Alabama PTANovember 2014
In this Issue
Holiday Open House
Reflections
Playground Grant
STEM
National PTA Resources
ACCRS - FAQs
State Support
Quick Notes
Quick Links
Join Our Mailing List
Like Us on Facebook
Follow Us on Twitter
Alabama PTA

Happy Thanksgiving!  The Alabama PTA is always appreciative of all that
each of you do on behalf of the children of Alabama.  You are the ones on the ground, and we want to take this opportunity to recognize your many efforts.  We count each of you as one of our blessings during this Thanksgiving season. 

Alabama PTA is hosting a Holiday Open House for our members, legislatures, and other key education officials across the state.  Please join us!  Details in the newsletter below.

Please take note of the following dates and deadlines:

Holiday Open House - Montgomery Office:Dec 5
National PTA Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant Application Available:Jan 5
State Reflections' Deadline:Jan 16
AL State PTA Convention - Montgomery:Apr 24 - 25

     





Do you have information you would like considered for the next newsletter? Submit it to alptanewsletter@gmail.com. 
Holiday Open House

Please join Alabama PTA for our Holiday Open House.  

 

Day: Friday, December 5th

 

Time: 11 am - 1 pm

 

Where: AL PTA State Office

 

What: Light snacks

 

Who: State legislatures, Alabama education leaders, and PTA leaders

 

If you plan to attend, please send your RSVP to Becky Vansant:
 alptapresident@gmail.com  

Reflections Deadline

reflectionsAlabama State Reflections Deadline

January 16, 2015

 

The theme for the 2014-2015 school year is The world would be a better place if... Thousands of students will reflect on the theme and create original works of art.  

 

Link to forms, flyers, and guidelines ion is available in a public Dropbox, that can be found by clicking on this link

 

Please contact Donna Russell if you have any questions or concerns:alabamaptareflections@gmail.com OR 334-391-1334

Playground Grant

Win a $30K Grant and a New Playground!


Introduce your school community to the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation and their free energy balance resources and grants during Healthy Lifestyles Month.
 
Enter the Healthy Playground Makeover Sweepstakes and your school could win a $30,000 grant, plus a new playground! It's part of the Together Counts™ program, which offers free energy balance and obesity resources to families and schools.

 

Outdoor play is critical to healthy kids. Launch a mini campaign and spread the word to win! Anyone over 18 can enter on behalf of their school. That means, getting the word out to EVERYONE in your school community is key!  Increase the number of entries to increase your school's chance of winning. 
Alabama PTAs Promote STEM

There are many ways to promote Family-School Partnerships through one of the six standards -  Supporting Student Success.  Recently, two Alabama PTAs hosted STEM activities to bring science, math, technology, and/or math to their schools.  Whitesburg P-8 in Huntsville hosted a Spooky Science Night.  Mill Creek in Madison held a day-long Stem Fest. Both schools leveraged community partnerships and parent volunteers to provide hands-on activities for the students.

 


 

** Have a great event or idea to share -- email details to: alptanewsletter@gmail.com **

National PTA Resources

National PTA has some useful information on a wide-range of topics.  Select the links below for more information.

  • Visit the eLearning Portal - Resource for short educational courses on topics such as being a president, treasurer, or parliamentary procedures.
  • Nov 19th #ShareAwesome Webinar on helping your children become good digital citizens. Learn how to monitor all that texting, tweeting, and snapping selfies!

 

ACCRS - FAQ for Your Membership

Useful information for your membership. Click document to download.

 

 

Alabama College & Career Ready Standards - Support

The following Alabama businesses and organizations are committed to maintaining high expectations in our classrooms through Alabama's College and Career Ready Standards:


A+ Education Partnership
A+ College Ready 
Alabama Alliance for Arts Education Alabama
Association of School Boards
Alabama Association of School Business Officials
Alabama Best Practices Center
Alabama Black Alliance for Educational Options
Alabama ASCD
Alabama Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Alabama Literacy Alliance
Alabama Mathematics, Science, Technology & Engineering
Coalition (AMSTEC)
Alabama National Board Certi!ed Teachers Network
Alabama PTA
Alabama School Library Association
Alabama School Public Relations Association
Alabama State Council on the Arts
Alabama State Department of Education
Baldwin County Education Coalition
Birmingham Business Alliance
Birmingham Education Foundation
Black Belt Education Coalition
Boeing
Business Council of Alabama
Business Education Alliance of Alabama
Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama
Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham
Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools
Deep Roots of Alabama
Greater Birmingham Math Partnership
Huntsville Council of PTAs
Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce
The Literacy Council of Central Alabama
Manufacture Alabama
Mike and Gillian Goodrich Foundation
Military Child Education Coalition
Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce
Mobile Area Education Foundation
Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce
The Schools Foundation of Madison County
School Superintendents of Alabama
Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee
United Way of Madison County
VOICES for Alabama's Children
Quick Notes and Dates to Remember

Now: Local Unit and Council Forms
If you haven't already done so, please fill out the following forms and email them to alabamapta@yahoo.com or mail to the state office. Membership cards will not be sent to your PTA until the officer form is received in the state office.

Local Unit Officer Form
Council Officer Form

Nov 15: The IRS deadline for filing your 990 was November 15th.  If you haven't done so, please file right away.  Three years without filing will result in your unit's 501c(3) being revoked.  It is a long arduous process to get it back.  
Becky Vansant
Alabama PTA President