Photos from Healthy Lifestyles Award winners.

Announcement of PTA and Microsoft PACT - A tool to help parents manage kids’ interactive media use.

The year may be winding down, but certainly not the excitement at National PTA!

We had a joyous time at our staff Holiday party...and

During our annual PTA Holiday reception held at our National Headquarters, we were honored to host some very distinguished guests.
In attendance was the dynamic Stedman Graham (chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates). And the legendary Marian Wright Edelman (president and founder of the Children's Defense Fund) stopped by to talk to Byron Garrett, our CEO, and Jan Harp Domene, our president.

Anthony Mullen comes from a lifetime of service in the public sector, first as a New York City police officer and then, to further transform the fractured lives of young people in crisis, as a teacher and mentor of teenagers who truly need a second chance. Because of his innovative approach, community focus, and teamwork with other teachers, Mullen was named the 2009 National Teacher of the Year by President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony on Tuesday, April 28, 2009.

Mr. Mullen will be a 2009 PTA National Convention Keynote Speaker. http://pta.org/2736.htm

See how a section of the Nation's Largest Teacher Thank You Card was made and assembled.

The launch of PTA Community Connections Chicago, a project to raise awareness of PTA programming in Chicago and other urban areas. Events include the Up With People Show and the PTA Parent Leadership Summit.

In loving memory of Shirley Igo, 1935 - 2008
National PTA President 2001 - 2003

On March 11-12, 2009, PTA held its annual National Legislative Conference in Washington DC. The two-day Conference served to inspire and educate its attendees. Whether they are seasoned veterans or new to federal and state advocacy, PTA offered workshops and guest speakers to learn how to advocate for our most important national resource: Children.

http://pta.org/national_legislative_conference.asp

The 2009 Urban Family Engagement Initiative Back to School Event in Miami was part of National PTA’s Urban Family Engagement Initiative, the flagship program of our overall Urban Development Agenda. PTA hosted this free, fun-filled event that brought together over 50 partner organizations to provide resources for students and families.

PTA was present in Houston along with the Houston ISD Council of PTAs on February 20, celebrating the council's 100th anniversary. The event was a part of PTA's National Urban Development Agenda, which engages and empowers urban families, caregivers, and communities to advocate for the academic success of students from urban areas across the country.

Key community stakeholders, including Texas PTA, Houston government agency members, clergymen, and Houston ISD administrators, were on hand for the event. Several students, parents, and teachers were also in attendance. Membership Director of National PTA, Michael Knowles, gave an inspirational keynote address where he spoke about PTA's commitment to encouraging families to become more meaningfully involved in their child's education. Knowles also shared the urgency that exists for communities to collaborate with parents, schools, and their local PTA to ensure that every child has the best chance for achieving educational success in elementary school and beyond.

The Houston Council of PTAs is a good example of the effective work PTA is doing in urban schools, communities, and neighborhoods. Their commitment to engaging and encouraging parents and families to be involved in their children's education is a reflection of the rich history that is PTA.

PTA events in Atlanta: Announcement of partnership with Spelman College and re-dedication of Serena Sloan Butler Park.

Photos from National PTA's Convention & Exhibition in Orlando...

PTA attends a Read All About It! book signing to thank first lady Laura Bush and her daughter Jenna Bush for teaching our nation’s children.

National PTA® and the U.S. Department of Education hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, January 13 to celebrate the opening of an arts exhibit featuring award-winning artwork from dozens of students nationwide. The ceremony was held at the Department’s headquarters in Washington DC and marked the first time the U.S. Department of Education, National PTA and the National Endowment for the Arts all demonstrated national support for PTA’s Reflections Program.

National PTA is moving this August! Here are images that chronicle the progress as the building is being rehabbed and updated.

As of July 23, 2010, the address will be:

National PTA Headquarters
1250 N. Pitt Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

Stay tuned...

PTA partners with Suave to host a Back to Beauty Moms-Only Field Trip with Jenny McCarthy.

PTA Family Expo! was a one-day extravaganza providing moms, dads, caregivers, and kids amazing opportunities for fun, education, and tools to help families in today’s modern world. Held at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the PTA Family Expo! featured music from local entertainers and national celebrities, hands on activities, health screenings, multicultural learning, and much more.

A collection of PTA photos of our members and officers at various PTA events. If you would like to submit a photo for PTA In the News, send an email to cdonaldson@pta.org with your photo and a description of the event!

Convention’s annual Arts in Education Luncheon, featuring performances by local students and a featured guest, highlights the importance of speaking up for the arts. This year's celebration featured Tichina Arnold as guest speaker.

PTA held its annual National Legislative Conference in Washington, DC. This three-day conference inspired and provided in-depth analysis on PTA’s latest federal public policy priorities affecting families, schools and communities through skill building trainings, workshops, panel discussions, guest speakers, and Capitol Hill visits with congressional leaders. This year, First Lady, Michelle Obama, delivered keynote address to the many PTA child advocates who took their voices to Capitol Hill.

Now in its fourth year, EMLC is designed to prepare ethnic minority parents and caregivers from across the country to assume leadership roles in their local communities and schools.

Schools across the country are connecting with students’ greatest assets—their parents, grandparents, family members, caregivers—next week through National PTA® Take Your Family to School Week, February 7–13. The celebration emphasizes the value of parent and family engagement in the classroom with special events and activities.

This year, PTAs are hosting lunches with principals, tea with students, class visits, cultural diversity festivals, special theatrical performances, reading circles, safety night for parents, wellness fairs that focus on topics such as healthy eating and dental care, curriculum-based family contests, workshops on supporting students’ academic and social success, and more. All to build stronger partnerships between schools and families.

For more information on Take Your Family to School Week, go to http://www.pta.org

Photos from the 2008 PTA Legislative Conference

PTA across America

The U.S. Dept. of Education joined National PTA in hosting a gallery exhibit featuring 55 pieces of nationally recognized student artwork from the renowned PTA Reflections Program. The exhibit is open for public viewing through March.

Winners of the Reflections Award traveled to the Nation’s capitol and were honored during award celebration of their incredible talent and creativity. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Education; National PTA President, Jan Harp Domene; National PTA CEO, Byron Garrett; and multiplatinum recording artist CeCe Peniston, proudly attended and supported the event coordinated by Chantay Carter, National PTA-Arts in Education Program Coordinator.

The National PTA and U.S. Department of Education showcased award winning artwork from over 40 students nationwide in a special exhibit celebrating National PTA’s Reflections Program and its long-standing commitment to providing opportunities for children to receive recognition for their artistic ingenuity. The exhibit will be on display for public viewing through February 19, 2010.

This year’s opening ceremony featured special guest speakers Scott Pearson, Associate Assistant Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Improvement; David Hoff, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Communication and Outreach; Tichina Arnold, National PTA Advisory Board Member and Actress; Susan Kane, Editor-in-Chief at Parenting Magazine; and Charles J. “Chuck” Saylors, National PTA President. The opening ceremony also included artistic performances from award-winning students. For more information, go to http://www.ptareflections.org

Photos from 2009 PTA Annual Convention in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

PTA Healthy Lifestyles Awards for outstanding commitment to promoting health and wellness.

These were pictures taken at McLaurin Elementary School in Natchez, MS (Principal Mrs. A. Morrison, PTA President-Mrs. D. Clark) on October 19, 2009.

MS-PTA President Deloris Irving addressed the group of 30 ministers, administrative staff, parent liaison, and teachers, giving an overview of PTA's history, its vision and mission, and explained the importance of community involvement in the education process. After a guided tour of the classrooms (escorted by students), the ministers had lunch in the cafeteria. In the final phase of this day, the ministers returned to the library, established themselves as a Ministers Mentoring Team, selected a chair (Pastor Leroy White) and co-chair (Pastor Melvin White) and determined to meet regularly at this school to assist as directed by the principal and PTA.

Each year the National PTA hosts its Commitment to America's Children Gala to celebrate PTA initiatives and outreach.

This year's Gala took place at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago where PTA honored Mathew and Tina Knowles for their work on behalf of families and children in need.

Multi-platinum recording artist, CeCe Peniston provided a night of spectacular entertainment.

Photos from the 2007 Commitment to America's Children Gala.

PTA and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation pay tribute to the 60th Anniversary of Mendez vs. Westminster desegregation case.

Photos from PTA's Start The Art Week events.

Illinois PTA, supported by National PTA's Urban Development Department, participated in two back-to-school events in four Chicago Latino communities.

PTA President Jan Harp Domene visits Florida PTA's first Emerging Minority Leaders Conference.

2007 Walk for Healthy Kids participants.

Jumpstart's Read for the Record Campaign

National PTA President Jan Harp Domene and PTA staff visit the Calfiornia State PTA.

PTA President Jan Harp Domene's tour of schools in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Vermont.