Ohio PTA-Nov, 2015

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The Ohio PTA Voice Page 2 November 2015

Advertising in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by Ohio PTA

The PTA Advantage

PTA is the oldest and largest child advocacy association in America. PTA is

comprised of four million parents, teachers, grandparents, caregivers, foster parents

and other caring adults who share a commitment to improving the education, health,

and safety of all children. We speak with one voice for every child.

Today, the issues that affect our children extend beyond their individual schools.

PTA’s nationwide network provides parents with the forum and tools to collectively

influence the decisions that affect children not only at their schools, but also

throughout their districts, within their states, and across the nation. This mission is

unique to PTA.

Many of the benefits our children receive today, such as universal kindergarten, the

National School Lunch Program, and a juvenile justice system, were accomplished

as a result of PTA’s mission.

In Ohio, PTA has achieved several notable advances for children since 1901,

including:

Being instrumental in obtaining legislation which mandated that school districts

develop policies for parent involvement in the schools

Awarding the Ohio PTA Memorial Scholarships

Advocating for the implementation of and education of parents and community

members about Common Core Standards

Hosting its first Diversity & Inclusion Conference to help highlight the

importance of including everyone in the education of children and the future of

PTA in Ohio.

Embracing social media as an important communication tool for its members

and advocates by utilizing Facebook, Twitter, and The Ohio PTA Voice e-

newsletter to highlight activities and advocacy opportunities

Continued...

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With PTA, families also have access to important benefits, including:

Dozens of national programs, experts, and turnkey resources

Regular updates and advice in the form of e-newsletters, PTA.org, OurChildren magazine, and a robust back -to-school kit of resources

Practical field service provided to leaders. Local PTA units are encouraged toexchange ideas and gain new insights from best practices throughout the state

Leadership development through webinars and e-learning courses

Millions of dollars in grants to help build PTA capacity and skills and make adifference in their school community

Prestigious national awards

Cost savings from national retailers and other PTA partners

Invitations to PTA conventions as well as our conferences for emerging

minority leaders, male mentors, and advocates

Support services and staff to help establish and manage your PTA

Submitted by: Venezuela Robinson

Director of Communications [email protected]

Source: National PTA

Cheddar Up + Ohio PTA

Sll collecng checks? Introducing Ohio PTA’s partnership with

Cheddar Up. Now collecng payments online is easy. Don’t missthe webinar! Learn more.

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Columbus Youth Making an Impact on the World

To some who view our inner city youth as apathetic and uninvolved, the students inthe Impact Team at Eastmoor Academy High School in Columbus, Ohio would endthat negative stereotype. According to Principal, Brian S. Morton, Eastmoor isleading by example. “The spirit of giving back is alive and well at EastmoorAcademy,” says Morton.

The Impact Team was begun in 2007 by teacher Bruce Green, with the purpose tohelp improve their corner of the Columbus community. It started with 5 studentsand has grown to more than 300 and is now the largest school- based communityservice group in the State of Ohio. To reward them for the giving back, the CentralOhio Labor Council AFL-CIO and the United Way of Central Ohio CommunityServices, awarded the Impact Team with the 2015 George Meany Youth ServicesAward. Some of their activities include providing meals and hand stitchingsleeping bags for the homeless, hosting blood drives and traveling on mission tripsaround the country and in the Dominican Republic. Although Mr. Green retired lastyear, the vision continues under the direction of Internship Coordinator, Kelley A.Rasberry. Rasberry says the students are excited about new opportunities to servethis year. "The energy surrounding the program has been infectious and my goal

this year is to keep the momentum and positive energy headed in the rightdirection." There is no doubt these Columbus City School students know theimportance of service to all mankind.

This article has been contributed by:

N. Michelle Sutton Ohio PTA Mosaic Committee Member

http://www.actionagendas.com/

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The Flu: A Guide for Parents

FLU INFORMATION

What is the flu?

Influenza (the flu) is an infection of the nose, throat, and lungs caused by

influenza viruses. There are many different influenza viruses that areconstantly changing. The flu can be very dangerous for children. Each yearabout 20,000 children under 5 years old are hospitalized from flucomplications, like pneumonia. Flu illness can vary from mild to severe. It can

be especially dangerous for children of any age who have certain long-term healthconditions.

How does the flu spread?

Mainly by droplets made when people with the flu cough, sneeze or talk andthat land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby

Less often, by touching something that has flu virus on it and then touches theirown mouth, eyes or nose

What are the symptoms of the flu?

Symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches,headache, chills, fatigue and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea (more in children).

How long can a sick person spread the flu to others?

People shed the flu virus from 1 day before getting sick to 5 to 7 days after. Note: Children and people with weakened immune systems can shed the virus forlonger and may be still contagious past 5 to 7 days of flu illness, especially if theystill have symptoms.

PROTECT YOUR CHILD

How can I protect my child against the flu?

Get a flu vaccine for yourself and everyone in your home 6 months and older. Caregivers of children with health conditions or of children who are younger

than 6 months old should get vaccinated. Vaccinate while pregnant to protect your baby. Research shows that the flu

vaccination gives some protection to the baby both during pregnancy and up to6 months after birth.

Is there a medicine to treat the flu?

Antiviral drugs can be prescribed and work best when started during the first 2 daysof illness. They may especially benefit those who are very sick, at high risk ofhaving serious flu complications, are children or pregnant women.

What are some of the other ways I can protect my child against the flu?

Stay away from people who are sick. If your child is sick with flu-like illness, try to keep him or her in a separate

room from others in the household, if possible.

Have the sick child stay home for at least 24 hours after his or her fever is gonewithout fever -reducing medication.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not

available, use an alcohol- based hand rub. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Clean and disinfect hard surfaces and objects, including bathroom surfaces,

kitchen counters and toys for children. Follow directions on product labels.

Contnued...

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These everyday steps are a good way to reduce your chances of getting sick. However, a yearly flu vaccine is the best protection against flu illness.

IF YOUR CHILD IS SICK

What can I do if my child gets sick?

Talk to your doctor early if you are worried about your child’s illness.

Make sure your child gets plenty of rest and drinks enough fluids. NOTE: If your child is at high risk for flu complications, call your doctor or takethem to the doctor right away if they develop flu-like symptoms.

What if my child seems very sick?

Consult your doctor with any of these symptoms: Fast breathing or trouble breathing Bluish or gray skin color Not drinking enough fluids Not going to the bathroom or not urinating normally Severe or persistent vomiting Not waking up or not interacting Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held Flu

-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

When can my child go back to school after having the flu?

Keep your child home from school, day care or camp for at least 24 hours aftertheir fever is gone, without the use of a fever -reducing medicine.

Note: A fever is defined as 100°F (37.8°C) or higher .

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/flu or www.flu.gov.

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/fluguideforparents.pdf

Lisa Catalano

Director of Health, Welfare & Safety

http://c/Users/michele/Downloads/www.cdc.gov/flu%20or%20www.flu.govhttp://c/Users/michele/Downloads/www.cdc.gov/flu%20or%20www.flu.govhttp://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/fluguideforparents.pdfhttp://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/fluguideforparents.pdfhttp://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/freeresources/updated/fluguideforparents.pdfhttp://c/Users/michele/Downloads/www.cdc.gov/flu%20or%20www.flu.govhttp://www.zaphq.com/

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NO SLEEPING

ON THE JOB

This is the time of year when most Membership Committees“think

”that theMembership Drive is over or coming to a close. The initial rush of renewing past

and signing up new members is over; the hustle and bustle of the beginning of theschool year with Open Houses and Curriculum Nights is behind us. Now we canfinally relax. NOT TRUE! We need to keep the membership momentum going allyear long. If you have hit your goal of a 5% increase, great! Try for another 5%and set some new goals for the next couple months. If you have not yet hit yourgoal of a 5% increase over last year ’s membership total, then you should still be onthe move, introducing yourself to new parents you have never seen at a meeting andinviting them to join the largest organization for child advocacy! Below are someways to keep things fresh and keep PTA on the minds of everyone:

Send a newsletter thanking families that have joined PTA. Highlight events thatPTA has sponsored in the past or even up to this point in the year as well as up-coming events.

Hold Information Nights for families on various topics such as standardizedstate testing.

Keep the personal touches and make a phone call when you need volunteers orwant to ask someone to join PTA or renew their membership.

Reinforce that joining does not require a time commitment but does open thedoor to volunteering if that person wishes to.

Always advertise your next meeting date, time and place and invite people. If you are a PTSA, make sure that your fliers are posted in common areas of the

school building for easy access to the students. Offer babysitting and/or homework help at your meetings for busy parents that

need to bring their children.

Ask real estate professionals in your area to pass out information about yourPTA.

Utilize your local businesses and Chamber of Commerce to promote your PTA. Set up an information table at the local grocery store so you can reach out to

families in your area. Offer a discount on dues when multiple family members sign up. Be sure that your contact information is current and accessible on your PTA

website or the school website. Have current members bring a friend to the next meeting. Referrals are your

best marketing tool!

Keep having fun and keep coming up with creative ways to get even moremembers! We want to recognize your unit at our annual convention! As always,feel free to email with any questions at [email protected] and be sure to

join our next Statewide Membership Conference Call, Thursday, December 3rd at7:30 p.m.

Angela Revay Director of Membership

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

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2015 Ohio PTA Legislative Priorities

Ohio PTA’s mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging,empowering, and being an advocate for all children and families. Since its foundingin 1901, Ohio PTA has a long history of being a strong advocate for every child.Ohio PTA promotes legislation that protects all children and youth and that meets

their education, health and welfare needs. In 2015, Ohio PTA’ s main focus area isto support a safe and effective education environment adequate for all children .

Our legislative focus areas include:

Opposing the use of public funds for non- public schools, vouchers and tax-credits

Supporting charter schools that are governed by local school boards, open to allstudents, do not divert monies from public schools, comply with federal andstate laws governing public schools and do not charge tuition or fees notcharged by public schools

Supporting increased physical activities during the school day for K -12 students Supporting strong courses of study that will include Arts Education in the core

requirements for a high quality comprehensive public education Supporting privacy of student data (in regards to military recruiters)

Supporting and promoting the Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for OhioEducators

The almost 65,000 members of Ohio PTA through our 485 local units and 41councils, advocate to our decision makers to provide our school districts with theresources to prepare our students to be college and career - ready and to assume theresponsibilities of citizenship. If you are interested in becoming involved in state- level advocacy by monitoring legislation and policies for education and otherchildren’s and family issues, please consider joining Ohio PTA’s AdvocacyCommittee by contacting the Ohio PTA office at 614.781.6344 or emailadvocacy@ohiopta.

Tandra Rutledge Director of Advocacy

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]

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Key Findings from the 2015 ids and Reading

Report by Scholastic, Incorporated

Key Findings from the 2015 Kids and Reading Report by Scholastic,

Incorporated for children ages 0-5:

· 6 in 10 (60%) parents of children ages 0-5 received advice that children

should be read aloud to from birth, yet only 47% of parents in lower

income families received this advice.

· While 73% of these parents reported they started reading to their child

before age one, only 30% said they began before the age of three months.

· Developing language and vocabulary skills, and using their imagination, are

the top benefits parents want their young children to gain from reading

books for fun.

Reading in School:

· 44% of children say they read books for fun outside of school while 31% say

they read at home and school; yet only 14% say they read for fun mostly in

schools.

· Only 33% of students ages 6-17 say they read a book of choice

independently as a class in school at least some time during the week or

month; while only 12% said they read independently as a school during the

week or month, and only 25% read during their own time over the course

of a week or month.

· Overall, children who read independently with their class or school feel

more positive (52%) than negative (38%) about this experience and

say that it is one of their favorite parts of the school day or that they wish

they could do this more often.

What Kids Want in Books:

· Children across age groups overwhelmingly agree that their favorite books,

and the ones they are most likely to finish, are the ones they pick out

themselves.

· 70% of children ages 6-17 want books that make them laugh.

· 73% of both boys and girls say they would read more if they could find

more books they like.

“used with permission from…OAESA and Scholasc Book Fairs”

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Your PTA Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE BOARD

President

Sheila Ragland

614-351-8083

[email protected]

President-elect

Susan Hans

440-243-8776

[email protected]

VP Leadership

Ana Chapman

440-234-2504

[email protected]

VP Field Service

Lisa Weaver

330-825-8252

[email protected]

Secretary/Treasurer

Suzie Smith-Rios

614-878-3596

[email protected]

DIRECTORS

Advocacy Tandra Rutledge 216-860-4575 [email protected]

Diversity Jeanne Groetz-Shockling 330-313-1544 [email protected]

FSP Pam Bonnett 440-781-2927 [email protected]

Bylaws & SRules Cindy Schanz 330 – 329-6335

[email protected]

Education Jackie Arendt 440-230-1567 [email protected]

HWS Lisa Catalano 440-498-9545 [email protected]

Communications Venezuela Robinson 440-786-9855 [email protected]

Events Linda Read 330-923-7248 [email protected]

Membership Angela Revay 216-328-9668 [email protected]

DISTRICT ADVISORS

District 3

Lois Monroe 937-653-8741 [email protected]

District 11

Debbie Tidwell 440-779-7141 [email protected]

District 17

Carol Beasley 216-383-1963 [email protected]

District 7 Dana Paul 440-843-6951 [email protected]

District 12 Maria Lang 440-289-9696 [email protected]

District 18 Shannon Weber 440-781-0036 [email protected]

District 10 Terry Hickey

614-870-9570 [email protected]

District 13 Rebecca Gawsyszawski

440-315-9097 [email protected]

OFFICE Sue Owen

[email protected] Jeri Gookin

[email protected]

Immediate Past President Lisa Mack

Vacant Advisor Positions: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 19. If anyone is interested in serving on the Ohio PTA Board of Directors, contact Venezuela Robinson at [email protected]. Job descriptions and an application are posted on the Ohio PTA website.

Documents

Ohio PTA-Nov, 2015