Next Step

The signatures were verified and the petition was accepted. The district will be sending out the ballots in January. We will give more information after the winter break.

First of Its Kind

Good news! We submitted the completed petition today. The district will verify the signatures over the next

What is a PTO

What is a PTO?

What about the programs???

Several people have asked what will happen to all the programs we currently have if we switch to a PTO. The answer is

Signing the Petition

I just want to make sure that everyone who would like to sign the petition can. By signing the petition you are stating

School Community Council (SCC)

A school's parent organization, (PTA or PTO) has no bearing on state trust land funds and whether a school will receive them.

What is the SCC?- In 1894, shortly before Utah became a state, Congress

Re-post: PTO Organization

We received a request to share what our org chart might look like if a PTO was organized. This would change in response

Petition

When signing the petition you are stating that you support parent choice. You are

The Other Side of the Story

Scare Tactics

An Open Letter by Holly Hendrickson

Silver Mesa Parent & PTO Supporter

 

Scare tactics are being used to make parents fear change.  People have learned to use social media as a weapon, and a few people putting out false information can really stir up lots and lots of people who may not know any of the real facts of the situation.  Are you falling for these tactics?

 

Scare Tactic #1 - 

Meeting

We hold ongoing meeting to answer questions about and discuss PTOs. We have one coming up this week. It will be

Starting a PTO

For the amount in dues we sent away this year, we could easily have paid for any start-up costs associated with a PTO.  The biggest start-up cost is filing a 501(c)3 (non-profit) application with the IRS. This is a one-time fee. After the initial year, our school would be saving around $1,000 in dues that we typically send away to national, state, and council levels of the PTA.

Plight or Fight?

Other schools in the Nation talk about their experiences switching to PTO
http://www.ptotoday.com/boards/14-pto-v-pta/155472-local-unit-threated-by-state-pta-over-pto-plans

About a Choice

Campaign is such a strong word

Have you wondered what all the hubbub is about? I have! Why is there so much controversy surrounding a choice?

What is a PTO

PTO is a generic term for an independent Parent Teacher Organization operating at the local school level. Approximately 75% of public schools in the U.S. currently have a PTO.

Compare the benefits of a PTO: here or here

PTO: Strong Future

PTO: Sustaining a strong leadership structure into the future

There is a long-established tradition of PTA as the governing parent association in public schools in Utah.  Maybe it’s hard to imagine moving away from that tradition and exploring another option. Some

Isn't Broken???

Why consider changing to a PTO if the PTA isn’t broken?

I’ve heard several parents ask this thoughtful question. It’s true

Today

Today, we had a great meeting with the superintendent (Dr. Briscoe) and Susan Edwards. They approved our notice of intent (NOI), which means

How would you spend $1,000?

How would you spend $1,000?
By Lynne Burns

The numbers tell a story:

How to change your address

If you want to have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming vote be sure your address is correct. The district will be mailing ballots to

Update Your Mailing Address

We have exciting news!!

OUR Parent Organization

Politics don't belong in our school!   Most people would probably say that politics aren't in our school, but they are.  The National PTA uses money that schools send them from membership dues to lobby, among other things. 

Margaret Mead

Maybe you already saw this, but the president of the Canyon's School District Board of Education sent out an e-mail with this quote:

Support

I just wanted to take a minute to say, "thank you"! I have received more support than

Even Better

Even Better- by Carrie Tuttle

I think the Silver Mesa PTA ladies are doing a great job this year. But there is one thing that I think would make it even better...

Worth it?

What are We Missing?  By Holly Hendrickson

The vast majority of parent-teacher groups in the U.S. are actually independents, rather than formally affiliated PTAs. 

Key Difference

Key Difference by Holly Hendrickson, Silver Mesa Parent

One of the main differences between the PTA and a PTO is

What's in a name

Why are we calling our blog "Silver Mesa United"???

How would a PTO benefit our kids?

What's going on...

Some parents at Silver Mesa elementary are interested in exploring the option of a PTO. Canyon's District didn't have a policy allowing parents to choose which group best fit their school. Now they do.

District Policy

Quick review... Canyons District has a new policy. It is regarding parent support organizations. In the past it was very difficult,

Insurance

Every parent organization is required to have insurance. This insurance covers accidents at activities and

Dues or Not

It all boils down to the fact that parents shouldn't have to pay to volunteer at the school. While the National and State PTAs lobbies

Org Chart

We received a request to share what our org chart might look like if a PTO was organized. This would change in response

All-Inclusive

I'm going to use the next few posts to explain further why some parents are interested in exploring the option of a PTO. As always feel free to ask questions or comment. Also, you can let us know if there is a topic you would like us to address.

All-Inclusive-

Repost

This is a repost of an article written by Holly. It explains why some parents want to look at an alternative. The full article is below:

What are we about

I can't believe it has been such a short amount of time since this blog started. A lot has happened and a lot of information has been shared, but I want to get back to the basics. This blog was started to help get the word out about what is happening

Update

On Tuesday night the Canyon's School Board of Education approved a new policy. This policy will allow parents to choose which parent group is best for their school. This policy

Tonight!

There is a school board meeting tonight. They will be addressing several items including a new cell tower at Jordan High School. They are also going to address a policy that allows for parents to choose which parent volunteer organization they want at their school. Kind of a big deal!

SCC

Just wanted to remind everyone that the voting is now open for our school's SCC. From Aug. 27^th through Sept. 2^nd, all parents are welcome to vote for the candidates to fill the open positions on the council.  You will need to go into the front office to vote during that week.

Bookmark

Did your kids come home with a really cute bookmark? I wanted to give a big "Shout Out" to Pro Digital Photos (www.prodigitalphotos.com) for donating the printing of the bookmarks. I love that they have the high five rules on them. Thanks to Lynne Burns for designing them. PS. If you haven't been to Pro Digitals website you should check it out. They have really cute designs for cards and their printing is wonderful!

Run Together

Update

Last night the school board decided to table the policy for two weeks (until they meet next). They would like more input regarding the policy and would like to make sure more people are aware of the proposed policy. You can read the current policy HERE. They might change or update the policy before the next board meeting so make sure to check their website HERE for the most up to date info. The policy is giving parents a choice and a voice.

My own take on the steps of the policy are:

School Board Meeting

This Tuesday, August 18th at 7:30 p.m. there is a school board meeting for the Canyons School District. Among other items, they will be discussing a policy that give parents the ability to choose what is best for their kids and school (this will be the 3rd and possibly final reading of the policy). We would love to see you there to support parent choice. It is at the district building (9361 South 300 East). I will be staying for the whole meeting, but you can come and stay for the policy discussion and then leave. If you have any questions leave a comment or note in the space provided on the left. Hope to see you there. This policy is a big deal! See below for the most recent version of the policy.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Let us know if you have any questions, comments, complaints, suggestions, etc. We want to hear it ALL! Leave a comment on any post, leave a comment in the "Contact Me" section to the left or e-mail me (carrie@tuttle.org).

Decide for Yourself

What would be best for YOUR school and kids?
Source:UtahEducationFact.org

 

PTO and PTA Comparison Chart

PTO		PTA
Determined by local PTO if there are dues at all.	Annual Dues	$1,075 average per Utah PTA ($5.00 per member)
100% of dues remains at the local school and is spent as determined by the members of the local PTO.	Dues Allocation	- 45% of dues remains at the local school.  - 35% goes to the National PTA.  - 20% goes to the Utah PTA.
Each PTO is independently controlled by the local PTO members.	Control	Local PTA's make decisions under the framework set up by the National and Utah PTA.  Non-compliant PTA's can lose their membership in the PTA.

Our Two Cents

This letter was sent in response to the policy the district is writing. We look forward to what the future will bring. To read the policy click HERE

 

To: the Policy Committee, Superintendent Briscoe, Daniel Harper, Jeff Christensen, and Board Members

 

We have been following this process closely.  From the beginning, our goals have been the following:

 

• To have a choice about which parent organization is best for our school.  

• To educate the school community (with full support of the school) about the differences/similarities between parent organizations.  In order to do this, we must be granted the same avenues of communication as the current parent organization.  All parents in the school community should be given equal opportunity to know what is going on.

• To empower parents to get involved in their school by choosing which parent organization would best fit their school and benefit their children, and then to support their choice through volunteerism.

What do YOU think?

The Canyons School District just had their second reading of a new policy. This policy outlines the steps an organization needs to go through to be able to petition for a vote. This vote would allow an organization other than PTA the opportunity to be the parent organization at a school. This policy will cover not only elementary schools, but middle and high schools as well. I encourage everyone  to read the policy and email the district with your comments. Some points I feel are important are:

  - Ask for a fair chance to vote – the sooner the better – and to keep the process simple.
   - Tell the district that parents are excited by the idea of having an all-inclusive parent group, with an opt-out opportunity, like PTOs in other states have done
   - When it comes to voting, ask that only parents be allowed to weigh in on this decision, since it is their volunteer organization.

E-mail any comments to: nancy.tingey@canyonsdistrict.org and jim.briscoe@canyonsdistrict.org
  
Click on this link to find the policy on the school district website. Find the file that is titled "Revised Clean Version Draft Policy Parent School Support": http://www.boarddocs.com/ut/canyons/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=9YUK5F502F38
 
Below is the entire policy:

Learn More

Want to learn more about what a PTO is? Meet with us this Thursday, July 30th at 7:00 p.m. E-mail me (carrie {at} tuttle {dot} org) for the address. Hope to see you there!

Not a New Trend

The switch from PTA to PTO is not a new trend for the nation
From PTOtoday.com

Nationwide, the vast majority (75%) of parent-teacher groups are actually independents rather than formally affiliated PTAs.

For years, the debate has been exceedingly simple to frame. Do we want to be part of something larger and spend our group dollars outside of our school? Or do we want to focus exclusively on

Synergy, Unity, Power

My vision of the ideal Parent volunteer group
By Lynne Burns

In the past several months, I have thought a lot about how to bring all the families at our school together in a common, united way. These are some of my ideas for how I think a PTO will unify our school community:

Synergy with Ownership – Every parent will belong to the PTO, and therefore feel ownership in the success of the organization. This is OUR parent volunteer group, and our individual responsibility to make it awesome!

Unity through Equality – Since every parent is a “member,” all parents have the opportunity to volunteer wherever and

Silver Mesa

Regardless of petitions, campaigns or votes in the upcoming months, we  recognize the PTA as the official parent organization at Silver Mesa for  this coming school year. Please join us in supporting these parents who are  working hard to make Silver Mesa Elementary a great experience for our children. Make sure you tell the PTA officers how much you appreciate all
they are doing for our school!

Volunteer

My kids are really excited to start the new school year (yes, they really do LOVE school). A big part of that has to do with where they go to school. Silver Mesa is an amazing school! Ms. Fielding is a great principal. She has put a lot of time and effort into making our school a wonderful and safe place for my kids to learn.

Silver Mesa has the best teachers! We have loved each teacher my kids have had and look forward to meeting new teachers in a few weeks. Our principal and teachers are super talented, smart and excel in what they do; educating and loving our kids.

But, they can't do it alone – they need parent volunteers!

The first step to volunteering is to fill out the District Volunteer Application (https://volunteer.canyonsdistrict.org/volunteersystem/volunteer/index.cfm). You will be asked basic contact information to complete the application, and it takes about 24-48 hours for approval. Super easy!

After you are approved, you are ready to volunteer! There are volunteer opportunities for everyone no matter how much/little time you have. There are all sorts of ways you can donate your time. In the classrooms, most opportunities will begin after school starts so watch for e-mails or ask your teacher how you can help. Silver Mesa needs YOU!

Clarification

I thought I would write a post to clarify something. A few months ago a member of Silver Mesa's PTA board told me and several others that the council PTA would be increasing their dues, which would mean that our school would only keep $0.25 out of the dues paid. I just learned that this isn't correct. The correct breakdown is:

Facebook

Check out our facebook page. If you like what you see make sure to follow us.

https://www.facebook.com/Silvermesaunited?ref=hl

Join Us

Want to learn more about the vote we will hopefully have in the fall? Want to learn more about a PTO? Want to come listen or ask questions? Please join us Tuesday, July 21st at 9:30 a.m. at the lower pavilion at Flat Iron Park or at 7:00 p.m. at Sandy Library. We would love to see you there. Spread the word. Everyone is welcome!

My Choice

Why I prefer PTO over PTA at my school

By Lynne Burns

Last year I volunteered a lot at the school.  I even attended some PTA meetings, but didn’t know much about PTA. In April, Holly asked me if I had ever heard of PTO, which I hadn’t. We researched it with some other parents and were astounded by what we uncovered. We asked for (and were initially denied) a referendum, where parents in the school community could vote on which parent volunteer group represented them at our school.
 

In May, Dr. Briscoe, the Canyons School District Superintendent, asked the School Board to create a policy, allowing any school in our district the right to petition a vote. Parents throughout our district will soon have the opportunity to choose the parent group for their school for the first time!

Here are some reason why I am excited to have a choice:

Map

I find it interesting that only 4 out of 50 states still has the PTA in a majority of schools. If we change to a PTO we aren't doing something new, just something new for Utah. Maybe the rest of the country knows something we don't. Are we missing out on a good thing by sticking with tradition, rather than going with what is best for our school?

Holly's Top 5

Canyons District is creating a new policy, allowing for a parent organization other than the PTA.  I am thrilled that our school community will get the chance to vote on whether we want a PTA or a PTO at Silver Mesa.  We have never been allowed this choice before.  Because the new policy will only allow for a petition to change the school’s parent organization once every three years, it is important that we as a community really consider the issue before voting this fall.  In light of this, I have written the following:

My Top Five Reasons for Supporting a PTO at Silver Mesa Elementary

by Holly Hendrickson - Silver Mesa Parent

All-Inclusive - I like that a PTO is all-inclusive.  Everyone with a child at the school is considered a member with voting rights.  A PTA has members and non-members.  With a PTO, everyone would receive communications from the PTO about things that impact our school.  With a PTA, only PTA members receive emails concerning some of the things that affect the entire school.  Having PTA members and non-members can be divisive.  Having a PTO where everyone is automatically a member and can be as involved (or uninvolved) as wanted, creates a sense of unity.

Why get involved?

This article was in the Silver Mesa newsletter this spring. I thought it was really good!

 

By: Virginia M. Ramos Matias, M.Ed., School Psychologist
 

School and Home Partnerships for Success
 

Educational research has consistently shown that parent involvement in schools is crucial.  Any amount of parental support of educational goals and involvement in school has been shown to positively affect academic, behavioral, and social outcomes.  “Parental involvement is critical because learning occurs across multiple settings and that collaborative problem-solving partnerships with parents ensure the greatest chance of student success” (Esler, Godber & Christenson, 2008; as cited in Jarmuz-Smith).

What can you do to establish a successful school-home partnership?  

Park Meeting

Want to learn more about what is going on at Silver Mesa? Join us on Tuesday, July 14th at 9:30 a.m. We will be meeting at the lower pavilion at Flat Iron Mesa. Kids can play, parents can chat. Make a comment with any questions.

Reflections

Reflections is a PTA program. What happens if we change to a PTO? If we change to a PTO we would loose the Reflections program. For some this doesn't matter, for others Reflections is a very important program. Some schools who have a PTO have created their own type of reflections program.

Nice to Meet You

It was great to meet with those of you who joined us last Thursday. We were able to meet new people, answer questions and talk about issues involving our kids. We will be meeting again this Thursday, June 25th at 10:00. E-mail me (carrie {at} tuttle.org) if you want the address. In a few weeks we will meet at a park for those who haven't been able to join us yet. Spread the word!!!

Meet

We will be meeting twice in the next couple of weeks. Want to join us? Anyone/everyone is invited. Whether you are pro-PTO or pro-PTA or aren't sure which you like better we would like to see you there. We will be meeting Thursday, June 18th and Thursday, June 25th at 10:00 a.m. E-mail me (carrie {at} tuttle.org) for the location. Hope to see you there!!!

Dues

Did you know that our school PTA charges $5 in dues to join the PTA? Only those who pay are members of the PTA. Did you know that in the 2015-2016 school year our school gets to keep less than $0.50 of the $5.00. The remainder goes to the National, State and council PTA. Only members can volunteer on a PTA board and only members can ratify a budget.

A PTO isn't required to charge dues. Every parent is a member of a PTO. Any parent can serve on a PTO board. Often times a PTO will charge dues their first year to help pay for start up costs (start up costs are around $1000 for the first year and drop significantly after that) but these dues are totally optional. Every parent is a member of a PTO whether they pay dues or not.

Do Something About That

"I always wondered why somebody doesn't do something about that. Then I realized I was somebody." ~Lily Tomlin

The Crazy Ones

"Here's to the crazy ones. The rebels. The troublemakers. The ones who see things differently. While some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do." Steve Jobs

Compare

One of the exciting things happening at Silver Mesa is that in the fall the parents will be able to choose if they think a PTA or PTO will best serve the kids at our school. Don't know the difference? Here is a basic overview of the differences...

(Blogger doesn't have a good way to scale the image. Right "click" on the image and open in a new tab. Then you can zoom in to read it. Sorry!)

 

Purpose

Hello! Welcome to the Silver Mesa United blog. The purpose of this blog is to educate, inform and unite the families at Silver Mesa Elementary. What does that mean? There are some exciting things happening at Silver Mesa and we want to share what is going on with everyone. If you have anything you would like to share then let us know (see the left sidebar to send us a message). If there is a topic you would like to explore or questions you would like answered then let us know. We believe a PTO would be great for our school. Let us know what you think. Thanks!!!