A Message from the MI PTA President

May 28, 2013 by drepta

Hello Child Advocates,

We have been sending you emails over the past few weeks asking you to contact your Representative, Senator and the Governor expressing your support of the Common Core State Standards. As we stated to you previously, a provision was placed in the 2013 – 2014 budget that did not allow any funds to be spent on the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The 2013 – 2014 budget was approved by the joint Senate-House Conference Committee and is awaiting final adoption by both the House and the Senate. This is simply not acceptable.

Not only does this mean that school districts across this state that have been working on the implementation of the Common Core State Standards would have done so in vain, it also means that Michigan will lose its No Child Left Behind (NCLB) flexibility waiver and NO school in Michigan will meet the AYP requirements under NCLB.

The children of Michigan need your voice right now more than ever. We need you to call your Representative and Senator and urge them to Vote No on the 2013 – 2014 budget. We also need you to call the Governor and urge him to veto the 2013 – 2014 budget. We cannot allow the game of politics to be played with our children anymore. We cannot continue to state that the children are the future, when we are destroying their future today.

Please call your Representative, your Senator and the Governor today.

Yours in Advocacy,

Shaton Berry, President
Teresa Marhofer, President Elect
To give our voice the greatest impact, please go to our Facebook page and Share this message to all your Facebook friends.

2013 Spring Carnival!

May 27, 2013 by drepta

You’re Invited to Join Technology in Education Discussion

May 15, 2013 by drepta

May 15, 2013

Michigan PTA Members,

At yesterday’s State Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Flanagan shared information on his Education Technology Work Group and the Facebook page that allows you to follow and participate in the discussion. Additional information is outlined in the press release below.

One of the first steps of the Work Group is to gather information via a survey. I encourage you to participate by taking the survey yourself and encouraging your members and school community to do so. The survey can be accessed on the Work Group Facebook page or from the link at the end of press release, which does not require use of Facebook.

The Michigan Department of Education is very interested in obtaining broad feedback. You can just respond to the survey or like the Facebook page, follow along and weigh in on discussions.

PTA members are some of the strongest advocates for public education and t his is a great opportunity for you participate in a public dialogue that is designed to inform education policy.

Sandra York

Executive Director

PRESS RELEASE

Flanagan To Lead the Discussion on Technology in Education with a Public Facebook Webpage

May 14, 2013

LANSING – State Superintendent Mike Flanagan opened his Education Technology Work Group to the public today.

Flanagan was invited by Governor Rick Snyder to lead a transparent and inclusive discussion to integrate technology into Michigan’s system of education for today and into the future.

The Michigan Department of Education has developed a new Facebook page for this discussion: www.facebook.com/EdTechWG.

By “Liking” this Facebook page, the public will be able to follow and participate in the Work Group discussion.

This Work Group is transparent to the extent that it’s going “out to the world” to see what is going on out there technology-wise, according to Flanagan.

“I didn’t want to limit the Work Group to just the usual stakeholders,” Flanagan said. “You don’t have to be an educator to be involved. We want to hear from educators, but we also want to hear from the general public – from parents and students, and also employers; early childhood providers; college instructors; those in the foundation community; education advocates and reformers; and technology experts.”

This will be an evolving discussion that begins with a simple survey that individuals can access from the Facebook page. It will help lead a public dialogue on effective and innovative ways to integrate technology to improve learning and outcomes for Michigan students.

Flanagan said that this online public Work Group is groundbreaking in helping discuss and inform education policy and encourages everyone to feel free to speak up and weigh in on the postings to the Facebook page.

The online survey will help Flanagan better understand what is being done now with education technology and what is seen as needs for the future.

Watch Superintendent Flanagan’s video here: http://youtu.be/B2_j6JEuuGQ

To access the EdTechWG survey, go here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/QJK77PM

People also can follow the Work Group on Twitter – https://twitter.com/EdTechWG

Michigan Parent Teacher Association
1390 Eisenhower Place, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108
Phone: 734-975-9500 – Fax: 734-677-2407
Web site: www.michiganpta.org

Events and Committees Information Request

May 14, 2013 by drepta

Events and Committees Information Request

At this time, there are still a few events that are in need of a chairperson or a committee. If you are interested in getting information on any of the following events, please fill out this form and turn it back in. Note, by filling out this form you are NOT agreeing to chair an event, just that you would like information on the event.

The Kindergarten Boohoo Breakfast

The Birthday Book Club

Bake Sale

Carnival

The Dolphin Disco

Family Reading Night

Fifth Grade Exit

Founder’s Day

Gardening Club

Pizza With Parents

Mom 2 Mom Sale

Parent on Duty