Council News Online

Saddleback Valley PTA Council
25631 Peter A. Hartman Way • Mission Viejo, CA 92691 • www.svpta.org

President: Karen Kirby • Newsletter Editor: MaryAnne Shults

October 10, 2001

Well, the California State PTA "Toolkit" finally arrived on my front porch this week. I've already taken a quick look through this wonderful new PTA resource. I have to confess that I'm a "one-stop shopping" kind of gal. I'm really glad that the California State PTA put together this Toolkit with everything you need to complete your duties in one binder.

You might want to check your front porch or mail box for this valuable new tool. The toolkit comes in a large white box. You will need to order a "Toolkit" binder or purchase a plain binder at your convenience. The California State PTA Toolkit includes:

• Bylaws, policies, procedures, and position statements
• Job descriptions for officers, chairmen and volunteers
• Tips for improving communications and supporting new leaders
• Ideas for boosting membership and developing exciting programs
• Rules and application information for PTA awards, scholarships, and grants;
• Sample forms, letters, surveys, eNewsletters, and press releases
• Reproducible forms

I want to encourage you to share this information with your officers and chairmen. The Toolkit was designed to make duplication easy. I want each unit to consider purchasing an extra Toolkit for a master copy.

Please bring your new Toolkit to the October 18 PTA Council meeting. I want us to go through the Toolkit as a group. This will take the place of a presidents' roundtable discussion. Please bring a highlighter and post-it notepad for some quick reference notes. I want to encourage each unit to send a representative to the first Superintendent's Forum with Dr. Jerry Gross. The topic will be the school district budget and recent budget cuts. Plan to attend on October 25 at 9:30 to approximately 11:00 am in the small board room at the district office. Remember that parking is usually a problem. You may park in the red zone only on the school district private party.

I look forward to seeing you at the October 18 PTA Council meeting.

-Karen Kirby (a.k.a. "Kirby Mamma"), president@svpta.org

MARK YOUR CALENDARS... UPCOMING DATES Oct. 9 - SVUSD School Board meeting - 7:00PM - Board Room
Oct. 16 - Ed Council Meeting - 7:00PM - District Office
Oct. 18 - Saddleback Valley PTA Council meeting - 7:30PM - Board Room
Oct. 20 - SVUSD Walk Against Drugs - - MVHS - 7:00AM to Noon
Oct. 22-26 - SVUSD Red Ribbon Week
Oct. 25 - Superintendent's Forum - 9:30PM - (small) Board Room
Nov. 13 - SVUSD School Board meeting - 7:00PM - Board Room
Nov. 15 - Saddleback Valley PTA Council meeting - 7:30PM - Board Room
Nov. 15 - Reflections Entries due (late entries will not be accepted)
Nov. 20 - Ed Council Meeting - 7:00PM - District Office

What to bring to the October COUNCIL meeting

• Two (2) copies of last unit audit*
• One (1) copy of any items for the incentive chart
• California State
• PTA "Tool Kit"

*disregard if already turned in

• Entries are due November 15th.
• Please note that we have new entry forms. If you don't know your "Local Eight Digit National PTA number", please contact your PTA President or me (reflections@svpta.org / 837-4579).
• A reminder that all Entry forms must be submitted in a clear plastic sleeve. Entries not submitted in the clear plastic sleeve will not be accepted.
• Please read all PTA Reflections rules carefully.
• Reflections information and forms on council website (www.svpta.org/reflections.html)

Thank you to all unit Reflections reps for all your hard work.
- Pattie Leahy, Council Reflections Chairman

• Meeting Attendance over 20 (make exceptions for smaller PTAs) - must bring copy of minutes to meeting each month
• Fill out award applications and/or grants
• Turn in Assemblies and Programs Lists
• Turn in Audit Reports
• Submit Annual Report on time
• Attend monthly council meetings (100 points per month)
• Bring a board member to council meeting
• Attend Superintendent's Forums
• Attend school board meeting (must let Jackie know someone attended)
• Attend Council/District training workshops
• Attend PTA Convention (100 points only per unit)
• Turn in membership money by deadline
• Turn in insurance money by deadline
• Received membership Early Bird Award
• Appoint Legislative rep to board
• Attend 4th District Legislative Roundtables
• Send rep to Sacramento Safari
• Appoint Parent Ed rep to board
• Turn in fundraiser evaluation
• Turn in program evaluation
• Have Family Fun Night (100 points per event)
• Have Parent Ed Night (100 points per event)
• Institute Community Service Project
• Turn in Officers List on time
• Instituted Procedure Books (bring sample)
• Completed bylaw update
• Increased membership by 2% or 22 people (worth 200 points)
• Have an HSA program
• Have Founders Day program

Convention Dates: May 1-4, 2001 Wednesday thru Saturday - Los Angeles

Setting Up a "PTA-only Email Account"

One of the most difficult tasks, at least for me, as a new unit president, was trying to organize everything. I'm that personality type that wants to take on 15 projects, but can only seem to finish about half of them because I become focused on something else.

Because electronic mail has become almost a standard mode of communication these days, it too should be included in your "getting organized" list of things to do as well as "tools you can use".

Think of how you organize your paperwork. You have binders with dividers, or separate folders for different types of documents. How about your work area? Most of you probably no longer have a dining area because it's covered with all your PTA paperwork!

It would be nice if we all had a separate desk for our PTA paperwork that came with hanging files already labeled... wouldn't it even be better if the "file fairies" came in the middle of the night and you didn't have to spend three hours putting things away each month?

Let your email help you get rid of some of the "paperwork overflow" and do it electronically!

You have several different options:

1. Your Internet Service Provider usually allows you to set up several different mailboxes under one account. You Cox@Home and AOL users get six or seven each. If you don't have a separate email account for you, your husband, all your kids and the dog, you probably haven't used all of these mailboxes yet. Go in and set one up (this is in addition to your personal account) that is just for your PTA-related communique. Within this email mailbox, you can set up folders... just as you would with paper documentation.

2. Second, I can set up what's called an "email alias" for you. In a nutshell... people send email to, say, "olivewood@svpta.org". That will direct mail to one of our mail servers and I will "redirect" mail to that address to forward on to you at your PTA-related mailbox that you have set up. For example, mail to "communications@svpta.org" is actually received by me at "mcs@shults.com".

3. Third, if you go to http://www.ptamail.com/ptamail/login/login.htm, to the second half entitled, "Sign up for PTAmail.com". Just follow their process and then all you have to do is log on to the Internet via your web browser and point it to www.ptamail.com, log in with your password, and get your PTA-related mail here. It's got folders for storage so you can organize your mail.

If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact me by phone or email. My phone number is 768-2609 and my email is mcs@shults.com (or mshults@ptamail.com, or communications@svpta.org.. see, I use all the options :)

NEEDS OF GROUP MEMBERS

A good leader knows that the PTA is only as strong as its individual members. Individuals can become strong, effective PTA members if their individual needs are met. A PTA leader can help to build strength and leadership in the unit by understanding and giving attention to these needs. A group member needs:

1. A sense of belonging. A feeling of welcome. A sense of being needed for one's self, not just for money or name. Use many different people on committees - ask everyone to do something at least once.
2. To share in planning activities, programs and goal setting. Allow everyone's ideas to have a fair hearing. Have one meeting where there are small group discussions that encourage input from everyone.
3. To feel that he or she is contributing to a good cause that extends beyond self; what is being done is worthwhile. Be sure projects and programs are meaningful, provide worthwhile activities, information.
4. To know what is expected. Clearly outline job descriptions, committee assignments.
5. To have responsibilities that challenge, are within the range of abilities, contribute toward the organization's goals. Match jobs with abilities of members; know your membership.
6. To see that progress is being made. (Report regularly to the membership on programs and projects.)
7. To be kept informed. An informed membership will be an enthusiastic, supportive membership.
8. To have confidence in the leadership. Confidence is based on consistent, fair treatment; recognition when it is due; efficient handling of duties and responsibilities.

From "The Communicator", July 2001

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