SCHEDULE | REGISTRATION INFO | LOCAL PTA & INDIVIDUAL AWARDS | SPONSORSHIP & EXHIBITOR INFO | CONVENTION BUSINESS | ELECTIONS 2023 | SPEAKERS | WORKSHOPS | HOTEL INFORMATION
There will be five sessions of workshops spread out through the three days of the convention. Take a look at the below schedule of workshops to begin planning your full #NJPTALeadCon23 Experience!
Workshop Session #1 – Friday, April 21, 2023 – 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
#1A – Advocacy Case-Studies– Members’ Stories of Success
Hear the creativity PTA members at the local, council, and state levels employed as they recount their advocacy success stories. From initially identifying a problem or goal, to determining strategies and partnerships to align, to marshaling volunteers to action. Attendees will be enlightened to consider new approaches to their own issues and/or agendas. There will also be a Q&A with workshop panelists.
Presented by: Lynette Howard, NJPTA Vice President of Advocacy; Deborah Villarreal-Hadley, NJPTA Legislative Chair; Tezeta “Tez” Roro, West Orange Council President; & Tessie Thomas, Montclair Council President
#1B – Running Your PTA Relationships & Communication
Communicating with administration, teachers, and students can get frustrating as everyone has different perspectives, and styles of communication. Miscommunication often leads to tension. In this session attendees will be able to practice skills that remove tension from communicating in your school community. You’ll learn to ease the tension in your most challenging relationships by practicing to identify the keys to miscommunication.
Presented by: Tre Gammage, Education Consultant, SEL For Educators
#1C – Tips For A Smooth PTA Leadership Transition
A smooth leadership transition leads to a great start for your newly installed PTA leaders. To keep your PTA operating efficiently and effectively, records and knowledge must be transferred as completely as possible. We will share best practices for a smooth, effective transition and you will have a chance to share your PTA’s transition successes.
Presented by: Lisa Falco, NJPTA Vice President of Leadership Development
Workshop Session #2 – Friday, April 21, 2023 – 5:45 PM – 6:45 PM
#2A – The Role of the Local PTA Committees
Committees plan and promote the activities of the local PTA and council. They are the mechanism through which the talents and energies of the members are involved, organized, and directed into service for the benefit of children. In this session, we will review different types of committees, how to select committee chairs and members, why a committee needs a plan of work, and general committee guidelines and responsibilities.
Presented by: Lisa Falco, NJPTA Vice President of Leadership Development
#2B – The School Nurses Role in Leveraging Mental Health Management: Hello!! We’re Still in the COVID-19 Pandemic!
Communicating with administration, teachers, and students can get frustrating as everyone has different perspectives, and styles of communication. Miscommunication often leads to tension. In this session attendees will be able to practice skills that remove tension from communicating in your school community. You’ll learn to ease the tension in your most challenging relationships by practicing to identify the keys to miscommunication.
Presented by: Dr. Cynthia Samuel PhD, RN, CSN-NJ & Irvington BOE
#2C – Human Trafficking & the PTA
In January 2022, the NJDOE mandated legislation requiring human trafficking prevention education in middle and high schools. NJ consistently ranks 12th in the nation for confirmed cases of human trafficking (National Human Trafficking Hotline) and is geographically positioned to be a hub. The State Police Cyber Safety Task Force found that, since the pandemic, online exploitation of children has increased by 200%. This presentation raises awareness and provides information and resources to be able to identify, respond and prevent Human Trafficking.
Presented by: Patti Pfeifer, Outreach Committee Co-Chair, Speaker’s Bureau, Gala Director, Education Committee & Operating Council, NJ Coalition Against Human Trafficking; Gina Cavallo, Survivor Consultant for the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking & Co-Chair, Anti-trafficking Task Force, NJ Chapter AAP
Full Group Session & Dinner – Friday, April 21, 2023 – 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Ten Lessons on Leadership, Team Building and Life, Learned Running the Length of New Jersey
Presented by: Ray Pinney, NJSBA Director of Member Engagement and Training
In April 2022, New Jersey School Boards Association’s Ray Pinney along with Anthony Certa ran from the High Point Monument at the top of New Jersey to the Cape May Light House. It was a journey of 196 miles covered in a weekend. Along the way they suffered setbacks and obstacles. But more importantly they overcame those obstacles and made friends and raised money for a great cause. He raised funds and awareness for Dylan’s Wings of Change (DWC) an SEL program for school districts started by Ian Hockley who lost his son in the Sandy Hook School shooting. Ian was on the run providing support for both runners. Find out what they learned and how to apply their insights to school and community leadership.
Workshop Session #3 – Saturday, April 22, 2023 – 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
#3A – Strengthening School Community Relationships
Even the best relationships have tension, and most confrontations come from miscommunication. In this session we’ll break down the Platinum Rule: To treat people the way they want to be treated. With this method, adapting to become comfortable with various communication styles makes it possible to create win-win situations with even the most difficult people.
Presented by: Tre Gammage, Education Consultant, SEL For Educators
#3B – What Parents Should Know about the Role of the Board of Education
The role of the board of education and the individual school board members is often misunderstood. What is the board’s role in personnel? What is the relationship between the superintendent and the board? Who is responsible for what? What are the rules and regulations that guide a board of education meeting? How can parents build a better relationship with their board of education? These questions plus the questions of the attendees will be addressed in this session.
Presented by: Ray Pinney, Director of Member Engagement and Training, NJSBA; Charlene Peterson, Field Service Representative, NJSBA
#3C – Energy Conservation and Air Quality for Classrooms
With the federal government pumping American Rescue Plan money into US infrastructure, many school districts are now able to pursue long needed upgrades. In the session participants will learn how districts can upgrade their school buildings without adding to their tax bill. Information will also be shared about how to apply for grants ‘green’ grants and the latest on air filtration systems.
Presented by: Michael Thulen, JDC Energy Services and Chris Pedecine, Principal D&B Building Solutions
Workshop Session #4 – Saturday, April 22, 2023 – 5:45 PM – 6:45 PM
#4A – Planning Your Program Year with National PTA Programs
Explore how you can engage families in STEM, healthy lifestyles, arts and more through a hands-on tour of National PTA’s signature programs. Sample some of the fun you will create at your school while you empower families with the tools they need to support student success. Gain program ideas, as well as grants available to support your efforts.
Presented by: Amy Sheldon, Director of Resource Development, National PTA
#4B – Literacy Skills in a Digital Age- Teaching Students to Parse Fact from Fiction
Our students are inundated with information on their phones, computers, and TVs, and they do NOT have the digital or critical thinking skills to parse fact from fiction. In January, New Jersey became the first state in the US to mandate K-to-12 information literacy in our schools. In this session, PTA members will learn why these digital information literacy skills are crucial to our students with hands-on activities to demonstrate the need and the skills the students should learn.
Presented by: Theresa Walsh Giarrusso, Founder of Who Says Media, Information Literacy Expert & High School Teacher
#4C – 501(c)(3) PTA Fundamentals
Learn about the benefits, expectations and limitations of being a 501(c)(3) organization. We will discuss the duties of your officers and executive board to keep your PTA in compliance. This workshop will help answer the question “Is my PTA budgeting/spending money on the right things?”
Presented by: Nancy Wallace, NJPTA Member at Large and Convention Chair, Robert Acerra, NJPTA Member at Large
Workshop Session #5 – Sunday, April 22, 2023 – 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
#5A – Safe & Supportive Schools – Questions Every Parent Should Ask
Parents and Caregivers are essential partners in their child’s education. It is imperative that they have a seat at the table whenever decisions are made that impact their children, particularly on the issues of school safety and student support services. Learn to ask for what you should know and about policies that require that your questions are answered.
Presented by: Carey Smith, NREMT, EMT-I & NJPTA Region V Director
#5B – Tips for Growing Your Member Base and Engaging Volunteers
Having difficulty attracting new members? Need more hands to help you provide events or services? We’re here to help! This session provides attendees with fresh ideas and strategies to attract new members and help with tips on engaging them to assist with running programs and events. We’ll also will discuss ways to keep volunteers engaged in your mission and examine some underutilized streams for members. Attendees will be able to network with other PTAs to trade tried and true methods.
Presented by: Laurie Pasiuk, NJPTA Membership Development Chair
#5C – What You Need to Know About Vaping, and Its Impact on Youth
This session will help attendees become familiar with vaping and its impact on youth. We will provide information and statistics about vaping as well as NJ based resources for prevention and vaping cessation. The session will also cover the advertising tactics used by big tobacco, the negative health impacts and the emerging product pipeline.
Presented by: Irakli Kakauridze, Tobacco Programs Supervisor, New Jersey Prevention Network
