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2016 PDK Opinion Poll on the Nation’s Public Schools Underscores Need for Improved Family Engagement

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Aug. 31, 2016)—Yesterday, Phi Delta Kappa International (PDK) released the results from the 2016 Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools. Among the topics covered, the need to improve family engagement in education and strengthen family-school partnerships is demonstrated by the findings of the survey.

 

In the poll, Americans and parents were asked their satisfaction with school efforts to keep them informed and give them opportunities to offer their opinions and input.

 

  • 55% of parents responded that they would like to be kept more informed about how their child is doing in school.
  • 51% of parents indicated they would like to be invited to visit their child’s school more often to see what is going on.
  • 56% of parents replied that they would like to be given more opportunities to offer their opinions and provide input on how things are done in their child’s school.

 

The poll also showed a strong relationship between family engagement and school satisfaction. Parents who rated their schools positively on keeping them informed, offering them opportunities to provide input and showing interest in their input gave their schools an A or B grade overall.

 

“One of National PTA’s founding principles—and continued top priority—is its dedication to ensuring families are engaged in education, families and schools work together, and families have a seat at the table when decisions are made that impact their children and schools,” said Laura Bay, president of National PTA. “The PDK poll underscores the importance of prioritizing family engagement and family-school partnerships, which are proven to advance children’s learning and growth, increase student achievement and positively impact school improvement efforts.”

 

The findings from the poll come as states and school districts are working to create new education plans to implement the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)—the new federal law governing K-12 education. ESSA provides an important opportunity for states, districts and schools to improve family engagement and strength family-school partnerships as it requires that parents are meaningfully consulted in the development and implementation of the new education plans.

 

“Families play an important role in the successful implementation of ESSA and ensuring that all children receive a quality education by providing their input and holding states and districts accountable,” said Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “National PTA remains committed to working with families, educators, administrators, policymakers and other stakeholders to make certain family engagement is prioritized in ESSA and beyond. Systematic and sustained efforts to integrate families into the fabric of our schools is key to their success and our children and our nation’s future.”

 

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


2016-2018 School of Excellence Recipients

On behalf of National PTA President Laura Bay and National PTA Programs Chair Teresa Williams:

 

We are excited to share the attached list of 2016-2018 School of Excellence recipients. Recipients will be notified Wednesday (August 31) via email. We encourage State PTA Leaders to also reach out to those in your state to extend your personal congratulations. We have celebration tools available at PTA.org/StateExcellenceLibrary to help spread the good news of the School of Excellence recipients in your state.

 

Here is the timeline for National PTA’s School of Excellence celebrations:

 

  • Wednesday, August 31: National PTA will send an email message to each of the recipients congratulating them on their achievement and sharing a special video message from President Laura Bay. In the email, recipients will gain access to the digital Celebration Kit.

 

  • Thursday, September 1: National PTA will distribute a news release announcing the School of Excellence recipients and promoting a Facebook LIVE event at 12 p.m. EDT, Friday, September 9, during which the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award recipients will be announced and program results will be shared. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for messages and graphics to share or retweet. Please use #PTAProud so we can capture your posts.

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National PTA and LifeLock Help Parents With Back-To-School To-Do List With “The Smart Talk”

Free online tool helps families set technology ground rules as more kids go digital

 

  • The majority of children receive their first smartphone between the ages of 8 and 121
  • Written agreements tend to have a higher success rate than verbal agreements
  • A child’s identity and well-being can be compromised by their online behavior

 

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., (Aug. 25, 2016)—Everyone knows about the inevitable “birds and the bees” talk between parents and their kids, but what about the “texts and the tweets?” That’s another “talk” that’s rising in importance, especially during the back-to-school season when parents prep their kids with the latest gear and gadgets. National PTA and LifeLock createdThe Smart Talk—a free, online tool to help families set ground rules for technology use and have open, ongoing conversations about online safety and responsibility.

 

The creation of The Smart Talk is part of a two-year collaboration between LifeLock, Inc. (NYSE: LOCK), a leader in proactive identity theft protection, and National PTA, the nation’s oldest and largest child advocacy association, that’s aimed to encourage families to have an open, ongoing conversation about making positive, safe decisions online.

 

“In the fast-moving digital world, a child’s identity and well-being can be compromised by their online behavior,” said LifeLock CEO Hilary Schneider, a mother of three. “As digital natives, today’s kids need to learn the rules of the road for navigating life online. Many parents find the idea of having the technology talk overwhelming because they don’t know what topics to even begin to cover.”

 

Technology is playing an ever-increasing role in families’ lives and is increasingly being used for teaching and learning. The majority of children receive their first smart phone between the ages of 8 and 12, according to a 2015 LifeLock1 survey. While 79% of families have technology agreements with their children, only 6% of those are written, which tend to have a higher success rate than verbal ones among families that report having technology agreements1.

 

The Smart Talk engages kids and parents in an interactive experience, leading them through a guided conversation about five key areas:

 

  • Online safety and privacy
  • Screen time
  • Apps and downloads
  • Texting and calling
  • Social media and respect

 

Families then create a personalized agreement that can be stored on a computer or printed and posted at home.

 

“Technology has opened up a world of opportunities in every aspect of life and is essential for the development of skills children need to thrive. As parents, we want our children to learn and have fun through technology, and at the same time, stay safe and develop healthy lifestyles,” said National PTA President Laura Bay, a mother of three. “The Smart Talk brings families together for productive conversations about devices and technology use to help children build good digital habits and ensure they have the skills they need to be safe and responsible online.”

 

Parents looking to begin the conversation today can visit The Smart Talk website and review this quick guide to get started. More information is available on The Smart Talk Facebook page and YouTube channel.

 

1Commissioned study conducted by ResearchNow on behalf of LifeLock, adults 18 and older were surveyed online between July 20-24, 2015

 

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.

 

About LifeLock

LifeLock, Inc. (NYSE:LOCK) is a leading provider of proactive identity theft protection services for consumers and fraud and risk management solutions for enterprises. LifeLock’s threat detection, proactive identity alerts, and comprehensive remediation services help provide peace of mind for consumers amid the growing threat of identity theft. Leveraging unique data, science and patented technology from ID Analytics, Inc., a wholly -owned subsidiary, LifeLock offers identity theft protection that goes beyond credit monitoring. As part of its commitment to help fight identity theft, LifeLock works to train law enforcement and partners with a variety of nonprofit organizations to help consumers establish positive habits to combat this threat.

 

Media Contacts:

Jeff Davis & Sydney Brown

LifeLock, Inc.

480-457-2138

[email protected]

 

Heidi May Wilson

National PTA

703-518-1242

[email protected]


National PTA and Schwan’s Home Service, Inc. Renew Collaboration to Help Raise Funds for Schools and Communities

National PTA and Schwan’s Home Service, Inc. Renew Collaboration to Help Raise Funds for Schools and Communities

 

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Aug. 24, 2016)—National PTA and Schwan’s Home Service, Inc. are pleased to announce a continuation of their collaboration, which provides fundraising opportunities to local PTAs across the country. National PTA and Schwan’s Home Service first joined forces in May 2014 and share a commitment to making a difference for families, schools and communities.

 

“PTAs have a real impact on children, families and education—from supplementing classroom lessons with activities that make learning fun to ensuring students have a healthy and safe environment in which to live, learn and thrive,” said Laura Bay, president of National PTA. “National PTA is thrilled to continue our collaboration with Schwan’s Home Service for a third year to support local PTAs in raising funds that help schools improve and communities grow and prosper.”

 

For more than 60 years, Schwan’s Home Service has been delivering high-quality frozen foods right to families’ doors, making it easier to create delicious home-style meals. Schwan’s Home Service, through the Schwan’s Cares™ fundraising program, helps schools, sports teams and other community groups raise funds online by ordering from Schwan’s Home Service, Inc.

 

Through National PTA and Schwan’s Home Service’s collaboration, Schwan’s Home Service will:

  • Contribute 20-40% of each total purchase to a buyer’s preferred school for all purchases made through a PTA campaign on theSchwan’s Cares™ Fundraising Network platform for the first 45 days. Additionally, after the initial campaign period of 45 days, schools earn 5% on purchases made during the next 90 days.
  • Offer PTA members a new-customer discount of $10 off of $50 on their first Schwan’s Home Service order.

 

“By providing meaningful resources and programs, National PTA continues to find ways to truly impact schools and communities,” said Dave Muscato, president of Schwan’s Home Service, Inc. “We are proud to continue our relationship with National PTA for a third year to provide a seamless fundraising option for PTAs nationwide. We believe all schools should have the opportunity to raise the funds they need to provide the necessary resources to our nation’s youth.”

 

For more information about the fundraising opportunities and discounts available to PTAs and PTA members through Schwan’s Home Service, visitPTA.org/Benefits.

 

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.

 

About the Schwan’s Cares™ Program & Schwan’s Home Service, Inc.
The Schwan’s Cares™ program is offered by Schwan’s Home Service, Inc. in communities nationwide with the purpose of supporting the fundraising efforts of thousands of schools sports teams, communities and causes. In addition to National PTA, it also partners with the National Sports Center and its signature global youth soccer event, Schwan’s USA CUP.

 

A subsidiary of The Schwan Food Company, Schwan’s Home Service, Inc. markets and distributes more than 300 top quality frozen foods. Popular product lines include the company’s signature ice cream, pizza, choice meats, seafood, ethnic specialties, breakfast items and desserts. Based in Minnesota, Schwan’s Home Service, Inc. has more than 400 localized sales and distribution centers across the continental United States. Visit Schwans.comor call (888) 724-9267 for more information.

 

Media Contacts:

Heidi May Wilson, National PTA

(703) 518-1242, [email protected]

 

Tarsha Rice, Schwan’s Shared Services, LLC.

(952) 832-4325, [email protected]