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Register Now for the NCPTA Virtual Youth Summit: POP “Peers of Power” pep session
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Calling all youth to join the NCPTA Youth Engagement Committee for a pep session on the power of youth members. The event is free of charge.
The Theme of the Summit: POP “Peers of Power”
Register today…for an energizing and spirit filled Pep Session!
Event will be held via Zoom. Zoom meeting info will be sent to registered participants.
The event is called “POP” Peers of Power Pep Session to lead up to our Spring Youth Summit on February 27, 2021.
A Conversation About Public Education with Governor Roy Cooper
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North Carolina PTA, Public Schools First NC, and the Public School Forum of North Carolina co-sponsored a conversation with Governor Roy Cooper on Thursday, September 17, 2020. Panelists from each organization asked the governor questions about critical issues facing public education in North Carolina. Click here for the full conversation.
In Case You Missed It: NC Superintendent of Public Instruction Candidate Forum
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North Carolina PTA partnered with the Public Schools First NC, Public School Forum of North Carolina, and the NC League of Women Voters to host a Candidate’s Forum for the NC Superintendent of Public Instruction on Thursday, September 10 in Raleigh, NC.
Democrat Jen Mangrum and Republican Catherine Truitt took part in the Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate forum. Click here to view now.
Reflections Theme Search Contest Now Open
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Students can now submit ideas for the 2022-2023 Reflections Theme. National PTA Reflections sponsors a student-focused Theme Search Contest annually to determine a future program theme. NCPTA welcomes all students from PTAs in good standing to participate! NCPTA will select 5 winning themes in November to represent North Carolina in the contest for the 2022-23 Reflections Theme!
Reflections encourages creativity and lifelong learning while offering recognition for artistic endeavors. The PTA Reflections Program is designed to enhance quality arts education for students in preschool through grade 12.
Deadline to enter is October 31st, 2020.
NCPTA Announces Recipients for the NCPTA Internet Access and Device Grants and NCPTA Gates Mini-Grants
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NCPTA is pleased to announce our recipients for the NCPTA Internet Access and Device Grants and NCPTA Gates Mini-Grants. We are grateful to everyone that applied. This was a TOUGH decision. The expected date of disbursement of grant funds/items is August 10, 2020.
NCPTA Internet Access and Device Grant Winners
These two PTAs will be awarded $2500 to address the internet access and device challenge in their communities. Congratulations are extended to Wake Young Men’s Leadership Academy PTSA (Wake) and Hopewell High School (Mecklenburg).
NCPTA Internet Access and Device Grant Winners
These two PTAs will receive a Google Pixelbook, the high performance Chromebook, to address the internet access and device challenge in their communities. Congratulations are extended to DC Virgo Preparatory Academy PTA (New Hanover) and Sandy Ridge Elementary PTA (Stokes).
NCPTA Gates Mini Grant Winners
Each of these PTAs will be awarded $250 to host Community Conversations with their school or district leaders and families.
- Durham Council of PTAs
- The School For Creative Studies PTSA
- Bethesda Elementary PTA
- DC Virgo Preparatory Academy PTA
- Old Richmond Elementary School
- Hillside High School Parent Teacher and Student Association
- Guilford County Council of PTAs
- Seventy-First High PTSA
- WG Pearson Magnet Elementary PTA
- Centennial Campus Magnet Middle School PTSA
- HC Bellamy Elementary PTA
- Isaac Bear Early College High School PTSA
- Cumberland County District PTA Council
- Mary C. Williams Elementary PTA
- New Hanover County PTA Council
The Office of Public Engagement & VolunteerNC invites you to attend a Webex event: El Centro Hispano Working during COVID-19 & UNCW Latino Alliance: COVID-19 and the Latinx Community of SE,NC
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Please join the Office of the Governor for our twelfth COVID-19 Latinx conference call hosted Friday, July 24th at 1 pm. The call will be facilitated by The Office of Public Engagement and VolunteerNC. Please see the agenda and registration information below and feel free to share within your networks. Spanish interpretation will be provided.
Welcome Remarks
- Caroline Farmer, Executive Director of Volunteer NC, Office of the Governor
- Jeremy Collins, Director, Office of Public Engagement, Office of the Governor
- Matty Lazo-Chadderton, Deputy Director of Outreach, Public Engagement, Office of the Governor
El Centro Hispano Working during COVID-19
Pilar Rocha-Goldberg, President & CEO, El Centro Hispano
UNCW Latino Alliance: COVID-19 and the Latinx Community of SE, NC
Amanda Bommershine, Ph.D, Professor of Spanish and Co-leader of the Latino Alliance
Edelmira Segovia, Ed.D, Director of UNCW Centro Hispano & Co- of the Latino Alliance
Q&A
Adjournment
Palabras de Bienvenida
- Caroline Farmer, Directora Ejecutiva de Voluntarios NC, Oficina del Gobernador
- Jeremy Collins, Director, Involucramiento Público, Oficina del Gobernador
- Matty Lazo-Chadderton, Directora Asociada de Alcance, Involucramiento Público, Oficina del Gobernador
El Centro Hispano Actuando en Tiempos de COVID-19
Pilar Rocha-Goldberg, Presidente & CEO, El Centro Hispano
Alianza de UNCW: COVID-19 y la Comunidad Latinx del SE, NC
Amanda Bommershine, Ph.D, Profesora de Español y Co- líder de Alianza Latina
Edelmira Segovia, Ed.D, Directora de UNCW Centro Hispano & Co-líder de Alianza Latina
Preguntas
Cierre
Teicher Patterson, Halifax County Principal of the Year and a member of our NCPTA Board of Directors dies after fighting COVID-19
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It is with great sadness that we share with the NCPTA family that we have lost a true hero for children. Teicher Patterson was a cherished member of our Board of Directors. We are devastated. Our prayers to his family, friends, members of the community, but especially the children he never stopped believing in nor fighting for.
NCPTA, in partnership with North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), will host Virtual Town Halls
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On Wednesday, July 22nd from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Spanish and Sign Language Interpreters will be provided) and Thursday, July 23rd (Sign Language Interpreter will be provided) from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., NCPTA, in partnership with North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), will host Virtual Town Halls. The purpose of these Virtual Town Halls is to provide a forum for North Carolina families to hear important updates and information about COVID-19 and NC school reopening from health care professionals. There will also be a Q&A session.
These Virtual Town Halls will allow North Carolina families to hear pertinent information related to COVID-19 numbers in our state, safety precautions needed to support successful school reopenings, and more.
FEATURED PANELISTS
Wednesday, July 22nd (Spanish and Sign Language Interpreters will be provided)
- Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, Duke University Medical Center
- Susan Gale Perry, Chief Deputy Secretary
- Rebecca Planchard, NCDHHS Senior Policy Advisor
- Dr. Betsey Tilson, NCDHHS State Health Director
- Rogelio Valencia, NCDHHS Latino Ombudsman
Thursday, July 23rd (Sign Language Interpreter will be provided)
- Dr. Kenya McNeal-Trice, UNC Health
- Susan Gale Perry, Chief Deputy Secretary
- Rebecca Planchard, NCDHHS Senior Policy Advisor
- Dr. Betsey Tilson, NCDHHS State Health Director
HOW TO REGISTER TO VIRTUALLY ATTEND?
If you would like to virtually attend the Virtual Town Halls, you can register via the Eventbrite links listed below. Prior to the event, registrants will receive the link to access the virtual platforms to view the Town Halls.
- Wednesday’s Eventbrite Registration
https://ayuntamientovirtual22dejuliode2020.eventbrite.com
- Thursday’s Eventbrite Registration
https://ncptavirtualtownhalljuly232020.eventbrite.com
GOT QUESTIONS?
If you have questions regarding COVID-19 and NC school reopening, we would like to hear from you. Your submissions will be used to guide the conversations during the town halls and future community engagement events. Your submissions will also be used to create a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). To submit your question, click the link below. You can submit questions at https://bit.ly/NCPTAJuly2020TownHallQuestions
NCPTA Announces Dates for Convention 2020
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NCPTA Announces Dates for Convention 2020
We are excited to announce that NCPTA will virtually hold Convention 2020 on Friday, August 14th and Saturday, August 
15th. Convention 2020 highlights will include…
*Breakout Sessions on
- PTA Leadership and Governance
- Male Engagement
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Leading with COVID in Mind
* Election of NCPTA Treasurer (Note: To be a voting delegate, you must join a unit before August 11th. For many units, you can do this online via MemberHub or contact the state office at office@ncpta.org for help)
*Giveaways, contests, and other NCPTA Convention excitement
*And tons more
To stay up-to-date on Convention 2020, please join us via our social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and our Convention website.
NCPTA President’s Statement on George Floyd
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“Our Children Are Listening”
Raleigh, NC (June 4, 2020): In NCPTA, we advocate for all parents and children. For over 100 years we have stood up and proclaimed that all children have a right to reach his/her dreams. The twelve great religions of our world teach us that we are our brother’s keeper. Many of us are not aware that we share the same Golden Rule. Christians say, “Do to others as you would want them to do to you.” “Treat not others in the ways that you yourself would find hurtful” is a quote from the Buddha. In the Islamic faith, the prophet Muhammad stated, “Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself.” The Jewish Talmud reads, “What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor.” In order for ALL children to reach their dreams, we must prepare the way.
In 1987 the musical, Into the Woods, took our country by storm. To the onlookers, it was a story intertwining the plots of our children’s fairytales. We had the opportunity to explore the characters’ wishes and consequences but really, it is about how we as adults influence our children by the actions we choose.
Over the last 10 days, we have watched as the people of the world express their anger over the killing by suffocation of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer. And for a moment we are traumatized. Yet as a nations, we saw Emmitt Till’s picture, Rodney King’s beating, we know that hundreds of Hispanic children are separated from their families, and we have sat at kitchen tables listening to racist remarks of our neighbors. Every one of us have seen the pictures of lynchings and whippings.
As North Carolinians, we must remember our own history. August 29, 2014, Lennon Lacy, a high schooler was found dead, family and friends believe lynched because he was dating someone white. In 2019 in Davidson County, a spirit rock of a white school uttered the words to “Kill N……” In North Carolina, there were over 123 lynchings of African Americans in less than 75 years between 1882 and 1950. Between 2013 and 2017, hate crimes in NC have increased by 64%. The most targeted racial groups are Black people by 50% and religions related crimes, Jewish people targeted at 58%. The national increase was only 22%. In 2018, the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported over 8828 victims of hate crimes in the United States. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, NC has over 19 hate groups organizing within the state.
Keeping with the theme of the musical, we have a spell that has been cast over our nation for hundreds of years and for hundreds of years we have chosen for it to remain. Generation after generation, children have watched and listened to our words and have repeated generational actions.
In the song, “Children will Listen,” the witch reminds the adults that:
“Once upon a time
(In a far-off kingdom there lay a small village at the edge of the woods)
Careful the things you say
Children will listen
Careful the things you do
Children will see
And learn…”
Everyday our children are impacted by you. Either you are teaching our children to love their neighbor through your actions. Or your children are being taught through your inaction, subtle statements, and family history. We are in this place today, because generations of children have listened and continued the racist, implicit bias of their elders.
As an organization, we believe that every child has a healthy home, community, and school. However, the economic, health, and wellbeing of a child of color is hindered greatly by the impact of racism. As an organization we understand the importance of family engagement in our child’s education but we also understand historical trauma.
We have to go into the woods to find the ingredients to break this spell. As with the fairytale, the woods are dark and unknown but we must adventure into them to break the spell placed on this land so many years ago.
“Careful the spell you cast
Not just on children
Sometimes the spell may last
Past what you can see
And turn against you”
Langston Hughes, great American writer wrote about a life denied, in Harlem.In the poem he writes about what if a man is denied the ability to dream.
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore-
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over-
Like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
Like a heavy load
Or does it explode?
Like many men before, George Floyd was denied his dream. For generations “the spell” has denied people of color from living their dreams. But we do not live in a fairytale. We live in a world where what we have taught our children has caused death, suffocation, and the millions of dream differed for hundreds of years, and it has exploded.
To break the spell is easy. The twelve great religions had the answer and its simple. We love our brother. We love our neighbor. And it is to be kind and fair with the same opportunities.
We must go into the woods of our hearts in order to make meaningful change. Our children are listening.
Sincerly,
Harold Dixon, President
North Carolina Parent Teacher Association
Brown, Joe. (January 23, 2019). “New Documentary examines mysterious death of Bladen County teen.” ABC11.
Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigations. (2018). 2018 Hate Crime Statistics.
Killian, Joe. (July 10, 2019). “Study: Reporting hate crimes up 64 percent in NC.” Progressive Pulse.
Quillin, Martha. (Jan. 29 2019). “How many African Americans were lynched in North Carolina? CuriousNC reveals our brutal past.” The News & Observer.
Sanderlin, Lee. (Jan. 17, 2020). “The N-Word. A Standoff between school systems. Here’s How the story continues to unfold in Davidson County.” Winston-Salem Journal.
Serafico, Leo. (Aug. 29 2019). “The Golden Rule of Different Religions And Philosophies.”Medium.
Sondheim, Stephen. “Children will listen.” Into the Woods. Southern Poverty Law Center. (2019).
