1. education
2. school

2015 Convention Schedule
Illinois PTA 113th Annual Convention
April 17-18, 2015
Embassy Suites Hotel and River Front Conference Center
East Peoria
FRIDAY, April 17, 2015
4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Delegate Registration
5:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Workshop Session I

Money Matters 201 – Part 1
(Prerequisite Money Matters 101) This course will take you more in depth into some of the legal
issues you may encounter as a 501 (c) (3) association, including an IRS audit, PTA as a contractor or
employer, regulations surrounding games of chance (gaming fundraisers), corporate sponsorships,
vendors, U.S. Postal regulations, copyrights, lobbying, school tax referenda, and more. It is
suggested that all PTA treasurers take this course, but it contains many legal issues of which other
PTA officers should be aware. Presenters Richard Guzik and Gayle Guzik, Illinois PTA Trained Trainers
and Illinois PTA Doctorate Degree Recipients

Time Management
Information provided to us from surveys indicates that PTA leaders struggle with how to balance
home life, work life and PTA volunteerism. This workshop will help you sort out how to be effective
in all your roles. Presenter Jean Donovan, Illinois PTA Staff Member

From Issues to Solutions (Resolutions)
Participants will be walked through the process of creating a resolution. They will then break out
into teams to create their own resolution based on select materials. Presenter Lisa Garbaty, Illinois
PTA Legislation Director
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6:15 pm to 7:15 pm
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
Workshop Session 2
Money Matters 201 – Part 2
Continued from Workshop Session 1 Making the Case for Advocacy
Participants will learn the basics of advocacy; the ways in which PTA advocates; how they can be
active in this role on the local level; and more!
Making the Case for Advocacy
Participants will learn the basics of advocacy; the ways in which PTA advocates; how they can be
active in this role on the local level; and more! Presenter Lisa Garbaty, Illinois PTA Legislation
Director

Reflections – From Promoting the Program to Celebrating the Students
Whether you are new to Reflections or have been chairing the program for years, this workshop will
provide you with the tools and information you need to move forward with the program, sharing the
arts at your school. We will discuss how to run the program in your school, ideas for promoting the
program, and the many different ways there are to celebrate the students and their creativity.
Presenter Joan Scovic, Illinois PTA Cultural Arts Director

You Are a PTA President: Now What?
Enjoy a one-on-one “chit chat” with the Illinois PTA President, Peggy Staehlin!
Saturday, April 18, 2015
7:30 am to 10:00 am
Delegate Registration
9:00 am to 10:00 am
Workshop Session 3

First Timer’s Orientation
Is this your first time to convention? Come learn how to make the most of your experience! Presenter
Carolyn McCarty, Illinois PTA Southern Region Director

Mission to Mars: Engaging Men in Your PTA
This workshop will cover the barriers to engaging men in PTA and how to overcome them using information
from the 2014 Male Engagement Conference. Programs from the PTA MORE Alliance will be covered as
well. Presenter Brian Minsker, Vice President of Program Services and Incoming President-Elect

Communications Essentials: How to Use National PTA Communications To Inform Local Leaders
Learn how to repurpose National PTA newsletters, social media, press releases, Our Children articles and
more to enhance your local communication plans to inform and provide information to your members. Our
content can be used locally to deliver strong and compelling messages to your members and make delivery
much easier. Presenter Deb Strauss, National PTA Vice President of Membership

P.O.W. - B.A.M.
Join the creators of Powerful Outstanding Women (P.O.W.) and Becoming Amazing Men (B.A.M) for a
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workshop with steps to host these successful events. Both events, geared toward junior high/middle school
students, are designed to inspire the potential of young men and young women through building personal
responsibility, leadership and self-confidence while also engaging parents in the process.
10:15 am to 11:15 am
Delegate Registration
You must be registered by 11:15 am to vote in the ballot election
10:15 am to 11:45
General Session I
Featuring Outstanding Principal, Outstanding Teacher and Outstanding Volunteer Awards
11:45 am to 1:00 pm
Lunch & Ballot Election
Ask the PTA Board – optional informal time to ask any questions you may have about running your PTA
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Delegate Registration
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Workshop Session 4

Community Funding: Grants, Sponsorships, and Partnerships
Find alternative funding methods/programs for your PTA. During this workshop, we will work
through a basic grant application, sponsorship request, and partnership arrangement. You will learn
how to maximize your results through simple steps that can be applied to most funding projects.
Participants will leave this workshop with the tools they can use to find alternative funding resource
for your next PTA project or event. Presenter Carolyn McCarty, Illinois PTA Southern Region Director

Building Today’s PTA – Recruiting Today’s Families
Learn how building a relevant and modern PTA attracts new and diverse members, engages
volunteers, and meets community needs. Discuss simple yet powerful membership recruitment
ideas that have been proven to work when trying to recruit today’s families. Presenter C. Andre
Daniels, National PTA Board of Directors and Chair-Resource Development Committee

How to Host a Parent Engagement Night
Step by step ideas for hosting your parent/family engagement event. This workshop will use an
actual topic for parent education and take you through the process of a parent engagement event
including planning, invitations, publicity, the actual event, and more! Presenter Deb Izzo, Illinois PTA
Health Director

Conflict Resolution
Does your PTA or PTA Board ever have problematic disagreements? This workshop will give you
positive strategies on how to resolve these disagreements and make your PTA stronger in the end.
Presenter Jean Donovan, Illinois PTA Staff Member
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2:15 pm to 4:00 pm
Delegate Registration
2:15 pm to 3:45 pm
General Session II
Learn more about Illinois Vision 20/20! “Many times statewide organizations are better known for
what they oppose rather than those things for which they stand. In November 2012, the Illinois
Association of School Administrators (IASA) initiated a visioning process in partnership with the
Illinois Principals Association (IPA), the Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO), the
Illinois Association of School Boards (IASB), the Superintendents’ Commission for the Study of
Demographics and Diversity (SCSDD), and the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of
Schools (IARSS) to unite the education community and to develop a long-range blueprint for
improving public education in Illinois. Together we stand for excellence in education for all Illinois
children.”
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Workshop Session 5

PTA Family Reading Experience
Enjoy an overview of the successful National PTA Program and the free complete resources available
in one click! Family Reading Experience has had a transformative effect on family engagement for
one community in our Southern Region. Presenter Carolyn McCarty, Illinois PTA Southern Region
Director

Connecting Families-Common Sense Media
From cyberbullying and photo sharing to digital footprints and online safety, the Connecting Families
program helps parents and kids address important topics and have meaningful conversations about
making great choices in their digital lives. Learn about this free, yearlong program which includes
everything parent facilitators need to encourage their schools and communities to use connected
technologies in ways that are both fun and safe. Our resources include a step-by-step hosting guide,
conversation topics, and printable resources to share -- all carefully researched and crafted by
Common Sense educational technology experts. Presenter Jean Donovan, Illinois PTA Staff Member

PTA Publicity That Gets Results
There are a wide variety of methods that can be used to economically and effectively get the word
out about your PTA, your programs and your successes. From-old school tried and true methods to
the latest in social media, this workshop will provide a huge list of practical take- home ideas that you
can start to use right away to share your PTA information and news. Presenter Joan Scovic, Illinois PTA
Cultural Arts Director

The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team
This is an assessment-driven learning experience which will help you build truly cohesive teams. You
will get a high-level overview of the Five Behaviors model, and insights from a team assessment that
you’ll be able to apply to your team, and your organization. Presenter Anna Weselak, National and
Illinois PTA Past President
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