Two councils and three units will be recognized by Fourth District PTA for their outstanding accomplishments this year. The awards will be presented at the General Meeting and Awards Luncheon this Thursday.
Creative Membership Award — Council
Capistrano Unified Council of PTSAs
CUCPTSA posted an impressive 40% increase in membership council-wide for the 2008-2009 year! How did they do it?
Capo’s membership theme was “Raising our Voices for Children.” Last summer, the council distributed Membership Tips sheets and membership cards to all units so they could issue cards to members as soon as they joined. A template for printing membership cards was posted on the council website. At the council’s Fall Leadership Workshop the focus was on membership. Council leaders challenged each unit to increase membership by 5%.
CUCPTSA continued to promote membership at council meetings by giving a “shout out” on the membership megaphone to the unit that “raised their voice the loudest for children.” Units shared ideas for achieving membership goals.
In addition to the membership increase, all 52 units in the council qualified for both the Early Bird Award and the Chairman’s Club Award!
Creative Program Award — Council
Fullerton Council PTA
About 800 needy families, including 3,000 children, had happier holidays thanks to a joint program by the Fullerton Council PTA and Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Services (FIES).
Starting in mid-November, volunteer coordinators at 19 of the 24 Fullerton schools organized collections of toys, food, or gift certificates. The donations were brought to the FIES Distribution Center where volunteers, including scouts, students and parents, sorted and boxed the items. The packages of food and gifts were given to needy Fullerton families.
More than 150 volunteers made this annual effort a success. This was the 21st year that Fullerton Council PTA and FIES have collaborated in this generous holiday program.
Creative Membership Award — Unit
Brookhaven Elementary PTA, Placentia Yorba Linda Unified Council PTA
“The Big Give,” Brookhaven PTA’s membership drive, was launched at Back-to-School Night with a video showing parent volunteers, teachers and staff getting ready for a new year. Classroom progress in enrolling members was tracked with a mobile art display, with hands added to represent each new member. Two fifth grade classes that exceeded 100% membership shared a $500 gift card to the Book Fair.
Membership was open to students for the first time and students who joined received perks such as stickers for free ice cream and the opportunity to participate in monthly drawings for the front of the lunch line. Students were invited to attend a special Junior PTA association meeting, where they helped make decisions about the school’s 40th birthday celebration.
Was the campaign a success? With an increase in membership from 397 in the previous year to 635 this year, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”
Creative Program Award – Unit
Ada E. Clegg Elementary PTA, Westminster Council PTA
Exercise, family togetherness and fun are the focus of a wonderful program sponsored at Clegg Elementary by the PTA.
The “Fun and Fit Club” is held every Wednesday after school. Children and their parents participate in aerobics, hula hooping, soccer, jumping rope and other activities at designated stations run by parent volunteers and school staff. There is also a water station. Children track their activities in a fitness journal and receive participation certificates and prizes at the end of the year.
More than 200 students, and many parents, are participating in the program this year. The PTA is holding a coin drive in the classrooms to raise money for t-shirts and equipment for the club.
No surprise: the “Fun and Fit Club” has the enthusiastic support of both the school staff and the school district!
Outstanding Unit Award
Tijeras Creek Elementary PTA, Capistrano Unified Council of PTSAs
At a back-to-school ice cream social, parents are encouraged to join the Tijeras Creek PTA and sign up for a committee. Then they get to work!
The PTA sponsors a literacy program to boost reading, a Young Authors project to encourage writing, and a weekly music program for first through third grade students, the only one in the school district. There is a strong partnership with the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, with Marines participating in the annual Fall Run and the school providing “Munchies for Marines,” holiday support, and sending the student choir to sing at homecoming celebrations.
PTA meetings are held both during the day and in the evening to build participation, and a bimonthly newsletter encourages and acknowledges volunteer efforts. Programs for parents include “The Homework Doctor” and math and reading workshops.
Other activities for this busy PTA include:
- An annual school play that involves more than 100 parents and alumni.
- Letter writing, phone calls and email to advocate on education issues at the local, state and national levels.
- A recycling program, food drives, Red Ribbon Week and Reflections.
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