The California State PTA released the proposed resolutions that will come before the delegates at the 2009 Convention in San Jose. Resolutions adopted by the delegates provide the State PTA with the authority to take positions on critical issues affecting children and families. This year, the following four resolutions are proposed:

Resolution A: Teen Driving Safety
Resolution B: Achievement: Eliminating the Gap
Resolution C: Lowering the Vote Requirement in the California State Budget Process
Resolution D: Social Host Accountability and Underage Drinking

It is also recommended that the 1988 resolution “Aids Prevention Education in the Curriculum” be rescinded by the delegates because it is in conflict with current codes, requirements, recommended practices, and a newer resolution “HIV/STD Prevention Education in our Schools” that was adopted in 2008.

Voting delegates to Convention are encouraged to share these proposed resolutions with their units/councils and obtain some direction on whether or not their unit supports or opposes these resolutions, or whether they recommend making any amendments to them. Delegates to Convention are also encouraged to attend Resolutions Hearings at Convention for more in-depth discussion on these resolutions with their makers, where amendments can also be submitted. Hearings will take place at Convention on Thursday at 1-3 PM, Friday-Sunday at 7-8 AM, as well as at a Resolutions workshop on Friday at 11 AM-12:30 PM and Resolutions Table Talks on Friday and Saturday at 1-2 PM.

April 2009 Orange Leaves is now available for download. [ APRIL ORANGE LEAVES ] (Adobe PDF). Sections of the newsletter available in Spanish.

Highlights:

• President's Message - Persevere to the Finish Line!
• Keeping bylaws up to date
  
• Fourth District PTA and the California State PTA Convention
• Governor's Fitness Awards
• Orange Community Council submits resolution on social hosting
  
• Start planning now for the 2009-2010 Reflections Program
• The value of parent education
• Creativity is vital to our economy--Demand arts education.
• Report from California State PTA Legislation Conference
• Spring Training Workshops (flyers in Spanish and English)
  

OC Imagination Celebration

Imagination Celebration is a countywide arts festival for families, children and creative people of all ages.

Enjoy over 100 free or affordable events in 31 Orange County cities, including low-cost ticketed events by arts organizations, free community festivals, student showcases and public art exhibitions. Check out the online calendar and you’ll be amazed at all there is to see and do in your community!
The festival is presented by Arts Orange County and the Orange County Department of Education. Fourth District PTA is one of the sponsors of this event.

Imagination Celebration is an exciting collaboration of professional arts organizations, cities, schools, libraries, colleges, universities and community venues offering budget-friendly arts experiences in every corner of Orange County.

The Imagination Celebration, now entering its 24th year, has played a major role in sparking imagination and creativity in an entire generation of Orange County children.

For more information, go to www.fourthdistrictpta.org and click on the Imagination Celebration logo.

For a detailed listing of events throughout the county, visit www.SparkOC.com, the happening place for arts happening in the OC!

4th District PTA Advocacy Roundtable, April 24

Fourth District PTA

Advocacy Roundtable
Friday, April 24
9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Learn about the propositions on the May 18 Special Election ballot from two members of the California State PTA Legislation Team:

• Brian Bonner, Education Advocate
• Suzan Solomon, Education Advocate

Location:
Orange County Department of
Education, Room D1001
200 Kalmus Drive
Costa Mesa

All PTA members are welcome! No registration required.

California PTA Legislation Conference report

By Celia Jaffe, Vice President for Advocacy,
Fourth District PTA

The California State PTA Legislative Conference was three days of listening to speakers, interacting with State PTA advocates, meeting PTA folks from around the state, and talking with our legislators. It was very worthwhile…and exhausting!

Below are some brief takes on topics from the conference. Feel free to contact me for further information at advocacy@fourthdistrictpta.org.

The State Budget
On Feb. 20, the California legislature passed a revised budget for the current year combined with a budget for the 2009-2010 year. It was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Political Reality
Lawmakers from both parties earn credit from their constituencies for the delay in passing the budget: Democrats for resisting deeper cuts to programs and Republicans for holding out against taxes. In the final product, Democrats decided how cuts would look; Republicans decided where new revenues would come from.

The Prospect of Additional Cuts for 2009-10
Though it is touted as a 1½-year budget, additional budget actions in a “June revise” are a strong possibility. If any of the measures set for the May 19 special election fail, and/or if revenues fall short of forecasts, a new budget shortfall will exist and require legislative action to solve.

The May 19 Special Election
The recently signed budget relies on money from passage of several measures in a special election scheduled for May 19.

• Measure 1A would establish a new spending cap (exempting Prop. 98) and Budget Stabilization Account.
• Measure 1B would call for repayment to Prop. 98 of over $9 billion to settle a dispute over whether a maintenance factor is created by this year’s low funding.
• Measure 1C would authorize borrowing $5 billion in 2009-10, to be paid back from Lottery revenues in following years, holding education harmless by repaying Prop. 98 the average Lottery income amount.
• Measure 1D would temporarily redirect money from Prop. 10/First 5 California revenues to the general fund.
• Measure 1E would temporarily redirect money from Prop. 63/ Mental Health funds to the general fund.
• Measure 1F would prohibit raises for state legislators during a deficit year.

For additional impartial information on these measures, see the website of the Legislative Analyst’s Office (www.LAO.ca.gov) or the California Secretary of State (www.SOS.ca.gov).

Proposed Legislation
Because of the focus on the budget crisis, fewer bills than usual have been proposed. Bills that are supported by PTA include:

• AB 8 (Brownley) Calling for a working group from the Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst Office to explore alternatives to the current structure of funding school districts.
• SCA 6 (Simitian) Calling for a reduction of the vote to pass local parcel taxes from 66% to 55%.

Orange Community Council Submits Resolution on Social Hosting

Although the legal drinking age throughout the United States is 21, alcohol is the substance most frequently abused by minors ages 12 to 20. Research identifies adults or "social hosts" as the primary source and private homes as the primary site of alcohol availability for underage drinkers.

These and other facts were the motivation and basis for the Social Host Accountability and Underage Drinking resolution submitted to California State PTA by the Orange Community Council of PTAs. The resolution will be considered for adoption by the delegates at the upcoming state convention.

Nationwide, underage drinking is directly involved in the deaths of approximately 5,000 youth under the age of 21 every year. It is linked to two-thirds of all sexual assaults, including date rape, and contributes to a 10 times higher incidence of physical assault and a 12 times higher incidence of unintentional injury. Furthermore, the 2007 Surgeon General’s Call to Action reports that alcohol use may alter an adolescent’s development and put them at higher risk for long-lasting, detrimental effects on the developing brain.

Social hosting is defined as adults in private homes providing alcohol and/or allowing underage drinking among children who are not their own. There are those who believe kids are going to drink somewhere and that social hosting provides a safer environment than underage drinkers might otherwise choose. There are others who believe that because underage drinking is both illegal and dangerous, adults should not provide alcohol nor ignore the consumption of alcohol by individuals under the minimum legal drinking age of 21.

According to the Surgeon General, addressing the public health problem of underage alcohol use begins with an examination of our own attitudes toward underage drinking and our recognition of the seriousness of its consequences for adolescents and their families, as well as society as a whole. Underage alcohol use is not a benign, acceptable rite of passage, but is a serious health and safety threat to adolescent development that cannot be ignored.

California has no state law that addresses social hosting. However, 40 of its cities and counties have passed social host ordinances. A national study found that social host liability laws reduce binge drinking, and drinking and driving.

The resolution calls for California PTA at all levels to:

• Provide factual information about the dangers of underage drinking and social hosting.
• Support the adoption of social host laws that would prohibit adults from providing alcohol or allowing the consumption of alcohol in homes and on non-commercial property by youth under the age of 21 who are not their children.
• Support law enforcement in upholding the minimum legal drinking age of 21, including but not limited to social host laws and ordinances.

Orange Community Council board members Christina Bayles, Ilene Duncan, Leisa Ensworth, Michael Foster and Kim Nichols formed the committee that worked on the resolution.

Governor's Fitness Awards

The 2009 Governor’s Challenge Competition

This is a contest among California’s K-12 schools to motivate students, parents and teachers to get active, healthy and fit. The governor’s challenge is to be active 30-60 minutes a day, for at least three days a week, for a month. The competition runs through May 31, 2009, and any school can participate.

Grand prizes—$100,000 fitness centers—will be awarded to an elementary school, middle school and high school. There will also be 11 regional awards of $5,000 each and 33 front runner recognitions of $1,000 each.

More information is available at: www.CalGovCouncil.org/Challenge

Nominate your PTA for a $10,000 Spotlight Award

The Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Spotlight Awards shines a light on individuals, organizations and events that use innovation, inspiration and initiative to positively impact the physical activity, fitness levels and well-being of California children and youth. This year, the Governor added a category to the Spotlight Awards: “Parent Associations,” such as PTAs.

Nominations can be submitted prior to June 30, 2009, at www.CalGovCouncil.org/Spotlight

California PTA Convention

Pre-registration for the California State PTA Convention is still available through April 20 online at www.capta.org, or through regular mail postmarked by April 20.

After this date, you may still register onsite, but the fees go up to $200. The fees are non-refundable. You can easily change the name of the delegate or change your workshop selections online.

Housing through the San Jose Visitors Bureau is available through April 13, after which you may contact the hotel directly. All CAPTA Convention information is available at www.capta.org.

Fourth District PTA registration fees have been lowered this year to $18. Please check our website, www.fourthdistrictpta.org, for registration and information forms. Remember that you must register with Fourth District PTA and with California State PTA.

The Fourth District PTA Delegate Orientation and Open House was such a success last year that we will again hold this event. Come to the district office on Tuesday, April 21, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. You will find informative Convention Stations, staffed by happy Fourth District PTA Convention Committee members. Delegate packets and accessories will be available for pick up. All district delegates are cordially invited to attend, check out the office, meet the staff, enjoy great hospitality, and get in the convention mood!

Our “Happiest District on Earth” Dinner, to be held at convention on Friday, May 1, is simply not to be missed! It promises to be a fun, fully-costumed night! As always, each council will be expected to present a song or poem. The reservation deadline for the dinner is April 21, with some possible seating available through April 27, if space exists. The cost is $42. The reservation form and dinner flyer are on our website. The dinner is open to everyone!

Don’t miss out on a chance to get acquainted with our incoming Fourth District PTA president, Patty Jordan, at our convention hospitality suite in the San Jose Marriott. All kinds of initiations are planned!

Seriously now, the California State PTA Convention is one of the most empowering events of the PTA year. This investment of your time and PTA funds will, without a doubt, ensure a better future for our children. Your Fourth District PTA Convention Committee is dedicated to making this happen. Please join us.

California PTA honored for advocacy

WASHINGTON, DC -- California State PTA was recognized for outstanding advocacy at the state, local, and individual levels at a National PTA legislative conference last week.

California State PTA won the Outstanding Advocacy Award for a state PTA.
The Legislation Team of the Capistrano Unified Council of PTSAs (CUCPTSA) won the Outstanding Advocacy Award for local efforts.

Kim Anderson, legislation chair of the CUCPTSA, received the Shirley Igo Advocate of the Year Award for an individual's contribution.

"I am deeply honored to represent the million volunteer members of the California State PTA who have earned this award," said Pam Brady, president of the California State PTA. "It is really the commitment and passion of each and every one of our members that has allowed us to raise a powerful collective voice on behalf of all children. This award gives us something wonderful to celebrate today. But, more importantly, it serves as inspiration to keep working together to make sure that all our children's hopes and dreams can shine brightly in the future."

The California State PTA's award recognized its "Flunk the Budget" campaign of last year. Thousands of PTA leaders and members visited legislators, wrote letters, participated in phone banks, and attended state and local rallies as part of the grass-roots effort to protect funding for education and other crucial children's programs. The campaign was credited with reducing the fiscal blow to children's programs in the state budget passed in September 2008.

The California State PTA has not abated in its advocacy efforts, including its latest campaign: "PTA's Economic Recovery Plan: Invest in Children."

The award for the Legislation Team of the Capistrano Unified Council of PTSAs, in Orange County, recognized the council's "Shock and Awe" advocacy effort to preserve Prop. 98.

"The 'Shock and Awe' effort lived up to its title," Pam Brady said. "The campaign was creative, including the delivery of more than 25,000 'pink slips' to legislators and the governor to let them feel what it's like to receive the pink slips that teachers were receiving."

Lisa Scharmann, president of CUCPTSA said the council succeeded because parents answered its call: "I think we were really able to engage our parents and impress on them how really important it was to advocate. The parents were willing to say, 'Enough. We have to put our kids first.' "

Kim Anderson, chair of legislation for the CUCPTSA Council, was presented with the Shirley Igo Outstanding Advocate of the Year Award, given in memory of Igo, who served as president of the National PTA from 2001-2003. Igo died in 2008.

"I feel humbled and honored to receive an award with Shirley Igo's name on it," Anderson said. "She demonstrated that we can advocate for our children with grace and dignity, and I try to follow that example."

Pam Brady said California was particularly honored to have one of its own receive the first Shirley Igo Award.

"California State PTA is so proud that the first recipient of the Shirley Igo award is from our state, and no one is more deserving than Kim Anderson," Brady says. "Kim keeps her focus on changing outcomes while honoring everyone's efforts and ideas."

During the National PTA conference, held March 10-13, several elected leaders were also presented with awards.

• U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) received the PTA Founder Award.
• U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) and U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) both received a PTA Congressional Voice for Children Award.

###

everychild.onevoice.

The California State PTA has nearly 1 million members throughout the state working on behalf of public schools, children and families, with the motto, "Every child, one voice." The PTA is the nation's oldest, largest and highest profile volunteer organization working to improve the education, health and welfare of all children and youth. The PTA also advocates at national, state and local levels for education and family issues. The PTA is nonprofit, nonsectarian and noncommercial.

For more information about the California State PTA, visit www.capta.org.

Find out how to be an Orange County Arts Advocate

By Steve Lustig, Cultural Arts Advocate

Students who learn music and participate in other arts programs are more likely to be successful in their math classes, earn high grades, and have good school attendance.

For these reasons, and many more, it is vitally important that all of our schools have active, well-run arts programs.

For years, California PTA has worked hard to make sure our students have arts education. Now Fourth District PTA has launched a local effort to build a team of arts advocates. We are looking for parents, teachers and administrators who want to continue to promote the value of an arts education in public schools.

An Orange County Arts Advocate Training Binder is available on the Fourth District PTA website, www.fourthdistrictpta.org. The binder includes facts about arts education, simple steps you can take to become an arts advocate, and a listing of local resources.

Let’s make sure our children receive a well-rounded education that includes a healthy dose of the arts. For more information, contact me at (714) 968-5358 or cultural-arts@fourthdistrictpta.org.

Submitting Officer Lists

Go to: http://www.fourthdistrictpta.org/NewOfficers.html

Please use this electronic form to submit your elected/appointed officers for the 2009-10 term.
Just complete the information and then follow the instructions.

Units and Councils: If you do not have all of the following officers or chairmen by the due date, send the names and information you do have. Send the rest as you obtain them. Failure to meet the Fourth District deadline will delay your District, State and National PTA mailings and inclusion in the Fourth District Directory.

Please note: A confirmation of the information submitted is emailed to the address in the "President's Email" field and to Leticia in the Fourth District office. If your incoming president has no email address, type "none" (however, no confirmation will be returned to the submitter).
NOTE: Fields shown in bold, dark red are REQUIRED before you will be able to submit your information.

Young artists celebrated at Reflections Gallery

By Fran Sdao, Reflections Chairman

The Fourth District PTA Reflections Gallery and Reception was held on Saturday, Jan. 31, at the Orange County Department of Education.

More than 900 students, their families and friends attended the celebration of student artistic achievement. Special guests included Wendy Hicks, California State PTA Reflections Chair.
Attendees browsed through the exhibit of art, photographs and literature. They watched and/or listened to the dance, music and film entries.

Each of the 328 students whose artwork advanced to the Fourth District PTA was recognized with a Participant ribbon. The top four award winners in each art category and in each age division received the Award of Excellence Star.

Forty eight students received the Award of Merit ribbon and 42 students received the Honorable Mention ribbon.

We congratulate all of our Reflections participants and wish the best of luck to our 24 Award of Excellence winners whose entries advanced to the California State PTA.

Reflections award winners are posted on the Fourth District PTA Web site.

Fourth District PTA sends two resolutions to California State PTA convention

Three resolutions were accepted by the CAPTA resolution committee for consideration at the California State PTA Convention. Of those, two are from Fourth District PTA.

One is a resolution submitted by Orange Community Council, calling for an end to social hosting, the practice of sponsoring in-home drinking parties for under-age teenagers.

The other, presented by Fourth District PTA, calls for an amendment to the California State Constitution lowering the 2/3 vote requirement for passage of the California state budget and revenue measures.

Registration Open for California PTA Convention

By Karen Schroeder, Vice President for Convention

Rumor has it that Minnie, Mickey, Piglet, Cruella D’Ville, Robin Hood (Man in Tights), and the Fairy Godmother have already completed the registration and housing procedures for the California State PTA Convention! They will definitely make an appearance at the Fourth District PTA convention dinner. Join them now!

You can get all the information you need, including a day-to-day schedule of events, a complete list of workshops, and everything you need to register and reserve housing, in the Convention Registration Book, which has been mailed to all PTA presidents. You can also download the book on the California State PTA website, http://www.capta.org/.

Registration for convention is a two-step process. Step one: Register with the California State PTA online or by mail through April 20. You can choose workshops, and edit changes online. Registration fees go up after March 31, so don’t delay!

Step two: Register with your PTA district. The mandatory Fourth District PTA fee is $18 (down $10 from last year). “Minnie and Friends,” our Fourth District PTA Convention Dinner, will be held on Friday, May 1, at the San Jose Marriott Hotel. This event is optional, but it promises to be one of the highlights of your PTA year, so you don’t want to miss it. The dinner fee is a bargain at $42.

The Fourth District PTA registration form and dinner form is available at www.fourthdistrictpta.org or through your council convention chair. Complete the form, and send it with a check to your council PTA. All fees must be forwarded to Fourth District PTA by April 21.

Hotel reservations must be made by March 25 through the San Jose Visitors Bureau. You may mail or fax the hotel reservation form in the Convention Registration Book, or go to https://resweb.passkey.com/go/CAPTA09. Phone reservations will not be accepted.

This year, more than any year I’ve been associated with PTA, it is imperative to send a delegate to San Jose. There will be no better place to invest in our own education, and to utilize the networking power of PTA. So many tough and challenging budget decisions are ahead of us this year. Make informed choices and be proactive! Help your school, your children, and your community weather the storm. PTA has a strong voice in advocating on behalf of education. Be a part of it. Be inspired.

Welcome new units

A warm welcome to Fourth District PTA’s newest units:

• Estock Elementary PTA, Tustin Council
• Valadez Academy PTA, Placentia-Yorba Linda Council
  

Last Day to Submit 2008-09 Memberships is March 26

Congratulations to PTA units and councils throughout Fourth District PTA for bringing our membership to more than 150,000!

The final day to turn in this year’s memberships to Fourth District PTA is March 26, at the annual Fourth District PTA Administrators Dinner.

Until then, keep working to increase your memberships. Remember there is strength in numbers as we advocate for all of our children!

Don’t forget to ask teachers (the T in PTA!), grandparents, administrators, school employees, school board members, school district staff and your friends, family and community members to become part of the oldest and largest national volunteer organization dedicated to children.

— Laura Cozza, Membership Chairman

Kim Anderson and Capistrano Council Win National PTA Advocacy Awards

By Celia Jaffe, Vice President for Advocacy

Double award recognitions from National PTA leave no doubt that Capistrano Unified Council PTSA is a force to be reckoned with in the area of advocacy. The National PTA Outstanding Advocacy Award went to the Legislative Team of Capistrano Council, and its chairman Kim Anderson was named the 2009 recipient of the Shirley Igo Outstanding Advocate of the Year Award.

The Outstanding Advocacy Award is presented to “a PTA that, through their dedication and leadership, affected child-related policy, regulation, or legislation to support PTA’s mission and goals.” Capistrano’s Legislative Team, under Kim Anderson’s leadership, conducts regular training and current events briefings for its 52 unit legislative representatives. Teams of PTA leaders meet with legislators on frequent trips to Sacramento and to legislator home offices.

During last year’s intensive efforts by PTAs throughout California to combat state budget cuts, Capistrano Council organized “Shout Out” days to encourage a blast of grassroots communication with legislators through emails and faxes. PTA members also sent hundreds of pink slips to Sacramento policy makers to make them aware of the pink slip notifications going out to teachers in anticipation of budget cuts.

The leadership of this award-winning team includes Lisa Sharmann, council president; Barbara Shangraw, immediate past president and past legislative chair; Kim Anderson, legislative chair; and Kathy Masters, Sarah Efthymiou, Kathy Fischer, Kathy Spencer, Sue Dennis, and Maureen Lynds, each of whom specializes in federal, state, or local advocacy issues.

Kim Anderson will be the first recipient of the Shirley Igo Outstanding Advocate Award, presented in memory of the 2001-03 National PTA president who passed away last year. Kim was chosen by a committee of friends and colleagues of Igo as an “individual who most exemplifies the qualities that made Shirley a true advocate for all children.” Asked why she puts such efforts toward PTA advocacy, Kim responds, “I just love feeling like we’re making a difference in the lives of kids. I just love it!”

Fourth District PTA is pleased that Kim is bringing her expertise and exuberance to our own Advocacy Committee this year as roundtable co-chair.

Both the council and individual awards will be presented in Washington, D.C. at the 2009 National Legislative Conference in March.

At that same ceremony, the state Outstanding Advocacy Award will be presented to…California State PTA! The Flunk the Budget campaign was our state’s award-winning advocacy effort.

(From the March 2009 issue of Orange Leaves)