Now that we are all in the midst of forming Nominating Committees and holding elections, it is time to start thinking about recruiting new leaders and building our boards.

Where are you finding new board members? How are you reaching out? Are you reaching beyond the few who always show up and do everything? Look for the group of moms who are there every day at pick up huddled together talking. Are they involved? Has anyone ever asked them? What about the grandparent who walks his grandson to school every day? Most people just want to be asked. What about at kindergarten round up? What a great time to get someone involved - right when their child is entering school for the first time. Don't forget the teachers and staff, too. (Remember the "T" in PTA!) They are a wonderful resource to tap into.

However you recruit new people, it is important to match a person's skills to the job. The person who never smiles and doesn't like to make things look pretty is probably not your best bet for Hospitality Chairman. That same person might just really enjoy working with numbers and be a terrific treasurer. Do you know someone who always seems to have big, creative ideas? They might make a wonderful Membership or Programs Chairman.

Now that you've found those wonderful people - make sure they are trained! There are some opportunities coming up to get a jump-start on training for next year. The annual Area 16 Spring Conference is on Saturday, April 14 at Shadow Ridge Middle School in Flower Mound. This conference features Leader Orientation Training, three sessions of workshops, and a dinner and awards gala. Registration information will be mailed soon to every local unit president and will be available on our website as well at www.lisdpta.org.

Please encourage your board to attend this training opportunity. They will feel more confident in the role they have volunteered for if they are trained, and then, more likely to volunteer the following year!

As always, let your council board know if you need any assistance. We are only a phone call or email away.

Susanne Hutchinson

Council President

972-355-6668

The Nominating Committee of your PTA has met and chosen a nominee for each office of your PTA. What happens next?

The Nominating Committee needs to sign the nominating committee report then make it public through your PTA's regular communication channels (backpack express, newsletter, website, note on the front door of school, etc.). Consult your bylaws to see the deadline for publicizing the slate.

Your bylaws will tell you in what month to hold elections. At the election meeting, the chairman of the nominating committee will read the nominating committee report as signed by the members of the committee. The chairman will then hand the report to the president who will read the report again. (The nominating committee report gets filed in the minutes.) The election will take place one office at a time beginning with the president, and the Chair will ask if there are any nominees from the floor. If not, that office will be elected as outlined in your bylaws. If there is a nominee from the floor, a ballot vote must take place. It is a good idea to have your secretary or parliamentarian have ballots ready to go for that general meeting "just in case". The chair will appoint a tellers committee to collect and count the ballots and announce the vote. The secretary must record the ballot results in the minutes.

To:                  Members & Units of Texas PTA, Area 16  (CPS, FSRS TO FORWARD!)

From:             KAREN K. MARTIN, AREA 16 PRESIDENT

Subject:         NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT & PROFILES

Date:              2/14/2007

PRESIDENT:   Susanne Hutchinson, Flower Mound

VICE PRESIDENT:  Heather Ashwell-Hair, Carrollton

SECRETARY:     Janie McDuffie, Irving

FSR-S:  Kay Smith, Carrollton

FSR-N:  Vacant

This memo constitutes official notice of the slate required within 60 days of the Election during Spring Conference at ShadowRidgeMiddle School, Lewisville on Saturday, April 14.  Qualified members desiring to run "from the floor" for any of these elected positions must notify Karen Martin, Area 16 President, 3214 SALINAS CT. IRVING, 75062 IN WRITING BEFORE A MARCH 1 DEADLINE.  Information will be repeated on Area 16's website and March newsletter.   Should the candidates remain unopposed as of March 1, they are to be elected as slated.

In accordance with Standing Rules, the President must have served on the Area Board for 1 year.  All officers shall be Leadership Orientation Trainers before the election or within 3 months post-election. (before July 14)   

NOMINEE QUALIFICATIONS:

President:

Hutchinson, a Texas PTA Life Member, is completing two years as Lewisville ISD Council President.

She organized Volunteers staffing the past 2 Conventions and 2006 Summer Seminar.

Her 9 years in PTA include Area Board titles of Field Service Rep, Parliamentarian, Membership Chair, and Spring Conference Credentials-Registration Chair.  Susanne is chairing the 2007 Area 16 Spring Conference Committee.  An LOT trainer, she has been a National PTA Convention delegate.

She is the mother of an 8^th grade son and a former elementary school educator.

Vice President:

Ashwell-Hair is the mother of 3-college, high school and middle school aged.  Completing her 2^nd year as CFB Council President, she acted in the capacity of Arts in Education Chairman for Area 16 when the position remained vacant this year.  An LoT trainer, PTA experience the past 11 years includes Environmental and Arts in Ed, Parent Ed, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, Yearbook, Book Fair, President and VP.  Heather has received the Texas Life and Extended Service Awards.  She once broadcast her own radio show focusing on Parent Education. 

Secretary:

McDuffie has 3 grown children who are graduates of Irving's NimitzHigh School. The former preschool teacher has held virtually every PTA position at the local, Council and Area levels.  She is currently Area 16 Secretary.  An LoT trainer, she served as Secretary and Parliamentarian for the former Area 10.  Irving Council President 1993-1995, Janie attends Council, Area and State events.  A Texas Life, Extended Service and Life Achievement Award recipient, she has seen National Convention and mentors PTA volunteers.  For the past 5 years, she cared for her parents in their home. 

Field Service Rep-South (Irving, CFB, Coppell)

Smith has been involved in PTA for 22 years starting at Early Childhood. The FSR-South incumbent and former CFB Council President enjoys teaching LoT and Presidents workshops.  Experience includes Directory, Public Relations, Yearbook, Parliamentarian, organizing units, 1^st VP, Programs and newsletter. Kay, the mother of  3 graduates with a 14 year-old daughter currently enrolled, has a grandson, 1.  A former speech pathologist, she works for her husband's business.  She is a Texas Life and Extended Service Award recipient.

Field Service Rep-Central (Lewisville, Little Elm)

Pynes recently assumed the position of Treasurer on the Lewisville Council Board.  A resident of the Colony, she is President of The Colony Early Childhood PTA.  In that role, she has presented workshops at Seminar and Convention.  The mother of  two spent 10 years in the software development field.  She served Ethridge Elementary PTA as Parliamentarian and has compiled the Lewisville Council Directory.

Field Service Rep-North (Denton, LakeDallas)

Hopefully all of your contests are going strong.  All winning entries are due to council on Friday, March 2^nd.   They can be brought or sent through interschool mail to Donald Elementary on or before March 2nd.  Please label them: Attn: Patti Pollok- Environmental Entries.  Remember, only one entry per category per grade may advance, but you may give as many awards as you wish at your level.  You do not need to do an intent to enter form this year, but if your campus is participating and will have entries advancing and you have not already done so, please e-mail me and let me know so I make sure I get your entries.  Also, please remind parents of entries that are advancing that if their entry makes it past the Council level, it will not be returned to them so they might want to make a copy or take a picture of it.

If you still need forms you can find all of them at txpta.org.

Thanks and if you have any questions, please feel free to call or e-mail me.

Thanks!

Patti Pollok/ pattiptah@aol.com

The Nominating Committee for the LISD Council of PTAs is now accepting nominees for the 2007-2008 Council Officers. If you are interested in one of the offices below, or would like to nominate someone, please contact one of the members of the Nominating Committee.

President
1st VP Programs
2nd VP Membership
3rd VP Budget and Finance
4th VP Leadership Development
Secretary
Treasurer

Angie Barton 972-355-1427 angie.barton@verizon.net
Melinda Carter 972-874-0886 melindacarter28@aol.com
Janet DeYear 972-307-5156 janet@deyear.com
Don McDaniel 972-874-2463 don.wespta@verizon.net
Julie Luce, Chairman 972-691-3549 jrluce@verizon.net

Alternates:

John Spowart 469-867-6705 spowzer@yahoo.com
Elizabeth Murphy 972-998-6040 elizabeth.murphy@verizon.net