National PTA Statement on Shooting at Marshall County High School

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Jan. 23, 2017)—The following statement can be attributed to National PTA President Jim Accomando:

“National PTA is deeply saddened to hear of the shooting this morning at Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the students, families, educators and administrators impacted.

“Any act of violence at a school or involving children and youth is intolerable. Every student deserves to learn and grow in an environment that is safe. And no parent should fear for the safety of their child every time they leave home. Sadly, the threat of gun violence for children has increased and our country has experienced far too many gun-related tragedies. This is the fourth shooting at or near a school this school year.

“It is urgent that families, educators, school administrators, community leaders and elected officials work together to prevent gun violence in schools and ensure that all students have a safe environment in which to thrive and learn.

“It remains a top priority of National PTA to promote safety for children and youth and improve education. National PTA has a strong history of supporting and advocating for policies in the areas of gun safety and violence prevention, juvenile justice, mental health and students’ overall well-being.

“National PTA is committed to supporting students, families, schools and communities in coping with and preventing violence. The association offers a variety of resources that can be downloaded at PTA.org/SchoolSafety.”

About National PTA

National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

Media Contact
Heidi May Wilson, National PTA
[email protected], (703) 518-1242

Jan Harp Domene (JHD) Award – Application Process Opens Monday, January 22

As of Monday January 22, PTAs will have the opportunity to showcase their dedicated efforts and commitment to diversity and inclusion by applying for the Jan Harp Domene Diversity and Inclusion Award.

National PTA was founded in the spirit of diversity and inclusion. Our association’s cofounder Alice McLellan Birney expressed that our mission was to make every child’s potential a reality, “irrespective of creed, color or condition.”

Jan Harp Domene served as National PTA President from 2007-2009 and was a true champion for diversity and inclusion, ensuring that families of all backgrounds felt welcomed into the PTA family.

National PTA established the Jan Harp Domene Award in 2012 to recognize outstanding PTAs across the country who have succeeded and continue to make diversity and inclusion a priority.

The Jan Harp Domene Award will be presented to a PTA at each level: local, district/council/region and state. The application process will go live in English and Spanish on Monday, January 22 onwww.pta.org/DiversityAward and close on March 31, 2018 at 8PM EST/5PM PST.

PTAs who have made progress and plan to continue their exemplary efforts in the area diversity and inclusion are highly encouraged to apply. Attached is a social media toolkit to help you promote this award within your state.

Applications will be reviewed and selected by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and will be recognized at the National PTA Convention and Expo on June 21 – 24, 2018 in New Orleans. Winning PTAs will receive $1,000 to support their ongoing efforts, as well as a plaque to memorialize the achievement.

Please visit www.pta.org/DiversityAward to review the application and the full list of items winners will receive. We look forward to receiving your application and applications from your state.

 

Jim Accomando                                                                                Frank Kwan

National PTA President                                                                  National PTA Diversity Committee Chair

Suzan JS Yungner | Director, Field Services and Member Outreach

T (800) 307-4782 | 703-518-1211

F (703) 836-0942

[email protected] | www.pta.org

Connect with National PTA® on: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

STEM+ Families Microsoft Grant 2018

 

There is an opportunity for 35 more units to receive a STEM Grant!!  Details on applying are below.

 

Please be sure to complete this application in one session as the form will timeout from inactivity.

National PTA and Microsoft are partnering to empower families to support student success and fill a critical gap in STEM education. The 2018 National PTA STEM + Families Tech Grants sponsored by Microsoft, will award $1,000 to 35 local middle school PTAs to host a STEM + Families Tech Night in the spring of 2018. This Tech Night event will bring students and families together to either learn exciting new Minecraft coding skills or to build a robotic finger (two different program models).

National PTA will provide you with all the support and training necessary to host a successful STEM + Families Tech Night. No prior computer or technology experience needed! Your PTA makes sure all families and students are welcomed to the event, coordinates the student and family technology experience, and arranges for food and prizes.

NOTE: Your PTA must be able to host an event at your school in March, April, May, or June 2018 in order to receive this grant.

 

• Submit a completed application
• Host one event during the spring of the 2017-2018 school year (note: this is a required timeline, unfortunately, so please make sure your school has facility availability and your PTA can help support an event this spring!)
• Submit evaluation results to National PTA within 2 weeks of the event.

 

ELIGIBILITY, applicants must:

1. Be a middle school PTA in good standing, as determined by the State PTA
2. Commit to engaging parents and adults with student learning activities
3. Have at least 10 volunteers to assist with event

Completed applications must be submitted online by February 9, 2018 (midnight PDT). Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Awardees will be notified via email on February 27, 2018.

 

Below are the questions that must be answered in the online STEM Microsoft Grant application.

PTA Unit 8-digit ID Number *

[If your ID number is not 8-digits, please enter “0s” for empty spaces in front of your ID number (ex.45897 would be entered at 00045897. To find your PTA’s ID number, use our PTA Local Unit Lookup tool found at PTA.org or call (800) 307-4782.]

Role (PTA president, teacher, principal, etc.) *

Does your PTA serve a Title I School? *

How did you hear about this application? *

Briefly describe why this STEM event would be valuable to the families and students you serve. (100 words or less) *

At the STEM + Families event, how would you make sure both families and children learn together? (250 words or less) *

Describe how you will promote the event so that all families feel welcome. (250 words or less) *

How many functioning computers with screens (laptops or desktops ONLY) does your school have on site? *

By typing your name below, you commit to the eligibility requirements above: *

If not awarded a grant, we would still like to host a STEM+ Families Tech Night at our school. *

 

Application deadline is Friday, February 9, 2018 at midnight PDT.

If you have any questions or concerns, email [email protected] or call (800) 307-4782.

New Poll Reveals How Young Children Are Using Social Media and Messaging Apps

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Dec. 5, 2017)—National PTA released today the results of a national poll exploring the use of social media and messaging apps among young children. The poll, which surveyed 1,200 parents of children under the age of 13, was conducted in collaboration with Facebook earlier this year through Lincoln Park Strategies. The findings show that the majority of parents allow their children to use messaging apps and social media to stay in touch with friends and family.

“Helping children navigate the digital world has become a crucial element of parenting,” said Jim Accomando, president of National PTA. “Through the poll, we explored the prevalence of young children using social media and messaging apps and gauged how they are using these tools. The results make our efforts to empower parents to help their children be safe and responsible online that much more important.”

Key findings revealed that:

• 61% of parents said their children under age 13 use messaging apps and/or social media.
• 81% of parents said their children started using social media between the ages of eight and 13.
• 64% of parents whose children under 13 use social media say that it provides convenient ways to keep in touch and keep track of their children when they are not with them; 61% of parents whose children under 13 use messaging apps feel similarly.
• 57% of children who use social media are using their own device, and 58% of children who use messaging apps are using their own device.

Through the poll, parents also reported wanting to help their young children use social media and messaging apps responsibly—nearly nine in 10 say that they monitor their children’s online activities. More than half of parents said they would not allow their children to use social media and messaging apps without monitoring tools. However, parents reported they’d like to have a greater say in their young child’s use of social media and messaging apps: nearly three-quarters of parents whose children use messaging apps indicated that they want more control.

Despite online safety concerns such as bullying, parents believe messaging apps and social media can help keep their children safe and can provide good tools for learning. Poll results also show that connecting with family is the primary reason parents allow their young children to use messaging and social media apps.

• 68% of parents agreed that messaging apps help them connect as a family.
• 69% of parents said their children use social media to communicate with relatives such as grandparents and cousins.

“As parents, we want our children to connect, learn and have fun through technology, and at the same time, stay safe,” added Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “Learning about how families are using social media and messaging apps is a critical component to helping them take advantage of the opportunities that the tools offer while building good digital habits and ensuring children have the skills they need to be responsible in the digital world.”

As part of National PTA’s ongoing digital safety efforts, the association encourages families to have open, ongoing conversations about devices and technology use and establish ground rules together using The Smart Talk. National PTA remains committed to helping parents empower their children to become smart digital citizens in an increasingly connected world.

To read the survey results from Lincoln Park Strategies, visit PTA.org.

About National PTA

National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

Media Contact

Heidi May Wilson, National PTA

[email protected], (703) 518-1242

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