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National PTA Announces Take Your Family to School Week Grant Program
ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Oct. 30, 2017)—National PTA announced today that $55,000 in funding will be awarded to PTAs across the country to promote family engagement in education during Take Your Family to School Week, Feb. 11-17, 2018. Through an application process, 55 local PTAs will be selected to receive grants of $1,000 each.
“Family engagement in education is proven to positively impact student, school and community outcomes,” said Jim Accomando, president of National PTA. “National PTA is excited to equip PTAs with resources to get more families involved in their child’s education, particularly as part of Take Your Family to School Week.”
With the grants, PTAs and schools will host family engagement events during Take Your Family to School Week that focus on:
- Engaging whole families in reading activities to support children’s literacy skills and help foster a love of reading
- Empowering families with tools to adopt more active, healthy lifestyles
- Showcasing how students use technology in the classroom and encouraging technology access and digital learning at home
The deadline to apply for the Take Your Family to School Week grants is Nov. 17, 2017. The grants are made possible by support from PTA Proud National Sponsors the all-new Chrysler Pacifica and Google Chromebooks.
National PTA’s Take Your Family to School Week is designed to encourage families to visit their child’s school and get more involved in their education as well as strengthen partnerships between parents, teachers and administrators. The timing of the week honors the day PTA was founded, Feb. 17, 1897.
“For over 120 years, National PTA has been encouraging families to get more involved in their child’s education as it makes a difference for students, schools and communities,” said Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “National PTA’s Take Your Family to School Week reinforces PTA’s long legacy and mission to promote children’s educational success, health and well-being through strong family engagement.”
For more information about Take Your Family to School Week and to apply for the grants, visit PTA.org/TYFTSW.
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
National PTA President Jim Accomando Participates in Capitol Hill Press Conference on Gun Violence
PTA Leaders,
We are pleased to share with you that National PTA President Jim Accomando was invited to bring the voice of families and child advocates to Capitol Hill in a press conference on gun violence with Senators Patty Murray and Ed Markey, Brady Campaign Co-President Kris Brown, American Public Health Association Deputy Executive Director Susan Polan and Injury Free Coalition for Kids Co-Director Dr. Mike Hirsh.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released a report on the effectiveness of firearm storage awareness programs and the need for increased funding for gun violence prevention research. The report found the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence’s ASK (Asking Saves Kids) program to be the most effective national safe storage awareness program.
President Accomando’s participation in the press conference was an important opportunity to demonstrate our association’s dedication to preventing and eliminating gun violence in schools, communities and at home to keep children safe. It was also an important opportunity to show our commitment to advocating for legislation and appropriations to research the causes and effects of gun violence, as adopted during our 2017 Convention in Las Vegas through the amendment to our resolution on the Sale, Resale and Destruction of Firearms. Further, it was a critical moment to show our support for our partner the Brady Campaign and its ASK program.
Please find below a press release on the GAO report with a quote included from President Accomando.
Best regards,
Heidi May Wilson | Senior Manager, Media Relations, National PTA
For Immediate Release
Contact: James Tyll, (202) 370-8131 [email protected]
GAO Report Validates Brady Center’s ASK Program As Most Effective National Safe Storage Awareness Program
Notes Discrepancy in Funding for Gun Violence Research Relative to Gun Violence Mortality Rates
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released a report on the effectiveness of firearm storage awareness programs, ultimately finding the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence’s “ASK” program to be the only national safe storage program that has been independently evaluated and found to be effective. The report, entitled “Personal Firearms: Programs that Promote Safe Storage and Research on their Effectiveness,” was prepared over a two-year period in response to a request by the Congressional HELP (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) Committee.
The report also points out that funding for gun violence prevention research is disproportionately low relative to health issues with comparative mortality rates. According to the report, government-funded research for gun violence is .7 percent of that for sepsis, which has a comparable mortality rate, and the publication volume for studies on firearm-related deaths is about four percent of that for sepsis.
Brady Campaign co-President Kris Brown heralded the release of the report. “The GAO’s findings confirm what we at Brady have long known—ASKing saves lives. Each day, seven children are killed by guns. 1.7 million children live in a home with a loaded, unlocked gun. It’s crucial to know which programs work to spread awareness of guns in the home. At the same time, the report’s finding of the lack of funding of gun violence research relative to other health issues is alarming. Gun violence is an epidemic — and we need to attack it like every other public health epidemic — through research and data tracking to fund programs that work.”
The report evaluated 16 programs, both regional and national, that are aimed at spreading awareness of the importance of safe storage of firearms. Brady’s ASK campaign was found to be the only national program that effectively promotes awareness of safe storage through its parent-centered program that urges caregivers and parents to ask if there are guns safely stored in the homes where their children play. The NRA’s Eddie Eagle program, aimed directly at young children, was found to have no effect on participating children’s behavior around guns.
“Child and school safety starts at home. When families store their guns responsibly, they’re much less likely to end up in schools and tragedies are less likely to occur. It is critical that guns are kept safely away from kids and that we, as parents, ask if there are guns in the homes where our children play,” said Jim Accomando, president of National PTA. “National PTA is proud to support the ASK campaign and collaborate with Brady to help prevent gun-related incidents and keep children safe. The association is also committed to advocating for legislation and appropriations to research the causes and effects of gun violence. In order to fully understand and address this epidemic gripping our nation, we need to first understand the causal relationships and the effects such violence has on our communities.”
HELP Senate Committee leaders lauded the report’s findings.
“There is so much we can and absolutely should be doing to address gun violence—but as this report makes clear, one simple, critical step is to gain a better understanding of how to encourage the safe storage of guns,” said Senator Patty Murray (D-WA).“I’m hopeful that every Senator will take a close look at the findings in this nonpartisan report, and join Democrats, the Brady Campaign, and families nationwide in pushing for stronger investments in gun violence research.”
“If we want to stop this tragic scourge of gun violence, we need better information about what is causing it and what can be done to prevent it,” said Senator Ed Markey (D-MA). “We need to study gun violence like the public health crisis that it is. This new GAO report outlines how important it is to give the medical, scientific, and public health community the resources they need and support a federal research agenda into gun violence. I thank the Brady campaign for their leadership on this issue and look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make critical investments in protecting lives.”
Brady’s ASK campaign, developed in conjunction with the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), raises awareness among parents about the importance of asking if there are guns where their children play, to ensure guns stay out of kids’ hands. The program also emphasizes the importance of medical and health professionals to talk to parents and patients about guns in the home, gun safety and safe storage. For more information about the program, visit http://www.askingsaveskids.org
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The mission of the Brady organization and its Million Mom March is to create a safer America by cutting gun deaths in half by 2025. For more insight on gun violence prevention, follow us on Facebook and Twitter @BradyBuzz. About Us: The Brady Campaign and Center, united with the Million Mom March, is a national network of over 90 grassroots chapter affiliates mobilized to prevent gun violence at the community level. The network has played a vital role in expanding Brady background checks in the six states that have passed legislation since the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut and produced the largest national protest of gun violence in U.S. history – The Million Mom March, Mother’s Day 2000.
National PTA Honors Excellence in Building Inclusive School Communities
ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Oct. 10, 2017)—National PTA is pleased to recognize 143 schools and PTAs from across the country as 2017-2019 Schools of Excellence. The National PTA School of Excellence designation honors accomplishments in building an inclusive and welcoming school community where all families contribute to the educational experience and overall well-being for all students.
“Research shows that when families and schools work together, students do better in school and schools improve,” said Jim Accomando, president of National PTA. “We are pleased to recognize these schools and PTAs as 2017-2019 Schools of Excellence for their commitment to strengthening their family-school partnerships and creating an environment where all families feel welcomed and empowered to support student success.”
National PTA’s School of Excellence program helps PTAs become partners in identifying and implementing school improvement initiatives based on PTA’s National Standards for Family-School Partnerships. Schools that exhibit improvement at the end of the school year are honored as National PTA Schools of Excellence, a distinction that spans two years.
In addition to the 2017-2019 School of Excellence designation, National PTA is delighted to recognize three PTAs with the 2017 Phoebe Apperson Hearst Awards for Innovation in Family Engagement—the highest honor presented by the association to celebrate family engagement. Cobb Middle School PTA in Frisco, Texas has been honored with the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Outstanding Family-School Partnership Award. Maritime and Science Technology (MAST) Academy PTSA in Miami, Fla. and Forest Park High School PTSA in Conley, Ga. have been honored with the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award of Merit.
“The efforts of Cobb Middle School PTA, MAST Academy PTSA and Forest Park High School PTSA are making a substantial, positive impact on family engagement, student success and school improvement,” added Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “We are pleased to honor these PTAs with the 2017 Phoebe Apperson Hearst Awards and 2017-2019 National PTA School of Excellence designation.”
Enrollment is now open for the School of Excellence program and consideration of the 2018-2020 School of Excellence designation. The deadline to enroll is Oct. 15. For more information about the program and to enroll, visit PTA.org/Excellence.
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