Connecticut PTA

In 1988 when Carol Duggan was the CT PTA State President, National PTA was interested in increasing membership and asked state PTAs for ideas by offering grants to fund pilot projects. CT PTA applied for and received a grant to survey past State Board members and CT PTA Life Achievement Award recipients to see if there was interest on their part in participating in CT PTA. Nutmeg was born.

NSPTA was chartered on Founders’ Day, 1989, by CT PTA with 15 founding members. It was CT PTA’s first statewide unit. NSPTA was written into the CT PTA Bylaws and adopted by the CT PTA membership at the 1989 Annual Convention.

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In addition, the unit was to provide service to the state organization when needed, plan for the 100th anniversary of CT PTA in 2000 and develop a scholarship endowment fund.

NSPTA for the 100th convention created, printed and distributed a history of CT PTA which is posted on the CT PTA website. NSPTA also placed a wreath on CT PTA Founder’s grave on the actual day in December when National PTA signed the CT PTA charter.

The endowment fund was created in 1998 when Joseph Pearson, a former board member and career education activist, left $85,000 to NSPTA upon his death. Until then, the balance of the membership fees constituted the fund. The first scholarship in the amount of $5,000 was awarded at the 100th meeting.

NSPTA membership is a solid core of about 65 who join annually for $20.00 and others who may join so that they can go to NPTA Convention or they have a special issue they want to bring forward at the CT PTA Convention or they are a non-PTA SEPTA in need of PTA affiliation before that statewide unit accepts them.  NSPTA pays the membership fees to the state and national and the balance of $15.00 is deposited directly into the endowment fund as we have been able to find donors to provide postage and paper. Every other year, NSPTA does additional fundraising through a matching grant program. Two years ago this brought in an additional $1,000 plus the grant of $1,000. On the off year, the members of the NPTA State Presidents’ Club are invited to join as a Founders’ Day gift to NSPTA. The Endowment Committee meets twice a year.

NSPTA has evolved into a scholarship vehicle for CT PTA. Three scholarships are awarded annually. The amount varies depending on NSPTA's income.

• The Carol P. Duggan Nutmeg PTA Scholarship - varies from $1,250 to $5,000

• The Joseph Pearson Book Stipend - varies between $200 and $800

• The Janet E. Petkus Grant - funded by Carol Duggan's family in the amount of $250

The scholarship and book stipend are by application through the guidance departments of the Connecticut PTA/PTSA high schools who have a minimum of 100 members. We accept only one applicant per PTA/PTSA. The student must be planning a career in service to children but not teaching as CT PTA awards two $1,000 scholarships to those going into the teaching profession.

The Janet E. Petkus Grant is available to NSPTA Members who are in college, or have a child/grandchild in college, and is selected by random drawing the NPTA Annual Meeting, where the the Endowment Committee also selects the NSPTA scholarship winner.

NSPTA is looking to breaking the 100 member threshold and would love to count you in!  Contact CT PTA to join today!