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Originally delivered on 9/23/2024 2:26 pm

SUBJECT: Allen ISD Council of PTAs Quarterly Newsletter September 23, 2024

September 23, 2024
Welcome to all our wonderful PTAs!


We hope the year is off to a great start. We have a few reminders to help make sure each PTA succeeds.

President’s Checklist

It’s time to check in and make sure you have met all those organizational requirements at the beginning of the year. 

  • POWs for all positions on your board approved by the Executive Board
  • Budget amendments approved by Membership
  • Ethics/Conflict of Interest Policy signed by all Executive Board Members
  • Records Retention Policy completed and adopted at a Membership meeting
  • 990 filed with the IRS
  • Financial Reconciliation Report adopted at a Membership meeting
  • Adopt the E-Commerce Policy (if it is NOT included in your Standing Rules)
  • Membership dues sent to Texas PTA (need at least 20 members to be in Good Standing)
  • All First-time Board members have completed Foundations ESSENTIALS 
  • ALL Executive Board members have complete Foundations BASICS for their position (any position without a specific training completes the Basics Boardsmanship training)


Looking ahead: What should you look at before the end of the year?


  1. Review your By-laws and Standing Rules with the Parliamentarian (remember: By-laws and Standing Rules must be updated at least once every 3 years) If changes are deemed necessary, appoint, with the approval of the board, a Bylaws and Standing Rules Review Committee that includes the Parliamentarian as the committee chair. 
  2. Meet with your Executive officers and Standing Chairs. How are they doing with their PTA responsibilities? Where do they need help?
  3. Begin explaining to board members how to prepare and organize a binder, flash drive or Google drive for their position that includes a timeline of the work they are doing during the year, their POW, board reports, and other documentation. It's never too early to start preparing for passing information to the next board!


Jyothi Reddy

President, Allen ISD Council of PTAs

president@allenisdcouncilpta.org

Thank you to our current business sponsors!​
Want to become a business sponsor for Allen ISD Council of PTAs?

Click here to apply!

Please contact: Insiya Patwa, healthylifestyles@allenisdcouncilpta.org for more information or if you have any questions.
Walk, Bike, or Roll to School
WALK, BIKE, OR ROLL TO SCHOOL

Join us October 9th for walk, bike, or roll to school. 

Welcome Back Treasurers!

Hopefully, all of you have had a great start to the new fiscal year.  Here are a few tips to ensure a successful year: 

  • Reconcile all accounts on a monthly basis. At the end of each month, ensure all bank accounts have been reconciled with bank statements.


  • Conducting timely month-end reconciliations ensure that you are presenting accurate financial reports at Board and Membership meetings. 


  • Know the deadlines for your sales tax filings. Yearly sales tax filings are due by January 20th, while quarterly sales tax filings follow this schedule for the 2024-2025 fiscal year: 
    • File by October 20, 2024 to report July to September sales tax 
    • File by January 20, 2025 to report October to December sales tax 
    • File by April 20, 2025 to report January to March sales tax 
    • File by July 20, 2025 to report April to June sales tax 


  • NOTE: You must file even if you had zero sales tax. Adjust your beginning balance for the fiscal year in Membership Toolkit (MTK). If you are using MTK, don’t forget to adjust your beginning balance for the new fiscal year. This amount should match the amount in your bank account at the start of your fiscal year, which should be July 1, 2024. This adjustment should be presented as a budget amendment for approval by Membership. 


  • Has your PTA filed its IRS Form 990? If your PTA has not filed its Form 990 to the IRS for the 2023-24 fiscal year, do so as soon as possible! The form is required to receive good standing status from Texas PTA. 


Questions? Email Ermelinda Kraft at treasurer@allenisdcouncilpta.org.

Congratulations to our Head Start PTAs for August 2024
Texas PTA Scholarships

Are you a graduating senior next year? 

Are you a current faculty member planning to continue your education? 

Add these dates and deadlines to your calendar so you won’t miss the application window:

  • Application Opens: September 15
  • Application Closes: November 15
  • PTA Membership Deadline: December 1

  (All applicants must be PTA members. Details found in the guidelines)


  Recipients Announced: April 1


Click here for more information regarding available scholarships through Texas PTA.

Texas PTA Connect Programs

Texas PTA Connect Programs work to empower parents, teachers, and students by providing relevant information to help navigate the evolving culture that our students and children are experiencing every day. 


Programs include: 

  • College Readiness 
  • Cyberbullying 
  • Cybersecurity 
  • Human trafficking 
  • Mental wellness for Primary and Secondary 
  • Men Matter 


Click here to find out more about programs that are available through Texas PTA.

Apply for funding to host an enriching PTA program in STEM, the arts, digital safety, healthy lifestyles and more.  

Applicantions are open now through October 1, 2024. 


Funding From National PTA to Support Your PTA


Fall 2024 Program Grants:

• Funding for PTA programs in STEM, arts, digital safety, healthy lifestyles, and more. 

• Grants cover costs like food and translators. 

• Easy application, no experience needed. 

• Deadline: October 1, 2024. 

• Contact: Programs@PTA.org for accommodations. 

• Apply here

Reflections 2024-2025

The Reflections program with the theme “Accepting Imperfection” is up and running. Please promote the program on your campus. 

The submission forms can be found at: Click Here

The rules and categories can be found at: Click Here

Please ensure that all judging at your campus has been completed prior to submitting to Council on November 8th. Only the winners from each category at your campus should be advanced to Council. 

There will be a reception in December to celebrate the winners before sending entries to Texas PTA in early January. 

Please direct any questions to artsineducation@allenisdcouncilpta.org" style="-webkit-user-select: auto;">artsineducation@allenisdcouncilpta.org.

The Allen ISD Council of PTAs is gearing up for our 4th Annual Community Used Book Fair


Mark your calendars: April 24-26, 2025 will be our 4th Annual Community Used Book Fair!

While most planning, promotion & the sale itself happen in the spring, we want you to have the info now, so you can plan your PTA year.  To do that, we recently held two information sessions, and will plan for a third in January. 

We also are updating info on our council website, providing flyers and other promotional materials there, and are posting our Information Session Presentation there as well. 

There are some changes, including the addition of a Bag Sale, so please take a look. 

Immediate Used Book Fair Action Items: There are two items we are requesting from each local PTA this fall.   

1.  Who is your local contact for the Used Book Fair? This is the person we will collaborate and communicate with throughout the year.  It can be more than one person. 

2.  Local PTA Vote: Each PTA must vote on if you are participating, and if you are, what you are doing with the funds.  You can choose to keep it or donate it back to Council for Allen ISD Staff grants.  Requirements for participation are the same as last year: collecting, sorting and counting books at your campus as well as providing six volunteer hours during the setup or sale.   

Questions? Contact our Book Fair Chair Sandra Turner at: bookfair@allenisdcouncilpta.org

Click here to submit your PTA participation vote
Click here to submit your Used Book Fair contact info
Hospitality

Allen ISD Council of PTAs is honored to support the Dillard Special Achievement Center and the Anderson Early Childhood School.   


-Back to School breakfasts with assorted bagels, cream cheese, fruit and juice for Dillard and Anderson 


- Tears and Cheers breakfast with donuts and juice for Anderson parents on the first day of school

Platinum members

Dr. Robin Bullock

Amy Gnadt

Dr. Bill Parker

Dr. Polly Montgomery

Suzi Kennon

Shirley Bayles

Rachel Mitchell

Sandra Turner

Audrey Reed

Jyothi Reddy


Curtis Gold members

Sandra Park

Danelle Isakson

Insiya Patwa


Ford Gold members

Ben Bayles

Tommy Baril

Chelsea Posey

Membership continued

Track your local PTA's progress (including Path to Good Standing) on the local PTA Roster -Click Here


Congratulations to the Head Start Award winners:

AHS and LFC PTSA

Bolin Elementary PTA

Boon Elementary PTA

Boyd Elementary PTA

Cheatham Elementary PTA

Green Elementary PTA

Olson Elementary PTA

Reed Elementary PTA


Important dates:

Early Bird Achievement Award - Sep 30

Snappy Increase Award - Oct 31

Shining Star Award - Nov 30

Golden Apple Award - Dec 19


Save the date for the Life Member Banquet 

Wednesday, Apr 2, 2025 at the PAC

$30 per banquet ticket


Please direct questions to membership@allenisdcouncilpta.org


Texas PTA Rally Day

Mark your calendars for TX PTA Rally Day in Austin on Feb 24, 2025

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Election timeline 

Oct 7 - Last day to register to vote

Oct 21 - Nov 1 - Early voting

Nov 5 - Election Day


Collin County election info - https://www.collincountytx.gov/Elections

Info on Allen ISD School bond - www.allenisdbond.org

PTA loves its volunteers!

Please nominate our wonderful volunteers who work to make things possible at our schools.   

The deadline to submit the nominations for the November 20, 2024, meeting is November 12, 2024. 

To nominate an outstanding volunteer: Click Here

Need help with promoting your spirit night?

At Allen ISD Council of PTAs, we are here to help each of our local PTAs succeed. 


If you would like council to help promote a spirit night please click here to fill out the request.

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