Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

1/13

The Ohio PTA Voice

Table of Contents:

Pg. 1- Note from the President

Pg. 2 - Planning Your Year

Pg. 4 - Being a PTA Treasurer

Pg. 5 - Ohio PTA Needs You

Pg. 6-

Education

Pg. 7 - New Year, New Members

Pg. 8 - How a Bill Becomes Law

Pg. 9 - Family School Partnership

Pg. 11 - Marketing

Pg. 12 - Bylaws Info

Pg. 13 - Board Members

Page 1 December 2015

Advertising in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by Ohio PTA

Note from the President...

Ohio PTA

40 Northwoods Blvd Ste A

Columbus, OH 43235-4718

(614) 781-6344

Fax: (614) 781-6349

[email protected]

A powerful voice for all children A relevant resource for families and communities

A strong advocate for the education and well-being of every child

Greengs Family,

Happy Holidays!!!!!!!! During the holiday season I hope that you nd me for

your family. Spend me talking and listening to one another. Singing is a great

way to spend family me. Telling stories is another. I intend to take me for my

family but I have been very busy as your President. I have been travelling a great

deal.

In my travels I visited Winton Woods Community PTA in Cincinna. I was veryimpressed by the message on their PTA t-shirts. I thought I would take me to

share their message with you. The front of the shirt says I choose to be a member

of Winton Woods Community PTA to…

The message on the back of the shirt is:

Support my community

Advocate for my children

Help my child’s school

Be part of a decision making process

Support my children’s teachers

Use my skills and talents

Be a role model

Spend more me with my children

Be a change maker

Be a resource for other families

Support academic improvement

Get beer programs for my children

Have a voice

Support our teachers

Support our sta

Help ensure ALL

Winton Woods Community PTA

Every Child, One Voice

Continued...

http://www.pinterest.com/carolynnficke/ohio-pta/https://twitter.com/OhioPTAhttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Ohio-PTA/173741572509

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

2/13

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 2 December 2015


It amazed me how they were able to list so many items on the back of a shirt. But

the shirt says it all, “I choose.” I choose to be a part of one voice for all children.

This was a decision that inuenced my life greatly. Become engaged with PTA. Let

your choice make a dierence in you and your family.

Happy Holidays,

Sheila

Planning for the 2016-2017 School Year NOW!

Across America and abroad, PTAs will start forming nominating

committees soon so slates can be brought forward for 2016-2017 PTA

Officers. Check your bylaws for when you should elect your

nominating committee. Is it in January or February? Is your electionof officers held in March or April? Your bylaws will provide the

answers to those questions, too. The nominating committee is the

lifeblood of your PTA.

Would you like an Ohio PTA Board Member to present a nominating

committee workshop for your council/unit? We would love to come

out and provide valuable resources to your unit/council. This is a

FREE service for being an Ohio PTA member. In addition, Ohio PTA

has several guides to lead you through this important task. http://

www.ohiopta.org/PTARESOURCESRunningYourPTA.aspx

Venezuela Robinson

Nominating Committee Chairperson

[email protected]

http://www.ohiopta.org/PTARESOURCESRunningYourPTA.aspxhttp://www.ohiopta.org/PTARESOURCESRunningYourPTA.aspxhttp://www.ohiopta.org/PTARESOURCESRunningYourPTA.aspxmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.ohiopta.org/PTARESOURCESRunningYourPTA.aspxhttp://www.ohiopta.org/PTARESOURCESRunningYourPTA.aspxhttp://www.ohioamblyoperegistry.com/http://www.theschoolnewslettercompany.com/

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

3/13



Being a PTA Treasurer in an Electronic Age

(Part 1)

I’ve noticed a particular theme in questions from Treasurers around the state

of Ohio since I have taken office as Secretary/Treasurer for Ohio PTA. PTAsare inquiring about new laws or new procedures when transforming theirTreasurer records to digital software or electronic banking. PTAs have been abit slower in making these transitions, but over the years, have been evolvinglike the rest of American companies from paper or word documents and paperchecks to online banking and automatic payments. The questions I hear rangefrom, “Is it appropriate for our unit to use a debit or credit card?” to “What is thebest accounting software for a PTA or nonprofit to use if we wish to startmoving away from Excel spreadsheets?”

These are all valid issues that we have to deal with in this new electronic agewith computers and other electronic devices being so prevalent in our society

today. You will be happy to know that PTA believes in staying in tune and up-to-date with best practices associated with using technology as it pertains to

banking, accounting, receiving donations, and online storage opportunities.We are very aware that the speed and transparency of using these new toolscan be tremendous assets to your PTA and volunteers. Here are a few thingsyou should consider when using any of these electronic applications.

Be sure to use good internal controls for all your financial transactions.

Be sure that your board is committed to good and proper management of

these tools.

Use sound policies and procedures in segregation of duties.

Stay in compliance and review all policies and procedures currently in

place.

Have all policies and procedures in writing concerning using these tools.

Make sure that the workflow enforces your written procedures.

(For more information regarding internal controls, please refer to the NationalPTA booklet entitled “Money Matters in an Electronic Environment.”)

Continued...

http://www.artinaction.org/http://www.theschoolnewslettercompany.com/

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

4/13



Let’s begin by talking about the all important question, “Credit Card or DebitCard?” “Are either of these an option for our PTA?” This is one of the mostcommon questions asked in almost every Treasurer workshop. The answeris Credit Card, YES (if you are willing to accept the risks involved with usingone) and Debit Card, NO (unless it is a deposit only debit card).

So, for either of these options, we must warn you that your PTA always runsa risk of fraud or misuse when allowing employees or volunteers to use aPTA-issued card. However, with good internal controls, the credit card canbe a useful and convenient tool if managed well. Within your written

procedures, you should state by whom and for what the credit card can beused as well as the cardholder responsibilities assumed by the persons au-thorized to use the card. Have new cardholders sign a statement saying theyhave received the card and have read and agree to the terms and conditionsof your PTA and credit card policies. Make sure to acquire a credit card thatwill allow limits by user.

Those limits will be set by your board. Set up an approval process ensuring

all credit card receipts are received and all charges have been approved.Make sure the cards of all former employees or volunteers are destroyed anddeactivated immediately upon the end of their term or the termination of theirposition within your PTA. Make sure to assign a person who does not havecard privileges to review receipts and reconcile them to the credit card state-ment. A sample credit card policy is available in the National PTA publicationnoted above.

The ability to accept credit and debit cards as payments from members is in-creasing in demand and becoming more widely available through use of mo-bile devices such as smartphones or tablets. And again, internal controls arethe key in being able to successfully provide these types of services. Makesure to never transmit cardholder’s data by e-mail, mail or fax and never storecredit card data of members on paper or electronically in an unsecured area.Do not store PIN or CVV2/CVC2/CID numbers. Do not share user IDs forsystems access. Do store all physical documents containing credit card datain a locked drawer, file cabinet or locked office which the PTA solely controls.

Continued...

http://www.actionagendas.com/

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

5/13



Debit cards are a different story. If you lose a debit card, or if it is stolenfrom you, your PTA bank account could essentially be drained of all fundsbefore you even realize the card is missing. Another reason for your PTAnot to acquire a debit card is that when multiple volunteers have access toa debit card, it can be difficult to track purchases made. Accounting be-comes difficult because individual receipts are the only record for your pur-chases. The use of gift cards to pay PTA bills is also discouraged, for thesame reasons above, and they are not traceable once purchased.

In Part II of this article coming out next month, we will go into other elec-tronic opportunities for your PTA, such as Non-profit Services and soft-ware, cloud computing and storage, and electronic banking.

If you have further questions about any financial matters, you can reachme at [email protected].

Suzie Smith-Rios Secretary / Treasurer

Ohio PTA Needs YOU! Ohio’s Children Need YOU!

A District Advisor for District 6 is needed. District 6 comprises Southern Ohio – the Cincinnati area.

What is a District Advisor? The District Advisor has the responsibility of providing field service to OhioPTA units and councils and serving as the direct link between the local leveland state association. Field service encompasses those activities that further

the purpose of the PTA and lead local PTA units and councils to becomemore effective. For a complete job description click here

Venezuela Robinson Nominating Committee Chair [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.scribd.com/doc/288093087/Ohio-PTA-Needs-YOU-Ohio-s-Children-Need-YOUhttps://www.scribd.com/doc/288093087/Ohio-PTA-Needs-YOU-Ohio-s-Children-Need-YOUmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.scribd.com/doc/288093087/Ohio-PTA-Needs-YOU-Ohio-s-Children-Need-YOUmailto:[email protected]

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

6/13



Inspirational Educator Column

OK for this month, I need you to do something before you continue reading.READY? Grab a mirror. Are you looking at it? See that person looking at you? Yes,

that is the inspirational educator we are featuring this month! YOU!!

As the first educator of your child, YOU chose the pathway for your child. YOUdecided that education involves not just the hours of instruction, but the relationships

built, investments made, and information gathered from various local, state and

national agencies. You realized that your child is part of a system that is only strongwhen the individuals work as a team. Therefore, you joined PTA! What YOU do goes

way beyond the parties and room parent activities.

As a PTA member, YOU have chosen not to just advocate for your child, but for allchildren. PTA is the premiere parent and teacher group. YOU and all PTA members

actively support youth in their educational development through membership funds,training, programs, and advocacy. YOU know that the work for students in yourschool reaches far beyond the doorsteps of the building. YOU continue to foster

relationships with district personnel to inspire educational opportunities for allchildren. YOU train and advocate with OHIO PTA because you know policies

affecting your child are not just developed by local school boards, but also inColumbus and Washington D.C. YOU contribute to our membership efforts andcoffers so others can continue the excellent work being done and to find others to helpin PTA goals and objectives. YOU believe in public education as an equal opportunitysource for ALL children. So keep looking in that mirror and smile for all the reasons

that make YOU Ohio PTA’s inspirational educator. Thank YOU!

Education Updates

Recently on the Ohio Department of Education website, technology practice items for

ELA and math are now available on the Ohio Test Portal. Students and families can practice items in social studies, science, math and English language arts. There arealso student practice resources (tutorials, online calculator, rubrics, answer keys and

guides). The link to it ishttp://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students -and-families/

At the end of October, 2014-15 scores from state tests were released. Districts will be

sharing these soon with parents and students (if they haven’t already). It is a giantspreadsheet and may require sorting for the district before it reaches parents.

Please check the recently renovated Education tab on Ohio PTA’s website. We have provided various links to valuable resources for parents.

From Pre-

K to high school, there are resources for parentsand caregivers on a variety of topics from 3rd grade

reading guarantee to college credit plus. If you know ofany other resources and would like us to feature them onthe website, please contact Ohio PTA or me [email protected].

Jackie Arendt

Director of Education

http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/http://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://oh.portal.airast.org/ocba/students-and-families/

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

7/13



NEW YEAR=

NEW MEMBERS

The time has come to rejuvenate or even reinvent your Membership Campaign!

Please spend the month of December with your committee, planning how to wow people and capture those members that have yet to join when school resumes inJanuary. We say it over and over…Membership is a Year -Long Event! We truly meanthat and we want to see every unit take that statement seriously. Even if you havereached the goal that Ohio PTA set for Membership this year, you should still be

pursuing new members. If you have not yet met your goal, please keep trying!UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES is anyone to give up at any point in the year. Takea lesson from many Early Childhood PTAs that never stop recruiting for even amoment. As soon as one Membership year ends for these units, they are alreadygathering families for events to renew for next year! In the middle of the summer,

Early Childhood and Pre-School units are having swim parties, picnics and family-centered events that draw people to their organization to see what it’s all about. Please

do not think of your committee as a bother to people because you have reached outconsistently! Instead, the Membership Committee should be made up of the biggest

cheerleaders in the unit; always willing to have a Pep Rally to get the team fired up

again! Below are some tips for gaining new members in the second half of the year:

Start with a new theme or build off of the original. ASK PEOPLE TO JOIN RIGHT NOW! Do not make it a yes or no question that

allows for rejection. You are asking for a good cause, so be confident. Make the request personal. Pick up the phone to call people that still have not

renewed or invite someone you just met to the next meeting.

Tell people how the value your PTA provides makes a difference in the lives ofeach child you represent.

Point out to people that when we advocate, we ask all of our members to speak forall children.

Make a Membership incentive specific to recruiting male members. Ask the female members of your PTA to invite the men in their lives to join.

Visit local businesses and stores personally to showcase what your PTA provides

and invite them to join and form a partnership with your organization.

We want to recognize your unit at our annual convention, so please, THINK BIGwhen it comes to Membership! As always, feel free to email with any questions at

[email protected].

Angela Revay

Director of Membership

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

8/13



How a Bill Becomes Law

Growing up in the 1970’s, I can recall watching the Saturday morning cartoons series,

Schoolhouse Rock . It taught important educaonal informaon that was coupled

with excing animaon and catchy music. One of my favorite songs was “Just a Bill”

and I can easily recall the words of that song today. It explained the process of how a

bill becomes a law.

There are approximately 25,000 bills introduced in each term of Congress, but only 10

percent become law. The legislave process can be complicated; however, there are

basic steps in the law-making process. Any member of Congress may introduce

legislaon. Each bill that is introduced by a member of Congress is assigned a number

- H.R. # for bills originang in the House of Representaves and S. # for bills

originang in the Senate. Aer a bill has been introduced and assigned a number, it is

referred to the commiee that has jurisdicon over the issue. For example, an

educaon bill would be referred to the U.S. House Commiee on Educaon and the

Workforce or the U.S. Senate Commiee on Health Educaon Labor and Pensions.

Most bills die in commiee. The commiee may pigeonhole, table, amend, or vote on

the bill. If the bill passes, it goes to Rules Commiee. The Rules Commiee decides

the rules for debate, and when the bill will come up for debate. In the House of

Representaves, the Speaker of the House determines if and when a bill will come

before the full body for a vote.

The House debates the bill, and may add amendments. Aer proponents and

opponents debate a bill, the bill is reported back to the House for a vote. If a majority

votes in favor of the bill, it goes to the Senate.

If a Senator introduces the bill, it is sent to a commiee. The same procedure as in

the House is followed. If the commiee majority votes for the bill, it goes to the

whole Senate. In the Senate, the Majority Leader determines if and when a bill willcome before the full body for a vote. The bill is debated, and amendments may be

added. If a majority votes in favor of the bill, it is returned to the House.

Continued...

http://www.zaphq.com/

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

9/13



If the House and Senate versions of a bill vary aer passing both chambers, a

conference commiee is created to reconcile the two dierent versions of the

bill. If no agreement can be reached, the bill dies. If the conference commiee is

able to come to a consensus, both the House and Senate must pass the new

version of the bill. If either house does not pass this version, the bill dies. Oen,

the House and the Senate commiees of jurisdicon will negoate provisions ofnon-controversial bills to avoid conference.

Both houses must approve changes made by the conference commiee. If

approved, the bill goes to the president. The president may sign (approve) the

bill or veto (reject) it. If approved, it becomes law. If the president vetoes the bill,

it can sll become law if two thirds of both houses vote to override the veto. For

more informaon about the legislave process, go to www.pta.org/advocacy or

email me, [email protected].

Tandra Rutledge

Director of Advocacy

Family-School Partnership –

Promoting StudentSuccess

How can you help your child succeed in school?

Parents are important partners in a child’s educaon. There are as many dierent

approaches to helping our children to succeed as there are resources to promote

these approaches. Most of this we somemes view as “common sense” or

experience if we have raised other children. How do we as parents pick THE best

ways to ensure that our children are happy, healthy, and well-prepared to go into

the world? Here are some best pracces:

Talk to your child- Start the conversaon and encourage quesons and

conversaons. Create an atmosphere of openness that it is okay to talk about any

subject. Turn everyday situaons into opportunies to talk. Bring up a topic you

want to discuss in the car. Start the conversaon.

Listen to your child - It is important to be a great listener! Listen with your ears,

eyes and heart.

Set high but realisc expectaons - Help your child explore possibilies and plan

ahead for the future.

Build your child’s self -esteem and condence - Let them know they are special.

Help them look at what they do well. Look for your child’s unique qualies andprovide guidance.

Keep your child healthy - Promote a healthy lifestyle with proper nutrion, rest

and exercise. Maintain a healthy balance between school work and home life. Keep

stress to a minimum.

Support learning at home - Emphasize eort, not just results. Celebrate small

improvements in any area. Create a home that nurtures learning and provide

support if needed.

Contnued...

http://www.pta.org/advocacyhttp://www.pta.org/advocacymailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.pta.org/advocacy

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

10/13



Communicate with your child’s school - Talk regularly with your child’s teachers

about what is expected at school and how you can help at home.

Encourage exploraton and discovery - Help your child discover the world around

them, promote curiosity. Share your hobbies and talents.

Help your child develop good relaonships - Get to know your child’s friends and

their families. Find out how your child’s friends feel about certain issues. Engage in

daily conversaons with your child about interests, concerns and what is

happening with their peers.

Keep your child safe - Set up their world for safety. Provide structure and

consistency. Prepare your child without causing fear.

Parcipate in community service - Interacng with people with dierent

backgrounds teaches a child tolerance. Giving up recreaon me to help others

teaches a child the importance of volunteering and allows them to dierenate

between needs and wants.

Pam BonnettDirector of Family-School [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

11/13



INCREASE PTA MEMBERSHIP BY EXPANDING

YOUR MARKETING TOOLBOX

A press release is a written, formal statement to the media on behalf of

an organization. It typically announces a range of news items, includingevents, awards, new products, or programs. A press release is useful whenthere is a milestone event, program launch or other “big” news comingfrom your PTA that is intended for a broad media audience. It follows astandard format, contains the appropriate contact information and allowsa reporter the chance to follow up with you, should he/she be interestedin pursuing a story.

All PTAs should send out press releases. How well a press release is

written is almost as important as the information it contains. In general,

the most important information comes first, with less important details in

later paragraphs.

Components of an Effective Press Release

* Deliver key information quickly: who, what, where, when, why and how

should be found near the top of the release.

* Keep it short. Use action words and simple sentences with common

language.

* Report the facts, not opinions. Avoid editorializing and using adjectives

such as “outstanding” or “interesting” when describing programs,

events, etc.

* Don’t use titles like Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss. Refer to people by their full

name on first reference.

* On second mention, refer to people by their last names only.

* Verify your facts. Your credibility depends on the accuracy of the

information.

* Check—and then double check—spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Save the date – Sunday, February 7th, 7 pm. Statewide

Communications Committee Conference Call featuring LaWanda

Toney, Director, Strategic Communications for National PTA.

Dial-in # (712) 775-7031 / Access Code: 276-129

Venezuela Robinson

Director of Communications

[email protected]

Source: National PTA Press Releases

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.ptakit.org/Communications/Marketing/Working-with-the-Media.aspxhttp://www.ptakit.org/Communications/Marketing/Working-with-the-Media.aspxhttp://www.ptakit.org/Communications/Marketing/Working-with-the-Media.aspxmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

12/13



Information for Local Bylaws Chairs

Bylaws of the PTA determine its structure, define members’ rights andprovide regulations for operating units and councils. They protect the

group from error and guide it to efficient service.

Bylaws are required by the IRS to be a 501(c)(3) entity.

Local unit and council bylaws must be reviewed every three (3)years.

If you are ready to review or update your bylaws, contact the OhioPTA Bylaws Director at [email protected] to get acopy of the Sample Unit or Council Bylaws. This will guide you step bystep on how to update your bylaws.

KEEP YOUR BYLAWS SIMPLE.

You do not want to have them be sospecific that they keep you from operating. Standing Rules are thedetails of your daily PTA work.

Amendments to local PTA bylaws require a 2/3 vote of the memberspresent and voting at a general meeting provided a quorum is presentand a 30-day notice has been given to members of the proposedchanges.

Once your membership has approved the changes to your bylaws, thebylaws chair should email a copy of the new amended bylaws in aword document to Cindy Schanz, Ohio PTA Bylaws Director forapproval at [email protected].

Upon Ohio PTA approval, you will receive an email with your approvedbylaws and then bylaws chairs should distribute copies of yourapproved local unit bylaws to each board member. The Ohio PTA willkeep an electronic copy of the approved bylaws.

Cindy Schanz Director of Bylaws and Standing Rules

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

8/18/2019 Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

13/13



Your PTA Board of DirectorsEXECUTIVE BOARD

President

Sheila Ragland

614-351-8083

[email protected]

President-elect

Susan Hans

440-243-8776

[email protected]

VP Leadership

Ana Chapman

440-234-2504

[email protected]

VP Field Service

Lisa Weaver

330-825-8252

[email protected]

Secretary/Treasurer

Suzie Smith-Rios

614-878-3596

[email protected]

DIRECTORS

Advocacy

Tandra Rutledge 216-860-4575

[email protected]

Diversity

Jeanne Groetz-Shockling

330-313-1544

[email protected]

FSP

Pam Bonnett 440-781-2927

[email protected]

Bylaws & SRules Cindy Schanz 330– 329-6335

bylawsandstand-

[email protected]

Education Jackie Arendt 440-230-1567

[email protected]

HWS Lisa Catalano 440-498-9545

[email protected]

Communications Venezuela Robinson 440-786-9855

communica-

[email protected]

Events Linda Read 330-923-7248

[email protected]

Membership Angela Revay 216-328-9668

[email protected]

DISTRICT ADVISORS

District 3

Lois Monroe 937-653-8741

[email protected]

District 11

Debbie Tidwell 440-779-7141

[email protected]

District 17

Carol Beasley 216-383-1963

[email protected]

District 7

Dana Paul 440-843-6951

[email protected]

District 12

Maria Lang 440-289-9696

[email protected]

District 18

Shannon Weber 440-781-0036

[email protected]

District 10

Terry Hickey 614-870-9570

[email protected]

District 13

Rebecca Gawsyszawski 440-315-9097

[email protected]

OFFICE

Sue Owen [email protected] Jeri Gookin

[email protected]

Immediate Past President

Lisa Mack 216-691-2990

[email protected]

Vacant Advisor Positions: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 19. If anyone is interested in serving on the Ohio PTA Board of Directors, contact Venezuela Robinson at communica-

[email protected]. Job descriptions and an application are posted on the Ohio PTA website.

Date post:	07-Jul-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	ohiopta
View:	215 times
Download:	0 times

Ohio PTA-Dec, 2015

Documents