WWW will bring you
up to date on current Internet concerns.
The issues addressed include:

• e-mail safety;

• personal websites;

• social networking;
• cyberbullying;

• sexting and many more issues.
WWW teaches you practical solutions to ensure that your children’s Internet experiences are fun, positive and safe. Real life stories, videos and interactive activities illustrate and reinforce the messages within each 20 minute module.
To take advantage of this special offer, visit: www.webwisekids.org/WWW-CO/ and enter the following password after you register: wisdom
You can access the program any time, anywhere.
Your kids are worth the time.

Avoid the pressure; ease your tasks
Now’s the Time!
Just Between Friends knows how pressured you feel when you have to meet deadlines. So, this year we’re encouraging all units to begin adding members for the 2010 – 2011 school year – NOW. This will help to ease your workload as you ease into the new school year.

As you know, Just Between Friends enables you to streamline your member management, communications, directories and volunteer management. It was developed to simplify your life and strengthen your PTA. And, we’ve been working over the past year to increase the speed and enhance the system based on requests we’ve received from local PTA units.

This is also a good time of year to get your new officers involved. Have them visit http://www.pta.org/2056.htm to learn about Just Between Friends. They’ll also get lots of “how-to” information by visiting www.learnjbf.com.

Mr. Austin has dedicated much of his career to fighting for every child in California to get a great public education. Prior to joining the Parents Union, he directed the successful campaign to transform Locke High School from the worst high school in Los Angeles into a college preparatory model of reform. In 2006, he also created Parent Revolution—a coalition of organizations fighting to transform schools in LA. His work with the Parent’s Union is focused on the following belief: “For too long, everyone else had been in charge of their children’s schools: Politicians. Bureaucrats. Special interests. They had the power. Parents were told to do the bake sales. Now it’s the parents’ turn to take back the power over their children’s education. Parents are the only ones who will always stand up for our children, no matter what.”

Learn More

Read about the previous speakers in the series

Our Core Principles:

• Public education is the bedrock of our democracy, fundamental to individual opportunity, and the key to Colorado’s economic recovery, prosperity and future.
• Colorado must provide its students with a public education system – preschool through college – that enables every child to learn to high standards, to become well-rounded, life-long learners, and to compete successfully in the 21^st century global economy.
• Colorado’s public education system must both demand accountability from educators, parents, students and policymakers and provide them with the support and resources necessary for students to be successful.
• Colorado needs a public education system that has adequate funding – fairly raised and equitably distributed – to provide quality teaching and appropriate educational opportunities for every student and to make student-centered, evidence-based, sustainable education reform possible.
• For those who care about Colorado’s current and future students, inaction is no longer an option.

Click here to view the interactive Great Futures map and add your voice to our petition!

$1,000 Bonus Goes to Each of Three Winning Schools – Pine Lane Elementary in Parker, Columbia Middle School in Aurora and William Roberts K-8 School in Denver

Principals, teachers, parents and administrators from 86 Colorado schools became McDonald’s employees for an evening to earn a minimum of 15% of sales for their local school programs. Local Colorado McDonald’s owners/operators donated over $43,500 to schools during the fourth annual Teachers Challenge event in October and November, which is an increase of over $15,000 from last year! The three schools that raised the most money through sales in one evening are Pine Lane Elementary in Parker ($1,236.83 donated), Columbia Middle School in Aurora ($1,000 donated) and William Roberts K-8 School in Denver ($620.69 donated) and each were rewarded with an additional $1,000 bonus from McDonald’s.

Colorado school officials often choose which programs must be taken out of the curriculum throughout the year because of budget cuts. McDonald’s is partnering with the Colorado PTA to develop programs that will enable schools to earn money to fill these voids and maximize their current educational programs. The McDonald’s Teachers Challenge is an annual regional program that enables school administrators, principals and teachers to rally their students and parents around McTeacher’s Nights that guarantees them at least 15% of sales.

“We are excited to partner with McDonald’s for the fourth year to bring the Teachers Challenge to our members,” said Joel Azrikan, Colorado PTA Marketing Director. “It’s always refreshing when a corporation steps up to help students make the most of their educational experience. We have an ongoing partnership with McDonald’s in 2010 and look forward to exciting, new programs.”

McDonald’s has several programs in Colorado similar to the McDonald’s Teachers Challenge that give back to the community, including the McDonald’s Mile Kids Race at the Denver Marathon, ongoing support of the two Ronald McDonald Houses in Denver and Aurora and the Smart Meals program in partnership with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to promote healthy/balanced lifestyles.

About McDonald’s of Colorado
Over 200 McDonald’s restaurants in the state of Colorado annually feed $197.9 million into the Colorado economy and employ 8,180 people. For local employment information please visit www.mccolorado.com and for more information about McDonald’s visit www.mcdonalds.com.

About the Colorado PTA

Colorado PTA is proud to be partnered with McDonald’s for the Teachers Challenge for the fourth year in a row. Beginning three years ago with 26 schools, this year saw 86 schools participate. Colorado PTA is celebrating over 102 years serving “Every child One voice” and has partnered with well over 30 organizations and corporations in Colorado. Our 31,500 membership base throughout the state receives many benefits that far out weigh the $5.75 membership dues.

Take the Great Futures Pledge Click here.

Now more than ever, our kids need us to invest in their future – and that starts with a great education. As parents, educators, employers and citizens we know that inaction is no longer an option. It’s time for us to reform, renew, and adequately resource Colorado’s public schools and colleges.

NOTE: The 2010 Hearst Award Application is now available. Click Here

How successfully is your PTA achieving the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships? Share your success story by applying for the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Family-School Partnership Awards!

The National Standards provide a roadmap to help PTAs, schools, and communities work together to more effectively connect family and community engagement to student success. All local PTAs that submit a complete award application demonstrating achievement in one or more of the National Standards will receive a Family-School Partnership Award of Merit. For representing the best in one of the six National Standards, six PTAs will receive an Award of Excellence, with a $500 monetary award. One PTA will receive the Outstanding Family-School Partnership Award, with a $2,000 monetary award, for demonstrating significant achievement in all six standards.

The application deadline is 11:59 p.m. EST, Monday, March 1. Learn more and apply online.

Download the flyer
Read about the other speakers in the series

Over the last 24 hours we have been asked about any effort(s) to help students, families and schools in Haiti. For now we would encourage our members to support relief agencies, like the Red Cross. Currently it is too early to develop or provide support other than those connected to search, rescue and recovery efforts.

Please pass this information along to your membership and ask everyone to keep this country, their citizens and the rescue efforts in their thoughts and prayers.

Thank you.

Chuck

Chuck Saylors, President
National PTA
(864) 354-3577 Cell
(803) 360-3527 Business
(864) 268-6375 Fax
csaylors@pta.org