CT PTA President's Letter
May, 2002

One of the major benefits of being members of Connecticut PTA and National PTA are the opportunities provided to learn about issues that have an impact on our children, to grow in our ability to be advocates for them and to share what we have learned with others. These past few months have provided me and many of our members with just those opportunities.

In late February, I attended the National PTA’s National Council of States Meeting in Charlotte, NC. This three-day meeting brought together representatives from all 54 congresses (50 states, European Congress, Pacific Congress, Virgin Islands and Washington, DC). The first day was filled with training sessions on conflict resolution, team building and group dynamics; discussing our role and responsibility as a National Council of States (NCS) member; as well as identifying and prioritizing issues on which we would like National PTA to focus in the coming year. On Sunday, the State Presidents’ Summit convened with a discussion of the new structure of the National PTA including an overview of available resources and programs and a discussion of issues facing states and their presidents. The morning workshops covered responsibilities of a nonprofit board, including fiscal responsibilities and the administrative and financial considerations of running a non-profit organization. During lunch the new Identity campaign was presented and then on to our afternoon workshops: membership issues, including starting a PTA, recruitment, retention, diversity and sensitivity; and PTA programs. Our keynote address at dinner was "Leadership Skills for the 21st Century" given by Lea Soupata, Senior Vice President, United Parcel Service. Before wrapping up on Monday, we discussed advocacy and why it is PTA at its finest!

The following week, on Wednesday March 6th, CT PTA joined the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE) for a "Day on the Hill" in Hartford. After greetings and issues briefings, a few key representatives shared their positions on education funding with us. They included The Honorable Thomas Herlihy, Ranking Member Education Committee; The Honorable Kevin Sullivan, Senate President ProTempore; The Honorable Moira Lyons, Speaker of the House; The Honorable Cameron Staples, Co-Chairman, Education Committee; and The Honorable Robert Ward, House Minority Leader. We then marched to the steps of the Capitol for a rally and press conference. Many PTA members as well as students, parents and grandparents from around the state joined us to speak with one voice for every child - do not cut funding for education!  The afternoon allowed time for individual visits with legislators to discuss CT PTA’s legislative priorities for this year as well as any specific areas of concern.

Next it was on to the National PTA’s Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. At our first general session, we were provided an outline of National PTA’s priority issues and the training we would be receiving. On Sunday, we attended a number of different advocacy training sessions such as Lobbying Techniques, Understanding Congress, Tracking and Monitoring Legislation and Issues Campaigns, PTA and the IRS. Monday ’s focus was on issues workshops: Federal Funding of Education Programs, Public Funds for Public Schools, ESEA Reauthorized, IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and Testing to name a few. On Tuesday, Kevin Daly, Linda Hodge and I met with representatives from all eight of Connecticut’s legislators to discuss both National PTA’s and CT PTA’s priorities for this year. It was a wonderful experience and I look forward to participating in the future and I encourage you to do so also. National PTA’s Legislative Conference is open to all PTA members.

CT PTA is now offering you an opportunity to learn, grow and network with members from around the state. Join us at our 102nd Annual Convention on May 10-11 at the Meriden Plaza Hotel in Meriden, CT. We are honored to have Shirley Igo, National PTA president, join us at this year ’s convention. Shirley will be presenting a workshop on how to "Jump Start Your PTA" — enhance your PTA’s image, increase membership, and provide quality programs using National PTA’s materials.

In addition to Shirley’s workshops, there are workshops on Bullying and Diversity, The Internet and Your Child, Character Education: Linking Home and School, Secrets of Parenting Today’s Kids, Helping Children Cope with our "New Reality", How Do Children Learn? and Gaining the Arts Advantage. At our Spirit of PTA Gala on Friday evening, we will be celebrating your outstanding achievements and honoring the people in your community who help to make PTA a success. On Saturday, you can get a "running start" as you put together your team and plans for next year. PTA Leadership Academy offers workshops on PTA President: The Easiest Job in the PTA; PTA Lobbying, Law and Politics; PTA Financial & Legal Issues; Membership 2002; and Bylaws Are the Basic Rules. In addition, there will be a workshop on National PTA’s Building Successful Partnerships program. This workshop discusses the six parental involvement standards and outlines ways that parents, educators and the community can successfully implement them.

There is much to see and do on May 10-11. We look forward to seeing you in Meriden!

Donna McGuire
President, Connecticut PTA