The National PTA and U.S. Department of Education Student Art Exhibit Program will proudly present a Reflections Showcase: Let Your Imagination Fly. This grand opening ceremony will mark the start of the yearlong exhibit to honor the accomplishments of the 2016 PTA Reflections national honorees. This event will take place at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2017 at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC.

Stevenson High School PTSA student Caleb Melnychenko's entry "Floating Island" will be featured! Please join us in congratulating Caleb on his award! If you are in Washington D.C. you can see it in person!



PLEASE NOTE - THIS YEAR'S ENTRIES ARE DUE TO COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 16 & 17. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT REFLECTIONS CO CHAIRS

CYNDI PIERZYNSKI cypier@hotmail.com
NY DERRY nyderry40@gmail.com

Additional information can be found online here: https://livoniaptsacouncil.org/work/reflections-arts-awards-competition/

Whether you are new to PTA, or have been actively involved for a while, it's always a good idea to review OUR top ten PTA Rules:

1. Each member of your Executive Board should have a copy of the bylaws and know them. These tell you how you need to be running your unit and MUST be followed.

2. There MUST be a budget approved BY THE MEMBERSHIP before money can be spent. It can be modified during the school but changes must be voted on by the membership. There should be a line item for ALL income and ALL expenses.

3. The budget needs to be presented at each meeting by the treasurer and available to the membership upon request.

4. Minutes MUST be taken by the recording secretary (or someone designated by them) at every meeting. Minutes from the previous meeting need to be presented at the next meeting and approved or approved with changes by the membership.

5. Every meeting should have an agenda and it is the responsibility of the president to keep the meeting on track.

6. All reimbursements for expenses must be accompanied by a receipt and signed check request form.

7. All reimbursements must be made in the form of a check and the check must be signed by two account signers.

8. Each unit MUST carry insurance for their own protection.

9. PTA is a child and family advocacy organization. Our large membership (locally, state wide, and nationally) is what makes us a powerful one. Your membership numbers do matter. Without members we don’t exist. Encourage everyone in your school (parents, staff, and businesses) to join.

10. PTA units and OFFICERS may not be involved endorsing specific political candidates.

We all know that our building staff is the best!

Now you can prove it!

Livonia PTSA Council is sponsoring a staff membership contest. The elementary school, upper elementary school, middle school, and high school with the largest percentage of staff memberships will win a cash prize to be used to honor their supportive staff!

Total number of staff memberships are due November 28th with your monthly membership numbers. At that point we will determine the percentages passed on the number of full time staff in the building.

Prizes will be awarded when we come back from the holiday break.

Every year we celebrate you and the work you do within your school through your PTA/PTSA unit at the annual Livonia PTSA Founders’ Day Celebration. This year’s celebration will be held at Schoolcraft College Vista Tech Center on February 15, 2017 from 6-9 PM. We hope that you will mark your calendar now to attend this exciting event!

The format will be similar to last year, with each unit having the opportunity to honor one parent and one staff member for their outstanding contributions to PTA. Middle schools and high schools will have the opportunity to honor one student volunteer as well. Additional information will be coming soon, but please begin thinking about those special volunteers you would like to honor.

We will also again be having a centerpiece contest, following the Reflections theme What Is Your Story. It is not too early to start brainstorming about your winning centerpiece!

Lastly, we will have a running PowerPoint presentation showcasing unit programs and events. When your unit sponsors an activity, big or small, please send a picture to Julie Thompson at julie6055@gmail.com to be included in the program.

Please watch for additional information, but if you have questions in the meantime, feel free to contact me.

Debbie Pline, Founders’ Day Chair

Livonia PTSA Council

rdpline91@gmail.com

734-788-4009

Saturday March 25, 2017

Michigan PTA will be having a fantastic training opportunity and annual membership meeting.

• This is one meeting you won't want to miss!

• You will have the chance to participate in several workshops that will help you build a local PTA that ROCKS!

• You will leave refreshed and with hands on tools you can implement right away in order to get more parents and teachers participating your awesome local PTA!

Make sure you set aside Saturday March 25th to join your State Board of Directors and local Unit Officers and PTA Members from around the state for a day full of information, training and fun! Watch for registration announcement in the next two weeks and register right away, space will be limited!

Be PTA Proud and join us!

Do you know about the LPS Education Foundation? If you’re a parent of a kindergartener, you should!

The LPS Education Foundation believes every child who attends Livonia Public Schools can succeed, and will graduate college or career-ready. To that end, the Foundation offers the Competitive Edge college savings program. Under this program, every kindergarten student in the district is offered the opportunity to have a 529 college savings account opened for them. This program is offered at no cost to the parents, due to the generous support of the LPS community. The LPS Education Foundation makes an initial deposit of $100 to each account and adds to it as the budget allows. The money in this account grows over time, and is given to the student upon graduation from Franklin, Churchill or Stevenson High School.

The deadline for parents to apply for the Competitive Edge college savings program is in January. Please encourage parents of kindergarteners to register their child for this free savings plan.

The LPS Education Foundation also sponsors grants for LPS teachers, which are awarded annually. Each year, grants are awarded so teachers can provide special learning opportunities for their students. Past grant awardees funded the purchase of computers, drums, advanced technological systems, and more. This year’s grant recipients will be announced soon. Maybe there will be someone from your school!

The LPS Education Foundation is honored to be a strong part of the LPS community. Like PTA, the foundation’s volunteers work to support our schools.

When the LPS Education Foundation first began, Livonia's PTA/PTSA units were among its first and strongest supporters. The Foundation is proud to have included Livonia PTAs/PTSAs in its highest level of contributors, and has publicly acknowledged the support of these units. This generosity has helped the Foundation to continue offering the Competitive Edge and teacher grant programs to students and teachers across the district.

The Foundation is proud of this partnership, and would like to thank the PTA/ PTSA units of Livonia Public Schools for their continued support. We ask that you remember to include a line item in your budget for your annual contribution to the LPS Education Foundation. Many PTA units have already contributed, and will enjoy seeing those donations put to use as the grant recipients are announced.

Thank you for your continued support!

Board of Directors

LPS Education Foundation

November
1 - Cass PTA meeting
- Coolidge PTA meeting
2 - Cleveland PTA meeting
4 - Cooper PTA Fall Festival
5 - Frost PTSA 40th Annual Craft Show
8 - LPS NO SCHOOL
10 - Webster PTA meeting
15 - Cooper PTA meeting
- Stevenson PTSA meeting
16 - Frost PTSA meeting
- LPTSA Council meeting @ Frost Middle School
- Reflections Entries Due to Council
17 - Reflections Entries Due to Council
18 - Webster PTA Movie Night
21 - FHS PTSA meeting
23-25 - LPS NO SCHOOL
29 - CHS PTSA meeting

December
2 - LPS ELEMENTARY NO SCHOOL
LPTSA Council officers get together
23 - LPS HALF DAY
26- January 6 LPS NO SCHOOL