UTAH PTA COMMISSIONS

 Schools are at the heart of every community, and the PTA is right there building the connections between teachers, school staff, students, parents, neighbors and the wider community to support their students. Through events, programs, fundraising and community outreach efforts, PTAs across Utah and the country are building their communities and creating ties to the school in fun, engaging and innovative ways.

 Well-informed, engaged parents make a difference for student success in school and beyond.

A home environment that encourages learning is a bigger factor in student achievement than a parent’s income, education level or cultural background.

Whether it’s reading together, monitoring homework at the kitchen table, talking to teachers about a child’s progress, joining PTA or taking an active part in school governance and decision-making, parent involvement is vital to student achievement.

Decades of research indicates that students with involved parents are more likely to attend school regularly, perform better in school, develop better social skills and go on to post-secondary education.

As important stakeholders engaged parents take part in all aspects of their child’s education and development from preschool to high school. This successful strategy is based on a shared understanding in a school community that parents are children’s first teachers and key resources in their education and growth.

 Parents, schools and communities share the responsibility for the health and safety of children.

• Health is a state of physical and emotional well-being, not merely the absence of disease or illness.
• Safety relates to identifying the areas of greatest potential threat to children and youth and averting these dangers.

Studies show that children’s physical and mental well-being have a significant effect on their long-term success.

When children are well rested, well nourished, emotionally supported and physically fit, they are more ready to learn. The goal of PTA’s health and safety programming is to be a resource for PTA leaders in partnering with schools to create safe environments that encourage healthy, safe choices and social and emotional support for all students.

PTAs have a role in advocating for or supporting health and safety changes at every level of a child’s learning environment. When PTAs and schools work together to address the health and safety topics most relevant to their local school needs, they: Foster family-school connections by focusing on issues that both schools and families care deeply about. Deliver information to families in a way that builds trust with schools and fosters a welcoming environment. Identify areas, equipment and behaviors within the school and home environments that could be healthier or safer for children.

 Quality public education is crucially important to individual families and the future of our society.

Utah PTA is committed to connecting families and schools by providing a range of information, resources and training to empower parents to actively participate at all levels of decision-making: from the school site to local school boards, to state and federal government bodies. PTA works to inform its membership of education issues and to advocate at every school and district.

Whether it is understanding Utah state standards and local curriculum, or how to help a child succeed with homework, learning about high-school course options and college/career readiness, or serving on a citizen’s committee for the school district, families need information that empowers them to be involved with their children and community.

Understanding how school systems work increases the likelihood of parent and community involvement, which makes education more effective and responsive for students.

 All of the secondary schools in Utah are PTSAs. PTSA is a PTA at a middle school, junior high or high school that recognizes students as members and must have student participation in some form. 

 How is your PTA Connecting through Technology?

• Social Media
• Emails
• Newsletters
• Digital Flyers
• Texts
• Website
• Videos

Studies show that a strong family-school partnership is key to helping students reach their full potential. That means communication must be solid between parents and teachers and administrators. Technology over the years has helped to bridge traditional gaps in communication. Technology offers accessibility.

PTAs can be (should be) a strong link and resource for families and schools to bridge the communication gap.

Ideas to build strong communication.

• Define communication goals.
• Use more intentional and inclusive communication.
• Use effective two-way communication.

The mission and purpose of PTA state that a primary focus of PTA is “make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children,” “to speak on behalf of children and youth,” and to "secure adequate laws for [their] care and protection..." Advocacy work for children and youth must be a unified effort of local members with council, region, and Utah PTA officers.