National PTA and Amazon Award Kindle E-Readers to Schools For National Reading Month

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (April 12, 2017)—National PTA and Amazon are pleased to award Kindle e-readers to 100 schools and PTAs across the country to encourage family reading, promote a love of literature and support student success. These schools and PTAs were selected to receive the Kindle e-readers for their leadership and commitment to the importance of family engagement and core literacy skills for children’s achievement. The donation of e-readers is part of the PTA Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle program and was made in conjunction with National Reading Month.

“National Reading Month is a time to celebrate the importance of reading, foster children’s growth as readers and promote a lifelong love of literature,” said Laura M. Bay, president of National PTA. “We are thrilled to equip local PTAs and schools with Kindle e-readers during National Reading Month for literacy and family engagement efforts.”

PTA Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle is a national program that engages the whole family to support the development of literacy skills and foster a love of reading. Through a set of fun, educational activities, the program empowers families with information and tools to use at home and new ways to explore reading books together.

“Families play an essential role in helping children develop their literacy skills. When families read together, children do better in school and beyond,” added Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Amazon to empower families to read together and support children’s growth as readers through the Family Reading Experience program.”

National PTA announced the donation of Kindle e-readers during a PTA Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle event at Parklawn Elementary School in Alexandria, Va. Parklawn Elementary School PTA was awarded a classroom of Kindle e-readers from National PTA and Amazon.

Principal Larry Aiello expressed his excitement for the opportunities these devices will bring to Parklawn Elementary School, stating, “As technology advances and changes the way readers access books, having effective tools to progress along with this change is vital to schools. This donation will allow us to put more books in the hands of our students and engage them in authentic literacy experiences.”

PTA Family Reading Experience, Powered by Kindle was launched in 2013. Since joining forces, National PTA and Amazon have given over 3,500 Kindle e-readers to students, families and schools nationwide.

“Reading is an essential part of education which is why we, at Amazon, are dedicated to making it easier for readers to get lost in an author’s world and helping kids and families become voracious readers,” said Arthur van Rest, general manager at Kindle. “In celebration of National Reading Month, we are thrilled to again be teaming up with PTA on this program and working together to help inspire a love for reading.”

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 c

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit Amazon.com/about.

Media Contact

Heidi May Wilson, National PTA

[email protected], (703) 518-1242

National PTA Statement on North Park Elementary School Shooting

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (April 10, 2017)—The following statement can be attributed to National PTA President Laura Bay:

“National PTA is deeply saddened to hear of the shooting this afternoon at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif. Our hearts, prayers and sympathies go out to the students, families, educators and administrators.

“While the facts are still being gathered, 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 the protection of students is of utmost importance. It is urgent that families, educators, community leaders and elected officials work together to make meaningful changes to ensure that all students have a safe environment in which to thrive and learn.

“It has been, and remains, a top priority of National PTA to prevent and eliminate violence in schools, promote safety for children and youth and improve education. National PTA has a strong history of supporting and advocating for laws and regulations in the areas of gun safety, violence prevention and juvenile justice.

“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 atPTA.org/SchoolViolence.”

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.

Media Contact

Heidi May Wilson, National PTA

[email protected], (703) 518-1242

Win up to $4,500 for your school!

You Could Win Up to $4,500 in Prizes for Your Teachers!  All you have to do is enter National PTA’s #ThankATeacher Contest by April 17. It’s easy to do! 1. Post a photo or video on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram on how teachers deliver for the students in your school and use #ThankATeacher. 2. Fill out our entry form at PTA.org/ThankATeacher. Just by doing those two simple things, you could win any of these amazing prizes: #ThankATeacher Contest Prizes Sponsored by Google Express 2 Grand Prize Winners ($4,500 retail value) Google Express Shopping Spree to help spruce up the school’s teachers’ lounge One Google Home 4 First-Place Winners ($2,500 retail value) Your choice of: Teacher Snack Delivery + Google Home Teacher Wellness Delivery + Google Home 25 Runner-up Winners ($140 retail value) One Google Home Even More Prizes Sponsored by HarperCollins 3 Major Winners Three PTAs will receive a visit from an “I Can Read” costumed book character (and/or author) to visit each school and hand delivered an “I Can Read” book set donation (100 books/$399 value per set) to each site. 10 Runner-Up Winners Ten PTAs will receive an “I Can Read” book set for their school (10 books in each set) which will be delivered by mail. Go to PTA.org/ThankATeacher for more info, including a list of prizes and contest rules. Remember, you must submit your entry by April 17! National PTA Headquarters 1250 N. Pitt Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314 PTA.org Phone: (703) 518-1200 Toll Free: (800) 307-4782 Fax: (703) 836-0942 E-mail: [email protected] Disclosure: This post contains sponsored content from third parties. National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product or service.

1250 N. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

Take PTA e-Learning for a Spin!

PTA e-Learning Courses are Now Mobile-Friendly! Did you know that you can take National PTA e-learning courses on any platform? You can take our e-learning courses on your desktop or laptop, tablet or smartphone from anywhere you have a Wi-Fi connection. Taking an e-learning course with National PTA has never been easier! Keep an eye out for a few NEW e-learning courses launching in April:   501(c)(3) Basics for Local PTAs This new finance eLearning course teaches local leaders how best to effectively maintain their 501(c)(3) nonprofit status with the IRS. Don’t wait! Make sure your Local PTA is in compliance with the IRS today!   501(c)(3) Basics for State PTAs If you need help creating effective strategies to support your local PTAs in maintaining their 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, this is the course you have been looking for!   Conceptos Básicos de la Membresia This course provides the same great information to our Spanish-speaking members as the Membership Basics e-learning course does in English.   Another new and exciting development is the change to the look of our e-learning library page. Now, when local and state leaders visit PTA.org/eLearning, they will see the courses that have been created for their current position within PTA! National PTA Headquarters 1250 N. Pitt Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314 PTA.org Phone: (703) 518-1200 Toll Free: (800) 307-4782 Fax: (703) 836-0942 E-mail: [email protected]

1250 N. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314

[ANNOUNCEMENT] National PTA’s 2017 Candidates

2017 Elections: Annoucement of Nominees Sent on Behalf of Laura Bay, President, National PTA National PTA is pleased to announce the list of nominees (both slated and self-nominated) for election during the 2017 Annual Convention: NLDC SLATED CANDIDATES 2017 Slated Board Officer Candidates (2017-2019 term) Leslie Boggs – President Elect (Texas) C. Andre’ Daniels – Secretary/Treasurer (New Jersey) Anna King – Vice President, Membership (Oklahoma) Stella Edwards – Vice President, Advocacy (Virginia) 2017 Slated Board Member Candidates (2017-2019 term) Amy Arness – (North Dakota) Jude Bruno – (Florida) Donald Dunn – (North Carolina) Heather Gillette – (Washington) Yvonne Johnson – (Delaware) Collin Robinson – (Oregon) Don Romoser – (Connecticut)* Tony Shivers – (Virginia) Amy Zink – (Texas) * Don Romoser has chosen to withdraw from his slated nomination and self-nominate for an officer position. The Nominating and Leadership Development Committee has chosen to slate Amy Arness in his place. 2017 Slated NLRC Candidates (2017-2020 term) Melissa Nehrbass – (Virginia) Dawn Stastny – (Georgia) SELF-NOMINATED CANDIDATES 2017 Self-Nominated Board Officer Candidates (2017-2019 term) Shannon Sevier – President Elect – (Texas) Denise Sultz – Secretary/Treasurer (Kansas) Derrick Byrd – Secretary/Treasurer (North Carolina) Don Romoser – Secretary/Treasurer (Connecticut) Wayne Bauman – Vice President, Membership (Iowa) Marques Ivey – Vice President, Advocacy (Colorado) 2017 Self-Nominated Board Member Candidates (2017-2019 term) Damaris Allen – (Florida) Jeffery Corbett – (Oklahoma) Robin N Dickson – (Texas) Enrique J Escallon – (Florida) Donna Hameed – (Virginia) Tina Hartman – (Indiana) Crystal Hayes – (Florida) Michelle Humphreys – (Texas) Catherine M Romano – (New York) Erika Taylor – (Colorado) Alison J Turner – (Nevada) Dhani Wijaya Munoz – (Virginia) 2017 Self-Nominated NLRC Candidates (2017-2020 term) Annita Bonner – (Mississippi) I want to take the opportunity to thank NLDC for their work in slating their candidates. We thank every volunteer leader for their willingness to serve. Elections will be held at the 2017 National PTA Convention & Expo, June 22-25, in Las Vegas. We hope to see you there! National PTA Headquarters 1250 N. Pitt Street Alexandria, Virginia 22314 PTA.org Phone: (703) 518-1200 Toll Free: (800) 307-4782 Fax: (703) 836-0942 E-mail: [email protected]

1250 N. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314