Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, former Indianapolis Colts pro-bowler Tarik Glenn and the Indiana Parent Teacher Association (PTA) will re-launch Indiana’s Parent Pledge at the PTA’s annual conference this Sunday, May 6 (note: corrected date) at 11:00 a.m. at the Indianapolis Marriott East.

Indiana’s Parent Pledge was introduced during the 2010 school year to boost efforts to increase parent engagement across the state. In that time, almost 200 schools have participated in pledge related activities and thousands of Hoosier parents have signed the pledge via the department’s website.

The Indiana Department of Education and PTA will work with local schools to expand this important initiative during the 2012-2013 school year. Sunday’s announcement marks the beginning of this effort. Tarik Glenn and PTA President Barry Jones will both sign the pledge to celebrate new efforts to increase the program’s reach and effectiveness.

WHO:
Dr. Tony Bennett – State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Tarik Glenn – Former Colts Pro-Bowler and founder of D.R.E.A.M Alive Inc.
Barry Jones – President, Indiana Parent Teacher Association

The works, from children across the state, have been judged by their local PTAs, teachers, and principals for participation in the Reflections program. Each participant submitted their original creations in one of six categories including Literature, Musical Composition, Dance Choreography, Photography, Film and Video Production, and Visual Arts. Entries address this year’s Reflections theme, “Diversity Means…”

In addition, essay submissions in the Indiana PTA Citizenship Essay Contest will be on display. Essays focus on the theme “What Being Free Means to Me…”

Award winners in all categories can be found at the links below:

Reflections Art Program 2012 Award Winners

Citizenship Essay Program 2012 Award Winners

Everyone is encouraged to come out and support our talented local artists. Debbie Fox, Indiana PTA Reflections Coordinator, feels the celebration luncheon is very important, serving as a culmination of each student’s hard work. “Our Indiana students possess incredible talent,” Fox said. “I am looking forward to meeting and celebrating their achievements at our celebration luncheon.” Winners of the state competition will be advanced to the 42nd Annual National PTA Reflections Program.

The Reflections Program was established in 1969 by National PTA board member Mary Lou Anderson. Since that time, more than 10 million students have participated in the program.

For more information on the Indiana PTA Convention or on the Indiana PTA Reflections and Citizenship Programs visit www.indianapta.org.

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Contact Information:

Indiana PTA

http://www.indianapta.org

317-357-5881

Debbie Fox, Reflections Chair
dfox@indianapta.org

Job Wise, Citizenship Chair
jwise@indianapta.org

Jeremiah Gray Edison!

They won the 32″ TV for Membership Madness!

We really want to thank all the schools who qualifed for the drawing by getting 16 members in 16 days from February 29th – March 15th. Only members received during that time counted towards this contest. Thank you to the following schools who met the challenge:
Washington Middle School, Gavit Middle/High School, Creston Middle School, Reitz High School, Scott Elementary School, Northrop High School, Raymond Park Academy, Daniel Wertz Elementary School, Miami Middle School, Jeremiah Gray Edison, Twin Branch Elementary School, Cynthia Height Elementary School, Fred Hums Elementary School, South Side High School, Hammond High School, Irving Elementary School, Jefferson Middle School, Fairlawn Elementary School and Francis Parker School #56.

And the winner of the $100 for the February Membership Incentive for getting 100+ male PTA members is…

Rosa Park Edison!

The following schools qualifed for the February Membership Incentive by letting us know that they had 100 male PTA members this year: Oak Hill Elementary School, North High School, North Junior High School, Raymond Park Intermediate Academy, Scott Elementary School, Vogel Elementary School, Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, Hebron Elementary School, Reitz High School, Rosa Parks Edison,West Terrace Elementary School, Northrop High School and Jefferson Middle School.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the membership contests this year. We can’t wait until Saturday night May 5th at convention to give away all the membership awards!

Membership Madness is here!!! Score a 32″ Flat Screen TV for your PTA in our Sweet 16 Membership Contest! You have 16 Sweet Days to get NEW PTA memberships. Beginning February 29 thru March 15 submit at least one (1) new PTA member each day and be entered in our Sweet Sixteen drawing for a chance to win a 32″ Flat Screen TV for your unit! To be our Tournament Champion you must follow these Sweet 16 Rules:
To enter you must submit your current membership roster (names and contact information) to Indiana PTA. You can
e-mail your roster to indianapta@sbcglobal.net or mail it to 2525 N. Shadeland Avenue, D-4, Indianapolis, IN 46219.

To qualify, the membership must be a NEW member, not an existing member. This will be verifed for the winning school by a copy of the check or we will call the member.

You must submit all new memberships for the contest period of February 29 – March 15 on a new roster to Indiana PTA.

ALL membership dues (from November 15-March15) must be postmarked or hand delivered to Indiana PTA by the March 15th deadline. A copy of all rosters (names and contact information) must be provided with payment.

The TV can be used for PTA/school purposes such as training videos, drawing, prize, classroom use, etc.
See the Sweet 16 Membership Contest flyer to see how you could be our Tournament Champion!

This is a great opportunity to add to your male membership and also qualiify for the Male Madness February Membership incentive. Turn in 100 male members by the March 15th deadline and be

The board is meeting in James Whitcomb Riley Conference Room 151 West Ohio Street Indianapolis IN 46204

How are the grades calculated for our schools?

Elementary and Middle School Grades are calculated with the following criteria:
Student performance and improvement on ISTEP+, IMAST and ISTAR
Student growth on ISTEP+
Grades are determined separately for English/Language Arts and Math (the final grade is determined by averaging the two scores)

High School Grades are calculated with the following criteria:
Student performance and improvement on English 10 and Algebra 1 ECAs (end of course assement) and ISTAR
Graduation Rate
College and career readiness indicators

Proposed changes:

1. The IDOE is proposing that we use a different limited English proficient (LEP) exemption for ISTEP proficiency calculations. The exemption will only be allowed for the students that have been enrolled in school in United States for less than 12 months (current federal standard)
2. Another proposed change is removing the IEP exemption for Graduation Rate Calculations (would remove the up to 3% exemption for students earning a certificate of completion in the denominator when calculating graduation rate) (current federal standard)
3. Add a 1% corporation cap for ISTAR passing rate for proficiency calculations
4. Add a 2% corporation cap for IMAST passing rates for proficiency calculations

Synopsis: The proposed changes will align the current system to many of the same standards already being followed by the Federal Government. The changes will create tougher standards for our schools and may result initially in lower grades due to the changes.

As our President Barry Jones stated in his recent letter to the Board, “It’s hard to believe that it is already 2012. I hope everyone had a great holiday. This is sure to be a great year for Indiana PTA. Indiana PTA is proud to have two of our local units chosen as grant winners from National PTA: Cynthia Heights PTA for their Healthy Lifestyle Grant and Northrop PTSA Take Your Family to School Week.”

We are all gearing up to meet in February to complete some plans and formulate others to make the coming Convention something everyone will remember.

Announces Take Your Family to School Week Grant Recipients
ALEXANDRIA, VA. (December 19, 2011) – Dozens of PTAs will sing joyously together this holiday season as National PTA® today announced 45 PTAs will receive a $1,000 grant to help promote family engagement and support student achievement through PTA Take Your Family to School Week®, February 12–18, 2012.
“Take Your Family to School Week embodies PTA’s legacy of building family-school partnerships. We’re proud to provide these grants to PTAs at the grassroots level to ensure that our legacy lives, families are involved and students succeed,” said Betsy Landers, National PTA President. “This special week also reminds us that now more than ever all families, schools and communities need to work together to increase student achievement as U.S. children are behind their counterparts around the world in English and math.”
For the seventh consecutive year, National PTA’s Take Your Family to School Week Grant program expands and enhances family engagement efforts in school across the country. Each grantee demonstrated how they will improve family engagement in their school communities and how their work will support the implementation of PTA’s National Standards for Family-School Partnerships.
The timing of the week—in February—honors the day PTA was founded: February 17, 1897. The activities planned for the week feature a variety of educational themes, including preparing for college, literacy, math, and other topics.
This year’s grant recipients come from 22 states across the country. The 2012 PTA Take Your Family to School Week Grant recipients are:
Alfred E. Zampella Public School #27 PTA – Jersey City, NJ
Arbolita School PTA – La Habra, CA
Bailey Middle School PTSA – Cornelius, NC
Banksville PTA – Pittsburgh, PA
Bayside High School PTSA – Virginia Beach, VA
Bedford Primary School PTA – Bedford, VA
Bernice Young Elementary PTA – Springdale, AR
Bradford Academy PTA – Southfield, MI
Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools PTA Council – Chapel Hill, NC
Chimneyrock Elementary PTA – Memphis, TN
Citrus Grove Elementary PTA – Palm City, FL
Clover Street School PTA – Jessup, MD
Denver Elementary PTA – Denver, PA
Donaldson Way Elementary PTA – American Canyon, CA
Dubiski Career High School PTSA – Grand Prairie, TX
Falcon Middle School PTSA – Peyton, CO
Franklin Township School PTA – Quakertown, NJ
Gene George Elementary PTA – Springdale, AR
Gypsy School PTA – Bristow, OK
Hammocks Middle School PTSA – Miami, FL
Jefferson Elementary School PTA – West Allis, WI
Kate Waller Barrett Elementary PTA – Arlington, VA
Kilbourne Middle School PTSA – Worthington, OH
Longfellow Middle School PTA – Falls Church, VA
Maine School Administrative District #30 – Winn, ME
Matthew Whaley Elementary School PTA – Williamsburg, VA
McDougal Elementary PTA – Chapel Hill, NC
McKinley School PTA – Fairfield, CT
Morningside Elementary PTA – Fort Worth, TX
Norco Elementary PTA – Norco, CA
Northrop High School PTSA – Fort Wayne, IN
Oakmont Elementary PTA – Fort Worth, TX
Oakton Elementary PTA – Oakton, VA
Old Village PTA – Northville, MI
Provost Elementary PTA – Provost, UT
Redwood Early Childhood Center PTA – North Little Rock, AR
Stephen Knight Center for Early Education – Jessup, MD
Stuart Middle School PTSA – Stuart, FL
Thomas G. Pullen K-8 Arts Focus School – Landover, MD
Three Rivers Elementary PTA – Cincinnati, OH
Tuskegee Institute Middle School PTA – Tuskegee, AL
Tyhee Elementary PTA – Chubbock, ID
Vista Verde Middle School PTSA – Phoenix, AZ
Walt Whitman Elementary PTA – San Diego, CA
Wenatchee Lewis and Clark PTSA – Wenatchee, WA
PTA’s Take Your Family to School Week is sponsored by the AXA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, and a Proud National Sponsor of PTA.
About National PTA
National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of parent involvement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth.
About AXA Foundation
The AXA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of AXA Equitable, one of the nation’s premier financial services organizations and a member of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection and wealth management. The Foundation directs the company’s philanthropic and volunteer activities, working to improve the quality of life in communities across the country where AXA has a presence. Since its inception, the AXA Foundation has awarded over $20 million in college scholarships through its multifaceted flagship program, AXA Achievement, which provides resources that help make college possible: access and advice. More than 4,300 students, known as AXA Achievers, have received scholarships. For more information and to read about the 2011 AXA Achievers, visit www.axa-achievement.com.

Join PTA before March 15th and when your PTA submits your roster and dues to the State Office, you could win a 3 Day Carnival Cruise for two from Ambassador Travel valued at $1,500! Taxes and gratuity are included (airfare not included). The trip will be given away at the 100th Annual Indiana PTA Convention in May. Encourage your parents, family, friends, businesses to join to be eligible!

 Spring Break Cruise Specials from Ambassador Travel: 

* Government fees not included.

For more information on these specials, contact Connie Corbett at 812-479-8687 or conniec@myambassadortravel.com. Indiana PTA is very pleased to welcome Ambassador Travel as a sponsor this year. Proceeds from travel purchased through their agency directly benefits Indiana PTA!