CITIZENSHIP/INSPIRATION CHAIRMAN SHALL:

Promote the display of, the proper use of and respect for the Flag of the United States of America in homes, schools and communities. Study the history of the American Flag.
Recite the Pledge of Allegiance at each meeting.
Encourage special programs in conjunction with the observance of patriotic holidays.
Stress the importance of voting in all elections. Coordinate “register and vote” campaigns. Encourage students’ participation in the election process.
Promote projects for the local, county, state and national government.
Encourage attendance at meetings of the school board, city council, town hall, and the county commission.
Get acquainted with a naturalized citizen and rekindle your flame of the privilege of being an American. Attend
naturalization ceremonies and invite new citizens to your PTA meetings.
Encourage student participation in citizenship programs through choral or instrumental music presentations, flag ceremonies conducted by Scouts, 4-H Clubs, ROTCs, etc.
Create awards or areas of competition. For example: Most dramatic act of citizenship; Oldest, active PTA citizen; Citizen of the Week or Year
Encourage participation in the Tennessee PTA Citizenship Literature Contest.
Using the theme provided, local units and councils are encouraged to conduct this contest at any time during the school year, but the winning entries should be submitted to the State PTA Office by the deadline date of March 1.
Attend PTA workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.

CULTURAL ARTS CHAIRMAN SHALL:

Promote volunteer programs to assist cultural arts appreciation in school and community.
Support a school curriculum that helps to develop an appreciation and enjoyment of cultural arts.
Urge school administrators to include curriculum that will develop creative abilities of students.
Encourage understanding of foreign cultures as well as our native ones. This will lead our youth to a better understanding of the world.
Sponsor local cultural arts contest.
Encourage participation in the National PTA’s Reflections Theme Contest.
Suggest arts and crafts home projects that will involve the whole family.
Cooperate with other local cultural arts chairmen in planning work for the year.
Encourage participation in cultural arts programs through the Alliance for Arts in Educational Council.
Co-sponsor Music in Our Schools Week in March, working with the music educators
Attend PTA workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.

EARLY CHILDHOOD CHAIRMAN SHALL:

Provide early childhood education information to families.
Encourage family involvement in the educational process of their child.
Provide information on the health and safety of the child.
Promote programs of sharing insights and experiences with other parent/families as well as their concerns.
Provide information on pre-school development (language, hearing, vision, and motor skills).
Educate families on the need for and value of providing nurturing qualities and good values that will develop the whole child…body, mind and spirit.
Organize and help conduct leadership training programs that will develop informed leaders.
Help parents establish close and affectionate relations with their children and become good examples for them.
Promote programs that will enable the parents of young children to gain the knowledge, skills, understanding, and self-confidence that enhance and strengthen family relationships.
Seek cooperation of other PTA committees in promoting the pre-school service program.
Enlist the cooperation of other organizations and agencies that aid in children’s wholesome development and that help prevent child abuse and family breakdown.
Foster concern that all young children have the advantages of a wholesome physical, cultural, social, and emotional environment and to stimulate public and private action to provide such environment for all children.
Attend PTA workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.

EDUCATION CHAIRMAN SHALL:

Develop and promote a deeper and more widespread understanding of the purpose, achievements, problems, and needs of our public schools.
Encourage greater participation by parents and the general public in developing plans, programs, and procedures for continued improvements in our system of public education.
See that the needs of the school are met by stimulating the proper action toward this end.
Know your school board members.
Attend school board meetings and workshops.
Know your own school system.
Provide a study of school finances from federal, state and local sources.
Have a study on “Looking in On Your School”.
Be informed as to changes made by the past session of the legislature.
Publicize county and local needs of school, teachers, and parents.
Attend PTA workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT CHAIRMAN SHALL:

Encourage youth leadership and involve youth in programs and discussions.
Plan programs or workshops focusing on parenting, alcohol and drug abuse, juvenile protection, and child abuse.
Promote newspaper articles, radio and TV programs on Family Life Education.
Encourage your local schools to include parenting education in the curriculum.
Involve parents in discussion groups about their problems and possible solutions.
Seek out resource people in your community for speakers, advisors, or leaders for discussion groups (local health officers, mental health advisors, Juvenile Court Judge or officers, physicians, school counselors, etc.).
Interact with other PTA committees in planning programs and projects.
Attend PTA workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.

HEALTH CHAIRMAN SHALL:

Become personally knowledgeable about important health issues and health education and the resources available to help the PTA take action.
Educate parents on the health needs of children and youth.
Be informed of the most current legislation as it pertains to children’s health.
Observe Health Day/Week emphasis. These are listed here on the Tennessee PTA website and in the National PTA Quick Reference Guide.
Network with agencies in your community whose purpose is to promote the health of our children and youth.
Promote a Health Fair for your students. Involve other community agencies.
Attend PTA workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.

LEGISLATIVE CHAIRMAN/COMMITTEE SHALL:

Serve as a study and action leader to provide PTA members with information on current and pending legislation that affects the health, safety, education and welfare of children and youth.
Help PTA members understand the way in which governmental bodies function and the process by which laws are enacted.
Assist members in effectively communicating with elected representatives at all levels of government.
Serve on local advisory committees and task forces that address topics dealing with the well being of children and youth.
Encourage attendance at the Tennessee PTA’s Legislative Conference.
Attend PTA workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.

MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN SHALL:

Set goals which are realistic and which are supported by the Executive Board.
Develop a campaign to cover the entire year.
Assign each committee member specific duties
Use the State and National PTA publications for recruitment and display the material at all PTA functions.
Build an informed and participating membership that is familiar with the association’s purposes, mission and
accomplishments.
Submit Membership reports
Attend PTA workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.

PROGRAMS CHAIRMAN SHALL:

Prepare a tentative program plan for presentation to the Executive Board at its first meeting.
Attend council meetings and workshops to obtain information on current needs and programs.
Publish the year’s program topics in your local unit newsletter.
Promote monthly programs with the help of the Publicity and Public Relations Chairmen.
Have a “substitute program” that can be presented on short notice.
Attend PTA program workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.
Contact the Tennessee PTA second vice president or the State PTA Office with any questions or concerns regarding program planning and presentation. Also visit the National PTA website for additional programs information.
Promote Founders Day. Great emphasis should be given to the reason PTA was founded on February 17, 1897. A Founders Day Program should tell a meaningful story of PTA, the achievements of the past, and concerns of the
present and a look into the future. Looking at where we have been and where we are now should help stimulate greater awareness of many opportunities to serve our youth.

PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIRMAN SHALL:

Utilize every medium of communication – television, radio, newspaper, videos, magazines, exhibits, telephone,
personal contacts, and the Tennessee PTA website tnpta.org.
Study the media with which you will be dealing. Make contacts with the appropriate persons for deadline information for each communication medium.
Make use of public service announcements on radio and television.
Do not over emphasize fund raising projects to the exclusion of services to children and youth.
Maintain a clipping file.
Attend PTA workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.

READING AND LIBRARY SERVICES CHAIRMAN SHALL:

Know what constitutes good school and community library service; be alert to any legislation affecting school or public libraries, whether locally, statewide, or nationally.
Work toward the establishment of libraries in all elementary schools.
Promote the placement of reading specialists in the elementary schools.
Initiate and/or promote additional reading programs at school.
Promote book fairs that give parents, teachers, and children an opportunity to browse through a collection of books.
Observe Children’s Book Week in November and National Library Week in April in your school and community. For observance suggestions about Children’s Book Week contact the Children’s Book Council, 568 Broadway, Room 404, New York, NY 10012 or phone (212) 966-1990. For National Library Week contact American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611 or phone (312) 944-6780.
Be knowledgeable about the reading program at your school; be aware of statewide reading programs that can be implemented at the local level.
Encourage parents to study the effect of unlimited TV viewing on children’s reading habits.
Put all publications that will increase an appreciation of reading and books on your PTA bookshelf.Secure and distribute suggested reading list for elementary, junior high, and senior high students. (Obtain from school librarian, school system, or the local library.)
Promote community education concepts as it relates to libraries, i.e. encourage school officials and agencies to cooperate to keep school libraries open beyond school hours.
Promote 90% Reading Initiative by participating in the Tennessee PTA “Heart to Heart – Read With Me” week.
Attend PTA workshops in the summer and at state and national conventions.

ROOM REPRESENTATIVES:

The room representative plays a very important part in each PTA unit. They provide a close personal contact between the PTA, parents, and teachers.
Unless otherwise provided for in the association’s bylaws, the room representatives function as a committee. They select one of their members (or may be appointed by the PTA president with board approval) to represent them on the PTA Board of Managers (Board).
Hold a general meeting of all room representatives as soon as they have all been selected. Give them written
guidelines (job description) as to their duties for the year. Be sure to abide by policies of the principal and of the school board.
Work closely with the Membership Chairman by contacting parents in their classrooms and urging them to enroll in PTA.
Urge attendance at PTA meetings by being informed of dates, times, and programs. Ask telephone chairman in each room to contact parents and personally invite them to PTA just prior to each meeting.
Work with Hospitality Committee by providing “meeters and greeters” at each PTA meeting.
Assist with health, safety and other projects undertaken by PTA.