Ohio PTA 117th Annual Convention
Flip the Script Red Carpet Extravaganza
April 12-14 2024
Nationwide Hotel and Convention Center
100 Green Meadows Dr. S
Lewis Center, OH 43035
Ohio PTA President 2023-25
Angela Revay
Welcome to the 117th Ohio PTA Convention! Our Theme this year is Flip the Script Red Carpet Extravaganza! Thank you for choosing to spend your weekend with PTA as we walk the red carpet and celebrate each of the PTA superstars here this weekend as well as superstars across the state! This weekend will be filled with learning, fun and new friendships. We will help each of you to get ready for the next term as well and we will amp up your advocacy game!
Be sure to check the convention program for Gold Key workshops and opportunities. We are excited to have presentations during our General Sessions as well to maximize the learning potential this year. Many changes are coming in the state of Ohio to the Ohio Department of Education and with legislation that will affect our students, families, and communities. Now, more than ever is your time to shine as leaders and advocates! Be sure to take back all that you have learned to others in your units and councils. We hope you will be joining us for Reflections Lunch, where our talented student artists will be showcased. Awards Dinner is for our individual leaders, units and councils to be showcased. Now sit back, relax and watch the curtain go up for the start of the show!
GENERAL INFORMATION
Badges
For ease of identification, please wear your badge when entering the business meetings, workshops and event areas. All PTA members registered for Convention are eligible to vote.
Announcements
Announcements will be made from the podium but must pertain to the Convention program or an emergency situation. Messages and communications in the meetings shall be delivered to the President at the podium by Pages only.
Distribution of Materials
No written materials of any kind may be distributed at the Convention unless consent has been given in advance by the Ohio PTA Executive Committee or approval has been given by the Ohio PTA President.
Ohio PTA Convention Office
The Ohio PTA Convention Office is located in the Dogwood Boardroom. Only authorized Ohio PTA personnel should be in the office area of the room.
Scholarship Raffle
Raffle items will be displayed in the Northpointe Ballroom Prefunction area from 7:30pm to 9:15pm on Friday, April 12 and 8:00am to 4:15pm, Saturday, April 13 except during General Session. Announcement of the winners will be posted outside of the Northpoint Ballroom at the closing of Session II. If you are the lucky winner, you must claimyour item by Saturday, April 13 by 8:00pm. Ohio PTA will not ship items to raffle winners. Any unclaimed items will be raffled off on Sunday at the last General Session.
Lost and Found
For lost items, check the Ohio PTA Convention Office or ask a Board of Director member for assistance.
Media
Representatives of the media will be admitted to meetings upon presentation of the appropriate press credentials. Any Convention delegate approached by the media directly is not required or expected to respond to the reporter’s questions at that time. Instead, the delegate should refer the reporter to Ohio PTA President, Angela Revay.
Emergency Contact Information
Please contact Angela Revay, Dana Paul or Barb Bungard
MEALS & RECEPTION
Hotel breakfast is included for hotel guestseach day of your stay. You MUST have tickets handed out with badges for lunch and dinner.
Breakfast
Saturday April 13 and Sunday April 14: 7:00 am
Ohio Dining Room
Plan your breakfast to be at the start of general session or workshops on time!
Reflections Luncheon
Saturday, April 13: 12:30pm – 2:30pm
Northpointe Ballroom
Meals are plated.
Awards Dinner
Saturday, April 13: 6:30pm – 9:00pm
Northpointe Ballroom
Buffet Dinner, Cash Bar and DJ and Dancing after. Join us to celebrate our amazing award winners!
Friday, April 12, 2024
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
J.E. Fisher Lobby
Delegate & Visitor Check-In
7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Northpointe Atrium
Scholarship Raffle
6:30 pm – 6:45 pm
Northpointe Ballroom
Ohio Partnership PTA Meeting
6:45 pm – 7:00 pm
Northpointe Ballroom
Convention First-Timers Orientation
7:00 pm – 8:15 pm
Workshop Session 1
8:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Olentangy River Brewing Company
Meet and Greet Networking Event Offsite
Workshop Session 1 -- 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm
The Ohio Legislature and Caring for ALL Our Kids
Northpoint Ballroom
Presented by Honesty for Ohio Education
What Families Need to Know – Honesty for Ohio Education will give an update on what is going on in the Statehouse, the State Board of Education, and the Department of Education and Workforce. We will also share how the proposed bills and rules would impact students in Ohio, their families, and their school districts.
Saturday, April 13, 2024
7:00 am
Ohio Dining Room
Breakfast (included for hotel guests)
8:00am – 12:00 pm
J.E. Fisher Lobby
Delegate & Visitor Check-In
8:00 am – 4:15 pm
Northpointe Atrium
Scholarship Basket Raffle
8:00 am – 8:15 am
Northpointe Ballroom
Volunteer Orientation
8:30 am – 10:00 am
Northpointe Ballroom
General Session I
10:15 am – 11:15 am
Workshop Session 2
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Northpointe Atrium and Study
Dedicated Exhibitor Time
12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Northpointe Ballroom
Reflections Luncheon (ticketed event)
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
Workshop Session 3
4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Northpointe Ballroom
General Session II
6:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Northpointe Ballroom
Awards Dinner (ticketed event)
9:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Northpointe Ballroom
DJ and Dancing
General Session I Presenter
Alessandro Ciaffoncini
President at Origo Branding
Alessandro is the President for Origo Branding, a marketing and communications agency focused on cause marketing initiatives. In their 9-year partnership with Ohio for Responsible Gambling, Alessandro has been the lead strategist helping to develop and manage the campaign strategies for Pause Before You Play and Change The GameOhio.
Workshop Session 2 -- 10:15 am - 11:15 am
Summer Transition — Ensuring a Smooth Start to the New Term
Birch 3
Presented by Susan Strandberg, Chris May and Jeanne Groetz-Shockling, Ohio PTA Region Advisors
Create the pathway for a smooth transition to new officers and into the new school year with our tips, tricks and FAQs. Learn the basics of PTA business and what tasks are most important to complete throughout the year. Ohio PTA will provide a calendar template to help your board stay on task throughout the year with due dates and deadlines.
Building Power to Engage Effectively with School Boards
Cypress 1
Presented by Honesty for Ohio Education and All-In for Ohio Kids
How We Work in Ohio Communities – We will share our latest initiative, Honesty Teams. Honesty Teams are being mobilized in school districts across the state to help parents better understand how local school boards work, and how they can interact and advocate for issues as parents in their communities.
AIM Insurance — Bonding, Liability and Beyond
Cypress 2
Presented by Brittany Hernandez of AIM Insurance
Join Brittany Hernandez of AIM Insurance, one of our gold-level sponsors, as Brittany describes the various types of PTA insurance and highlights the importance of your PTA securing the appropriate bonding and liability.
Mock Meetings and Parliamentary Procedure
Birch 2
Presented by Barb Bungard, Ohio PTA Parliamentarian and Venezuela Robinson, Ohio PTA Board of Directors
Join Ohio PTA Board Members in an interactive workshop to learn or to refresh your knowledge of how to run a PTA meeting, handle motions and discussion, create an agenda and keep things moving!
Reflections Speaker
Lesia Stolpe
Parent Teacher Mode – Stay Sharp Workbooks
Lesia Stolpe is a mechanical engineer turned math teacher, entrepreneur, and mom of 3. Her passion for building math confidence in students and empowering parents inspired her to create a series of summer math workbooks that cover grade level standards in manageable bites. When she is not with her 6th grade students, she loves spending time with her own three kids exploring their passions. “I believe in saying ‘oops’ instead of ‘what if’ by writing my own story and using my strengths/knowledge to help others.”
Workshop Session 3 -- 2:45 pm - 3:45 pm
Maximizing the Givebacks Platform — Use It For More Than Just Membership
Cypress 2
Presented by Tony Rett, Ohio PTA Vice President of Field Service and Janice Wanko, Ohio PTA Region Advisor
Learn about new changes coming to the Givebacks platform and help Ohio PTA shape processes for submitting compliance documents, communicating with members, reporting, and fundraising. We are here to both teach and learn as we craft best practices for this powerful platform.
Ask Us Anything — Ohio PTA Past Presidents Q&A
Birch 3
Presented by Ohio PTA Presidents: Barb Bungard, Gloria Cazan, Lisa Mack, Susan Hans and Jackie Arendt
Join Ohio PTA Past Presidents to soak up their knowledge and ask them any questions that you or your unit/council might have. This group is a wealth of institutional knowledge about PTA from the beginning to the current day and everything in between. Policies, procedures, advocacy and best practices all in one place!
504s and IEPs-Navigating the Needs of our Students
Birch 2
Presented by Angela Revay, Ohio PTA President and Linda Freeman Walker, Ohio PTA Office Staff
Join us as we explain the differences between a 504 Plan and an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Learn how to be an advocate for the education of students with extra needs. Find out what a “District Surrogate” is and the path to become one for your own and/or other school districts, as well as how to access your parent mentors as a resource.
Changemaking for Public Education Advocates
Cypress 1
Presented by All-In for Ohio Kids
Learn effective organizing tools to create meaningful change in public education for all children. This session will be an interactive workshop that will introduce you to organizing and, build the skills in public narrative that help you to raise your voice for education.
General Session II Presenter
Nabil Pervaiz
Manager of Prevention Services at Recovery Resources
Nabil Pervaiz is the Manager of Prevention Services at Recovery Resources in Cleveland, Ohio. He holds both a bachelor’s and Master of Science in health promotion and education from the University of Cincinnati and is an Ohio Certified Prevention Specialist (OCPS). He manages the alcohol and other drug prevention programming at Recovery Resources where he works with staff to meet the communities needs through social emotional learning and substance abuse prevention in Cuyahoga County. He oversees gambling prevention services which include coordinating with gambling clinicians for training, working with staff to present information and resources to the community, and co-chairing the only gambling-specific coalition in the state of Ohio. Nabil sits on the Board for Problem Gambling Network of Ohio as the Treasurer and Advisory Boards for both Statewide Prevention Coalition Association (SPCA) and Ohio College Initiative (OCI). Additionally, he is a member of the Problem Gambling Advisory Board for the State of Ohio and co-chairs the workforce development committee.
Sunday, April 14, 2024
7:00 am
Ohio Dining Room
Breakfast (included for hotel guests)
8:30 am – 9:30 am
Workshop Session 4
9:30 am – 10:00 am
Free time to check out
10:00 am – 11:15 am
Northpointe Ballroom
General Session III
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
Northpointe Ballroom
One-on-One with the Ohio PTA Board of Directors
Workshop Session 4 -- 8:30 am - 9:30 am
Managing Personalities with Purpose: Keeping the Peace in PTA
Birch 3
Presented by Ohio PTA Past Presidents and Angela Revay, Ohio PTA President
Join Ohio PTA leaders, past and present, to hear the tips and tricks for personality management and PR. This interactive workshop will engage participants in exercises designed to keep the peace and keep things moving in a positive direction. You will discuss leadership strategies to effectively deal with conflict when it arises, whether it is within your own group or with district or community leaders. Learn how to deal with situations internally and when to ask for help from other PTA leaders.
Bylaws and Standing Rules — Review, Revise and Refresh
Northpointe Ballroom
Presented by Tony Rett, Ohio PTA VP of Field Service and Susan Strandberg, Ohio PTA Region Advisor
Units and Councils, learn the importance of keeping your bylaws up to date and your standing rules relevant to how your organization conducts business. Learn how to set a schedule for review in your units or councils and how to pull together a committee to assist. Did you know that Ohio PTA approves your bylaws changes and that we are here to help you along the way with sample bylaws and guidance?
Treasurers — Wrapping Up Your Year and Looking Ahead
Cypress 1
Presented by Dana Paul, Ohio PTA Secretary-Treasurer
Join Ohio PTA Secretary-Treasurer Dana Paul to discuss treasurer tasks and activities that allow you to successfully wrap up your year as treasurer. In addition, learn ways to prepare for the next school year, whether you will be repeating as treasurer or transitioning the role to a successor.
National and Ohio PTA Awards — What, When, Who and How to Nominate
Birch 2
Presented by Nicole Lesnick, Ohio PTA President-elect, Gerri Beres, Ohio PTA VP of Leadership and Lauren Suter, Ohio PTA Board of Directors
Learn about the National and Ohio PTA Programs and Awards. Find out what each award represents and how you can nominate a council, unit or individual throughout the year. We will review new awards and incentives announced at convention and cover criteria, deadlines and recognition.
For questions, email Marcella McCurdy at office@ohiopta.org or contact the Ohio PTA office at 614.781.6344.
Proposed Ohio PTA Bylaw Amendments
Article 1 – Name
Insert after of Ohio “and a branch of National Congress of Parents and Teachers (National PTA).”
To read: The name of the association is the Ohio Congress of Parents and Teachers, Inc. It is also commonly known and will be referred to in these bylaws as the Ohio PTA. The Ohio PTA is a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of Ohio and a branch of National Congress of Parents and Teachers (National PTA).
Article IV: Constituent Association, Section 10
Insert after Local PTAs/PTSAs “or Councils”
To read: Locals PTAs/PTSAs or Councils not in good standing by:
Article XII: Directors and Region Advisors, Section 3
Insert a new c. and reletter: “Serve on the Field Service Committee as described in Article XIV, Section 4(h); and”
To read: Section 3. The Region Advisors shall:
a. Lead the work within their regions;
b. Promote the purposes and goals of the Ohio PTA;
c. Serve on the Field Services Committee as described in Article XIV, Section 4(h);
d. Perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws, standing rules, job descriptions and the parliamentary authority by the Ohio PTA.
