At this point in time, you should have received:

1. Housing confirmations via email or mail - Hopefully your delegates are staying at the Wilshire Grand. Please let me know via email @PTANGOLF@aol.com.

2. The December mailing containing convention registration information. Please read all of the information in the packet carefully. Let me know right away if you haven't received this.

Please work on obtaining the names of your convention delegates. You may complete the forms at this time by writing in Delegate A, B, C, etc., but you will have to change them later with the 4th District Convention Chair. However, you must still fill out the workshop choices (1st and 2nd preferences) on the form. Bylaws do state that the incoming president is entitled to attend the convention, along with other elected delegates. We encourage you to hold your officer elections prior to convention (May 1-4). Keep in mind that outgoing presidents should not be attending the convention simply as a reward for services rendered. You are restricted as to the number of voting delegates you may send, depending on your membership numbers. However, you may send as many non-voting delegates as your nit can afford. Convention expenses are a legitimate PTA expense, despite what many members will argue.

This year's convention will be held in downtown Los Angeles, so there are no airfare costs involved. Take advantage of this opportunity to train new leaders.

Delegates can also attend on a daily basis. It is an opportunity that should not be missed. Choose delegates that will represent your unit well, share what they learn and will be working for your PTA next year.

I will be providing sample registration forms and tally sheets at the next council meeting to be held on January 17th. Please make sure that a representative from your unit is there to pick these up.

This is the time of year that most PTAs are electing their Nominating Committees, since they are elected at least two months prior to the election meeting. Please remember the following Rules & Suggestions:

1. Go through your own Bylaws regarding the Nominating Committee.
2. Parliamentarian meets with committee to set the first meeting date and goes through rules.
3. Get people with children from various neighborhoods and age groups.
4. Committee nominates best-qualified person for each position. Not bound to nominate person who currently holds position.
5. One person does contacting and is done during the meeting asking if individual would consider submission of their name for a certain position.
6. Roberts Rules of Order does NOT accept any Co's of any kind!!!
7. Please Remember ABSOLUTELY NO Co-Treasurers.
8. I suggest you get input of good names of parents from Kindergarten teachers, who else knows those new dedicated volunteers.

PLEASE KEEP EVERYTHING CONFIDENTIAL.

If you need any more information or help, please do not hesitate to call me or e-mail me.
Evamarie Bauer, 589-3026, parliamentarian@svpta.org

(1897-1909)
The first meeting of the "National Congress of Mothers" was held February 17-19, 1897 in Washington, D.C. Only 200 attendees were expected, but the actual number was ten times that anticipated.2,000 attended. Founders Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst were elected president and first vice president respectively. Another vice president was Mrs. Adlai E. Stevenson (wife of U.S. vice-president). Mrs. Grover Cleveland gave a reception at the White House.

In 1898, the Constitution and Bylaws were adopted. Papers read at the convention advocated cooperation between mothers and teachers and sex education before puberty. Resolutions called for physical education in public schools. During the next seven years, The outlines of "duties of committees" on education and legislation were adopted. National dues of five cents per capita were authorized. Cooperation begun with public agencies interested in child welfare and a committee on child labor was formed. Resolutions advocated more adequate marriage, divorce, and child labor laws and urged instruction for probation officers and others working with dependent and delinquent children. A standing committee on child hygiene was created and given support by advisory committee of nine physicians as well as the formation of a child labor committee to investigate child employment conditions in all states.

In 1905, a committee on juvenile court and probation work was created. President Theodore Roosevelt granted National Congress president's request to endorse juvenile court and probation system in his message to U.S. Congress. Resolutions endorsed federal aid for kindergartens and elementary schools and recommended salary increase for teachers.

By 1909, the importance of parent/teacher partnership was recognized in the changing of its name to National Congress of Mothers and Parent-Teacher Associations. The name official publication was aptly named "Child Welfare Magazine." - Founder's Day is celebrated on February 17 each year. Read more about the history of the PTA on the national website at http://www.pta.org/aboutpta/history/ mile1890.asp and http://www.pta.org/aboutpta/pressroom/cent.asp.

Working with the Media
First, you must realize that you can't control the media. While you can send them materials and ideas, they will decide whether and how it will be used. You can increase your chances of success by knowing what types of stories will interest different media representatives. Before contacting the media, determine what they consider newsworthy and how they present a story.

Use your media list to determine what reporter or editor should be notified about a PTA event. A general meeting may be listed in the community calendar section or on a community computer bulletin board, but it will not be considered news. However, if your PTA is addressing an issue of vital interest to the community, such as school closings or curriculum changes, a media outlet may send a reporter or ask for an interview.

Look for photo opportunities. Ask your local newspaper to send a photographer, or send photographs to your local paper immediately after the event. Include photo captions that describe what is happening and identify participants. Be sure your photos show action and activity instead of people smiling and shaking hands. Contact more than one reporter or editor at a station or newspaper for coverage of your story idea.

Be selective about the story ideas you send to your local media. If you bombard the media with letters and press releases about stories that aren't news, editors may begin to ignore all communications from your PTA.

Take a look at how you accommodate working parents. For example, does your PTA/school:

• Give sufficient notice (one month, not one week, or worse, one day) when scheduling activities? Working parents may need to leave the office early, put in requests for time off, reprioritize their workloads, or delegate to others. The more notice you can provide, the better.
• Host annual or semi-annual events where parents and educators can get acquainted and interact on an informal basis? Themes might include a back to school social event, teacher appreciation celebration, talent show, orientation session for parents and volunteers, or monthly breakfast club.
• Participate in the development of a parent handbook that meets the needs of parents and encourages active participation?
• Distribute parenting information at parent-teacher conferences?
• Come up with ways parents can volunteer to help schools without needing to be in attendance?
• Use e-mail to let parents know of upcoming projects/meetings or to ask for their input?
• Contribute to your school's website or host your own PTA site, providing convenient, up-to-date information?
• Vary the times and days (before and after school) of volunteer opportunities so working parents have a better opportunity to participate?
• Post school news and events on community bulletin boards, on your local cable access channel and/or local radio stations?
• Use a form parents can request and return with their concerns and questions if they cannot attend a specific school meeting?
• Share a volunteer recruiting newsletter that includes "want ads" of volunteer jobs available, including responsibilities, times, etc.?
• Provide after-school programs for children who are home alone in the afternoon?
• Talk with your members, as well as parents who have not joined PTA. Ask for suggestions about how you can make volunteer opportunities more accessible. Be creative, and don't be afraid to try new ideas.

The educational possibilities presented by technology today are boundless and exciting. Technology can excite and stimulate students, making learning an adventure like never before. But sometimes, teachers, parents, and students need a little help in finding the right technology and learning how to use it.

And that's why there's Family Technology Night.
Microsoft's Family Technology Night is a fun, free event for kindergarteners through 6th graders, their teachers, and their parents. Microsoft brings a presenter and state-of-the-art computer equipment to your school for an evening packed full of information and fun. You'll see demonstrations of how exciting new technologies can provide valuable learning opportunities for all students today.

Learning has never been this fun.
Family Technology Nights are easy to host. Microsoft provides a resource kit to participating schools that helps them advertise and plan the event. We've been doing this for nine years now, and we've seen over 800,000 students, parents, and school staff attend the events, eager to learn how to use technology to maximize learning. In addition, every school that hosts a Family Technology Night gets a free copy of Microsoft Office XP-the next generation Office suite.

So that's what Family Technology Night is all about: engaging students, informing parents, and collaborating with schools. And it's free! Microsoft only offers this event to a limited number of schools in selected cities, so check to see if we're coming to your area. If we are, you'll want to complete your request form as soon as possible so that we can bring the fun and excitement of new technology to your school. Visit http://www.microsoft.com/family/ for further information.

At this year's all-new program, we will show families how they can use a computer and software to research and create a multimedia report on volcanoes. To request a Family Technology Night for your K-6 school or a Tools for Teachers event for your district or K-12 school, enter your information in the fields below, you may submit your request online at http://www.microsoft.com/family/request.asp. Your request will be sent via email. You can also request an event by calling (800) 203-5520.