Welcome Back!
Perhaps you could use a hand in getting more members into your PTA units?
Hamden PTA Council is excited to announce your newest resource: Membership Committee. Our first job is to help you jump start your membership drive, which you can do with these three simple marketing steps.
Step #1 – Identify your target market (there will be more than one – families, extended families, students, male role models, businesses, etc.)
Step #2 – Give each of them a specific deal they can’t refuse / “What’s In It For Me” (a.k.a. WIIFM)
Step #3 – Show your gratitude (incentives, special access, freebies)
One of our largest target audiences is our teachers and administrators and our goal is to get as close to 100% of them district wide as possible.
So… we’re launching this year’s PTA Membership Drive at Convocation, Monday, August 30, 7:30 a.m. in the Hamden High School auditorium.
However, we want each unit to get credit for accomplishing this goal (BTW - Helen Street did it last year!).
In order for teachers and staff to be able to register for their own unit, we are requesting one or two representatives from each unit be present to collect the membership fee.
However, if your unit can’t make it, PTA Council treasurer, David Lane, and VP of membership, Marjorie Clark, are happy to act as your proxy.
We recommend that the teacher/staff fee is $5 – an amount of cash nearly all will carry and be willing to part with for being members of such an amazing organization.
We will have membership cards pre-printed and, as an added incentive, magnetized school calendars with the Hamden PTA logo.
Now, let’s make this interesting… The unit with the highest percentage of members by the end of Convocation will earn a special prize.
Please let me know who will be attending.
Thanks for your attention. I look forward to seeing you bright and early on the 30th!
Marjorie Clark
VP of Membership
Hamden PTA Council
www.hamdenpta.org
Friend us on Facebook
membership at hamdenpta.org
203.288.6831
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
New Leadership at Hamden PTA Council
Congratulations to Melinda Saller, former West Woods Elementary School PTA President, on her election as the new President of Hamden PTA Council!
She was unanimously chosen at our Annual Meeting on Friday, June 4, 2010. Joining her will be newly elected Cheryl Cartier (former Recording Secretary from West Woods) as Recording Secretary, Marjorie Clark (Immediate Past Council President) as VP of Membership and Kadesha Bergen Jackson (Immediate Past President from Helen Street School) as Corresponding Secretary.
VP of Ways and Means, Mary Kearney (Hamden High School), VP of Programs, Jen McGarry (Bear Path) and Treasurer, David Lane (West Woods) will be serving another year in their current positions.
We are excited about the growth of our executive committee, as well as the diversity of schools represented.
This years winner of the Meg Nowacki Hamden PTA Council Recognition Award was Shepherd Glen's Tammi Boemmels. Her list of accomplishments and contributions to the Shepherd Glen community are too numerous to list here. Suffice it to say, she is definitely worthy of our MVP prize. Congratulations Tammi!!
The Nancetta Scholarship Award winner was Teale Buono, a Hamden High School graduate who will be studying photography at Savannah College of Art and Design.
We thank the many town dignitaries and collaborative organizations that attended our dinner, including Superintendent Fran Rabinowitz, Board of Ed Chair, Michael D'Agostino, Legislative Council President, Jim Pascarella, Rep. Elizabeth Esty, Shelia Greenstein of Experience Corps and CT PTSA President, Marne Usher.
We'd especially like to thank our member units and their executive boards for all the amazing work they do year after year for the children, families and schools of Hamden.
Have a wonderful summer and we look forward to seeing you in the fall!
P.S. Don't forget about summer reading:
She was unanimously chosen at our Annual Meeting on Friday, June 4, 2010. Joining her will be newly elected Cheryl Cartier (former Recording Secretary from West Woods) as Recording Secretary, Marjorie Clark (Immediate Past Council President) as VP of Membership and Kadesha Bergen Jackson (Immediate Past President from Helen Street School) as Corresponding Secretary.
VP of Ways and Means, Mary Kearney (Hamden High School), VP of Programs, Jen McGarry (Bear Path) and Treasurer, David Lane (West Woods) will be serving another year in their current positions.
We are excited about the growth of our executive committee, as well as the diversity of schools represented.
This years winner of the Meg Nowacki Hamden PTA Council Recognition Award was Shepherd Glen's Tammi Boemmels. Her list of accomplishments and contributions to the Shepherd Glen community are too numerous to list here. Suffice it to say, she is definitely worthy of our MVP prize. Congratulations Tammi!!
The Nancetta Scholarship Award winner was Teale Buono, a Hamden High School graduate who will be studying photography at Savannah College of Art and Design.
We thank the many town dignitaries and collaborative organizations that attended our dinner, including Superintendent Fran Rabinowitz, Board of Ed Chair, Michael D'Agostino, Legislative Council President, Jim Pascarella, Rep. Elizabeth Esty, Shelia Greenstein of Experience Corps and CT PTSA President, Marne Usher.
We'd especially like to thank our member units and their executive boards for all the amazing work they do year after year for the children, families and schools of Hamden.
Have a wonderful summer and we look forward to seeing you in the fall!
P.S. Don't forget about summer reading:
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Hamden PTA Council Alive and Well
We were trying out the diggs at Ning for the last year, but no one took that much of an interest. So we're going to post here about events and thoughts and link this with our Facebook account. Be sure to friend us! Stay tuned...
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Hamden Board of Ed Candidate Debate
Thursday, October 1, 7 PM
Hamden Middle School Cafeteria
Hosted by Hamden PTA Council and League of Women Voters.
Moderated by Nancy Beals.
RSVP and send questions via this post.
Questions due by Saturday, September 26.
Hamden Middle School Cafeteria
Hosted by Hamden PTA Council and League of Women Voters.
Moderated by Nancy Beals.
RSVP and send questions via this post.
Questions due by Saturday, September 26.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
It's Working...but it's not over yet
Reminder that the Board of Ed Finance Committee is meeting at 6:30 at 60 Putnam Ave. tonight.
There will be teacher layoffs and additional cuts. The BOE is welcoming and expecting any input from PTA and parents on how to get creative with the resources available. I hope to see you there.
Also…
Please contact our state representatives to keep up the pressure to:
· Pass legislation that changes the Wintergreen 55% rule to 60%, or some variation that allows us more funding for less Hamden students.
· Keep their promise to maintain ECS funding at it’s current level.
You saw how well pressure at the local level worked and heard from Rep. Esty at our dinnner last week how well it was working at the state level. Keep it up.
Here’s the contacts, so you have excuse not to act:
Hamden State Representatives (www.ct.gov)
State Senator Martin Looney
11th State Senate District
800-842-1420
State Senator Joseph Crisco
17th State Senate District
800-842-1420
State Representative Brendan Sharkey
88th State Assembly District
800-842-8267
State Representative Peter Villano
91st State Assembly District
800-842-8267
State Representative Cameron Staples
96th State Assembly District
800-842-8267
State Representative Elizabeth Esty
103rd State Assembly District
800-842-8267
There will be teacher layoffs and additional cuts. The BOE is welcoming and expecting any input from PTA and parents on how to get creative with the resources available. I hope to see you there.
Also…
Please contact our state representatives to keep up the pressure to:
· Pass legislation that changes the Wintergreen 55% rule to 60%, or some variation that allows us more funding for less Hamden students.
· Keep their promise to maintain ECS funding at it’s current level.
You saw how well pressure at the local level worked and heard from Rep. Esty at our dinnner last week how well it was working at the state level. Keep it up.
Here’s the contacts, so you have excuse not to act:
Hamden State Representatives (www.ct.gov)
State Senator Martin Looney
11th State Senate District
800-842-1420
State Senator Joseph Crisco
17th State Senate District
800-842-1420
State Representative Brendan Sharkey
88th State Assembly District
800-842-8267
State Representative Peter Villano
91st State Assembly District
800-842-8267
State Representative Cameron Staples
96th State Assembly District
800-842-8267
State Representative Elizabeth Esty
103rd State Assembly District
800-842-8267
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Budget Process Update
This message came to us from the Superintendent of Hamden Public Schools, Fran Rabinowitz:
The Hamden Town Council increased the Mayor’s recommended budget for the Board of Education by $1.4 million. On behalf of all Hamden students and staff I want to express my sincere appreciation to the Council for the additional funding. The Council’s funding has reduced our deficit from $4 million to $2.6 million. We will continue to work with our unions to garner concessions and will discuss recommended program cuts with the Board of Education.
I would appreciate your joining me as you did in advocating for the budget and thank the Council for their efforts. It is also important that we continue to advocate with the Connecticut State Legislature for the $750,000 for Wintergreen Magnet School, amending the 55% rule for Wintergreen Hamden student enrollment, and no reduction in E.C.S. funding.
My sincere appreciation to each of you for all of the efforts you have put forward. It will be a difficult task, but I am optimistic that with the additional funding from the Council Hamden will continue to offer a high quality education to all Hamden students.
Sincerely,
Fran
The Hamden Town Council increased the Mayor’s recommended budget for the Board of Education by $1.4 million. On behalf of all Hamden students and staff I want to express my sincere appreciation to the Council for the additional funding. The Council’s funding has reduced our deficit from $4 million to $2.6 million. We will continue to work with our unions to garner concessions and will discuss recommended program cuts with the Board of Education.
I would appreciate your joining me as you did in advocating for the budget and thank the Council for their efforts. It is also important that we continue to advocate with the Connecticut State Legislature for the $750,000 for Wintergreen Magnet School, amending the 55% rule for Wintergreen Hamden student enrollment, and no reduction in E.C.S. funding.
My sincere appreciation to each of you for all of the efforts you have put forward. It will be a difficult task, but I am optimistic that with the additional funding from the Council Hamden will continue to offer a high quality education to all Hamden students.
Sincerely,
Fran
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Address to Hamden Town Council & Audience
The Hamden PTA Council respectfully asks that the Town Council fully fund the Board of Ed’s budget request. We trust Superintendent Rabinowitz’s judgment implicitly and would ask the Council to do the same.
You know full well, as parents and grandparents, that education is an investment and a cornerstone of our town’s economic well-being. It is no co-incidence that Hamden is the 33rd best place in America to start a small business and our high school is ranked 32 out of 139 Connecticut public high schools. Education and economics go hand in hand and that balance must be handled with great care.
Thank you to all who have come with your PTA and family to speak truth to power. Showing your children how to be an advocate for others is one of the greatest lessons you can teach them.
However, your voice should not go silent after tonight’s hearing. The funding issues the Board of Ed and the Town are dealing with stem from the State and Federal level.
I encourage this audience and legislative body to continue to contact our state delegation. Ask them to keep their promise to send ECS funding, at or above last year’s level, which the Federal Stimulus Bill should allow them to do. Ask them to honor their commitment to Wintergreen by giving us a break on the 55% rule, which could mean a $2 million infusion to Hamden.
In addition, our Federal legislators, especially Rep. DeLauro and Sen. Dodd, will be instrumental in making dramatic changes in No Child Left Behind. They will be looking to hear from you, to guide them in crafting that legislation.
If we apply this same amount of pressure at the Federal level, when NCLB is reauthorized it will no longer be a punitive system aimed at dismantling public education, but a program that will enable all educators, students and schools to do their best work.
I have great faith in this vision; mere hours after the 2008 election the National PTA President, Jan Harp Domene, was called to meet with the Obama transition team. Change is definitely coming and PTA will be vital in making sure our elected officials keep their promises to us and our children.
On behalf of Hamden PTAs I’d like to thank the residents, parents and students, who have accepted our invitation to speak. Democracy is NOT a spectator sport and we appreciate your coming out to play.
You know full well, as parents and grandparents, that education is an investment and a cornerstone of our town’s economic well-being. It is no co-incidence that Hamden is the 33rd best place in America to start a small business and our high school is ranked 32 out of 139 Connecticut public high schools. Education and economics go hand in hand and that balance must be handled with great care.
Thank you to all who have come with your PTA and family to speak truth to power. Showing your children how to be an advocate for others is one of the greatest lessons you can teach them.
However, your voice should not go silent after tonight’s hearing. The funding issues the Board of Ed and the Town are dealing with stem from the State and Federal level.
I encourage this audience and legislative body to continue to contact our state delegation. Ask them to keep their promise to send ECS funding, at or above last year’s level, which the Federal Stimulus Bill should allow them to do. Ask them to honor their commitment to Wintergreen by giving us a break on the 55% rule, which could mean a $2 million infusion to Hamden.
In addition, our Federal legislators, especially Rep. DeLauro and Sen. Dodd, will be instrumental in making dramatic changes in No Child Left Behind. They will be looking to hear from you, to guide them in crafting that legislation.
If we apply this same amount of pressure at the Federal level, when NCLB is reauthorized it will no longer be a punitive system aimed at dismantling public education, but a program that will enable all educators, students and schools to do their best work.
I have great faith in this vision; mere hours after the 2008 election the National PTA President, Jan Harp Domene, was called to meet with the Obama transition team. Change is definitely coming and PTA will be vital in making sure our elected officials keep their promises to us and our children.
On behalf of Hamden PTAs I’d like to thank the residents, parents and students, who have accepted our invitation to speak. Democracy is NOT a spectator sport and we appreciate your coming out to play.
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