Montana PTA Voice Providing PTA news and information for Montana PTA local units, councils, and members Volume 8, Issue 9 May 2017 President s message A big thank you goes out to all our Local Unit Leaders for the awesome service and dedication you have given throughout this school year. Your work is hard but oh so rewarding. Knowing the importance of Family engagement your dedication to help your students, teachers, parents and community is invaluable. So on behalf of the entire Montana PTA Board of directors thank you and have a great summer. Upcoming Deadlines June 1 Submit 2017-18 Officer Reporting Form to Montana PTA October 7th 102nd Annual Montana PTA Convention, Billings, MT Sherry Holderith President, Montana PTA
M T P T A V O I C E P A G E 2 Local Unit in Good Standing? Is your Local Unit in Good Standing with Montana PTA and National PTA? The school year is coming to an end and we have units in Montana who have not submitted all of their required forms. Items such as annual copy of Standing Rules, copy of 2015-2016 Financial Review, Secretary of State annual filing, insurance premium submitted to AIM, 990N or 990EZ tax filing for year 2015, etc. must be submitted to be in good standing and to maintain tax exempt status. Please contact me at mtstatepta@gmail.com or 406-628-9007 for the good standing status of your local PTA Unit. I look forward to hearing from you! Let s get all Local Units in Good Standing for the current 2016-2017 year before our new year begins! Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation! Michelle Scoles Montana PTA Office Manager
M T P T A V O I C E P A G E 3 Nominating Committee News The Montana PTA nominating committee is currently accepting applications for board positions for 2017-2018. Are you interested in serving at the State level? We would like to hear from you. Current positions the nominating committee is taking applications for are: President President-Elect Secretary Convention Chair Reflections Chair If you are interested or if you would like to learn more about these positions, please email the Montana PTA office at mtstatepta@gmail.com. Please consider joining the Montana PTA Board. Our success depends on all of you. Dee Hensley Maclean Nominating Committee Member Secretary of State Annual Report Filing The deadline for submitting your annual report to the Secretary of State for 2017 has passed. Submission of this report is required annually to maintain your incorporation status, as well as to remain in good standing with Montana PTA. If you missed the deadline, you can still submit the report. However, the filing fee will now include a late fee bringing the total to $35 to be submitted to the SOS. For instructions on how to file online or paper form, please refer to the email you received in January regarding Secretary of State Annual Filing. Questions? Please contact Montana PTA at 406-628-9007 or mtstatepta@gmail.com. Thank You!
M T P T A V O I C E P A G E 4 What s Coming? May, June, july, August You may be a President just winding down your PTA year or a new President wondering what you need to do now that you are starting your leadership year. Listed below you will find the information that will be coming to you each month and actions you may need to take to ensure your coming PTA leadership year is successful right from the start! MAY Make sure you have or received an updated President s binder. Your binder should have copies of your unit s Standing Rules, a copy of the Uniform Bylaws for Local Units, copies of this past year s minutes from meetings, copies of your budget and samples of documents your President may have used this past year. You don t want to have to recreate the wheel.so samples of newsletter articles, announcements and such can help you create these documents easily next year. Send in the Officer Reporting Form to the Montana PTA office. This will ensure that all local unit leaders will receive all the new information coming out from National PTA and Montana PTA. JUNE If you do not send in your Officer Reporting Form by June 1 st, we cannot guarantee that you will receive valuable PTA resources. Send in what information you have, even if you have an unfilled position! JULY Your unit s President will receive the information about the National PTA Back to School Kit and information on membership cards. The Back-to- School Kit includes online resources and contains seven reference guides on PTA finance, membership, programs, fundraising, advocacy, communications and the PTA presidency. These reference guides will help you and your fellow Officers implement all the important strategies and functions of your PTA. The Montana PTA provides all the documents you will need to facilitate a successful PTA. The MT PTA website includes complete information for advocacy, leadership, programs, resource library, PTA and the Law and much more! Encourage everyone who serves on your board to visit the website. www.montanapta.org AUGUST August will bring information and resources to start your school year! If you sent in your Officer Reporting Form, your officers will receive the MT PTA Convention Packet which is filled with all the convention details and information. If not, send in now! Your PTA leadership team should plan to attend the 102nd Annual Montana PTA Convention, October 7th in Billings. Questions that you have will be answered and you will receive even more information about programs, advocacy, membership and more. If you have any questions about the information you receive or do not receive these valuable resources - please call the Montana PTA office at 406-628-9007 or e-mail mtstatepta@gmail.com! The office is open all summer long to assist you.
M T P T A V O I C E Congratulations to our 2017 Montana PTA Scholarship Winner Natalie Bova I am pleased to announce the winner of the 2017 Montana PTA $500 Scholarship. Natalie is a Senior graduating from Frenchtown High School. Miss Bova plans on attending University of Montana Missoula to major in Music Education and Elementary Education. Congratulations Natalie!!! Sherry Holderith Montana PTA President CONVENTION NEWS P A G E 5 The 102nd Annual MONTANA PTA CONVENTION will be held in Billings on October 7, 2017. It is not too early to be planning to attend convention. We will have convention on one day and look forward to seeing you there. Diversity news Local Leader elearning Library is a simple tool, accessible at any time of convenience for leaders, to increase skills as they serve their local unit, schools and community. Each section is divided into the following areas and advise the approximate time it will take to complete; PTA Overview, PTA President and Vice President, PTA Secretary and Treasurer, PTA Membership, PTA Mission and Advocacy. To access elearning courses, set up an online National PTA profile, directions may be found in the registration guide at http://www.pta.org/elearning. This month, I would like to recommend Cultural Competency. Learn cultural awareness and how to build relationships across cultural groups which takes approximately 20 minutes. Thank you for all you do on behalf of the students, families and schools in your community. Dee Hensley-Maclean Montana PTA Diversity Chair
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P R O V I D I N G P T A N E W S A N D I N F O R M A T I O N FOR M O N T A N A P T A L O C A L U N I T S, C O U N C I L S, A N D M E M B E R S P A G E 7 Reflections news 2017 National Awards: What Is Your Story? Each year, the National PTA Reflections program offers local, regional, state and national opportunities for young artists in PreK through Grade 12 to be recognized for their creativity in dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and the visual arts. This past school year, tens of thousands of students across the country and in U.S. schools overseas contributed their original works to be considered for PTA s highest honor in the arts. This past spring, a panel of experts reviewed more than 1,000 national level submissions. All 1 st Place Montana PTA State winning entries (24) advanced to National. National PTA announced 206 of the most creative works from the 2016-17 school year. Four of the 24 Montana State winning entries won Award of Merit at the National level. CONGRATULATIONS! Brooke H. Painter Film Production Autumn Britt Visual Arts Finney Manchala Film Production Jamie Duke Photography A b o u t N a t i o n a l A w a r d s a n d P r i z e s Each year, 1,000 student submissions are reviewed at the national level by arts and education experts. Our judges look for personal interpretations on the program theme that best exemplify creativity and technical skill. Prizes for Students and PTAs Outstanding Interpretation Awards: 1 per arts category and special artist division. An expense-paid trip for student honoree and one adult to showcase work at the National PTA Awards and Reflections Celebration $800 Young Artist Scholarship Gold medal and certificate Recognition in the traveling art exhibit and online gallery $200 Outstanding Local PTA Award Awards of Excellence: 3 per division of each arts category and 1 special artist of each arts area. $200 Young Artist Scholarship Silver medal and certificate Recognition in the traveling art exhibit and online gallery Awards of Merit: 5 per grade division of each arts category Bronze medal and certificate Recognition in the traveling art exhibit and online gallery
P R O V I D I N G P T A N E W S A N D I N F O R M A T I O N FOR M O N T A N A P T A L O C A L U N I T S, C O U N C I L S, A N D M E M B E R S P A G E 8
P R O V I D I N G P T A N E W S A N D I N F O R M A T I O N FOR M O N T A N A P T A L O C A L U N I T S, C O U N C I L S, A N D M E M B E R S P A G E 9 Local unit insurance renewals The required General Liability Insurance Coverage annual premium of $50 is due directly to AIM Insurance. The 1st and 2nd insurance renewal notices have been mailed out to the local units from AIM for the new coverage year 6/13/17-6/13/18. THANK YOU to those units who have submitted the required insurance premium to AIM! If you haven t already done so, please submit. The new coverage year is approaching quickly and if your local unit has not renewed by 6/13/17, insurance will lapse and you ll be without until AIM receives you re renewal. Additional insurance coverage options are available with the renewals. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have or contact AIM directly at 1-800 -876-4044. Thank You! Michelle Scoles Montana PTA Office Manager
P R O V I D I N G P T A N E W S A N D I N F O R M A T I O N FOR M O N T A N A P T A L O C A L U N I T S, C O U N C I L S, A N D M E M B E R S P A G E 10
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P R O V I D I N G P T A N E W S A N D I N F O R M A T I O N FOR M O N T A N A P T A L O C A L U N I T S, C O U N C I L S, A N D M E M B E R S P A G E 12 ADVERTISING in the MONTANA PTA VOICE Newsletter: Would you or do you know of someone who would be interested in advertising in this newsletter? If so, please contact the Montana PTA office at 406-628-9007 or mtstatepta@gmail.com for rates and information. All advertising is subject to approval by Montana PTA. Montana PTA reserves the right to reject any advertising it feels is not in keeping with the character, goals, and purposes of PTA. "Disclaimer: Articles and advertisements in The Voice do not necessarily represent the viewpoints or policies of Montana PTA. Montana PTA does not endorse non-pta products or services mentioned in the publication." Board of Directors President: Sherry Holderith (406) 860-9743 montanaptapresident@gmail.com Secretary: Andrea Barrow (406) 403-3658 montanaptasecretary@gmail.com Treasurer : Michelle Duncan (406) 855-3160 montanaptatreasurer@gmail.com President Elect: VACANT montanaptapresidentelect@gmail.com MEMBER REPRESENTATIVES Membership: Nicole Worden VACANT (406) 876-3201 montanaptamemberrep1@gmail.com montanaptamembership@gmail.com VACANT montanaptamemberrep2@gmail.com New Unit Development: VACANT montanaptanewunit@gmail.com APPOINTED CHAIRS Advocacy: Sheryl Scheafer Program: VACANT (406) 254-6222 or (406) 208-5611 montanaptaprogram@gmail.com montanaptaadvocacy@gmail.com Reflections: OPEN Convention: OPEN Michelle Scoles (interim) montanaptaconvention@gmail.com (406) 628-9007 montanaptareflections@gmail.com Diversity: Dee Hensley Maclean (406) 363-1608 or (406) 207-0420 Health & Safety : Kathy Aragon montanaptadiversitychair@gmail.com (406) 698-2992 montanaptahealthandsafety@gmail.com
MONTANA CONGRESS OF PARENTS & TEACHERS ASSOC. P.O. BOX 1269 LAUREL, MT 59044 Inside this Issue President s Message Page 1 Local Unit in Good Standing? Page 2 Nominating Committee News Page 3 Annual Report Filing Secretary of State Page 3 What s Coming? May, June, July... Page 4 Congratulations Scholarship Winner Page 5 Convention News Page 5 Diversity News Page 5 Reflections News Page 7 Insurance Renewals Page 9 Officer Reporting Form Page 11 Advertising in the Voice Newsletter Page 12 Board of Directors List Page 12