Plano ISD PTA Wins 'Texas Outstanding Council' Award

June 16, 2008

Promoting diversity and working together as one strong, cohesive unit, the Plano ISD Council of PTAs "continues to grow and makes changes which benefit every child in the school district,” noted PTA Council President Karen Schultz, who is proud that Plano ISD district policy supports Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) as the parent organization for the district.

PTA Council Executive Board members (l-r) Janet Kelly, 1st vp aide to president; Cara Mendelsohn, 3rd vp of membership; Meryl Evans, webmaster; Karen Schultz, president; and Cherie Tipsword, Youth Protection chair, are pictured at the Council’s annual vendor fair.

President Schultz reports that Plano ISD has a huge PTA membership built on tradition. The strength of Plano ISD PTA garnered a "Texas Outstanding Council" award this year. Ms. Schultz attributes the Council’s success to its service to local PTAs, training and community outreach.

2007-08 Plano PTA Accomplishments

Following are just a few of the PTA Council’s noteworthy accomplishments for this school year.

• Membership - 36,649 members, increase over 2006; Plano had seven of nine local PTA units in Area 15 with membership totaling more than 1,000 people; Plano West Senior High School had the largest PTA in Area 15, with 1,715 members.
• Student Contests - Local Plano PTAs submitted more than 400 Reflections entries to the Council, of which 93 advanced to Area 15 and 25 entries advanced to Texas PTA. A music entry progressed to National PTA; Plano Council sent 38 entries in Texas PTAs Environmental Awareness Contest, with 28 receiving recognition.
• Programs - Plano Council of PTAs partnered with the Richardson Council to host two programs on family involvement and programming; Plano hosted evening programs and brown-bag lunches to educate and support SAGE (Special and Gifted Education) families; Council offered programs on such topics as Destination College, state of the school district with Superintendent Doug Otto, multi-cultural school environment, and personality traits (True Colors).
• District & Community Involvement - Council Board members served on local PTA and booster club boards, teacher of the year selection and gala planning committees, Texas Academic Decathlon planning committee, bond task force, Ski Plano committee, district strategic planning focus group, Practical Parent Education board, and district advisory committees.
• Events - Plano Council held its 13th Annual Vendor Fair, showcasing over 100 fundraising and program vendors; Plano PTA Day at the Ballpark was hosted at the Dr Pepper Ballpark in Frisco to raise scholarship funds and promote family fun.
• Financial Contributions - The Plano ISD Council of PTAs awarded $3,000 in scholarships to six student PTSA members; Many local PTAs awarded senior scholarships; Council and local PTAs contributed more than $5,000 to the Plano ISD Education Foundation; Council and local PTAs contributed awards and purchased tables at the Teacher of the Year Gala.
• Hospitality - Council provided breakfast for a principals’ meeting, hosted an annual holiday luncheon for administrators, and provided its annual May luncheon for Special Programs Centers (K-8 and 9-12) and the Holifield Science Learning Center.
• Awards - Plano ISD Council tied with Corpus Christi to earn the “Outstanding Extra-Large Council Award” from Texas PTA; 58 local PTAs were awarded 124 Fall Membership Awards by Texas PTA; Local PTAs won best in state for legislative, youth protection and newsletter, and won Gold Texas PTA awards in 10 of 12 categories; the Plano Council celebrated 219 life memberships awarded this year. Skaggs Elementary and Robinson Middle School PTAs captured the Plano Council’s “2008 Outstanding PTA” awards, elementary and secondary, respectively.