Livonia PTSA Council is organizing a food service worker appreciation event similar to our bus driver appreciation! Technically, food service appreciation day is in May, but we're bumping things up to November – I've been in touch with Ms. Pat over at food service and would you believe that during the first month of school, our amazing kitchen gurus have served 42,744 breakfasts and 115,737 lunches – an average of 7,200 meals a day! WOW!

We'll be collecting donations at CENTRAL OFFICE for this event. Please make sure to label any donations with LIVONIA PTSA COUNCIL.

PLEASE share this information with your students AND administration! Sign-up Genius link is below. We'll be collecting donations until MONDAY, November 15. If you'd like to help assemble goodie bags, we'll be packing the bags on November 17 at our Council workshop (tentatively at Central Office, more details to come!)

Below are coloring sheets we'd love to include with the goodie bags. Please pass on to your schools and let's get those kids (and adults) coloring!

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Thank you,

Mandy Gerstenbrand

Livonia PTSA Council President

Signup Genius: https://tinyurl.com/Food-Service-Signup-Genius

Can you believe October is already over?! Has your PTA/PTSA had a Membership Challenge? How have you encouraged families, friends, staff, students, neighbors, etc. to join your PTA/PTSA? Some schools have had a lot of fun with exciting Membership Challenges for their PTA/PTSA units! We've had high schools competing against each other. Triads competing. And more! We'd love to hear about what you did, what worked, and how successful your unit was! If you haven't had a membership drive yet, it's not too late! With the holidays quickly approaching, now is a wonderful time to show your families what you're all about and why they should join your PTA/PTSA.

*Please remember to remit your Michigan PTA dues by the 28th of every month for all new memberships. Also, if you have not submitted your Livonia PTSA Council annual dues yet, please do so as soon as possible as they were due October 28th.

Sara Bennett

Livonia PTSA Council, Membership Chair

membership@livoniaptsacouncil.org

Please remind parents of current kindergartners to sign up for the Competitive Edge program. If parents have any questions, they can visit the foundation website: lpsfoundation.org

Now that we're a couple of months into the school year, you should be submitting all necessary information to fulfill your Standards of Affiliation status. The IRS requires your 990 to be completed prior to November 15th. Please be sure that has been submitted on time and uploaded into Memberhub. Does your unit have their Policies and Procedures? Have you emailed them to PEP? Have you uploaded your bylaws into Memberhub? How about your Audit from the summer and your current year's budget? Have you renewed your PTA/PTSA's insurance? Upload all of these files into Memberhub by their deadlines and receive easy PEP points! This will also keep you in compliance as a PTA/PTSA unit. It's that easy! Is your school participating in the National PTA's Reflections program? If so, be sure to submit those entries to Livonia PTSA Council's Reflections Chairpersons, Debbie Yates and Andrea Malenfant prior to December 1st.

Has the Executive Board of your PTA/PTSA signed the Bylaws Acknowledgement form and the Financial Best Practice form? Do you have your Advocacy Chair, DEI Chair, and Reflections Chair? Have you sent Livonia PTSA Council your annual dues? Even though it is past the deadline to receive PEP credit, please still send these to PEP and Council as they are still needed.

*To find out more information on your PEP status, please visit Livonia PTSA Council's website at livoniaptsacouncil.org/work/pep. A breakdown by school is on our website. Please note the date on the entry as it is an uploaded file, not a live feed, and is uploaded every month. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your PTA/PTSA's standings, please feel free to contact me.

Sara Bennett

Livonia PTSA Council PEP Chair

pep@livoniaptsacouncil.org

The Buchanan PTA held a Family Portrait Fundraiser on Sunday, October 17. We offered 10-minute mini sessions for $50 with half of the proceeds coming back to the PTA. We booked four photographers to cover four hours and were lucky enough to have beautiful weather all day. We ended up photographing 41 families and raising over $1,000. Many thanks to Jill Allevato for chairing this fun event!

Valerie Jackson

President, Buchanan Elementary PTA

Please note that these dates and times could be subject to change due to any change in COVID-19 regulations. We will inform all units of any updates or changes as soon as possible.

2021

11/17 - LPTSA Council Executive Board Meeting | 5:30 - 7 p.m. | Central Office

11/17 - LPTSA Council Workshop | 7 - 8 p.m. | Central Office

2022

1/15 - LPTSA Council Chili Cook Off | TBD | TBD

1/19 - LPTSA Council Executive Board Meeting | 6 - 7 p.m. | TBD

1/19 - LPTSA Council General Meeting | 7 - 8 p.m. | TBD

TBD - Reflections Celebration | TBD | TBD

2/16 - Founders' Day Celebration | 6:00 pm | St. Mary's Cultural Center

TBD - Bus Driver Appreciation Event

3/16 - LPTSA Council Executive Board Meeting | 6 - 7 p.m. | TBD

3/16 - LPTSA Council Workshop | 7 - 8 p.m. | TBD

4/20 - LPTSA Council Executive Board Meeting | 6 - 7 p.m. | TBD

4/20 - LPTSA Council General Meeting (Elections) | 7 - 8 p.m. | TBD

TBD - YMAD Celebration | TBD | TBD

5/18 - LPTSA Council Officer's Training | 6 - 8 p.m. | TBD

6/15 - LPTSA Council Executive Board Meeting | 6 - 7 p.m. | TBD

7/20 - LPTSA Council Audit Party | 6 - 8 p.m. | TBD

Michigan PTA Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/everychildonevoice

National PTA Website : https://www.pta.org/

National PTA Facebook Page : https://www.facebook.com/ParentTeacherAssociation

National PTA Blog: https://onevoice.pta.org/