Ohio PTA-Feb. 2016

The Ohio PTA Voice

Table of Contents:

Pg. 1 - Note from the President

Pg. 3 - Childhood Poverty

Pg. 4 - Our PTA History

Pg. 6 - Families & Engagement

Pg. 7 - The Roles of Council

Pg. 8 - Black History

Pg. 9 - Inspirations in Education

Pg. 10 - Reflections

Pg. 11 - Start Talking

Pg. 12 - Nominating Committee

Pg. 14 - Being a PTA Treasurer

Pg. 17 - Board of Directors

Page 1 February 2016

Advertising in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by Ohio PTA

Note from the President...

Ohio PTA

40 Northwoods Blvd. Ste.A

Columbus, OH 43235-4718

(614) 781-6344

Fax: (614) 781-6349

[email protected]

A powerful voice for all children A relevant resource for families and communities

A strong advocate for the education and well-being of every child

Greetings Family, Happy New Year. During the holiday season I had the opportunity to attend the Capital University Christmas Festival. The program was called “With all of your Heart.” The program brochure spoke of how we are a distracted people. It spoke of how with 24/7 news, social media, Netflix on demand, and the insistent chimes of our smartphones – we don’t have much hope nor the time for giving something our undivided attention, much less our whole hearts. We live in an age of multi-tasking. We fill our schedules up like smorgasbords. In the midst of so many distractions how can we devote our whole heart to anything? When I think about the founding of PTA, our founding ladies, I think of how much heart and soul they must have possessed. They are our heritage. Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst founded the organization when women did not have the right to vote and social activism was not popular. However, they believed mothers would support their mission to eliminate threats that endangered children, and in early 1897, they started a nationwide campaign founded in 1897 as the National Congress of Mothers. National PTA is a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. On Feb. 17, 1897, more than 2,000 people—mostly mothers, but also fathers, teachers, laborers and legislators—attended the first convocation of the National Congress of Mothers in Washington, D.C. Twenty years later, 37 chartered state congresses existed.

In 1970, the National Congress of Parents and Teachers (National PTA)

and the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers (NCCPT) -

founded by Selena Sloan Butler in Atlanta, GA - merged to serve all

children.

As the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the nation, National

PTA is the conscience of the country for children and youth issues. Through

advocacy, as well as family and community education, National PTA has

established programs and called for legislation that improves our children’s

lives, such as:

Continued...

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ohio-PTA/173741572509

https://twitter.com/OhioPTA

http://www.pinterest.com/carolynnficke/ohio-pta/

The Ohio PTA Voice Page 2 February 2016


Juvenile justice system

Mandatory immunization

Arts in education

School creation of kindergarten classes

Child labor laws

Public health service

Hot and healthy lunch programs

Safety

Founders’ Day Founders’ Day (February 17) is when we celebrate the legacy and work of

our founders—Alice McLellan Birney, Phoebe Apperson Hearst and Selena

Sloan Butler—to better the lives of every child in education, health and

safety. Our founders represented women of imagination and courage. They

had a simple idea—to improve the lives and future of all children. They

understood the power of individual action, worked beyond the accepted

barriers of their day, and took action to change the world for all children.

Today’s PTA is a network of millions of families, students, teachers,

administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the

educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in

schools

It is a time to reflect and take pride in our achievements, and renew our

commitment to be a:

powerful voice for all children;

relevant resource for parents; and

strong advocate for public education.

Sheila Ragland Ohio PTA President 2015-2017 Note: history is from the National PTA website.

COME

BE

A

PART

OF

OHIO PTA’S

FAMILY REUNION

CONVENTION

INFORMATION

ON WWW.OHIOPTA.ORG

CLICK ON EVENTS

http://www.theschoolnewslettercompany.com/

http://www.ohioamblyoperegistry.com/



Childhood Poverty in Ohio: Advocating for Our Future

Did you know…the United States has the second highest child poverty rate

among 35 industrialized countries despite having the largest economy in the

world? Or that a child in the United States has a 1 in 5 chance of being poor

and the younger she is the poorer she is likely to be? Or a child of color, who

will be in the majority of U.S. children in 2020, is more than twice as likely

to be poor as a white child?

Over the past 10 years, Ohio’s poverty rate has been equal to or slightly

higher than the national rate. Ohio ranks 36th in child poverty among states

and it is estimated that 11.6% of families (340,000) in Ohio are poor. Nearly

1 in 4 children in Ohio live in poverty, which is more than the combined

populations of Cleveland and Akron. Ohioans living in Appalachia (a band

of 32 counties in the south and east) and those living in metropolitan areas

have the highest poverty rates.

So why does the issue of poverty matter to Ohio PTA? And why should it

matter to you? It matters because our children matter. It matters because

children who are poor are more likely to die in infancy, lack healthcare,

housing and adequate food, and receive lower scores in math and reading.

They are also less likely to graduate from high school and they complete less

schooling. It matters because educational policies and programs can

moderate the influence of poverty on educational outcomes. It matters

because protecting the well-being of our children is a basic obligation we all

must embrace and public policies must promote; failing to do so has

personal, social, and economic consequences. It matters because letting

more than 20% of our children grow up poor prevents them from having

equal opportunities to succeed in life and robs the nation of their future

contributions. The Children’s Defense Fund estimates that each year that we

allow more than 12 million children to live in poverty will cost our society

$130 billion in future economic output as poor children grow up to be less

productive and effective workers. Simply put, IT MATTERS!

http://www.theschoolnewslettercompany.com/

http://www.artinaction.org/



By advocating for educational equity, high-quality early childhood programs,

and the nutritional health and welfare of children and families in Ohio, PTAs

can be a strong voice in ensuring that all of Ohio’s children are college and

career ready. If the character of a nation is determined by how it cares for its

poor, what does our character say about us? I encourage you to take a look at

the video, “Child Poverty: In their own words” which features several Ohio

children at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLrTZ5IG_Eg. For more

information on this topic, go to the Children’s Defense Fund website at

www.childrensdefensefund.org. Ohio PTA wants to raise awareness about

the impact of poverty on children and families in Ohio and discuss ways we

can all advocate for better outcomes for all our children. Please join us on

February 17, 2016 at 8pm for a special statewide webinar, “Making

Sense of Poverty: The real costs to education and PTA’s investment in

children.” To register for the webinar, please email [email protected].

Contact the Ohio PTA office at 614.781.6344 or email

[email protected] if you are interested in being a part of Ohio PTA’s

grassroots advocacy efforts.

Tandra Rutledge

Director of Advocacy

Our PTA History

African American History Month

While researching online, I discovered this article that came from a small

town in Missouri. It was titled: Lincoln Program for PTA Founders is Well

Attended. Here’s a portion of the article:

A large number of persons attended the Lincoln School PTA meeting

Tuesday night at the school. The Founder’s Day program included these

numbers: Welcome Song, Lincoln High School Chorus. The History of the

PTA, Miss Yutha G. Hughes. Piano duets, Turkey in the Straw and Blue

Danube Waltz by Charlotte Ganaway…PTA Actions, brief accounts of work

done by the PTA, read by…Helbert Brown. Frappe and cookies were served

at the close of the program.

Continued...

http://www.actionagendas.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLrTZ5IG_Eg

mailto:[email protected]



To you, this information may not seem like anything special, but to me it’s

part of my PTA legacy. I found this article while researching my genealogy.

And I discovered that my PTA connection began a long time ago. Many of

the participants at this event were members of my family. The History of the

PTA was read by my great-grandmother, Yuthta G. Hughes. The pianist was

my cousin, Charlotte Ganaway. And my grandfather, Helbert Brown was

one of the officers that read the business portion of the meeting. Also the fact

that this article was printed in the Moberly Missouri Monitor on February 24,

1955 should make it special to all of us.

The commitment of African-Americans in our PTA history is long and

strong. We didn’t just come on the scene. Many of us have been raised with

the expectation to volunteer in our schools and impact our communities.

And although this may be just a portion of my history, I’m instilling that

same commitment into my children today, just like many of our African-

American PTA members.

Be proud of your history too, because we are all part of the PTA story.

N. Michelle Sutton

Ohio PTA Mosaic Committee Member



Families + Engagement = Student Success

Ohio PTA Family-School Partnership activities focus on strengthening the family

unit, engaging with schools and connecting with other PTA families, along with

collaboration with the community. The six National Standards for Family-School

Partnership include welcoming all families, communicating effectively, supporting

student success, speaking up for every child, sharing power, and collaborating with

the community.

Plan now for Take Your Family to School Week February 15-19, 2016!!

National PTA sets aside one week each year to celebrate PTAs, families and schools

working together to support your student rock star. This year National PTA invites

you to “Rock Out with PTA!”

How will you make your PTA rock? Some suggestions to get started include:

1) Decide on key elements for your event. Event suggestions and toolkits for

programs such as Connect for Respect, Creative Career Fair, Family Reading

Experience, Multicultural Events, and others can be easily downloaded from the

www.pta.org/program website.

2) Recruit and build a team of parents, teachers, administrators and community

members to help you plan and carry out your event.

3) Promote your event!! Take advantage of the tool templates found on the pta.org

website.

4) Evaluate and reflect on your event. Send us pictures and tell us how it went!

Ohio PTA plans to rock out TYFTW with featured articles and activities throughout

the week. Stay tuned to Facebook, Twitter, and email for updates!

----------------

Statewide Webinar --Mark your calendar for February 17, 2016 at 8PM for a

special statewide web conference:

Making Sense of Poverty: The real costs to education and PTA’s

investment in children.

The aim of this webinar is to raise awareness of the issue of childhood poverty and

learn ways to advocate for our children. The webinar will be hosted by Ohio PTA

Directors Tandra Rutledge (Advocacy), Jackie Arendt (Education), Lisa Catalano

(Health, Welfare and Safety), and Pam Bonnett (Family-School Partnership). Watch

for more information on registering for the free webinar. Questions? Contact Pam

Bonnett at [email protected].

http://www.pta.org/program



The Role of Councils

Councils are the key…we on the Ohio PTA Board of Directors say that but why? We say it because councils are the bridge between Ohio PTA and their local PTA units and also the bridge between those units and the school district administration. Councils are truly at the heart of it all!

What is a council? A council is a group of local PTA units, most often in one school district, organized by Ohio PTA for the purpose of conferences, leadership training, and coordination of the efforts of their local units. Councils are democracies just like PTA units. Each local unit is represented on council by their council delegates and sometimes by their president and principal too. By represented, I mean that delegates are voting members of council. Their presence and votes are necessary for council business to be conducted. Councils don’t dictate; they govern with the consent of their units. Council bylaws determine who are the voting members.

Why are councils important? They serve as a place where ideas and best practices are exchanged, common rules, traditions, and programs for local units can be established, and news from school districts and Ohio and National PTA is shared. They are communications channels that ensure that all units receive accurate and timely information. Councils unify PTAs and provide a way for PTAs to act together on large projects that could not be handled by units working alone.

Councils DO:

Inform and instruct Provide an avenue for collaboration Offer assistance and encouragement Coordinate PTA activities Participate in Ohio PTA district activities Councils DON’T:

Legislate for units without consent

Duplicate the work of units

Compete with units

Force units to be a part of council projects

Assess fees without unit consent

Effective councils develop future leaders, promote membership, strengthen their local units, and serve their school districts. They send officers and chairs to Ohio PTA leadership training events. They then use that PTA knowledge to assist local units. They develop district wide PTA programs and coordinate projects that benefit all students and schools. They offer a forum for school district issues to be discussed. They lead efforts to advocate for legislation or to help explain educational changes resulting from legislation. In next month’s article, more specific ideas about the functions of councils will be presented. Until then, Happy Founders’ Day! Share your council’s celebration with us!



Why Black History Month is February

Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month, was created in

1926 in the United States, when educator and historian, Carter G. Woodson,

and the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History announced the

second week of February to be "Negro History Week.” This week was

chosen because it coincided with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln

(February 12), who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the

slaves, and abolitionist Frederick Douglass (February 14), dates black

communities had celebrated together since the late 19th Century.

From the event's initial phase, emphasis was placed on teaching the history

of American blacks in the nation's public schools. The first Negro History

Week was met with a lukewarm response, gaining only the cooperation of

the Departments of Education in the states of North Carolina, Delaware, and

West Virginia, as well as the city school administrations of Baltimore and

Washington, D.C. Despite limited acceptance, the event was regarded by

Woodson as "one of the most fortunate steps ever taken by the Association.”

At the time of Negro History Week's launch, Woodson contended that the

teaching of black history was essential to ensure the physical and intellectual

survival of the race within broader society. Woodson believed if a race has

no history, it has no worthwhile tradition; it becomes a negligible factor in

the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.

The Journal of Negro History in 1929 was able to note, with only two

exceptions, that Departments of Education in states with considerable Negro

populations had made the event known to that states’ teachers and

distributed official literature associated with the event. Churches also

played a significant role in the distribution of literature in association with

Negro History Week during those initial interval, with the pages of the

mainstream and black press aiding in the publicity effort.

Continued...

http://www.zaphq.com/



Negro History Week was met with enthusiastic response. It prompted the

creation of black history clubs, an increase in interest among teachers, and

interest from progressive whites. Negro History Week grew in popularity

throughout the following decades, with mayors across the United States

endorsing it as a holiday.

In February of 1969, the Black United Students at Kent State University were

the first to celebrate Black History Month. Kent State University celebrated

Black History Month one year later, in February 1970. In 1976, as part of the

United States Bicentennial, the informal expansion of Negro History Week to

Black History Month was officially recognized by the U.S. government.

President Gerald Ford spoke to this, urging Americans to "seize the

opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black

Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."

Robert W. Ragland

Chairperson Male Involvement Committee

Inspirations in Education

The idea was simple. Improve the lives and future of all children. This was

what PTA Founders began and PTA members have continued for over 100

years. To better the lives of every child in education, health and safety, parents,

teachers, and others coordinate efforts within their community and across the

state to become a powerful voice for all children.

This month as PTA celebrates Founders’ Day, make sure to include the

community leaders who are inspirations in education. Invite local community,

governmental and business leaders to your school to read to children or give

advice to high school students. Contact local groups and collaborate on

programs that can enrich students’ lives in the arts, personal finance, or

science. Start an initiative like computer classes for senior citizens or a co-op

community garden and share the talented students you have with the

community also!

Your community is rich with human resources! Inspirations in education are

abundant in the community if you’re willing to go find them. When individuals

work collectively for all children, great things happen!

Tip of the Month: Do you have a parent teacher conference soon? Do you want

to communicate more effectively with your child’s teachers and building

personnel? Check out National PTA’s website for great tips on parent teacher

conferences and building relationships with teachers and school administrators.

Here’s the link to several resources:

http://www.pta.org/programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1709

Jackie Arendt

Director of Education

http://www.pta.org/programs/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1709



2015-2016 Reflections Theme – “Let Your Imagination Fly!” How will you celebrate Reflections this year? Send us pictures and stories of your unit’s Reflections events! Need ideas for how to acknowledge student participation? You can find helpful information by downloading the Reflections Celebration Guide – See www.pta.org/Reflections.

Congratulations and Best Wishes! The following five themes were selected by the Ohio PTA Reflections Committee to advance to the National Theme Search for 2017-2018. National PTA will post the winning theme in the Spring, 2016. “What if..” Kaitlyn Hawkins, District 13 “If I could change one thing, it would be…” Isabelle Preston, District 13 “Do you see what I see?” Anik Soni, District 13 “A Hero is…” Karina Pantoja, District 10 “A helping hand can…” Vincent Vinay, District 13 Results of the 2015-2016 Ohio PTA Reflections program will be announced in mid-March, 2016. Looking ahead to 2016 – 2017: The 2016-2017 Theme is “What is Your Story?” Attention all Reflections Chairs- Please note there will be changes to the 2016-2017 Visual Arts Category. Visual Arts can now be 2D or 3D. There will also be changes to the current size restriction as well as new rules for sending the entries electronically. These changes will be announced at the Ohio PTA Annual Convention April 8-10, 2016 and will be posted on the ohiopta.org website soon after.

http://www.pta.org/Reflections



Start Talking! It may save a child’s life

Every day, educators are working to improve the quality of public education so

our children can graduate from school ready for success in college and a

globally competitive job market. But an unseen enemy works against them:

Drugs are making their insidious way into our schools, slowing bright minds

and cutting promising lives short.

Ohio is mounting an increasingly aggressive fight against youth drug abuse. A

state law now requires schools to address opiate addiction in their health

education curricula. In Ohio, that includes a statewide initiative to discourage

drug use by focusing on children’s relationships with their families and

teachers.

The Ohio-born Start Talking! initiative launched in January 2014. The

initiative is built on national research that shows children who have parents

and other influential adults talking to them about the dangers of drugs are up to

50 percent less likely to use these substances.

Start Talking! takes a multi-pronged approach to drug prevention with several

programs to help educate families and influence students to head off substance

abuse before it starts. School PTAs can take an important role in promoting

two of these initiatives:

Parents360 Rx is an educational program developed by the Partnership for

Drug-Free Kids to increase parents’ knowledge of prescription drug abuse and

improve their confidence in their abilities to speak with their children about

substance abuse in general. The use of prescription drugs such as opioid

painkillers, anti-anxiety medications and stimulants has become rampant in

schools. PTA chapters can help their schools sponsor and publicize these

family education events.

Know! offers a free, twice-monthly tip sheet called TEACHable Moments to

help educators and community leaders talk to children about drug-free living.

The program also publishes twice-monthly Parent Tips. These contain

guidance for families and other caregivers who want to help their children

resist peer pressure to use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Again, PTA

members can play a role in encouraging their schools’ teachers to use the tips

in the classroom, while also urging families to subscribe to the parent tips.

5 Minutes for Life centers on Ohio State Troopers, Ohio National Guard or

local law enforcement officers talking for five minutes with student athletes

either before or after practice. They discuss responsible decision making,

leadership and ways to encourage those in their peer groups to live drug-free

lifestyles. Following the conversation, students have the opportunity to

become ambassadors for their schools. The statewide partnership involves all

58 Ohio State Highway Patrol posts, more than 800 Ohio High School Athletic

Association member high schools and Ohio National Guard Service members

http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohios-Learning-Standards/Health-Education/Opioid-Abuse-Prevention

http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohios-Learning-Standards/Health-Education/Opioid-Abuse-Prevention



Nominating Committees Are Happening NOW!

Have you formed your nominating committee so a slate of officers for the 2016

-2017 school year can be elected by the membership?

Is your election of officers held in March or April? Check your bylaws to

determine when your election of officers should be held this school year.

The annual nominating process is a critical component to fortify the

foundation of your PTA.

Did you know that an Ohio PTA Board Member can come to your district and

present a nominating committee workshop for council and/or units?

This FREE service is provided to our units/councils as a perk for

being an Ohio PTA member.

We have resources online that can assist you in the nominating process, too.

http://www.ohiopta.org/

PTARESOURCESRunningYourPTA.aspx

Do you have questions or concerns? Feel free to email or

call the Ohio PTA office.

Venezuela Robinson

Chairperson of Nominating Committee

[email protected]

Ohio PTA Needs a District Advisor for Southern Ohio

District 6 comprises Southern Ohio – the Cincinnati area. The District Advisor

has the responsibility of providing field service to Ohio PTA units and councils

and serving as the direct link between the local level and state association.

Field service encompasses those activities

that further the purpose of the PTA and lead

local PTA units and councils to become

more effective.

For a complete job description click here.

Venezuela Robinson

Chairperson of Nominating Committee

[email protected]

http://www.ohiopta.org/PTARESOURCESRunningYourPTA.aspx

http://www.ohiopta.org/PTARESOURCESRunningYourPTA.aspx


https://www.scribd.com/doc/288093087/Ohio-PTA-Needs-YOU-Ohio-s-Children-Need-YOU




Our Children and Autism

I have a daughter with autism. That hasn’t always been easy to admit. There are so

many factors that keep parents like me in the shadows. We love our children and we

want others to love and accept them too. But sometimes neither can get past what

makes our children different. Our daughter will graduate from high school in 2016.

And through time and tears we have triumphed and prepared her for the next exciting

phase in her life. Now I can confidently mentor other parents, who are going through

their journey. Here are a few suggestions.

1) Don’t Lie

After a normal pregnancy and birth, my husband and I were blessed with a beautiful

baby girl. However, months later, we could tell our child was a little different than her

peers. She had developmental delays and challenges with socialization early on; we

were all struggling. However, it wasn’t until after years of psychological and physical

tests, that we finally received the autism diagnosis of Asperser’s Syndrome. Our

daughter was in the third grade. It was very frustrating, taking so long to pinpoint, yet

almost a relief when it was finally confirmed. Yet, my husband and I experienced

sobering guilt, realizing that for years we thought our daughter was not paying

attention in class. The reality - she couldn’t help it. So we had to face the facts, get to

work and find ways to help her be successful, despite her diagnosis. So talk openly and

be honest with yourself and your child, so everyone is on the same page with shared

expectations and goals.

2) Don’t Label

No one wants to be labeled. And when it comes to our children, that desire is

magnified 100 fold. So despite the diagnosis, don’t label your child. Never say, “Since

you have autism, that means you will never be able to…” Don’t set their expectations

to be low or lesser than. Our daughter is an Officer for her Senior Class; member of

the National Honor Society and was elected to be their Historian, Girl Scout Leader

and community volunteer. With an interest in art, we have exposed our daughter to

various art-based careers. She has participated in art classes, camps, recreation center

programs. She is preparing her art portfolio for acceptance as an Art major in college.

Recently, she was selected for an internship at a prestigious local art gallery. There are

no limits in her life!

3) Look Toward the Future

The future is coming way too fast. And like every child, our children with autism must

be prepared. We can’t hold their hands forever. And as scary as it sounds, we must

prepare them for life without us. Now is the time to get them ready for life on their

own. Speak with your teachers, counselors and staff about help after high school.

Find resources to help their independence for education,

transportation and housing. Keep the faith and know that when

you’ve laid the ground work, they will be successful!

N. Michelle Sutton

Ohio PTA Mosaic Committee Member



Being a PTA Treasurer in an Electronic Age

(Part 2)

In continuation from last month’s article, we are discussing the need for today’s PTAs to progress into the modern world as it pertains to technological advancements while still maintaining best practices in PTA finances. As Treasurers’ officer terms end and new Treasurers are elected, whether that be one or two-year terms, we are continually training new officers and re-developing PTA financial systems to best fit the current situations of each individual PTA. In doing so, we need to look at all our options when making decisions on what works best for each new board and its members.

Whether a leader is already experienced with accounting best practices, or newly learning them, could make a big difference in how well or how comfortable any particular Treasurer will be in holding others accountable to those best practices; and how tight the reins need to be in regards to the use of banking and security resources available to PTAs and other nonprofit users.

Just like with the use of credit and debit cards, there is risk involved in banking online and storing sensitive information on the cloud. In some cases the benefits outweigh the risks, especially if units are creating and following close guidelines and using secure passwords which are not shared between officers and members. Again, all the risks versus rewards should be carefully weighed in order to determine if making these changes are right for your PTA.

Many people consider banking online to be convenient. Here is a list of advantages for banking online:

1) Banking online provides a 24-hour service which means volunteers can access their accounts anytime, and not just during bank office hours.

2) Banking online allows for mobility with the assistance of internet connection. Volunteers can access their accounts from home, place of business, school or anywhere there is internet access, even on smart phones.

3) Banking online provides real-time account information. It is always up-to-date and accurate to the records being kept by the bank.

4) Banking online gives your Treasurer and board access to end of month statements prior to receiving them by mail. You can access all statements for the year and beyond at the touch of a button without fees or assistance from bank associates.



Here are a few important recommended controls which will help your PTA with the fewest possible risks:

1) Consult your bank for the latest online security protocols in place with their institution.

2) Prohibit sharing usernames and passwords amongst your board and volunteers, and be sure to train all involved on policies and procedures regarding use of the account and online access.

3) Assign two persons on your board to be administrators for the online accounts. This way more than one person has access in case of fraud from within you PTA. Some persons can be allowed read-only access to the account when applicable.

4) Set up additional user access with levels that make sense with their individual roles and responsibilities within your PTA. An example of a good separation of access/duties would be: The person who pays expenses is not the same person to approve payments online.

5) Review user online access levels regularly and be sure to delete persons who resign or change positions.

6) Set up account alerts to notify officers when payments or deposits are made.

Other ways to maintain security would be to install antivirus software to all the computers you use for online banking and sensitive data. Be sure to secure your usernames and passwords in a safe place. Choose strong passwords that make it difficult for cyber criminals to hack. And very important…be aware never to respond or open internet links or attachments from suspicious e-mails, even if it appears to come from the e-mail of a person you know, or if it appears to come from your bank. These are known ways in which hackers can potentially attack your accounts.

Cloud Storage

Cloud storage means you are storing data/files by transferring them over the internet to an offsite storage system maintained by a third party. Usually there is a cost involved; however there are some free options out there such as through Microsoft Office 365 for non-profits.



Having access to files for multiple users is obviously a benefit to storing information in the cloud. Back-ups are usually provided, and often unlimited storage is available. Security can be set up by user to each individual file, and folders can be organized to maximize ease of locating desired information. Some risks or downside would be that if the provider of your cloud storage shuts down or goes out of business, all data could be lost. It is important to know what liability your provider has in case of loss of data. And it may make sense for your PTA to continue to do an additional back-up of files. You also must have internet access in order to access the files, so if this is an issue with your PTA or volunteers, it could pose some challenges. Regardless of benefits for both online banking and cloud storage, there are still risks associated with both. Make sure your board chooses wisely, taking into consideration the needs of your PTA, weighing the risks, and carefully adapting your policies and procedures. But the most important safeguards are holding members accountable for following those procedures and continually revising those procedures as needed to help your PTA run smoothly and safely. Your members will be reassured by your efforts. For any other specific questions not answered here, please feel free to contact me anytime at [email protected]. Suzie Smith-Rios Secretary/Treasurer




Your PTA Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE BOARD

President

Sheila Ragland

614-351-8083

[email protected]

President-elect

Susan Hans

440-243-8776

[email protected]

VP Leadership Interim

Venezuela Robinson

440-786-9855

[email protected]

VP Field Service

Lisa Weaver

330-825-8252

[email protected]

Secretary/Treasurer

Suzie Smith-Rios

614-878-3596

[email protected]

DIRECTORS

Advocacy Tandra Rutledge

216-860-4575

[email protected]

Diversity Jeanne Groetz-

Shockling

330-313-1544

[email protected]

FSP Pam Bonnett

440-781-2927

[email protected]

Bylaws & SRules Cindy Schanz

330– 329-6335

bylawsandstand-

[email protected]

Education Jackie Arendt

440-230-1567

[email protected]

HWS Lisa Catalano

440-498-9545

[email protected]

Communications

Venezuela Robinson

440-786-9855

communica-

[email protected]

Events

Linda Read

330-923-7248

[email protected]

Membership Angela Revay

216-328-9668

[email protected]

DISTRICT ADVISORS

District 3 Lois Monroe

937-653-8741

[email protected]

District 11 Debbie Tidwell

440-779-7141

[email protected]

District 17 Carol Beasley

216-383-1963

[email protected]

District 7

Dana Paul

440-843-6951

[email protected]

District 12 Maria Lang

440-289-9696

[email protected]

District 18

Shannon Weber

440-781-0036

[email protected]

District 10

Terry Hickey

614-870-9570

[email protected]

District 13

Rebecca Gawsyszawski

440-315-9097

[email protected]

OFFICE Sue Owen

[email protected]

Jeri Gookin

[email protected]

Immediate Past President

Lisa Mack

216-691-2990

Vacant Advisor Positions: DA 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 19.

If anyone is interested in serving on the Ohio PTA Board of Directors, contact Venezuela Robinson at communica-

[email protected]. Job descriptions and an application are posted on the Ohio PTA website.

Documents

Ohio PTA-Feb. 2016