting and other resources to help you plan your trip.

Convention Orientation and District Annual Meeting

Saturday, April 28, 2012 @ 9 AM

Boyd Elementary School

310 East Merrill Avenue, Rialto, CA 92376

GENERAL CONVENTION INFORMATION

The 112th Annual California State PTA Convention is May 9-May 12, 2012 in Anaheim.

Activities will be held at: The Anaheim Convention Center, 800 West Katella; Phone: (714) 765-8950

The Anaheim Hilton Resort & Spa, 777 West Convention Way; Phone: (714) 740-4460

Exibitors Prospectus: Click here to download the Exibitors Prospectus

THREE WAYS TO REGISTER!

Save time, money, and reserve your workshops by taking advantage of our early registration rates.

1. Online – February 1 to April 30 - Register Now

2. Mail – February 1 to April 15 – Click to download a registration packet.

3. In Person – May 8 to May 12

WORKSHOPS

Convention workshops will occur in five different time slots.

Wednesday workshops are three (3) hours. Thursday and Friday workshops are 90 minutes in duration.

• Wednesday, May 9, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

• Thursday, May 10, from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

• Thursday, May 10, from 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon

• Friday, May 11, from 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

• Friday, May 11, from 10:30 a.m. – 12 noon

HOTEL PLANNING

Hotel reservations must be accomplished online. The link to the designated convention hotel is on the California State PTA website (www.capta.org). Click on the convention registration button to access the hotel link. The official convention hotel has set up a special reservation section for California State PTA convention attendees.

The anaheim Hilton resort & Spa is the convention hotel, located within walking distance of the convention center, and is the official headquarters for the California State PTA 113th Annual Convention. It is located next to the Anaheim Convention Center. See the promotion special below for staying at the Anaheim Hilton Resort and Spa.

More information can be found on page 10 of the registration packet

Countdown to turning in signatures

We’re headed down the homestretch: Just 12 days left to collect and turn in as many signatures as possible to qualify the PTA-endorsed Our Children, Our Future education initiative for the November ballot. Thanks to all of the energy, passion and activism of our amazing PTA volunteers and leaders, we can qualify this important initiative and do something historic for our children. Will you help? Let’s start by making this Friday the 13th the beginning of a lucky weekend for California’s children by getting out with your petitions. Our Children, Our Future will help ensure a better education by beginning to restore programs like arts, music, science, smaller class sizes, counselors. Our children shouldn’t have to be lucky to have these programs in their schools.   Please join other PTA folks around the state this weekend by taking your petitions with you everywhere you go: Softball or baseball game?  At any sporting event, bring out your petitions.  If the games are on school fields, set up on the sidewalk by the entry and exit gates.  Let’s sign up parents, coaches, grandparents and fans.  Every signature counts! Family night out planned with friends?  Did you remember to ask them to sign the petition?  It’s not too late. Book club? Yoga? Spin class? Bowling? Poker? Bunco?  All of these are opportunities to help ensure our children have a brighter future through more opportunities in school. It’s easy to ask because every school and every student will benefit from Our Children, Our Future. Even if you’ve waited to get started, it’s not too late to make a difference — because every signature counts.   MAKE YOUR PLANS NOW for Thursday April 19 — Statewide Day of “Tabling” where we set up tables in communities across the state and collect more signatures. For more information, contact Patty Scripter, director of legislation at legislation@capta.org.

Remember:  April 24 is the last day to turn in petitions.  Click here for details on how to turn in those signatures or request additional petitions!

PTAs are making a difference

Important updates regarding the Our Children, Our Future education initiative.

PTA volunteers across the state are doing amazing work to help collect signatures to qualify the Our Children, Our Future education initiative for the November ballot!
Click here for some inspiring stories about PTA’s activism, and for ideas about how you can help!
We’ve seen a real uptick in signatures collected during the past few weeks. Given that, the campaign has decided to extend the final timeline for turning in signatures from April 10 to April 24. The campaign team has researched this and determined that the April 24 due date still allows us to have all of the signatures submitted to local county registrars in time to qualify for the November ballot.
Extending the deadline gives us an opportunity to keep the momentum and make an even bigger push for additional signatures in April.
Hooray for Spring — but spring breaks have been a timing challenge. We know many of our units, councils and districts have petitions and commitments already out in the field, and this will provide extra time to make sure all of those get turned in and counted. Additionally, there are many upcoming events and fundraisers in local communities around the state where we can continue to collect signatures to boost our overall numbers. Remember: Our Children, Our Future is in many respects the biggest PTA fundraiser ever!
Between now and April 24, we urge you to continue the good work. In addition to contacting friends and families, we are having excellent success with tables out in front of schools (off school property) and out in front of other off-campus events. Many PTAs report collecting hundreds of signatures very quickly by setting up a table. They also use the Our Children, Our Future fillable signs to show how much funding their particular schools would receive through the initiative.
Updated Resources
In response to your requests we’ve updated the Frequently Asked Questions document, to include answers to some of the toughest questions you hear. These questions and answers were shared on the recent conference call update by Carol Kocivar and Molly Munger.
We’ve also updated the Side by Side Chart to describe the key components of the Our Children, Our Future education initiative and the new version of the Governor’s initiative.
Other news
In other important news, the campaign has hired a new communications and media team, including experts who worked closely with PTAs several years ago on the “Caravan for Kids” campaign. To view the campaign’s first TV ad, click here.
We know that the more people learn about Our Children, Our Future, the stronger they support it. Help get the word out!
Be sure to check out all of the latest information and features on the ourchildrenourfuture2012.com website — and on the Facebook page.
Questions
if you have any questions at all about the new timeline or the campaign, please don’t hesitate to contact Patty Scripter, Director of Legislation, at legislation@capta.org.

County Superintendent’s State of Education

Transforming lives through education

Please join

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools

Gary S. Thomas, Ed.D.

on

Thursday, March 1, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. 

California Theatre for the Performing Arts

562 West 4th Street, San Bernardino

Reception immediately following in the California Room on the second floor

Your RSVP is kindly appreciated at (909) 386-2413.

5th District Convention Event

This year our district event will be at the Pirate’s Dinner Adventure in Buena Park. You will be entertained with an astonishing display of special effects aerial artistry, swashbuckling swordplay, dynamic duels and lots of audience participation! Dress in your best Pirate attire!

The cost of the event is $45.00 per person and will include dinner, show, and transportation to and from the Hilton Hotel.

 Dinner will include:

•       Tossed Garden Fresh Salad or Vegetable Soup
•      Choice of: Half Roasted Chicken (or)
•      BBQ Pork Loin (Vegetarian selection available)
•      West Indies Rice or Mashed Potatoes
•      Steamed Veggies (seasonal)
•      Warm Apple Cobbler ala mode
•      Unlimited Soft Drinks and Coffee
•      Adult Spirits will be Available for Purchase

 Event Schedule:

7:00PM – Board Tender (bus)

7:15PM – Doors Open

7:15PM – 8:00PM – Free Appetizers passed Around to the Guests

8:05PM – 8:20PM – Preshow

8:25PM – 8:45 – Seating for Main Show

8:45PM – 10:15PM – Main Show and Dinner

10:15PM – 10:30PM – Meet and Greet with Cast Upon Exiting

10:30PM – Board Tender for Return to Hotel

Aye! Chart your course today. Deadline for reservation and payment received is Thursday May 3, 2012. We will be unable to accommodate “pay at the door” guests. Please use the attached reservation form. You do not have to be a PTA Convention Delegate to attend. Costumes are welcome and encouraged! For questions contact: Marianne Craig, 3vp@fifthdistrictpta.org or 909-981-4644. All checks are payable to Fifth District PTA.

 “Dead Men Tell No Tales”

Education Medal of Honor

Nominations are now being accepted for the San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor. The deadline for entries is Feb. 24.

The 21st annual San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor recognizes individuals and organizations for significant contributions made to public education in the county. Nominations for the Education Medal of Honor can be made in six categories: Volunteer in Action/Community Volunteer; Volunteer in Action/Service Group; Partners in Education/Small Business or Franchise; Partners in Education/Corporation or Government Agency; Excellence in Education/Education Professional; and Excellence in Education/Student Alumni.

Criteria for nominations should focus on ways in which an individual or organization made an impact or lasting contribution, served as a positive role model and created an awareness and support for education in the community.

Nomination forms for the award are distributed to all school districts in San Bernardino County. In addition, forms are available in the reception area of the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools office at 601 N. E St. in San Bernardino. The nomination forms also can be downloaded from the County Schools website at www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/superint/supCom_moh.

For the first time, forms also may be submitted online. The online form also is available on the County Schools’ Education Medal of Honor webpage.

Entries need to be returned to the County Schools office, and the deadline is 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 24.

Click here to download the nomination form.
Click here to submit the nomination form online.

Judging for the Education Medal of Honor will be conducted by an independent panel of school public information professionals from Riverside County.

Award recipients for both the Education Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Award will be recognized at a ceremony during the April 30 spring meeting of the San Bernardino County School Boards Association.

For more information about the awards programs, contact the County Schools’ Communications Department at (909) 386-2413.

They’ve always had a tremendous response for PTAs across the county and hope they can have more again this year.

Distinguished Service Award

The San Bernardino County School Boards Association and the San Bernardino County Committee on School District Organization established the Distinguished Service Awards program in 1998. Its purpose is to recognize exceptional leadership and significant contributions to public education in San Bernardino County and to publicly acknowledge individuals for their high levels of service and dedication over many years. Honorees may be career educators, school  board members, or community members actively supportive of public schools.

You are invited to submit the name of an individual whom you believe meets the following criteria:

The recipient shall be an individual who has helped improve the quality of education in San Bernardino County, and that through his or her efforts has had a positive, on-going impact on significant segments of public education over many years within a school district or county/region. The recipient is one who has been willing to take risks to improve educational opportunities for students; has had broad community involvement; has been willing to speak out on issues that have an impact on children; and has the respect of peers. Current members of the San Bernardino County School Boards Association (SBCSBA) Executive Committee and members of the Awards Committee are not eligible to receive this award.

 Nomination Process

The Awards Committee seeks nominees by publicizing the award’s purpose, criteria, and procedures in materials sent directly to each school district in San Bernardino County and to the 5th District PTA. Anyone affiliated with these groups may nominate a deserving individual.

The Judging Panel will review all nominations and will make its recommendation to the SBCSBA Executive Committee, which makes the selection. Although not an annual award, up to two recipients may be named in the same year. The award, in years it is given, will be presented in late April at the SBCSBA Spring Meeting in conjunction with the San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor awards program.

For more information on the Distinguished Service Award, please click here.

Fifth District Convention Scholarship Funds Available!

FIFTH DISTRICT PTA Scholarship funds are available to help defray the cost of attending the California State PTA Convention courtesy of California State PTA Leadership Grant Funds.  All Applications must be received by March 19, 2012. Click Here  for the scholarship application.

Who can apply?

• Applicants must be a member of a PTA/PTSA that has been a unit in good standing during the 2011/12 term (met all requirements specified in the bylaws, which includes remittance of roster, per capita and  insurance premium to Fifth District, through channels, by the established deadlines.)
• Applicants must be elected by the PTA/PTSA general membership as a delegate authorized to represent the association.
• Applicants must attend the convention in its entirety (Wednesday, May 9 thru close on Saturday, May 12) and register as a Voting Delegate.

How do we apply?

• Complete the 2012 Convention Scholarship application and submit to Fifth District before March 19, 2012.
• Register for Convention before March 31, 2012.

How many Scholarships will be awarded?

• Fifth District PTA will award up to four Scholarships.

Can a unit or council get more than one scholarship?

• Scholarships are limited to one per unit or council; two units in the same council may receive scholarships

When do we find out who will be awarded a Scholarship?

• Recipients will be notified on March 26, 2012 via email.

What is our requirement at Convention?

• Elected delegates are obligated to attend ALL meetings and assigned conferences.

What is our requirement after the Convention?

• After Convention, submit to Fifth District PTA a brief summary on how your attendance at the California State PTA Convention was beneficial and attach copies of receipts.  The summary and receipts must be received by June 1, 2012.

When can the PTA expect to receive the Scholarship funds?

• A check will be written to the PTA upon receipt of summary and receipts.  If summary and receipts are not received at the Fifth District PTA office by the deadline date than the scholarship will be considered void.

All Applications must be received by March 19, 2012

Superintendents Roundtable

Fifth District PTA cordially invites you to attend our Annual Superintendents Roundtable. The Superintendents Roundtable will be held at The Hilton in San Bernardino on November 30, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  The cost to attend is $25.00 pp.

Click here to RSVP, view agenda and directions.

Topic: “Building Relationships through School, Family and Community”

Guest Speakers:

Kathy Estes is the coordinator for Coordinated Health Programs for San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. She received her Bachelor’s of Science degree in Educational Library Media from Southern Arkansas University and later her Master’s of Science degree in Educational Counseling from South Florida University and her certificate in Educational Administration from California State University, San
Bernardino. Kathy is a trainer in the following areas: The Impact of Violence and Stress on Normal Brain Development, A Framework for Understanding Poverty, The Forty Developmental Assets, Student Assistance Programs Training, Conflict Management and Peer Leadership. Through personal experience and knowledge of research, Kathy uses humor and sometimes painful personal anecdotes to illustrate the basic theories of these content areas. She advocates that in order to best serve our communities, we must first understand the population we serve in order to attain the greatest outcome.

Annette Anderson: Annette Marie Anderson was born July 14, 1972 in Orange, California the oldest of three children. She was raised in Pomona, California by her grandmother and later as a teenager moved to Yucaipa, California with her mother. Annette is the mother of two grown children. During her mid-twenties, Annette was diagnosed with a rare cancer and was given a grim diagnosis; however, with faith and strong will power she overcame this diagnosis to live and raise her children. About eleven years later, Annette once again received another grim cancer diagnosis. At this time Annette became homeless with her children and had very little medical assistance due to having no medical insurance. Through this difficult time Annette started focusing on others with worse problems and began feeding and encouraging other homeless people by sharing. After a much needed life changing blood transfusion and an emergency surgery Annette became well enough to get involved with helping our homeless population throughout the county. Currently Annette works as a tutor with homeless children, participates in resource fairs, and helps with presentations on homeless education. Annette believes that sharing her story helps to encourage others to overcome all obstacles that come into our lives.  

Carol Kocivar is the President of the California State PTA for the term of 2011-2013.  

 Sue King is the Vice President of the California State PTA for Leadership Services for the term of 2011-2013.

 Lunch Choices: (all meals include: Salad, Vegetables and Dessert) 

 ~ Chicken Milanese ~  

~ Spinach & Mushroom Crepes ~

~ Spinach
& Mushroom Crepes
~

2011 Toolkit

Here it is – the newly revised California State PTA Toolkit!

The California State PTA Toolkit provides guidance, instruction and ideas to ensure a successful term as a PTA officer or chairman. You will discover valuable information to assist your PTA/PTSA with the important work that you do on behalf of children and families.

Many of your questions and concerns can be answered here in just one place.

The California State PTA Toolkit is designed to be shared; additional print or CD-ROM copies may be purchased.

You can also find the Toolkit in English and in Spanish online at www.capta.org. Just type in “Toolkit” in the search section in the upper right corner of the website.

Remember, if you can’t find it in the Toolkit, you always have the safety net of your council, district or state PTA to answer your questions. Don’t hesitate to contact them.

Please take advantage of this resource as you plan, implement and evaluate the work of your local PTA.

This edition of the Toolkit reflects the hard work and effort of the California State PTA Board of Managers to create the best possible resource for you. It is based on more than 100 years of best practices by PTAs around our state.

Your input regarding your PTA needs is invaluable, and your help is necessary in continuing to make this and all PTA materials useful and pertinent.

Please contact us – at info@capta.org; 916.440.1985; or at 2327 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95816 – with ideas, suggestions and comments so that the Toolkit contains the appropriate material and is in the right format to meet your needs.

Thank you for everything that you do each day to enhance the lives of California’s children and families. You do make a difference!

Sincerely,

Carol Kocivar

President

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