End of School

Dear PTA Leaders,

The school year is starting to come to a close and we want to make sure that if you have any last minute questions about audits, membership or elections to please contact our office.

Also, as you start to close your books please make sure that you have submitted the following 2006-2007 PTA information to the State PTA office.

· Membership Dues & Lists
· Audit
· New PTA Board List for incoming board members
· Insurance Payment (there are still a few stragglers out there)
· Copy of your 990 form if you filed one

Our Office Manager will be out of town the week of May 21st, however we will be checking messages. If you have any questions or need any information please feel free to e-mail me at atamagni.akpta@gmail.com

Below I have our office phone numbers, fax numbers and mailing address should they be needed.

I know this is not something that we hear often enough but I would like to thank each of you for your involvement in the PTA and advocating for our childrens education.

Al Tamagni Jr.
Alaska PTA
President-Elect

contact info

Special Announcement for Students

STUDENTS REGISTER NOW!

EDUCATING ON LAW & DEMOCRACY
Alaska Statewide Summer Institute on Law-Related Education
Teaching About Law, Justice & the Constitution In Your Middle School & High School Classroom
For teachers of: U.S. History (8th & 10th Grade), Government (12th Grade),
Criminology, Law Studies, Business Law & Others

Keynote Address:
CHIEF JUSTICE DANA FABE
Alaska Supreme Court

Institute Instructor:
MARGARET FISHER
Adjunct Professor, Seattle University School of Law
Law-Related Education Coordinator, Washington State Courts
Winner, 2004 American Bar Association Isidore Starr Award for Excellence in Law-Related Education

Sponsored by the Alaska Teaching Justice Network,
the Alaska Bar Association LRE Committee & the Alaska Court System
in conjunction with the Anchorage School District Summer Academy
June 6-7, 2007 Dimond High School Anchorage, Alaska

REGISTER EARLY! The first 20 registrants will receive FREE Street Law Materials!
Register online at www.asdta.com
For questions about registration contact: jennifer@uaa.alaska.edu, 907-786-1932
PROFESSIONAL TEACHER CREDIT AVAILABLE THROUGH UAA

Don't forget!

This is your last chance to register for Alaska PTA's 2007 State Convention!!

Our convention will is April 26th thru the 28th at the Anchorage Sheraton Hotel.
Visit our website for information and how to register. http://www.alaskapta.org/convention.htm

If you decide to join us, registrations and payment will be taken at the registration desk.

Hope to see you all there!!

Dues Deadline

Remember, the last dues deadline for the year is March 31. Be sure to send in your final dues and membership report for the year, including any new members who have joined during the school year.

If you do not send in any dues for the year, your PTA is not in good standing, and may be subject to disband. For more information or for questions please call the Alaska PTA Office.

Alaska PTA Convention

Alaska PTA Annual Convention 2007 will be held April 26th-28th, 2007at the Anchorage Sheraton Hotel, in Anchorage, Alaska. For more information go tohttp://www.alaskapta.org/convention.htm

Month of the Military Child

1. April is the Month of the Military Child: Military children are special. They are asked to move frequently, attend numerous schools, live without a military parent during deployments, provide support and encouragement to the non deployed parent and carry on and live a “normal” life. In the face of so many challenges military children are flexible courageous and adaptable. For more information click here.

Rescuing Recess Grants

Spread the word for your PTAs to be awarded grants – Rescuing Recess campaign letters should be in by May 19!

Send all letters with this template to be eligible.*

A $50,000 grant will be awarded to the state PTA with the most overall participation.

A $5,000 grant will be awarded to one local PTA unit in each of the state PTA congresses, including the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, and European Congress.

The total amount of grants Cartoon Network will be awarding for this campaign is now $315,000.

*PTAs in good standing are eligible for these Rescuing Recess grants.

SEND YOUR LETTERS NOW!

To help spread the word, place these graphics on your PTA websites to help drive participation in the Rescuing Recess Campaign. The ads are also available to download from National PTA’s website. Find the ads here: http://www.pta.org/national_leadership_subprogram_1143669887921.html.




Experts agree that playtime can be just as vital as classroom time to a child’s social, emotional and educational development. To that end, National PTA and Cartoon Network launched Rescuing Recess, a campaign that champions the importance of recess for kids. Developed with direction from an advisory board of leaders and policymakers in children’s health and education, Rescuing Recess seeks to connect educators, parents, and kids as advocates to bring back or keep recess.

Spread the word for your PTAs to be awarded grants – Rescuing Recess campaign letters should be in by May 19!

Send all letters with this template to be eligible.*

A $50,000 grant will be awarded to the state PTA with the most overall participation.

A $5,000 grant will be awarded to one local PTA unit in each of the state PTA congresses, including the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands, and European Congress.

The total amount of grants Cartoon Network will be awarding for this campaign is now $315,000.

*PTAs in good standing are eligible for these Rescuing Recess grants.

SEND YOUR LETTERS NOW!

To help spread the word, place these graphics on your PTA websites to help drive participation in the Rescuing Recess Campaign. The ads are also available to download from National PTA’s website. Find the ads here: http://www.pta.org/national_leadership_subprogram_1143669887921.html.


Experts agree that playtime can be just as vital as classroom time to a child’s social, emotional and educational development. To that end, National PTA and Cartoon Network launched Rescuing Recess, a campaign that champions the importance of recess for kids. Developed with direction from an advisory board of leaders and policymakers in children’s health and education, Rescuing Recess seeks to connect educators, parents, and kids as advocates to bring back or keep recess.

Alaksa PTA Walk for Healthy Kids

Alaska PTA Walk for Healthy Kids
6:15—7:30 AM Saturday April 29, 2006


As part of its commitment to educating families on the importance of health, wellness, and nutrition, Alaska PTA is hosting the second annual Saturday morning walkathon. Please meet in the Sheraton Lobby, 5th Avenue entrance to walk with State PTA leaders, conference attendees, and special guests. Everyone is invited, so bring your family, friends, and neighbors! There is a special gift for all those that participate. Proceeds for this event will help supply all Alaska schools with the Alaska PTA Family Fitness & Nutrition Toolkit.

(Note: there is a registration fee, for registration form go to http://www.alaska.net/~akpta/2006AlaskaPTAConventionregistrationform.doc )

Good news!

Alaska PTA has once again successfully submitted resolution to be considered by the delegates at the National PTA Convention. Delegates will be considering “School Trust Lands and Funds” and “Recognition and Care of School-Age Children with Diabetes” in Phoenix, AZ, June 23 - 26, 2006. If you are planning to attend National PTA Convention, make sure you contact the Alaska PTA office for a voting delegate card.

The Alaska Public School Land Trust Committee is very excited about having a resolution on “School Trust Lands and Funds” on the agenda at the National PTA Convention this coming June. It has taken years and the combined work of many PTA members and our C.L.A.S.S partners to get a resolution that was acceptable to the National PTA Board of Directors as meeting the criteria for consideration by the Delegates. A big Thank You to Alaska PTA and its local units for the continuing support of this important issue by the passage of our Alaska PTA resolution on the subject and the inclusion of the Alaska Public School Land Trust in the Alaska PTA Legislative Priorities for the past 2 years.

For more information in the Alaska Public School Land Trust go to www.alaskapublicschoollandtrust.org

For more Information on National PTA Annual Convention go to www.pta.org

April 27th – 29th, join other PTA and community leaders at the Anchorage Sheraton concerned about the health and welfare of children at the Annual Alaska PTA Convention.

The convention will concentrate on topics of SAFEGUARDING YOUR CHILDREN with workshops, special seminars on child wellness and iSAFE, an internet safety program and other speakers and events.

Pta Training is always an important part of convention, come laugh learn and recharge at the Alaska PTA 2006 Convention.

Alaska PTA Legislative Fly In

Alaska PTA’s Legislative Fly-in
is happening this week!

Representatives from the
National & Alaska PTA
will be in Juneau this week,
February 15 &16

Please join Auke Bay PTA to
welcome and talk with them about
education issues in Alaska

Wednesday, February 15

9:30-10:30am
Welcome Coffee & Briefing
Alaska Office Building
350 Main Street, Conference Room #12
Stop by for coffee & a short briefing
to kick-off the two-day legislative fly-in

5:00-6:00pm
Hospitality Reception
Doc Water’s Velvet Room
Downtown on the Wharf
Please join us for a casual, drop-in reception

Everyone is welcome!

Please RSVP to Nancy Cashen at
cabowabo@acsalaska.net or 790-2285
if you plan to attend either or both events

Alaska PTA Legislative Issues Conference

Advocacy is on of the most important things that PTA does. There are many issues which need to be addressed in a way that includes all of the children of Alaska. Bring your legislative issues to the table on Friday, October 28th & Saturday, October 29th, 2005 at the BP Energy Center, 900 E. Benson Blvd., Anchorage

See Web Page for additional Info and registration.
http://www.alaska.net/%7Eakpta/legissues.htm

What if there is a Strike?

Now that the strike vote has been taken, Anchorage schools could be hit by a teachers strike with as little as 72 hours notice.

No matter your personal feelings about the issues that have gotten us to this point,
As a PTA Leader you cannot take sides. Our members consist of Parents and Teachers as well as other community members. PTA peole are passinate, it is likely that all of your members have very strong feelings about the possibility of a strike.

PTAs must remember that the mission is about the best interests of the children. We must make sure that the children are safe, taken care of and ready to learn while this is all sorted out by the grown ups.

The link is to the updated Alaska PTA Strike Manual, In it you will find information to help you with situations you may be faced with in the face of this strike.

Office Depot Meet and Greet

Dear PTA President:

National PTA has teamed up with its new Proud Community Partner,
Office Depot, to officially welcome you back to school and to
share with you some exciting opportunities for PTAs nationwide!

Office Depot is committed to supporting the important work of all
PTAs by working with PTA leaders at the national, state, and local
levels to help make a difference in their communities throughout
the school year. The relationship between PTA and Office Depot is
extensive, so be on the lookout for many exciting announcements in
the coming months. To start off, we want to make you aware of an
opportunity this month to increase your PTA's reach.

National PTA and Office Depot have designated Saturday, August 13,
2005, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., as PTA Meet & Greet Day at all
1,000+ Office Depot stores across the country. We encourage all
local PTA presidents and board members to visit their local Office
Depot and meet with the store management team anytime during this
four-hour period.

Open House

Alaska PTA Open House in our new Office Location
Thursday, August 11, and Friday, August 12 from 10 am to 8 pm
and Saturday August 13 from 10 am to 2 pm.

Come by to see the office and to meet all of the volunteers who are your Alaska PTA Board.

This is the perfect time to pick up membership cards, turn in your officers list and get information on the coming school year.

See you There.

National PTA Convention

Alaska PTA was represented by 8 delegates at the 2005 National PTA Convention in Columbus, Ohio. Alaska PTA presented our Resolution on Bullying which was approved by the delegates of national PTA with one minor change. We attended workshops to increase our knowledge and networked with other PTA leaders in addition to taking part in the buiness sessions of the organization.

The National PTA will be posting the results of the business soon on their web page.

Office move

The Alaska PTA Office has moved to 555 West Northern Lights, Suite 204 (upstairs). All of the contact information and phone numbers remain the same. We look forward to having all of you visit the new location later this summer for our Annual Open House. Look Here or on the website for dates and times.

www.alaskapta.org

look for Alaska PTA Convention Wrap Up inforamtion on the Alaska PTA Website. A list of convention Sponsors has been added to the update. without these supporters, convention would not be possible. Please thank them when you speak to them.

Saturday Walk for Healthy Kids
April 30, 2005
6:15—7:30 AM
As part of its commitment to educating families on the importance of health, wellness, and nutrition, Alaska PTA is hosting a special Saturday morning walkathon. Please meet in the Sheraton Lobby, 5th Avenue entrance to walk with State PTA leaders, conference attendees, and special guests. We will be walking downtown Anchorage from the Sheraton Hotel up 5th street cutting across G street to continue back to the Sheraton down 6th street. Everyone is invited, so bring your family, friends, and neighbors! There is a special gift for all those that participate. Proceeds for this event will help supply all Alaska schools with the Alaska PTA Family Fitness & Nutrition Toolkit. (Note: there is a registration fee) Dee Parsons AK PTA President Elect

Alaska PTA 2005 Annual Convention
April 28-30, 2005

On behalf of the Alaska PTA Board of Managers, I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to your Alaska PTA 2005 Annual Convention. You will find this convention to be filled with important training and information that will help you in your work in PTA. It is vital for PTA leadership to be properly informed on the issues and trained in the processes that have made PTA a driving force in advocacy for children in Alaska for the past 48 years.

We have a full agenda planned for you. The leadership seminar is packed with critical information and the convention workshop schedule is full. As a part of the leadership training we will be giving a presentation of the National PTA program “Building Successful Partnerships” you won’t want to miss it.

Our Theme for convention this year is “The PTA of the Future, Inclusion & Diversity”, we have dynamic speakers ready to inspire you and challenge you to action. There are evening events full of fun and information, with performers from The Alaska Native heritage Center, and The Reflections Reception. Alaska has some very impressive young musicians, artists and writers.

Alaska PTA also has important business to conduct. We will be electing officers for the next term, amending our bylaws and discussing resolutions and positions for Alaska PTA. We will be again holding Region meetings so that you can discuss issues important to your membership and your region of the state.

But, it is not all work. One of the best parts of convention is the networking and sharing with other PTA leaders from around the state. Ask questions, meet people and find out what is important to them.