Springfield Council of PTAs Monthly
Volume 4, Issue 1/January-February 2020
Please Make Every Effort to Attend Our SCPTA General Meeting NEXT WEDNESDAY!
Wednesday, Feb. 5th, 9:30am
2727 South Ingram Mill Road
Springfield, MO
We're looking forward to seeing everyone at our next meeting at Glendale High School and answering any questions your unit might have about nominating committee, electronic votes, slate of officers, etc., answering any other questions you might have about anything about your unit, and giving you an opportunity to share any successes and great ideas that have worked for your unit.
Please feel free to bring any unit officers and members who would be interested in attending with you!
Please allow for extra time to present your state-issued picture ID for the new Visitor Management System. Thank you!
A Letter from Your Council President
By Julia Spiva
Greetings and Happy New Year, everyone!! I hope you had a chance to recharge and are ready to rock a great new year for PTA and our kiddos. We have many fun SCPTA functions coming up in 2020!
- I hope you can join us for the SCPTA Reflections Showcase from 2 to 4 pm on Sunday, February 23 at the Springfield Art Museum
- Then, we look forward to seeing many of you at the SCPTA Founders Day Volunteer of the Year Banquet at 6 pm on Thursday, February 27th at Kickapoo High School.
- You will find forms below for your convenience to buy tickets for the event and to submit your Volunteer of the Year. What an excellent chance we have to thank our tireless PTA warriors!
- It's also nominating committee time for all your units and the Council Board. Please review Donna Petiford's very helpful article below answering questions you might have about the nominating committee.
- Council has elected a nominating committee, which is always made up of a representative from each of the five high school attendance areas, with the chair being one of the elected officers from the Council executive committee.
- Remember, the Council is made up of ALL our PTA and PTSA units, and you all are the future of Council. We are always looking to replace ourselves--whether you're an up and coming leader or you've served through school with your kids and are looking to serve in a new capacity--we need you!
Our next General Membership Meeting is February 5 at Glendale High School. We're looking forward to:
- telling you more about the makeup of the Council Board, specifically what each Vice President is responsible for and who serves under them
- letting you know about Committee Chairperson roles and Committees should you be interested in taking the next step to serve on Council
- sharing any last-minute details with you about the Founders Day Volunteer of the Year Banquet
- answering any questions your unit might have about nominating committee, electronic votes, slate of officers, etc.
- answering any other questions you might have about anything about your unit
- giving you an opportunity to share any successes and great ideas that have worked for your unit
- scheduling with any of your Council Board officers to attend your unit's next general meeting
I want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to the Council Board for all of the hard work they have put in so far this school year. I would also like to thank the unit officers and members from every school who are using their precious free time to volunteer in our schools. Thanks also go out to the principals, teachers, and other school employees who are so invested in our children’s welfare — wishing you all the best in the New Year!

If you haven't yet reserved your tickets or nominated your Volunteer of the Year, please do so using the google forms below. NOTE: the forms are best viewed on a desktop
NOTE: in order to upload a pic of your VOY, you will need to switch to your google account to submit the form below
Your 2020-2021 SCPTA Slate of Officers -- To Be Voted on at the March meeting
President ~ Julia Spiva
1st Vice President of Organization & Development ~ Mandy Mitchell
Vice President of Health & Public Services ~ Taryn Raidel
Vice President of Programs ~ Christi Matthews
Secretary ~ Sarah Whitten
Julia Spiva -- President
After graduating from Branson High School, Julia received her BS in International Business from Missouri State University. Education has always been important. Her grandmother Edna was a school teacher in a one-room schoolhouse in the 1920s. Both of her parents were physical education majors and went on to teach and coach for years. Julia first became involved in PTA at Sequiota Elementary when her daughter Mattie was in kindergarten, and she served as Parliamentarian, Secretary, and President. More recently, she has served on the executive board of SCPTA as VP of Promotions and VP of Organization & Development. Child advocacy is a top priority for her. Julia has been a Realtor for 10 years, and recently she and her daughter Mattie opened Mom and Me Realty Group, a boutique real estate firm, "because mom knows best." Her husband Keith graduated from Kickapoo High School, and both are happy to call Springfield home with Mattie and their dogs Champ and Finley.
Mandy Mitchell -- 1st Vice President of Organization & Development
Mandy is a mom of two boys in elementary school who keep her on the move. She has been a PTA mom for six years. Mandy has had the honor of being the PTA President at Wanda Gray and coordinating many different events. Currently, she is serving as Regional Director for Missouri PTA and is VP of Health & Public Services, so she is responsible for running the PTA Clothing Bank. Mandy is looking forward to her new position as 1st Vice President and shadowing Julia. Mandy truly believes in PTA and its mission--Every child, One voice.
Taryn Raidel -- Vice President of Health & Public Services
Christi Matthews -- Vice President of Programs
Christi Matthews is no stranger to volunteer service--having served multiple years and in various positions at Robberson Community School’s PTA (including current VP) and in Hillcrest High School ROTC Booster Club. Christi is a devoted wife and mother--married to her High School Sweetheart of 23 years, Robert Matthews. The couple has four children and one sweet and feisty granddaughter. Christi’s hobbies include photography, calligraphy, & cooking. She loves making anything with her hands. Christi looks forward to serving you next year as Vice President of Programs.
Sarah Whitten -- Secretary
Sarah and her husband Adam Whitten went to the same Springfield Public Schools from elementary through high school at Kickapoo. The couple has two very active sons, Luke, 12, and Noah, 10. Both Sarah and her husband work in our local medical community. Following in her mother's footsteps, Sarah has always been involved in her sons' schools and is looking forward to her second year as Horace Mann’s PTA President. Sarah has just recently become more involved in SCPTA and has jumped into as many roles as possible, enjoying learning the purpose and value and implementing the reach of PTA in Springfield. As a part of SCPTA and the School Crossing Protection Committee for the past two years, Sarah is continuing to work with SPS Transportation, Crossing Guard Services, Public Works and the Springfield Police Department to help ensure SPS student safety. Sarah loves meeting and recruiting new people to volunteer and become involved.
Greetings from Your PTA Clothing Bank
Tips from The Treasurer
By Leslie Norman
As we are now past the halfway point in the school year, NOW is the time to start building a preliminary budget for the upcoming year. For treasurers turning over to a new treasurer, start including the new officer. Bits of information are much better digested than when all information is dumped at one time!
When looking at building 2020-2021 Budget, reach out to current committees and your unit for direction on if you had enough money in some areas, too much money in other areas, or need to consider new areas for funding. It is nice to have a new budget voted on and in place prior to the end of the school year. This allows for budget expenses to be covered right away instead of waiting for a budget approval vote.
Reminder before you can vote on your budget, it must be presented and posted 30 days prior to voting. After approval, the budget is a working guideline and can be adjusted with a proper vote.
Unlike other officer positions, the treasurer position overlaps with the new treasurer until the end of the fiscal year (7/1 for most units).
A REMINDER FOR YOUR PRINCIPAL'S SCHOLARSHIP
A reminder that for your principal to submit a request for CARE and McBride Scholarships NOW, your unit must be a Unit in Good Standing. This means previous year financials must be completed and submitted by December 1, bylaws must be approved, and memberships dues must be sent to MOPTA and SCPTA.
Please check with Leslie at treasurer@scptamo.com if questioning your unit status. PayPal option is still active for membership using the above email address or QR Code on form.


Please Feel Free to Join Us for our Chamber Ribbon Cutting at the PTA Clothing Bank!

SCPTA $500 Scholarship Available at YOUR High School
Units, did you know that as a Council you help fund senior scholarships at each of the five high schools and Study Alternative Center?!
Thanks to all of you, six seniors who apply through their school will receive a $500 scholarship, which our Scholarship Chair pays to their higher education institution for their first semester.
Be sure to check with your Principal and Senior Counselors to be sure the word and application are getting to this year's seniors. The scholarships are rotated on an annual basis, so here is a list of our high schools and their current scholarship:
2019-2020 Springfield Council of PTAs Scholarships
Central High School -- The PTA Grace Carr Scholarship is awarded to a person who is enrolled or plans to enroll in an accredited full course of study at Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC); this scholarship is rotated annually among the Springfield R-12 high schools; the recipient is determined by the high school’s staff scholarship committee.
Glendale High School -- The PTA Joan Keiser Scholarship is awarded to a person who plans to enroll in an accredited full course of study in a Missouri liberal arts college or university; this scholarship rotates annually among the Springfield R-12 high schools; the recipient is determined by the high school’s staff scholarship committee.
Parkview High School -- The PTA Helen Smith Scholarship is awarded to a person who plans to enroll in an accredited full course of study in teacher education at a Missouri liberal arts college or university; this scholarship is rotated annually among the Springfield R-12 high schools; the recipient is determined by the high school’s staff scholarship committee.
Hillcrest High School -- The Springfield PTA Scholarship to a 2-year Institution is awarded to a student who plans to enroll in an accredited full course of study at a Missouri technical college. This scholarship is rotated annually among the Springfield R-12 high schools; the recipient is determined by the high school's staff scholarship committee.
Kickapoo High School -- The Springfield PTA Scholarship to a 4-year Institution is awarded to a student who plans to enroll in an accredited full course of study at a Missouri 4-year college or university. This scholarship is rotated annually among the Springfield R-12 high schools; the recipient is determined by the high school's staff scholarship committee.
Study Alternative Center -- The SCPTA Study Student Scholarship is awarded to a student who will enroll in an accredited full course of study at a Missouri accredited 2-year college or university; a Missouri accredited 4-year college or university; an accredited full course of study at Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC); or an accredited full course of study in teacher education at a Missouri college or university. The recipient is determined by the high school's staff scholarship committee.
Diversity & Inclusion
By Toi Allen
The Equity & Diversity Advisory Council Committee continues on its journey to reach this goal--provide the SPS School Board with suggestions to help provide cultural awareness and relevant educational experiences for our schools with an intentional focus on historically underrepresented and under-resourced groups (HUGs)
The Committee's recommendations are almost complete. In November, the Committee met and presented suggestions /recommendations from all of the data and research administered in every meeting.
December was the last meeting for the Committee to look at all its suggestions, and Dr. Holt concluded with thank yous for the participants. Subcommittees were formed to continue working alongside our Chief Equity and Diversity Officer, Yvania Garcia-Pusateri.
Units, you will soon have an opportunity for a time of sharing with Yvania Garcia-Ms Pusateri. Dates will soon be announced.
Let me know if your unit needs any help celebrating your students and celebrating diversity and inclusion. I would be most happy to help!

February is Black History Month
How Your PTA Can Better Support African-American Children
- Join the conversation. Follow us on Twitter and use the hashtag #EveryChild.
- Check out our State of the African-American Child article and a special message from Marian Wright Edelman—founder and president of the Children's Defense Fund. The fund stresses the importance of focusing more time, energy, and funding to the challenges that the African-American child faces every day.
- Read our PTA One Voice Blog for PTA Success Stories and additional resources. You can also share your blog! We want to hear local and state PTA success stories on supporting children with special needs, how do you promote an environment that is welcoming to all children and parents. Use our blog share tool to tell us your story.
- Share the Parents' Guides to Student Success. These standards provide clear, consistent expectations for what students should be learning at each grade to be prepared for college and career.
21 Apps Parents Should Know About
At our recent Council Board meeting, School Board Member Gerry Lee shared the flyer below entitled, 21 Apps Parents Should Know About. The flyer is courtesy of Sarasota County Sheriff's Office in Florida as part of their Operation Intercept VII. As part of the operation to keep kids safe, the Sheriff's Office released a list of 21 apps they say that parents should be aware of as they could pose a risk to your child's safety. The flyer includes pictures of the app logos, as well as basic information about the app and the privacy settings.
For more information, click on the link below:

Congratulations to All Our Reflections Winners!





Please Plan to Join Us for this Special Event

From Your Parliamentarian
Frequently Asked Question – The Nominating Committee
Can a member of the nominating committee be considered for an officer position?
Yes. Members of the nominating committee may be considered for office.
When the committee is discussing that individual, the individual should step out of the room.
THE SELECTION OF CANDIDATES
● The nominating committee is assigned the task of finding the best possible candidate to
recommend for each of the offices to be filled. Such recommendations are based on
an objective evaluation of the needs of the PTA.
● The committee should have copies of the bylaws, membership list, a realistic description
of the duties of each office, and a nominating committee procedure guide.
● The committee reviews the bylaws for the offices to be filled, any qualifications to be met
and term limits.
● The list of current officers who have not exceeded their term limits is reviewed. When
the bylaws state that officers may serve more than one term, re-election to a second term of
office is not automatic. Such people may be asked to serve again if their work has been
satisfactory and their skills are not needed elsewhere.
● The committee may accept recommendations from any number of sources, such as from
current officers, members, principal, etc. The committee should be careful not to make any
promises to any potential candidate, but should acknowledge that the recommendations will
simply be considered.
The committee should review all possible candidates for all positions, including new
members. Candidates should be objectively considered based upon their experience,
qualifications, ability to work with others, and sufficient time to do the job. The committee
should not start by asking each other “What office do you want?” They should not select
people due to friendships or to avoid hurt feelings.
● The deliberations of the committee are completely confidential, so committee members
should be able to speak freely regarding their concerns. Members of the committee may be
considered for office, and while that person is being discussed, they should step out of the
room.
● The committee should decide their list of nominees by voting among themselves, and the
use of written ballots is highly recommended.
● The committee should obtain the consent of each potential candidate after the committee
has agreed upon the candidate. When asking someone to accept a nomination do not
downplay the responsibilities of the job. Likewise, do not say “we are having trouble filling this postion”…even if this is true, would you accept the job no one else will take? Instead, remind the potential candidate that the Nominating Committee feels they are the best person for this position.
NO NOMINEES
● If a nominee for an office cannot be found, the committee must continue to function until
a suitable candidate is found or until the election.
● If a candidate withdraws prior to the election, the nominating committee must resume its
search for an appropriate candidate.
● If a person is elected to office and later withdraws, the filling of the office is handled as
listed on the bylaws for any vacancy in office, usually by the officers of the board.
THE REPORT
● The report of the nominating committee lists one (1) candidate for each office, in writing,
and is signed by the members of the committee.
● If a suitable candidate for any office cannot be found, that office should be listed as
“open”. If a suitable candidate is found prior to the election, a revised report is issued.
● The bylaws specify if the report is to be published before the election or if it's presented
at the time of the election.
● At the time of the election, additional nominations may be made from the floor.
Missouri PTA's January Membership Challenge
Units increasing their membership total by 25% over last year’s membership year-end total will be entered into a drawing to receive a FREE ADULT REGISTRATION to the upcoming Missouri PTA Convention!
Dues must be submitted by January 31st to count, and units must be in good standing to be eligible.
Don’t forget about our convenient online dues submission form.

Units -- You Could Win a $1000 Cash Award
National PTA is now accepting applications for the 2020 Jan Harp Domene Diversity and Inclusion Award. The submission period concludes on March 15, 2020.
The award recognizes PTAs that best demonstrate outstanding achievement in the areas of diversity and inclusion, as well as efforts to end discriminatory practices. Among other things, winners will receive a $1,000 cash prize and be honored at the Awards Program at the 2020 National PTA Convention & Expo.
Click on the picture below for a link to more information and application form!

Can We Help?! That's What We're Here For!
Your 2019-2020 SCPTA Officers & Chairs
President: Julia Spiva, president@scptamo.com
VP of Organization and Development: Jennifer Penny, orgdev@scptamo.com
• Bylaws: Tori Sallee, torisallee@gmail.com
• Legislation/Resolutions: Donna Petiford, petiford@sbcglobal.net
• Scholarships: Becky Volz, scholarships@scptamo.com
VP of Health and Public Services: Mandy Mitchell, clothingbank@scptamo.com
VP of Programs: Christi Matthews, programs@scptamo.com
• Reflections: Jessica Rosa, jessica@jrosaphoto.com
• Fourth-Grade Play: Breana Kavanaugh bnkavanaugh@spsmail.org
• RIF: Mary Christiano, mary@christiano.us
Secretary: Sarah Whitten, secretary@scptamo.com
Treasurer: Leslie Norman, treasurer@scptamo.com
Appointed:
Parliamentarian: Donna Petiford, donnapetiford@gmail.com
Diversity & Inclusion Adviser: Toi Allen, taocoach@yahoo.com
Administrative Assistant: Mattie James, Glendale High School
Advisors: Elementary: Stephanie Young, Delaware Elementary
Middle School: Andre Illig, Cherokee Middle School
High School: Chris Hunsaker Kickapoo High School
Superintendent Representative: Dr. Michael Methvin
Board of Education Representative: Gerry Lee lee@mosba.org
MOPTA Representative: Mandy Mitchell, mandym@mopta.org
MOPTA Office: 573-445-4161
National PTA Office: 800-307-4782
Springfield Council of PTAs
Council Goals
- To provide leadership development for local units and council board members
- To serve as a resource for education, parenting information, and legislative issues
- To encourage parent and public involvement in Springfield Public Schools