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Show rupi FUN AND FUNDS were Tyn tifrunai nijgnnywi created by the PTA sponsored carnival at Maeser Elementary School near the end of the 85 school year. The PTA, more than cookies By Merle Young Express Society Editor Finding ways and means to get the correct image of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) and the Parent Teachers Student Association (PTSA) accurately implanted in the minds oTThe publids a hurdleleing attacked by the Uintah District PTA. Just short of borrowing Mrs. Johnsons mini skirt from Harper Valley, the PTA Council and individual school's PTA leaders and members have embarked on an all to out campaign new corner to and inform memberships everyone about the many benefits provided for schools and homes through PTA. We are not just a punch and cookie group who invite dull speakers out once a month! insisted one of the local PTA presidents, we are the link between the school and home. And we assist the schools to see that this line of communication remains open. A teachers recently said a well informed parent is her most valuable teaching tool. If the PTA is able to arrange for parents to become acquainted with the school and teachers and the way things are for their children, this alone would be worth their efforts. The organization offers much more than this, however. Each local unit sets up and maintains a fluoride rinse program at the schools. They provide volunteers to put the fluoride in small cups and deliver them to the classrooms each week during the school year. They arrive early in the morning to prepare the rinse for the students use. They also make arrangements for room representatives to help with class activities and parties during the school year and for volunteers to be available in classrooms to help students with reading, math and other subjects. Uintah units of the PTA are working to improve the education offered to students. They present problems to the school board and ask that appropriate action be taken. Examples of this effort are: Central Elementary PTA worked with the district officials to improve the school playground and assure that the students had a safe route to school; Davis PTAers completed a door to door survey in their area to find what the parents had concerns about. They also worked with the school district to complete a fence around the school grounds. The PTA council sponsors a July 4th parade each year open to all children. They also sponsor the Reflections Contest which has brought an unusual amount of state to Uintah District recognition students. This contest provides the opportunity for students to display their talents in many art forms; visual art, music, literature, and photography, for example. The theme for this years Reflections Contest is From Liberty's View. McGruff posters and decals have been placed in homes all over the V county, thanks to the combined forces of the council and the Uintah County Sheriffs Department. The council has also worked with the county and cities to get sidewalks installed in some of the more dangerous areas where children are required to walk to and from school. PTA is the worlds largest volunteer organization devoted to the welfare of children and youth. It is the catalyst for bringing people together to solve problems it is people taking action. Everyone is invited to join the organization, parents, teachers, administrators and concerned citizens are all a part of PTA. The specific goals of PTA are to educate and involve the general public in the care and protection of children and youth in the home, school, community, and place of worship. They also involve the citizenry in awareness programs to identify concerns and needs of their communities and finding solutions for those concerns. They have fund raising events which are aimed at supplying enough revenue to finance their representatives attendance at the PTA state and national conventions and their programs at the schools. The bulk of the funds is used for convention attendance but there is no other means by which these PTA leaders can get instruction and the valuable experience shared by others in the organization. By creating a national team, the PTA has the clout to approach government leaders and actually lobby to change and amend laws governing safety, education and other issues concerning children. In a history prepared for the national PTA handbook, it states: "The present National Congress of Parents and Teachers began February 17, 1897, as an intellectual, sociological, moral and spiritual necessity. What was organized in Washington, D.C., as the National Congress of Mothers has remained actively and vibrantly, as a concerted act of faith as a united labor of love, and as a cohesive form of public service. In 1925, the organization founded by Alice McLelan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst, became the National Congress of Parents and Teachers. The PTAs record of acg of complishments for the all children and youth is impressive. It has helped to secure child labor and school attendance laws; juvenile courts; maternal and child health school services; public kindergartens; school lunches; funds for enrichment education programs; libraries, and vocational education; juvenile delinquency research and control and other legislation benefit-tinchildren and schools. These things came about because of efforts expended in homes and schools in communities throughout the United States. The local PTA members are the key to the success of the programs. If there is little strength at the grass roots level, ideas wither and die. The PTA Council Board for Uintah School District includes: Marget well-bein- g J Kunz, president; Ina Storey, teacher vice president; Peggy Moore, legislative vice president; Kathy Alexander, public relations; Dixie Miles, membership vice president; Becky Pinkham, secretary; Ruth Cameron, treasurer; Debbie Dean, education and family life Pam Whitmire, health commissioner; Nancy Walton, safety and welfare commissioner; and Debra Smith is regional director. These ladies do not sit on their hands. They reach out to the individual school leaders with help, council and information. has been issued to both the at Discovery Elementary and to studentbody Davis Elementary for in the PTA membership A CHALLENGE They will be among those who attend the annual conventions and who become voting delegates who carry on banner the for PTA. drive by (L to R) Debbie Fletcher, membership chairman; Julie Miller, vice president, and Carol Kalcich, president, to get 100 percent Other schools in the district also have special plans for membership drives. These range from interschool competition between classes to the promise of treats and prizes for the most memberships. Children are being encouraged to get people other than their parents involved in PTA. Aunts, uncles, and grandparents will all be approached to purchase memberships. Some of the other goals set by local school year inPTAs for the 1985-8clude: educating everyone about what happens at PTA convention, instituting new educational programs that recognize the needs of children, having parenting seminars, and pulling PTA together as a whole. According to those who are active in PTA circles, there are many things that are sponsored or offered through the organization that are not fully taken advantage of by parents and schools. The Utah PTA continually works toward school bus safety; sponsor a myriad of programs like Be a Better Parent Month; have a statewide legislative emergency network; give have workshops; preparedness human relation programs; lobbied vision bill; sponsored for a and lobbied for a drug paraphernalia The local membership campaign will be kicked off September 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Vernal Junior High auditorium. Everyone will have the chance to get their membership in the local PTA unit of their choice that evening V , 6 To liven up the campaign, Debbie Hamilton will perform several of her original works, of which some were written especially for PTA. The membership drive will be capped by a statewide balloon launch October 9. Every child whose parents, grandparents or personal family member has purchased a PTA membership will launch a balloon on this day. A special challenge for the highest percent of membership between Davis and Discovery is spurring their PTA leaders into action. The losing school principal will be obligated to wear a tee shirt bearing the other schools insignia the day of the big balloon launch. A formal challenge will be issued at the Back pre-scho- to School Night. !iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimii!itiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinmiuiiiiiiiitH BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT Ashley Elementary. Sept. 11, 7 p.m. President-Patt- y Hardinger, Central Elementary Sept. 11, 7 p.m. President: Laura Foley, Davis Elementary Sept. 12, 7 p.m. President: LynnEve Wilkins, Discovery Elementary Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m. President: Carol Kalcich, (Also have a back to school day set for Sept. 10.) Lapoint Elementary President: Heidi Long, Maeser Elementary Sept. 11, 7 p.m. 5 President: Cindy Gale, Naples Elementary Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m. President: Karen Piesley, Vernal Middle School 6 President: Mary McLean, Uintah High School Sept. 19 President: Leah Anderson, 789-094- 7 789-374- 4 789-448- 4 789-681- 8 789-436- 789-841- 9 789-236- 789-203- 5 iiiiiiiiitiiiii!iiiiiuiiiuiimimumiiiiimiiiiiuiiiiiiimtiitiiiiimimiimmiiiii:tiiiiiiiiiiiim:!!iiimiimiimi leaders, Darcy Goodrich, president elect and Lynn the newly completed fence at the end of the playground Kindergarten students Jennifer Sharp and Ryan Lewis (in his birthday hat) are safer while playing because the PTA pushed to get the fence completed. DAVIS PTA Eve Wilkins admire ' |