NYS PTA's Team Membership is proud to report that we exceeded our 2017-18 National PTA membership goal!

As a result, we will be receiving a Silver Medal for Membership Growth this year at the National PTA Convention in New Orleans later this month. Our association has not been in this position with membership in more years than I can remember.

As you can see in our newly-released infographic, membership is a year-round effort. So we still need your help!

Before school ends for the summer, please reach out to new potential members in your school community, be they entering kindergarten in the fall or moving into the district for the next school year. You can still register and pay for those members online now. No more waiting until September!

What about service groups and businesses in your community? Ask them to support EVERY CHILD. They can sign up and pay online today.

For added incentive, we are offering a special prize to be presented to the unit with the greatest percent of new members registered and paid for by June 29. Look for the reveal on social media soon! EVERY CHILD needs your support today, so don't hesitate!

We need your help to pass S.8610 (Hannon)/A.8688 (Rosenthal), which prohibits the sale and distribution of flavored e-liquid which creates a distinguishable flavor or aroma for use in e-cigarettes.

Last year, we vigorously advocated for the inclusion of e-cigarettes in the Clean Indoor Air Act and the ban of their use on school grounds and were successful!

Alarmingly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that e-cigarettes use among students in grades 6-12 tripled in one year's time. Shockingly, e-cigarettes are available in more than 7,000 fruit and candy flavors, and use cartoons and celebrities, which are appealing to youth, in their advertising.

Take action to support S.8610/A.8688! There are only 7 scheduled session days left! Take Action Now!

Summer is coming and so is the annual Summer Leadership Conference (SLC)!  SLC is casual and fun and Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) credits are available for educators!

July 20-22, 2018 at Union College, Schenectady NY.

Check out

• SLC Save the Date flyer with fees
• SLC 2018 Information Packet

Find even more information HERE.

Click HERE to register for SLC 2018!

When: Friday, July 20, 2018, 11:30am-5:00pm
Cost: $25/per person (includes lunch)
Where: College Park Hall at Union College, 
450 Nott Street, Schenectady

To make every child's potential a reality, we must be innovative and bold in our family engagement strategies. Join us at NYS PTA's Family Engagement Conference as we present workshops which have a focus on strengthening partnerships between family and school, meaningful and practicable family engagement concepts, and support for the whole child and family.

This five-hour conference includes lunch, speakers and two workshops.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE TODAY! 

DEADLINE TO REGISTER: JUNE 29, 2018

Conference flyer to download and share

With the school year winding down, don't forget to submit the following entries and applications before the deadlines!

• PARP Award: entries are due to your region director postmarked by June 15. All region winners are due to the state office by July 15.
• Jane Skrzpek Leadership Award: applications are due to your region director postmarked by June 15. All region winners are due to state office by July 15.
• Teacher Fellowship for Graduate Study in Memory of Richard Gazzola: applications due to state office postmarked by June 15.

Have you checked out the NYS PTA Online Store! You can order PTA gear like shirts, hats, cups, gifts and awards.

You can order apparel like shirts and sweatshirts, and have your own unit name as the logo! Checkout the Custom Shop here!

Click HERE to read Commissioner Elia's letter to parents.

ADHD can affect how kids use technology. See how common problems like too much screen time or too little sleep tie in to ADHD symptoms and get practical tips on how you can help from Understood.org. 

May 25 was National Missing Children's Day. Have you had a safety conversation with your kids lately? Here are seven crucial safety questions for kids and teens from National PTA.

School is almost out for the summer, but that doesn't mean students have to go hungry. The Summer Food Service Program provides free, nutritious meals to kids in need. Learn more about the program and find a site near your school from the US Dept. of Agriculture.

Most elementary school fundraisers are too much work for not enough profit. At Boosterthon, we provide a hassle-free fundraiser that raises schools a ton of money. And people actually LOVE it.

Read for My School offers an innovative solution to fund your existing PARP program and provides the tools to manage, track and celebrate your student's reading goals in real-time with minimal volunteer resources!

NYS PTA has partnered with Solar Gard to support school safety and help protect our most precious resource of all, our children.

Find more information here on how your PTA unit and school can partner with Solar Gard, and feel free to contact Gary Clark at Gary.R.Clark@saint-gobain.com with questions.

NYS PTA members benefit from the Mortgage Lending to Everyday Heroes Program! WAIVED Application Fee, Processing Fee, Underwriting Fee, Commitment Fee, Lock-in Fee, and Extension Fee.

See more information here about the Everyday Heroes Member Benefit for NYS PTA members!

The We Connect The Dots mission is to excite, inform and educate students about Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) careers. Through a collaboration with the community, education, government and the technology industry, WCTD provides awareness and education of the 21st Century workforce skills, as well as the opportunities available to students embracing STEAM careers.

Go here to learn about their programs to support learning!