Convention Workshops
Growing, Developing, and Sustaining Your PTA
Your registration fee includes your choice of workshops scheduled Saturday through Monday during four different time slots. This year’s workshops focus on specific topics PTA members and past convention delegates say they want and need. You’ll gain essential skills and know-how that’s proven to grow, develop, and sustain successful PTAs and volunteer Leaders.
This year’s workshops have been coded with icons representing specific topics or areas of interest. Workshop descriptions listed with more than one icon cover multiple topics or areas of interest.
 DIVERSITY |
 STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT |
 FINANCIAL VIABILITY |
 STUDENT LEADERSHIP SERIES |
 LEGISLATION AND PUBLIC POLICY |
 ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS |
 MEMBERSHIP GROWTH STRATEGIES |
Workshop Session 1
Saturday, June 21,
2:30 p.m.-4:00 p.m.
101 Strengthening Partnerships with Families from Diverse Communities
- Increase awareness of diversity and multicultural issues in your community.
- Examine challenges that families from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds face in schools.
- Discuss strategies for welcoming and involving all families in PTA and in their children’s education
102 Understanding the New and Updated IRS Forms 990 and 990-N
- Understand why the IRS introduced new changes and how all levels of PTA will be affected by the Form 990 changes.
- Determine if your PTA is required to file an annual return and the importance of completing a Form 990.
- Learn how to use these forms and information to showcase your PTA as a charitable organization.
103 Making Your Voice Heard Through the Media
- Learn how to use the media as a tool to increase your public image and advance your advocacy agenda.
- Understand how to build a cooperative relationship with reporters.
- Find tips on building a strong media campaign, using newspapers, radio, television, and Internet sources
104 Speaking Up for Every Child
- In this introduction to advocacy, learn how to build working relationships with legislators.
- Understand how to influence the legislative process.
- Discover how to be an advocate for the PTA, and how advocacy can attract members.
105 Closing the Involvement Gap: Developing Effective Partnerships in Middle and High Schools
- Examine current research on parent involvement in middle and senior high schools.
- Learn how to engage parents during middle and high school years and share effective practices
106 PTAs and Internet Safety: Leading the Way to Protect All Children
- Find out what parents need to know about online collaborative social networks.
- Know how to keep your child safe from online identity theft and Internet child predators.
- Find out what PTAs can do, and are doing.
- Develop an action plan for your family.
107 Volunteering Your Way Up the PTA Ladder: How to Be Your Unit’s Next President
- Identify leadership qualities for each rung of the PTA ladder—from committee member, to chairperson, to president.
- Define specific roles, tasks, responsibilities, and expectations for each leadership position.
- Learn how you can move into local leader or state leader positions.
108 Robert’s Rules of Order…or Not?
- Understand what Robert's Rules of Order are and why they are used to conduct meetings.
- Learn when Robert's Rules are helpful and needed, and when other methods may be as effective.
- Get tips on using Robert's Rules and not getting bogged down in the rhetoric!
- Gain insights for creating effective bylaws and policies for your PTA.
109 Reinventing Your Normal (an R|5 Production)
- Interact and talk honestly about the real issues that affect youth every day—such as bullying, teen violence, hate crimes, suicide, substance abuse, and peer pressure.
- Listen to powerful, real-life stories from students and broaden your perspective by facing and exposing current issues of society and culture.
- Learn about the R|5 philosophy—relevant communication, rethink your perspective, reconnect with your dreams, rediscover your influence, remember every student—and how to develop skills to survive and flourish with your own personal perspective.
110 Parent Cafés: How to Develop and Promote Your Own Café
- Find out how Parent Cafés inspire purposeful and meaningful interaction among parents.
- Learn why PTAs should host Parent Cafés in their communities.
- Be introduced to the process of hosting an effective Parent Café.
- Gain information on where and how to find the resources for Parent Cafés.
Workshop Session 2
Sunday, June 22
8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
201 My Dad Joined PTA
- Learn how to foster more male involvement in your PTA.
- Discuss reasons why men become involved in PTA.
- Gather useful techniques on building stronger male involvement in your PTA.
202 From Diversity to Inclusiveness—Reaching Out to Latino Parents
- Understand the differences between an organization being "diverse" and "inclusive."
- Learn effective methods for reaching out to the Latino community.
- Hear ideas and strategies to target Spanish-speaking leaders for your PTA
203 Preventing Theft in Your PTA
- Learn the warning signs of fraud, theft, embezzlement, and other financial control problems experienced by local and state PTAs.
- Know what to do when you think someone is stealing from your PTA or committing a crime.
- Understand how to handle confidential information.
204 Election Year Do’s and Don’ts
- Learn the legal restrictions on non-profit organizations around election advocacy.
- Understand what questions to ask candidates to determine if they are a real education supporter.
- Find out how to support or oppose a ballot initiative.
205 What's Happening in Washington?
- Learn what issues are hot right now, and what issues will be hot in the coming year.
- Find out if No Child Left Behind will be reauthorized. Will education funding increase? Will Congress do anything in this election year?
- Learn how to connect Washington issues to PTA membership drives.
206 ARTS: How to Keep It In Schools…or Get It Back
- Find out why arts education is declining in our schools despite studies showing that students who receive arts education do better in school.
- Learn why the arts are important, why funding is declining, and what you can do to get it back in your schools.
- Find ways to use the arts in schools to attract more members and community support, including how to successfully plan and launch the PTA Reflections Program.
- Learn how to launch a successful 40th Year Anniversary program for Reflections.
207 PTA and the Parent-Teacher Connection
- Participate in an interactive training that covers research, models, logistics, and skills needed to build effective relationships between parents and teachers as “co-educators.”
- Learn techniques on how to boost parent involvement and parent-teacher collaboration.
- Find techniques for overcoming potential language and cultural barriers to communication.
208 PTA Innovation—Reaching Out Through Community PTAs
- Learn techniques on how to build a Community PTA.
- Find out how to engage multiple schools and community organizations in a Community PTA.
- Discover the “why” of community PTAs.
209 Get Involved in Your Community! Civic Engagement? What’s That?
- Learn how you and your PTSA members can get involved in local, state, and national advocacy efforts.
- Understand why student involvement in advocacy efforts is important and imperative.
- Learn how to link community service and advocacy.
210 Whereas Before the Resolved…Developing and Using PTA Resolutions
- Discover why resolutions are important to PTA work.
- Learn how to use resolutions for local advocacy efforts.
- Find out about current PTA national resolutions.
211 Common Threads of PTA—History Workshop
- Take a walk through the pages of PTA history on a guided tour with two of our past national presidents.
- Examine PTA’s impact on children, families and education and how our mission is as relevant today as it was more than 100 years ago.
- Learn about the common threads that join PTA and the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers to other educational organizations.
- View photos and articles through the decades, learn more about our legacy of milestones, and get inspired for your role in the next generation of PTA.
Workshop Session 3
Sunday, June 22
10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
301 Closing the Achievement Gap—A Community Conversation
- Get the facts on the real achievement gap in our nation’s schools.
- Engage in a discussion about how all students can succeed in school.
- In small groups, review and discuss three approaches to closing the achievement gap: 1) holding schools accountable; 2) closing the spending gap; and 3) addressing root causes such as race and class.
302 Money Does Matter
- Learn the fundamentals of managing financial matters for your PTA.
- Get up-to-date information on reporting and regulations for IRS and basic auditing.
- Gather information on insurance needs.
- Discuss successful fundraising techniques and methods, and learn other best practices in financial management.
303 Why Do Families Become Involved? What PTAs Should Know
- Explore the factors that motivate parents to become involved in their student’s education.
- Review research that links family involvement to improved student success.
- Examine why parents become involved and discuss strategies and ideas to encourage involvement.
304 Making the Case for PTA—“Because It’s Worth It!”
- Explore how to define the value of your PTA for your school and membership.
- Know the importance of describing what dues dollars fund.
- Why PTA? Know the personal, professional, and persuasive reasons people join or support PTA.
305 Putting the “S” into PTSA
- Learn how to engage student leaders in your PTSA to build membership, provide programs, and build community partnerships.
- Hear first-hand from effective PTSA members on how to empower youth to get involved.
- Discover ways to involve more youth and build their leadership skills.
306 Strengthening the Connection Between After-School Programs, Parents, and Student Success
- Examine the connection between after-school programs and improved student learning.
- Hear strategies of two state PTAs and their efforts to support quality after-school programs.
- Learn how to advocate for quality after-school programs.
307 Applying for Financial Aid: What You Need to Know as a Parent
- Identify the types of financial aid awarded, and how to creatively fund your child’s education.
- Understand repayment options.
- Know the legal obligations, including terms and conditions of financial aid contracts.
308 Getting Your Child In Front of the Learning Curve
- Discover tips and tools to help parents prepare their children for advanced level class work.
- Know the importance of forming a “partnership” with your child’s teacher(s).
- Prepare yourself for parent/teacher conferences: learn the types of questions you should ask school administrators and teachers.
309 Beyond Middle School—How to Survive High School and College
- This session is for youth members only (age 12-22 with student ID) in order to facilitate open, honest, and uninterrupted discussion.
- Find out what high school and college are really like. Join the National Youth Involvement Committee as they answer your questions about life after middle school.
- Get real answers from current high school and college students.
310 PTA Resources: Learn About PTA Assets and How to Use Them
- Learn about PTAs valuable resources to help you build membership, enhance teacher relations, and build community support.
- Discover these great PTA projects: Back-to-School Kit, Take Your Family to School Week, and Teacher Appreciation Week, and more…
- Participate in round table discussions on how to put these resources to work for your PTA.
311 Stunning and True—California Case That Paved the Way to Brown v. Board of Education
- See how the power and persistence of a few parents made California the first state to end school segregation, seven years before Brown v. Board of Education.
- Learn about the landmark victory Mendez v. Westminster case in riveting detail through the Emmy-winning documentary.
- Discover the connection between Mendez and Brown v. Board of Education in this stunning presentation featuring Sylvia Mendez who was eight-years-old when she and her brothers were turned away from the Westminster School.
Workshop Session 4
Monday, June 23
9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m.
401 Male Involvement in the Classroom, School & Community
- Understand the importance of getting more men involved in their children's education through participative volunteer activities including PTA.
- Find out how inviting fathers, uncles, and granddads to volunteer in your school increases safety and security.
- Raise awareness of the need for male role models for boys and girls.
- Learn how to help fathers understand the workings of their child’s school and the important role they can play.
402 Engaging and Supporting Families with Children Who Have Special Needs: Special Education PTAs
- Learn the rights and responsibilities of parents, students, and teachers working with special needs children.
- Understand the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process and materials parents need, including release of information and consent forms.
- Understand family rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and how to advocate for your child and/or children with special needs at your school.
- Find out more about Special Education PTAs.
403 What you Need to Know About Developing Sponsorship Opportunities and Fundraising
- Understand the basics of sponsorship for PTAs.
- Learn sponsorship guidelines and how to target and work with sponsors.
- Get tips on negotiating deal points in sponsorship agreements.
404 No Child Left Behind—When, How, and If It Will Be Fixed
- Discover why No Child Left Behind—the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (which was first enacted in 1965)—is so controversial now.
- Come learn where things stand in Congress, what the issues are, who’s saying what, and why.
- Find out what PTA is doing and what you can do.
405 National Standards for Family-School Partnerships Think Tank
- Understand the components and benefits of using the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships to connect families, schools, and communities.
- Find out about the six standards.
- Get the opportunity to share with other participants ideas for implementing each standard.
- Learn how to make the standards part of every school and PTA activity.
406 Getting the Word Out: Communicating Your Program to Achieve Results
- Discover effective ways to develop and deliver news and information to promote a state or local event, program, or initiative to increase audience support and participation.
- Identify ways to deliver messages: print, electronic, and word of mouth.
- Create strong messages and target them to specific audiences.
- Measure results in positive messages and in membership numbers.
407 Building Community Collaborations to Ensure Children's Safety
- Learn how building community collaborations helps parents become aware of problems in their neighborhoods.
- Learn about Amber Alert and other programs.
- Learn about prevention and safety programs to ensure children’s safety.
408 Building Community Support for the Education and Well-Being of Every Child
- Learn how to build community support to increase your advocacy impact.
- Learn how to connect with groups and individuals to advocate for the education and well-being of every child.
- Learn how to raise public awareness and develop partnerships.
409 Ask a Teen…Are They Really Safe in Their Use of Technology?
- Meet with a panel of teenagers from PTSA to hear their candid discussion of how they use media and technology.
- Join in a moderated discussion with teen technology users.
- Develop strategies for working with teens on technology safety issues.
410 Websites that Work: Creating the Best Online Experience for Your PTA Community
- Find effective ways to create a local unit website and use emerging online and electronic communications tactics to keep your PTA community informed and engaged.
- Understand the strategies and approaches for building a website.
- Identify ways to manage content, keep it fresh, and target various audiences.
- Get techniques to measure website traffic and effectiveness.
