December 2017 President's Message

More presence, instead of more presents.

In PTA, volunteer time and attention are the most meaningful gifts at this time of year. In units around the Contra Costa County (Thirty Second District PTA’s region), PTA volunteers are 

• arranging winter coffees for parents and families, 
• holiday appreciation events for staff, 
• Reflections art showcases, 
• advocating for wraparound medical and meal programs on campus, 
• sharing care options with parents of students with disabilities, and 
• planning for speakers to address school communities on issues ranging from tips on gifts to boost young children’s creativity and inquiry, to common sense limits on your middle schooler’s online time this break, to keeping your teen driver safe during the winter/holiday season. 

All this is done to serve the mission of positively impacting the lives of all children. #PTA4kids

There is another way that you are needed at your school, and it may not be as obvious, yet remains one of the most important places where your presence matters - the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) committee and process. The LCAP is a three-year plan that describes the goals, actions, services, and expenditures to support positive student outcomes that address state and local priorities. How is the LCAP being discussed, created, and reviewed in your school district and how does that communicated and implemented in your individual school? To find out, ask your principal and your PTA president. Parent involvement is not only key, it is required! For more information on LCAP, visit the California State PTA resources at http://capta.org/resources/

Another tool you might be interested in is the California Department of Education Dashboard. You can see how your school district , individual school, and county office of education are faring on various indicators of student success. You can see how your educational community is doing overall in comparison to specific groups of students, such as students with disabilities and students of color. Get informed and be part of the solution by advocating for programs to serve all our students well. https://www.caschooldashboard.org/#/Home

As always, I welcome questions or comments on issues affecting our children - the Thirty Second District PTA aims to support all our PTA Councils in serving their family, staff, and community members.


Marilyn C. Lucey,
dp32@capta.org
Thirty Second District PTA President

Scholarships for High School Seniors

Thirty-Second District PTA Scholarships

Thirty-Second District PTA serves the youth and families of Contra Costa County. Each year, we award up to four $500.00 scholarships to high school seniors graduating from Contra Costa County high schools that participate in an active PTSA. These scholarships focus on the categories of school volunteering, community service, personal challenge and exemplification of PTA values. Scholarship applicants must be in good standing at their school, and have a grade point average of 2.0; transcripts are not required. Applicants must also be a member of your high school PTSA


The scholarship application is posted on the Thirty-Second District PTA website. All applications must be submitted electronically to Scholarships@32ndPTA.org by 1/21/18. Scholarship recipients will be asked to attend the Thirty-Second District PTA Founders Day Dinner on 2/27/18.


Please contact the Thirty-Second District PTA, Scholarship Committee Chair at Scholarships@32ndPTA.org if you have any questions.

CAPTA Scholarships

California State PTA offers two scholarships to graduating high school seniors. These scholarship applications are online and must be sent directly to CAPTA. Information and requirements are included on the CAPTA website. Please note that the CAPTA scholarship applications are sent directly to CAPTA.


$750.00 Volunteer Service Scholarship recognizes graduating high school seniors for their volunteer service in schools and communities. Applications are due by February 1, 2018;


$500.00 Dr. Ralph E. White Graduating Senior Scholarships honor the public service legacy of Dr. Ralph E. White and his wife Eleanor and to support graduating seniors in their pursuit of careers in medical fields. Applications are due at CAPTA by February 1, 2018.

Time to Elect a Nominating Committee?

Leadership Tip: Nominating Committee

January is the most common month for nominating committee elections. A few units do elect these committees in the fall. It is important for the president and parliamentarian to review the Nominations and Elections section of the unit bylaws. The section describes how many must be elected to serve, typically at least three, and how many alternates, no fewer than one, are required. The election of the nominating committee must be held at an association meeting at least two months prior to the annual election meeting. The principal always serves as an advisor to the nominating committee. A copy of the bylaws is provided to the nominating committee.

The bylaws section also describes which officers are elected, and if there are any special instructions, like qualifications for office. The Duties of Officers bylaws section should be reviewed by committee members to identify skill sets needed for each officer, as they consider nominees, along with the Job Descriptions available in the California State PTA Toolkit. The information and job descriptions can be shared with potential nominees to inform individuals about the scope of the work involved. The nominating committee does not identify appointed officers (parliamentarian, corresponding secretary) unless the bylaws indicate these positions are elected. The nominating committee does not identify or promise individuals positions as committee chairs.

The slate of nominees must be announced / published at least 28 days in advance of the election meeting, while the meeting itself requires at least 30 days notice. The nominating committee’s work continues after the slate is announced, up to the election, to identify nominees for positions that did not have nominees at the 28 day mark, and to identify nominees for any nominee who decides to withdraw.

If a nominating committee is not elected, or does not complete its work to meet the 28 day deadline, then nominations are called for from the floor at the annual meeting.

For officer vacancies after the election, the board-elect elects an individual to fill the office. This process is described in the Nominations and Elections section of the bylaws.

Refer to the California State PTA website and Toolkit at www.capta.org.
Questions? Contact Linda Mayo, Interim Parliamentarian, parliamentarian@32ndPTA.org