Join us for our next General Meeting!!
 
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February 2016
The Duval County Council PTA Dispatch!

  PTA Presidents:
Please FORWARD
this email to your entire Board!


  Join us for our next General Meeting!

Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Hospitality and Check-in at  8:30 am
Meeting at 9:00 am 

LOCATION:
Cline Auditorium
DCPS School Board Building
1701 Prudential Drive
Jacksonville, FL 32207

Speakers:

The Honorable Paula Wright

Dr. Nikolai Vitti

__________________________

Each local unit has two voting delegates.  
They can be the President and a delegate OR two delegates.  
The meetings are open to all PTA members. 

We encourage everyone to attend.
__________________________________________ 

We are PTA!
Every Child...One Voice  
 
Follow us on our Facebook page:

Is YOUR Local Unit in Good Standing?

See link below to connect to the Good Standing Requirements on our website.

86 Units are in Good Standing! Thank you!
 
21 Units only have ONE missing requirement.

5 Units only need TWO requirements to be in good standing.
 
Please contact Victor Melone at   localunits@dccpta.org  or  melonev@comcast.net  if you need help or have questions.

ESE News

Thanks to the Florida PTA Exceptional Child Committee for sharing the "Ten Essential Steps for Special Education". This is a great resource for parents trying to navigate through the process of getting services for their children with learning disabilities.

Thank you to our ESE Partners for their participation in our first ESE Fair January 30 at our Winter Workshops:



If you, or someone you know,
would like information about how to start a PTA
at YOUR school, contact DCCPTA's
VP for Local Units, Victor Melone.

News and Events

New report looks at modernizing Florida's school grading system
Jacksonville Public Education Fund released a policy brief examining the current school accountability system and proposes ways to update it to meet today's needs.

On January 6, by a 6-1 vote, the State Board of Education voted to pass Commissioner Pam Stewart’s proposed Florida Standards Assessment cut scores and school grades thresholds.  


    Florida PTA Principal of the Year

    Behind every successful PTA/PTSA, there is a school principal who is supportive, helpful and personally involved in the PTA/PTSA.

    To recognize the principal who best fits this description, Florida PTA honors an Outstanding Principal of the Year.  If your principal promotes the mission of PTA and purposes of the Florida PTA and encourages the use of the National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement, please go to our web site to show your support by nominating her/him for the Florida PTA Outstanding Principal of the Year.

    The deadline for submission is May 1, 2016, but the easy to complete applications are live and ready to be completed.  

    If you have questions, contact our FLPTA Awards Chair via awards@floridapta.org
     VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
    The Teacher Supply Depot is bursting at the seams!
    And unfortunately, volunteers are down...
    Please take a moment at your next Board meeting to try and find a date
    that 4-5 of your Board members could spare 2-3 hours and help out at the Depot.
    Chris Buckley works VERY hard to accommodate 
    our October General Meetings every year  and we know 
    everyone LOVES the opportunity to "shop" for supplies after the meeting.
    Please take this up at your next meeting and give Chris a call or email at the Depot:
    904.381.7480
    BuckleyC@duvalschools.org
    (High School TEENS are welcome too - Rack up some service hours!)
    Hospitality Sponsor Requested

    We still need a PTA to provide Hospitality for our April 26 General Meeting.

    If you can help out or have questions please call, text or email Vilma Morgan, DCCPTA Hospitality Chair.
    Mobile:  (904) 868-2673
    Email:  vilmavmorgan@gmail.com

    Thank you!!
    Nominating Committee

    If you haven't already, it's time to elect several members from your Board AND a member or two (check your Bylaws to see how many) from your General Membership to serve on a Nominating Committee to develop a slate of prospective Executive Board officers for next year.

    If you need assistance with this process, please  contact Victor Melone  (MeloneV@comcast.net) or Karen Nuland (President@dccpta.org).


    TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE 

    If you plan to vote in the Presidential Preference Primary Elections in Florida in March, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16 is the last day to register to vote.

    Here's a link to the Duval County Supervisor of Elections website with the requirements and documents you need to bring in order to register, and locations to register.

    Florida PTA Call for Nominations

    The Florida PTA Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations from those interested in serving as a 2016-2018 Florida PTA elected officer, Standing Committee Chair, or Region Representative.  Eligibility and responsibility requirements of officers can be found  here  and responsibilities of Region Representatives and Standing Committee Chairs can be found  here.   All officers are required to sign a Code of Ethics  annually.

    Nominations will remain open and accepted through Tuesday, March 15, 2016, 5:00 PM Eastern time.

    See additional information HERE on our website.

    Presidents' & Principals' Luncheon

    Tickets ($25 each - max. 8 tickets/PTA until April 30) will be on sale at every General Meeting January - April. Make checks payable to DCCPTA.

    Buy EARLY to get the best tables! 


    We Need Your PTA Event Photos!
    Again this year we will be featuring photos of all of the hard work local units have performed on behalf of their students, teachers and families over the past year in a slideshow at the P&P Luncheon.

    Please send 2-3 of the best photos you have to Rick Godke (RGodke@yahoo.com). Be sure to include the name of your PTA in the photo somewhere or include a note to Rick with PTA Name and the event.

    Health & Safety News

    Tuesday, February 23, Drug Free Duval Lunch and Learn: 
    12:00 pm - 1:30 pm at Nova Southeastern University

    Synthetic drugs are killing Floridians. In Broward County alone, over 60 people have lost their lives over the last six months due to these deadly drugs. Please come learn about an alteration in Florida's law that could change the game for manufacturers, and provide a clear line-in-the-sand regarding legal and illegal drugs.  
    Program is FREE, but please RSVP if you would like the FREE lunch.  sally@dfdjax.org by Friday, February 19.
                     ________________________

    Think your Kids are Eating Healthy? They May STILL be Getting Too Much Sugar

    CALENDAR

    NOTE: February General Meeting Date CHANGE:
    We will meet on February 16 in the Cline Auditorium - NOT February 23.

    Jax Children's Commission
    Summer Camp Vendor Fair
    Friday, February 19th
    10:00 am-1:00 pm
    The Legends Center
    Bobby Hayes Sports Complex
    5054 Soutel Drive Jax, FL 32208


    AWARD APPLICATIONS - are posted on the website HERE.  ALL DCPTA award applications are due no later than NOON on April 26 at the Cline Auditorium.
    You may turn award applications in early, by mailing your application and all materials (at your own risk) or turning them in to our Awards Chair Nicole at any General Meeting.

    Florida PTA Award Applications are due May 1, 2016.

    National PTA Convention  
    June 30 – July 3, 2016
    Walt Disney World
    Swan & Dolphin Resort
    Orlando, Florida

    Florida PTA Convention and Leadership
    July  14-17, 2016
    Innisbrook Resort
    Palm Harbor, FL
    Is YOUR PTA in Good Standing? 
      Duval County Council PTA
    P.O. Box 5397
    Jacksonville, FL  32247