by Family Engagement Commission Consultant, Kelly Mattinson Volunteering in your local community can be fulfilling. Think about all the things we do to make our community, ours. How can PTAs and PTSA...
by Colleen Hervey, CA State PTA Family Engagement Commissioner, Derby Pattengill, CA State PTA Health and Community Concerns Vice-President, and Justine Fischer, Community Director for CalHope Schools...
by California State PTA Leadership Services Commission PTAs learned a few things during the pandemic. Teleconferencing and video-conference meetings are now utilized by PTAs frequently. Three years a...
by California State PTA Legislation Advocates Anita Avrick, Melanie Lucas and Beth Meyerhoff California State PTA supported nine education bills that were signed into law this year. These laws range...
Support For Mental Health: The CalHOPE Schools Initiative
November 4, 2022
Adults who care for kids want what’s best for them, whether they’re in the role of parent, caregiver, teacher, or something else. What’s best includes providing young people with care that helps them ...
California Department of Education Releases CAASPP Data
October 28, 2022
by California State PTA Education Commission Earlier this week, the California Department of Education (CDE) released the results of the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAAS...
Learn, Share, Grow: Strategies that Work at Secondary Schools
October 21, 2022
by California State PTA Family Engagement Commission Connecting with secondary-school students and their families is just as important as when they were in elementary school. But sometimes the progra...
by California State PTA Family Engagement Commission Consultant, Kelly Mattinson For students hoping to attend highly competitive colleges and universities, the application process can be daunting. Th...
By Mary Perry, California State PTA Communications Commission How do we help families use technology responsibly for learning, creating, and participating in the larger community? That is the central ...
California State PTA Supports Prop 31: Keep Kids and Tobacco Apart
October 12, 2022
by California State PTA Legislative Action Committee Flavored tobacco products like blue raspberry, root beer, and minty menthol target and hook kids. Tobacco companies use these flavors to make our ...
California State PTA Urges Support of Prop 28: Art and Music in Public Schools
October 12, 2022
by California State PTA Legislation Team California State PTA supports Proposition 28 on the November ballot which funds art and music in public schools. California State PTA has strongly and actively...
Reflections – Another Way to Celebrate the A in STEAM
October 9, 2022
by California State PTA Arts Education Committee An A in the classroom is still the best grade. And we know putting the A in STEM, making it STEAM, is the right decision for all students. When schools...
by California State PTA Family Engagement Commission Consultant, Kathleen Fay Families want to be heard by their school community. PTA leaders can help make that happen by hosting listening sessions t...
by California State PTA Leadership Services Commission Your PTA’s efforts to provide programs for students and to support your schools often require that you contract with individuals or companies to ...
How Your PTA Can Easily and Safely Collect Payments
October 3, 2022
In our personal lives everyone is using apps to make payments, and folks are asking “Can PTAs use Venmo?” “What about Cash App?” The answer is no. These types of apps are peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms...
by California State PTA Vice President for Family Engagement, Heather Ippolito As many families with high school students know, fall is not just the beginning of the school year. For a high school sen...
by California State PTA Family Engagement Commissioner, Shannon Jaeger As we start off another school year, we know that local PTA leaders are excited to see students returning and eager to welcome pa...
Knowing your family’s rights: Students have rights, too
September 16, 2022
by California State PTA Family Engagement Commission Consultant, Kathleen Fay As events and programs for the new school year get underway, your PTA will be more successful and your plans will go more ...
California State PTA Supports Prop 28: Art & Music in Public Schools
September 14, 2022
by California State PTA Legislation Team For almost thirty five years, California State PTA has strongly and actively advocated for a full curriculum that includes the arts. Arts education supports al...
California State PTA Supports Prop 31: Prohibit Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products
September 14, 2022
by California State PTA Legislative Action Committee With flavors like “cotton candy,” “mango slushy,” and “chocolate,” vaping tobacco products have become increasingly popular among youth as young as...
by California State PTA Leadership Services Commission Are you wondering how your executive board can possibly plan, promote, and implement all the activities you hope to have? Are you looking for way...
PTAs Throughout State Receive Grants to Support Their Programs
September 13, 2022
by California State PTA Scholarships and Grants Committee A dozen local PTAs have received the extra resources they need to turn great program ideas into reality in 2022. Thanks to our California Stat...
Learn, Share Grow: Ideas for Family/Caregiver Elementary School Events
September 9, 2022
by California State PTA Family Engagement Commission Elementary school is many families’ first interaction with the school system. When your PTA finds ways to engage families early in the year i...
Local PTAs Successfully Advocate For School Facilities Improvements
September 9, 2022
by California State PTA Legislative Advocate Beth Graves-Meyerhoff Many PTAs coordinate programs and opportunities for their members to advocate directly with their local elected officials. Palos Verd...
by California State PTA Get Out the Vote! Many PTAs coordinate voter registration campaigns as part of their advocacy programs to engage PTA families and students. Along with the adult advocacy Califo...
Mock Elections Generate Real Election Excitement For Students
September 5, 2022
by California State PTA While many middle and high school students may not yet be able to vote officially, they can participate in mock elections. Many PTAs offer mock elections as a student program t...
Knowing your family’s rights helps to protect them
September 2, 2022
by California State PTA Family Engagement Commission Consultant, Kathleen Fay Decades of research back up what we know and value: Family involvement is the real key to our kids’ success. California St...
Learn, Share, Grow: Ideas for Creating Successful Family Events
August 26, 2022
by California State PTA Family Engagement Commission Creating family-oriented events, and making sure every family feels welcome, is a great way to strengthen the engagement of families with school an...
Sponsored by College Board Lin from New Utrecht High School in New York High school students are heading back to classrooms for a new school year, and it’s never too early for families to start thinki...
By California State PTA Vice President for Family Engagement, Heather Ippolito, and California State PTA Family Engagement Consultant, Kathleen Fay Experienced PTA leaders know that effective family e...
by California State PTA Health and Community Concerns Commission A new nationwide hotline phone number, 988, will provide 24/7 free and confidential emotional support to those struggling with a mental...
Plan and Prepare for Your First Association Meeting of the Term
July 26, 2022
by Leadership Services Commission Kicking off your PTA year with an association meeting is important and is an opportunity for all your members to be involved. Your association meeting is the members...
Summer Tips to Stay on Track for College & Career Planning
June 17, 2022
Sponsored by College Board As summer arrives, rising seniors might have extra time to think and plan for life after high school. Families are making big decisions that starts with planning for what ha...
By Mary Perry, California State PTA Communications Commission The phrase “media literacy” can raise different issues for different people. One parent might point to the cacophony of different advice ...
Make PTA Planning Part of Your Summer. You’ll Be Glad You Did.
June 17, 2022
By Leadership Services Commission Summer is certainly a time to relax and take a breath. For PTA leaders it’s also the ideal time to get a head start on the next PTA term. When things begin to get bu...
by California State PTA Family Engagement Commission California PTA leaders’ top recommendations for summer break learning activities and adventures you can discover together with your child. Check ou...
California PTA Program Grant Helps Dunsmore Elementary Present Anti-Racism Series
May 27, 2022
By Colleen Hervey, Family Engagement Commission Member and Chair of Scholarship and Grants Committee This week, we’re highlighting Dunsmore Elementary School PTA which received a $2,000 Parent Educati...
How you can have a voice in developing your school district’s LCAP
May 20, 2022
by Kathleen Fay, California State PTA Family Engagement Commission Consultant At this time of year, California school districts can demonstrate their commitment to family engagement in their Local Co...
Nominate a Teacher for McDonald’s Outstanding Educator Awards
May 16, 2022
Sponsored by McDonald’s McDonald’s California owners value education and have long recognized the hard work that teachers across our state put in every day. For years, McDonald’s has worked with...
Sponsored by ETS Beginning in June, parents should be on the lookout for their child’s Student Score Report on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). The California De...
How to Incorporate Your Historian’s Work Into Your PTA All Year
May 16, 2022
By California State PTA Leadership Services Commission In the bylaws of many PTA/PTSA Units, Councils, and Districts the historian is identified as an elected officer (a member of the executive board)...
Tips to Celebrate Student Success: Graduations, Promotions and Proms
May 14, 2022
By California State PTA Leadership Services Commission Each year, PTAs are asked to sponsor various graduation and celebration events in May and June. These events may be for high school seniors or fo...
New Resolution Gives Equitable Access with Plant-based Meals
May 11, 2022
By California State PTA Resolutions Committee and Maya Bhandari, Student Board Member, California State PTA Student Involvement Committee We are pleased to announce that the delegates to the 2022 Cali...
Family Engagement is an Education Priority for California
May 5, 2022
By Kathleen Fay, California State PTA Family Engagement Commission Consultant Springtime brings warmer weather, a week off, and preparations for the future. As school districts tackle budget planning ...
