PAYMENT ADDRESS CHANGE
Texas FCCLA will no longer be using the Lock Box that has been used in previous years for registration and competitive event payments. Please make sure you updated the Texas FCCLA mailing address with your Business Office to reflect our office address, 1107 W. 45th St., Austin, TX 78756. You can access the new W-9 HERE .
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Texas FCCLA Advisor: December Update
Please read this update to learn about our updates. If viewing in Google, please make sure to click "view entire message" to see the entire newsletter.
UPCOMING DEADLINES:
(full deadline calendar can be found here )
January 1- Region V Early Registration Deadline
January 8- Region III Early Registration Deadline
January 15- Region IV Early Registration Deadline
January 16- Region V Online Registration Closes
January 22- Region II Early Registration Deadline
January 23- Region III Online Registration Closes
January 24 at noon- Region V Drop and Substitution Deadline
January 30- Region IV Online Registration Closes
January 31 at noon- Region III Drop and Substitution Deadline
Lead Consultant Sign Up
We are still in need of your help!!!!

Our competitive events would not be possible without the help of current and former FCCLA Advisors serving as Lead Consultants at our meetings! We encourage all advisors to sign up to assist. This year, we have launched an online sign-up giving advisors a preference of which event they would like to assist with. This is a great opportunity to see how different events are ran, while also giving back to Texas FCCLA!

Sign up here, and also please share with retired advisors! https://signup.com/group/776988975860094051
Know a potential evaluator?
Our competitive events depend on others volunteering as evaluators to provide a fair and positive experience for our members! If you are bringing other adults to the conference, or know of potential volunteers in the area, please let our Evaluator Coordinators know their name and contact information.

Region I and II - Ellen Knox, ellenknox@sbcglobal.net 
Region III - Amy Albro, aalbro@sbcglobal.net
Region IV and V - Barbara Richter, barb.a.richter@gmail.com
Help us Strive for 25,000!
Texas FCCLA currently has 23,179 affiliated members!

If you have others that have not yet affiliated- it's not too late, as affiliation is accepted all year. Please continue to recruit and affiliate new members and help us meet our goal of having 25,000 members!
Competitive Events
The Competitive Event schedules will be posted to the website by early January. Once the schedules are posted, we cannot change competition times. The only reason times change is if there are drops. In the event of a drop, the entry last on the schedule for that day will be moved into the place of the dropped entry. Please let us know as soon as possible if you have any drops, so that we can adjust our time schedule. Also, pay attention to the substitution deadlines to make sure any changes are made before the deadline. Changes made after the deadline will result in a late fee.

Texas FCCLA uses the National FCCLA Guidelines for all events with the exception of Culinary Arts and our State Proficiency Events. The National FCCLA Guidebook is available in the National Membership Portal under resources. The Texas FCCLA Guidebook and Management Manual are available on the state webpage.

The National Association has a resource section for supplemental documents, including the Interior Design scenario. Please note that we do NOT use the National Culinary Arts menus (we use the ones in the Texas FCCLA Guidebook).
Conference Registration
Conference registration is open, https://webportal.registermychapter.com/pickconf/FCCLA/TX/428.

Just because a member might not be competing in a competitive event, doesn't mean there isn't a way for them to be involved! Members not competing can take the Family and Consumer Science Assessments , or serve on the Connection Team participate in  Spotlight on Projects  or as a STAR Event helper at the conferences.  

Scholarships
Texas FCCLA will be making all of our scholarship applications for current seniors available by November 15th. Please encourage your seniors to complete and submit them by March 1st!

In addition to Texas FCCLA's Scholarship opportunities, Texas Farm Bureau has also asked that we share these opportunities with you! View TFB Scholarship Opportunities Here
Texas FCCLA Member Spotlight
In order to help promote our Texas FCCLA social media accounts, we will be launching our Member Spotlight campaign. Encourage your members to nominate others at https://goo.gl/forms/nVYQ1ynZsAjHiGXl2
Donate to the Hurricane Relief Fund!
For chapters that were affected by the hurricane, you can apply for funds by clicking here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T7LBNDV
National FCCLA Program Awards
The National Association has many program awards with cash prizes available to FCCLA Chapters. Please check out the opportunities here: http://fcclainc.org/programs/documents/2017-18_Programs_Highlights_FLYER1.pdf
Lifesmarts & NEW! Over the Counter Medicine Safety Resources
Lifesmarts has just released their new campaign on Over the Counter Medicine Safety, http://lifesmarts.org/resources/resources-by-category-top-level/resource-links-by-category-health-and-safety/.

If you're not familiar with Lifesmarts, they have a ton of great resources and curriculum that can be used in your classroom. Another way your students can compete is in the competitive Lifesmarts program. Register at www.lifesmarts.org and have your students learn about consumer rights and responsibilities, environment, technology, health and safety and financial education. Maybe you will be lucky to have a team advance to state competition in March and get to represent Texas at national competition in April. 
Alumni and Associates
Our Alumni and Associate Council is working to build a database of former Texas FCCLA members who want to stay involved in the association. We will also be using this database to help find Nominating Committee members and Competitive Event Evaluators. Please help us spread the word by reaching out to your Alumni, or tagging them on Facebook, to complete the quick online membership application listed below! Our current Alumni count is 32.
LAQUINTA CONTINUES PARTNERSHIP
Planning a school or family trip?   Remind all of your members that anyone can use the FCCLA code and get a reduced price at  LaQuinta Hotels. Reservations can be made through the FCCLA Website or by using the code TFCCLA when making reservations on the LaQuinta website or in a hotel. Encourage all organizations and groups (band, drill team, dance groups, other organizations) to use the code to help them out with the costs of their travel and to help FCCLA at the same time.