More than 50 PTAs awarded grants for PTA Take Your Family to School Week programs

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Jan. 9, 2014) — As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen family engagement in education, National PTA® is pleased to announce the launch of a digital toolkit to empower parents, teachers and administrators with resources to help build family-school partnerships. The toolkit, available at PTA.org, is aimed at supporting PTAs and schools across the country in participating in PTA Take Your Family to School Week®.

“Decades of research shows that when families and schools work together, student achievement increases, schools improve and communities grow stronger,” said Otha Thornton, National PTA President. “PTA Take Your Family to School Week and the digital toolkit are designed to spotlight the importance of family-school partnerships and expand and enhance family engagement efforts in schools across the country.”

This year, PTA Take Your Family to School Week will be marked Feb. 17-21, 2014 and will incorporate the theme “Supporting Student Success.” The timing of the week honors the day PTA was founded: Feb. 17, 1897. Throughout the week, PTAs and schools are encouraged to partner to host family-focused events with an emphasis on the theme. The initiative is sponsored by the AXA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AXA Equitable, and a proud national sponsor of PTA.

The toolkit features resources to help PTA leaders, teachers and administrators host family events to address risks associated with high school drop-out. These activities will occur nationwide during PTA Take Your Family to School Week. The toolkit includes downloadable template materials, guides, lesson plans and tip sheets designed to encourage parents to support student success, prevent bullying, increase arts participation, and improve literacy and math skills. 

In addition to launching the toolkit, National PTA is awarding fifty-one $1,000 grants to local PTAs from across the country for efforts to improve family engagement and support student success through PTA Take Your Family to School Week. The PTAs were selected to receive the grants from more than 140 applicants. A complete list of the 2014 grant recipients can be viewed at PTA.org/home/programs/PTA-Take-Your-Family-to-School-Week-2017.

PTA Take Your Family to School Week reinforces PTA’s legacy and mission to promote children’s educational success and health and well-being through strong family involvement. For more information about PTA Take Your Family to School Week and to view the digital toolkit, visit PTA.org/home/programs/PTA-Take-Your-Family-to-School-Week-2017.

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 parent involvement 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 AXA Foundation

The AXA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of AXA Equitable, one of the nation's premier financial services organizations and a member of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection and wealth management. The Foundation directs the company's philanthropic and volunteer activities, working to improve the quality of life in communities across the country where AXA has a presence.  The AXA Foundation’s multifaceted signature program, AXA Achievement, supports the company’s strong commitment to Corporate Responsibility and AXA Group’s flagship theme of “Risk Research and Education,” by providing America’s youth with the access and advice to help them succeed in college and beyond.  Since AXA Achievement launched in 2003, over $22.8 million in scholarships has been awarded to more than 5,100 students nationwide.  For more information, visit www.axa-achievement.com or AXA Equitable’s Facebook page.