The Focus Newsletter for the First Week of June, 2008

The last general membership meeting, backpack collections, and elections of new officers will be tomorrow, Monday June 2 at 7:30 pm at BOE.

In this issue:

Congratulation SJLES PTA
Treasurer’s Trove
Leadership & Training Opportunity – July 26^th
Send your PTA new officers list please
Looking Ahead by Looking Back

Congratulations St. Johns Lane ES PTA

The SJLES PTA has earned the National PTA Unit Achievement Award. This award recognizes and celebrates the great things local PTAs are doing all the time. The recognition for running a successful PTA is important to our PTA members and to the entire school community. There were only 10 PTAs who received this recognition in the state of Maryland and the only one in Howard County. Way to go SJLES PTA!

Treasurer’s Trove

The end of the fiscal year is June 30^th. As your last duty before you retire and turn the books over to the new treasurer or even if you are returning as Treasurer, per Maryland PTA bylaws and your insurance policy, there must be an audit (or really a financial review) of this year’s books. This audit report must be presented to your membership at your first general membership meeting in the fall. For more on Preparation for the Annual Review, go to our website at: http://www.ptachc.org/Cresources/treasurerguidelines/annualreview.htm. If you have any questions, please email the Council office at ptachc@gmail.com

Secondly, did you file your PTAs Personal Property Return last April 15^th? This is required of every PTA even though the PTA does not own property. The PTA is incorporated and must maintain good standing with the MD Dept. of Taxation and Assessments. To check on the status of your PTA, go to: http://sdatcert3.resiusa.org/UCC-Charter/CharterSearch_f.aspx. Type in the legal name of your PTA

Leadership & Training Opportunity –July 26, 2008

One of the greatest contributions the PTA makes to the community, aside from its education-oriented programs, is the training it provides for its leaders. The PTA provides training and tools that can be carried over into other organizations. Maryland PTA events are an opportunity to:

Gain valuable leadership skills
Meet new and seasoned leaders,
Network
Learn more about timely issues
Attend informational workshops
Vote on issues that affect the PTA
And most importantly, have FUN

Plan to attend the MD Summer Leadership Conference on July 26 at the Anne Arundel Community College. There are 31 workshops to choose from. For more information and to register MD PTA go to www.mdpta.org. Click on the Calendar link.

ELECTIONS

As your PTA has its elections, please forward your officers contact information to the Council’s office. The form is at: http://www.ptachc.org/Cresources/Cforms/newofficersdirectoryform.doc Thank you. Deadline is June 15.

If you are the outgoing president or delegate, please complete this form for your incoming board and send Council a copy also. Thank you for all of your dedicated work for all children with one voice.

Thank you to the PTAs (we have 71PTAs in Howard County) that have been so prompt in sending in their new officer contact form. Thank you to Bellows Spring, Bushy Park, Centennial Lane, Clemens Crossing, Ilchester, Mayfield Woods, Murray Hill, Stevens Forest, Wilde Lake High, and Worthington.

Looking Ahead by Looking Back

By Tim Sullivan

One of the first steps in looking ahead is looking back. You've got to know where you are before you can figure out where you're going, ya know? Both for you as a leader and for your group as a whole, here are some discussion questions to help with the self-analysis:

How is your school involvement affecting your family? Is it too much or is it in balance?

Would others say that your involvement has you running crazy? Do you feel stressed about school "stuff"?

What impression do average parents at your school have of your group? What do teachers/staff think?

What was your best event last year? What about it worked so well? Can you do more like it?

What was your least successful effort? How come? What are you changing as a result of it?

Are there some volunteers who seem to have moved away from your group? Why?

Can you name five less-involved parents who'd make great additions to your team? What can you do to personally walk them up the involvement ladder?

Are the folks who do connect with your group having fun?

These questions can help your group take a fresh and honest look at its involvement efforts. They're well worth asking.

CALENDAR

June 2 General Membership Meeting, 7:30 pm BOE

June 30 Prepare for audit/review

July 26 MD PTA Summer Leadership Conference www.mdpta.org for information

Thank you for being an advocate for every child with one voice.
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