Plano ISD Council of PTAs

Food Policies and Guidelines

• Texas Public School Nutrition Policy

• Texas Department of Agriculture’s Nutrition Resource

• Event Guidelines and City of Plano Temporary Food Permits

• Temporary/Seasonal Health Permit Application Packet [pdf file]

• PTA Events and Childcare Guidelines

eNews is a free e-mail newsletter service from our district and schools. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doug Otto encourages parents, employees and students to subscribe to the district eNews and individual school e-newsletters. Archives are also online.

Texas PTA has a list of awards. The page requires the ID and password that appears on the back of your PTA membership card.

Congratulations to the new Plano Council of PTAs officers for 2007-2008:

• President: Karen Schultz
• 1st VP Aide to the President: Janet Kelly
• 2nd VP Programs: Tamra Sadafsaz
• 3rd VP Membership: Cara Mendelsohn
• Secretary: Sue Story

Read the Summer 2007 issue of Connections from Practical Parent Education.

Elise Gold, one of our former Council Presidents (2002-2004), passed away on Friday, August 10 after an 18-month battle with cancer. She was very involved with PTA for over ten years--from local units, council and area levels, but more than that--she was a committed volunteer, passionate child advocate and inspirational leader. [Read her obituary...]

If you wish to remember Elise with a personal donation, she selected the following charities:

(1) National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance:
http://www.eifoundation.org/national/nccra/splash/

The actual donation page is at:

https://secure.eifoundation.org/securedonate/philosophy.cfm

*This charity was founded by Katie Couric and Elise's preference.*
(2) Texas PTA
408 W. 11th Street
Austin, Texas 78701-2113
Attn: Texas PTA Endowment Fund

(3) SPCA of Texas
Attn: Memorials
2400 Lone Star Drive
Dallas, TX 75212

Checks should be made payable to the SPCA of Texas
* Please do not send cash *

Via online at www.spca.org
Click on "Donate" and then on "Memorial Giving"

From PISD eNews:

• Library Resources - Access our school libraries and district and professional resources, including millions of online educational streamed videos.
• Instructional Center - Your headquarters for custom tools and resources for students, teachers and parents.
• ParentViewer - View your students’ grades and attendance records in real time.
• eClassroom Center - Homework assignments, class documents and notices are posted here by teachers.
• eSchool - Thousands of students have supplemented their educational programs with this unique Plano ISD program.
• RouteFinder - Enter your home street address to get mapped bus routes and school information.
• eNews - Receive school and district e-newsletters sent directly to your personal e-mail.
• PayPAMS - Pay online for your student’s meals, fare busing and early childhood tuition.
• ePay - Pay online for the PASAR after-school program.
• Parenting Classes - Sign up for one or a series of parent education workshops offered by Practical Parent Education.
• Elementary Schools / Secondary Schools - These profile pages contain information and links to school home pages and faculty & staff e-mail addresses.
• Telephone Directory - Reach your child’s teachers and administrators quickly with this searchable directory.
• Online Volunteer Application - Sign up to volunteer at your child’s school, using this required application.
• Plano ISD Website - Full spectrum of online tools and resources for students, parents and staff.

Remember to check the bulletin board as it has news, events, questions and answers posted by people from various Plano PTAs. We want to make it a resource so you can post questions and events for sharing with others.

Entries go from oldest to newest. So be sure to scroll down. We delete anything that no longer applies to keep the bulletin board clean.

National School Inclusive Week occurs December 3 through 7. Here is the form for “Most Creative Program” award for your activities held on your campus. Council is promoting this week as a White Ribbon Week to acknowledge students of all abilities and backgrounds. White is the designated color as it absorbs all colors of the light’s spectrum.

FYI: Dr. Otto discussed a web site raiseyourhandtexas.org. He not only communicated wonderful information but also his commitment to excellence here in the Plano ISD.

Here is the PowerPoint presentation reporting on Plano ISD Council of PTAs’ survey results. If you have questions, please contact Cara Mendelsohn

Plano ISD Council of PTAs rocked at the Plano parade on December 1. That’s because PTA always rocks! Happy Holidays!

Cara Mendelsohn, Angela Miner and Dana Bilbray at the Douglass Community Center Health Fair on January 19.

The PTAs of the Plano ISD honored 219 individuals from 66 PTAs on Tuesday, February 26, at the Plano Centre. The annual Plano ISD Council of PTAs Life Membership Banquet provides an opportunity for PTA units in Plano schools to honor volunteers, educators, and community members who have given outstanding service to children and youth. Texas PTA has provided these awards for over 90 years.

This year’s banquet, entitled “Passport to Achievement,” opened with a message from Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Jean Callison of the Plano City Council, followed by the keynote address by Representative Brian McCall of the Texas House of Representatives.

Cara Mendelsohn, Plano ISD Council of PTAs 3rd VP of Membership, transformed the Plano Centre into an airport, complete with airplanes, pilots, flight attendants, boarding passes, passports and an illuminated runway.

See the slideshow and names of the honorees.

• Will volunteer background checks still be needed? Background checks will have to be done each year with notary forms at each school where you actively volunteer. Basically, no change in volunteer process.

• Will office volunteers be trained about the system? If volunteers will be using the new system, which is a campus by campus decision, they will need a generic PISD username, and would be trained by their school’s secretary or office manager.

• Will office volunteers be trained about safety procedures? Yes

• What if the visitor doesn’t have a driver’s license? The current system (signing the affidavit affirming that he/she is not a sex offender) would be utilized. A valid Texas ID is also acceptable and can be purchased from the DMV. *See Mark Hinshaw’s e-mail regarding this issue below.

• Will a visitor/volunteer need to swipe their license every time? Once a person has had his/her license swiped, they are “in the system” for that particular campus. The license must be swiped at each campus where you visit or volunteer. However, the best practice would be to have your license with you at all times.

Here is the list of all of the local unit award deadlines [pdf file].

Join RISD and PISD Councils of PTAs as we join forces again to present an evening of brainstorming on the subject of programs. Open to all officers and chairs.

When: Tuesday, April 15 at 6:30pm

Where: Richardson Administration Building Auditorium (400 S. Greenville, Richardson, 75091)

Please come with a laundry list of programs:

• that were a hit and those that weren’t
• for large and small audiences
• for big and small budgets
• for local unit crowds or the entire council

Please share what your members liked and didn’t like, good sources for program ideas, and anything else you’ve pulled out of your hat.

Contact Karen Schultz at president@planopta.org

Deadline extended to April 7. There’s still time to join us!

Plano ISD Council of PTAs is pleased to once again invite the families of Plano ISD to an afternoon with the RoughRiders on Sunday, May 4 at 2:00 pm.

Reserve your tickets NOW to sit with your school as the stadium is filled with Plano ISD friends and families for an afternoon enjoying America’s favorite past time! Tickets are $12.50 and include a RoughRider limited edition baseball cap, a PlayBall game program featuring Plano PTAs’ Reflection Program and much more.

To reserve your tickets complete the form [pdf file] and mail it with your payment (checks made payable to Plano ISD Council of PTAs) to Plano ISD Council of PTAs 2700 W. 15th Street, Plano, TX 75075.

Flyers will be distributed to all elementary schools for each student. Flyers will also be available at all secondary school front offices. Contact reflections@planopta.org for more information.

Come to Austin in July. Make new friends, get away, and pick up great tips.

The Summer Leadership Seminar flyer has more information.

FYI: 2008 Bond Overview / Perspectiva General de los Bonos [pdf file]

Training on May 12, 2008

5:30-6:00 pm Registration
6:00-8:30 pm Training
Plano ISD Administration Building
2700 W. 15th Street
Plano, Texas 75075
Room 311

Training on May 16, 2008

8:30-9:00 am Registration
9:00-11:30 am Training
Plano ISD Administration Building
2700 W. 15th Street
Plano, Texas 75075
Room 311

Please R.S.V.P. to Janet Kelly
aide@planopta.org

• Leadership Orientation Training is mandatory for all Executive Board Members to complete once in their PTA careers
• The Texas State PTA requires all Executive Board Members to have completed this Training by October 15
• Space is limited- please RSVP early
• Latecomers can not be seated
• You must complete the entire class to receive your credit

Time for at Sockwell Center on Tuesday, May 20. The training gives officers and chairs in all Plano PTAs the opportunity to learn their roles and get resources to make their jobs easier.