2021 Awards and Incentives

April 1, 2021 by Madison Estes

Awards to be presented at the Massachusetts PTA VIRTUAL Annual Convention, April 10, 2021

Leadership Awards –

Application online is required

Applications are due by Friday April2, 2021.

The Barbara Bailey Membership Award

Barbara Bailey was president of Massachusetts PTA in the early 1990’s. During her term (and beyond!), she was able to help units manage memberships, bylaws, and conflicts. To recognize her continued dedication to units across the state, we are honored to name this award after her. Describe a successful membership drive that your unit completed during the past year.

The Carol Woodbury Leadership Award

Carol Woodbury was the president of the Massachusetts PTA from 1999-2002. During her term, she inspired units across the state to work together and form positive relationships with school administrations and the community. Carol continues to work on behalf of students, parents and teachers in Massachusetts where she works as a superintendent. Write a brief description of an inspiring leader in your local unit. Tell us what makes that person inspiring and how it made a difference in your school/community.

Spirit of PTA Award

This award recognizes volunteers who promote and encourage the essence of PTA in their communities…every Child. one Voice. Write a short essay describing someone you feel portrays the true essence of PTA. Members must be registered to accept the award. This award is open to a variety of leadership roles that your unit feels a member is deserving of recognition: newsletter, event planning, public relations, fundraising, etc. Your local dues can cover any convention expenses, as well.

Outstanding Advocate Award

[3 separate awards will be given- 1st for Student Advocate; 2nd for Member Advocate and 3rd for a Local Unit]

This award is given to a student, PTA member and Local Unit on the Local Unit level who has made significant contributions through Leadership/Service. In a short essay, describe how this person or unit exemplifies and stands out among others, how they adopted and carried out the mission of the PTA and volunteered their time to bring this to fruition.

Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award

[3 separate awards will be given- 1st for elementary; 2nd for middle school and 3rd for high school]

This award is to recognize a school teacher who is supportive, helpful, and personally involved in the PTA.

Outstanding Vice Principal of the Year Award

[3 separate awards will be given- 1st for elementary; 2nd for middle school and 3rd for high school]

This award is to recognize a school vice principal who is supportive, helpful, and personally involved in the PTA.

Outstanding Principal of the Year Award

[3 separate awards will be given- 1st for elementary; 2nd for middle school and 3rd for high school]

This award is to recognize a school principal who is supportive, helpful, and personally involved in the PTA.

Outstanding Superintendent of the Year Award

This award is to recognize a school district superintendent who is supportive, helpful, and personally involved in the PTA.

Outstanding Counselor of the Year Award

This award is to recognize a school counselor who is supportive, helpful, and embodies the mission of PTA.

Unsung Hero Award

This Unsung Hero has gone above and beyond the call of duty. This is a special person who has done extra special things for those in need. This special person has done good work without receiving or expecting praise and recognition. In a short essay, describe how this person exemplifies and stands out among others, how they adopted and carried out the mission of the PTA. This person could be: ESP’s (Educational Support Professional), School Nurses, Crossing Guards, Guardians, Grandparents, Cafeteria Personal, Bus Drivers, School Bus Monitors, Custodian/Maintenance Personal, Lunch/Recess Monitors, etc.

Spotlight on Male Engagement Award

This award rewards those units who focus on ways to engage the fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, uncles, mentors, business partners, etc. In a short essay, describe how your PTA has utilized or involved fathers in your school or community. Attach fliers/news articles/screenshots that are related.

Newsletter/ Communications (Examples of Publication Required)

Do you have a great way of keeping your PTA community informed? Whether it is newsletters that are sent home in a backpack, emails or a website that helps members keep up-to-date with your PTA happenings, show us how you communicate. Submit an example of your communication.

Community Membership Award

In order to bring into closer relations the school and community, i.e., places of worship, businesses, community leaders, etc., this award will be given to those PTAs that recruit twenty-five members from the community in addition to parents who also serve in community leadership positions.

Literacy Award

This Award is given to PTA units that promote literacy among students, families and the community; support the Media Center with activities that help make students better readers, writers and thinkers; and advance the ideals of learning through the written word.

General Membership Awards – No application needed:

Golden Apple Award – Units with 100% membership of full-time certified teachers.
One Voice for Every Child Award – Membership equal to or greater than number of students enrolled in the school.
Massachusetts Honor Roll – Units with membership equal to or greater than 60% of students enrolled in the school.
Challenge Award – Units with 5% membership increase over the previous year’s membership total.
Making a Difference Award – Units with at least a 15% member increase over the previous year’s membership total.

Win gift cards for your unit!

All units which submit their dues and membership lists by November 15, will be placed in a drawing for $50 gift card. Two units will be selected.

The following will be determined and awarded based on dues/membership submissions received by December 15, 2020

First unit to submit:

a 15 member increase over last year’s total membership will receive a $25 gift card*

a 25 member increase over last year’s total membership will receive a $50 gift card*

a 30 member increase over last year’s total membership will receive a $75 gift card*

*Units will receive a TD Bank Visa Gift Card!

Simply and Successfully Sweet: Volunteer Awards
Application online is required

Online applications are due by Friday, April 2, 2021.

PTA is a volunteer driven organization. To provide all of the amazing programs and events a local PTA may provide for their community it requires many dedicated volunteers. To encourage and recognize the outstanding work of volunteers, Massachusetts State PTA (MA PTA) provides multiple individual recognition awards that local PTAs may choose to award to deserving volunteers. Local PTAs develop their own timeline for recognizing volunteers, nomination form(s), and rubric for determining eligibility. Each unit can submit up to 8 nominations, 1 for each candy listed below.

Nominations need to be submitted to the Massachusetts PTA by Friday, April 2, 2021 in order for the nominee to be awarded at the VIRUTAL Awards Breakfast Celebration on Saturday, April 10, 2021 Each winner will receive a certificate and the corresponding candy for their award.

Starburst- You always burst with energy and excitement

Pay Day- You always keep us on budget

Crunch- You are always help others when they are in a crunch

KitKat- You are always helpful and give others a break

Pop Rocks- You rock our world!

3 Musketeers- You are loyal and a good friend

Extra- You are a hard worker and go the extra mile

Rolo- You always roll with the punches

PTA Legislative Conference

March 13, 2021 by Madison Estes

PTA Members Meet with Legislators on Important Initiatives

Lexington, MA; March 11, 2021 – Members of Massachusetts Parent Teacher Association (PTA) participated in the National PTA’s Legislative Conference this week. As the single largest child advocacy association in the United States, the National PTA®, which includes the Massachusetts PTA, prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Massachusetts PTA is devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. During the conference attendees heard from speakers, participated in workshops, and witnessed the presentation of many advocacy awards. They also met with our U.S. Senators, Representatives and their key staff members to discuss issues that affect the well-being, health and educational success of every child in the State of Massachusetts and to highlight what legislative initiatives are necessary.

Key initiatives the delegation from Massachusetts PTA highlighted included:
● Increased funding for the Statewide Family Engagement Centers
● Ensure meaningful, robust investments in education in Covid relief package
● Include schools in any comprehensive infrastructure package
● Improve the federal school meal program through Child Nutrition Reauthorization
● Support policies that protect all students, including students from historically marginalized populations

The mission of the PTA is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.

MA PTA Celebrates African American History Month

February 19, 2021 by Madison Estes

Massachusetts PTA is proud to celebrate African American History Month! Now more than ever it is crucial to work together and make a difference for every child, with one voice. Visit https://www.pta.org/home/events/About-Every-Child-in-Focus/Calendar/African-American-History-Month to learn more about what you and your PTA can do to better support African-American children.

We would like to highlight the proud legacy that Selena Sloan Butler has created. She was the founder and first president of the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers Association (NCCPT). Her many accomplishments are truly valued today and she believed in parent engagement and giving minority children a chance in education.

National PTA Statement on New CDC Guidance for Reopening Schools

February 16, 2021 by Madison Estes

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Feb. 12, 2021)—The following statement can be attributed to National PTA President Leslie Boggs:

“National PTA appreciates the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issuing clearer guidance today for safely reopening schools for in-person instruction. Reopening schools for in-person learning is vital to ensure the continuity of education for every child, particularly those who do not have adequate access to technology. However, health and safety must continue to be the utmost priority. Parents are depending on the CDC to provide the best guidance for informed decisions to be made.

“National PTA appreciates the CDC providing clarity on the critical importance of universal use of masks for students, teachers and staff, as well as physical distancing between people to the greatest extent possible. National PTA also appreciates the CDC clarifying that rigorous sanitizing processes and viral screening and testing protocols are other important steps to mitigate transmission of COVID-19 in schools. Further, National PTA appreciates the CDC clarifying that the modes schools use for learning should be based on the current impact of the virus on individual communities. Additionally, National PTA appreciates the CDC clarifying that vaccines should be prioritized for teachers but are not required for schools to reopen for in-person learning. National PTA supports vaccination, and our association joined other education organizations in calling for school personnel to be given priority access.

“National PTA applauds the CDC for recommending that school leaders engage with the entire school community in developing reopening plans. National PTA has been calling for any decision to reopen schools to involve parents, families, students, educators and school employees in the planning, implementation and monitoring stages of reopening. Inclusive stakeholder engagement is essential for effective decision-making and successful implementation of school reopening plans, particularly engagement with parents and students to address unique family needs.

“While the CDC’s new guidance is a positive step, more resources continue to be needed to help pay for the costs for schools to reopen safely and successfully and address the health, safety, infrastructure and physical, psychological, social and emotional needs of students, educators and staff. For nearly a year, National PTA has been calling on Congress to provide more funding to schools to address challenges they are facing during the pandemic.

“National PTA is committed to partnering with the CDC to get this information out to parents. Our association also remains committed to advocating to safeguard the education, health and safety of our nation’s children and make sure students, families and schools have what they need during this challenging time.”