Convention Workshop Slides and Handouts

Workshop Session 1

Cypress 2

It’s Peanut Butter Jelly Time – School Nutrition Hubs Improve Student Outcomes 
Presenter: Rick Oxley – Senior Manager, School, and Summer Nutrition – Children’s Hunger Alliance
Presider: Dominica Brantley –  Ohio PTA Board Member at Large, Health Welfare Safety Committee Chair
School nutrition hubs positively impact student outcomes by providing access to nutritious meals, which can lead to improved concentration, better attendance, reduced behavioral issues, and improved academic performance. Most importantly, greater access to meals decreases student food insecurity. School nutrition hubs increase student meal participation, generating a larger USDA reimbursement improving the fiscal status of a district’s food service program.

Friday Night Keynote

NorthPointe Ballroom

If I Had A Hammer – The Role of Grassroots Advocacy 
Presenter: Yvonne Johnson – National PTA President
Presider: Nicole Lesnick- Ohio PTA President

“Advocacy” may sound daunting, but in reality it’s what you do every day to support student success and improve your school. In this workshop, we will describe how PTA puts your membership dues into motion across a range of issues through PTA’s advocacy agenda and efforts.

Workshop Session 2

Cypress 1

Safe and Sound – PTA Insurance 
Presenter: Brittany Hernandez – AIM Insurance
Presider: Tony Rett – Ohio PTA Secretary/Treasurer

Join Brittany Hernandez of AIM Insurance, one of our Headliner Sponsors, as Brittany describes the various types of PTA insurance and highlights the importance of your PTA securing the appropriate bonding and liability.

Cypress 2

Life is a Highway – HopSkipDrive 
Presenter: Jack Cregan – Community Engagement Manager, HopSkipDrive
Presider: Melissa Wolfe – Ohio PTA Region 4 Advisor
HopSkipDrive is a technology company that solves complex transportation challenges where there is a heightened need for safety, equity, and care. Meet Jack Cregan, Community Engagement Manager, to find out more about HopSkipDrive and how it is changing how kids and families are getting to school.

Birch 1

Count on Me – Transforming Family Engagement 
Presenter: Yvonne Johnson – National PTA President
Presider: Gloria Lawson – Ohio PTA Board Member at Large, Family School Partnership Committee Chair

PTA is all about engaging and empowering families to make every child’s potential a reality! Through concrete examples from PTAs and reflection on your current practices, you will learn how to use the “4 ‘I’s” of transformative family engagement so that your PTA – and schools in your community – are treating every parent as a valued partner in their child’s education.

Birch 4

All About That Bass – Membership Base 
Presenters: Toni Goins – Ohio PTA Board Member at Large, Member Services Committee Chair
                     Janice Wanko – Ohio PTA Board Member at Large, Membership Outreach Committee Chair
Presider: Jeanne Groetz-Shockling – Ohio PTA Region 5 Advisor

Get ready to take your membership on tour! In this high-energy session, we’ll share creative, proven strategies to recruit, retain, and re-engage members in ways that actually work. From building meaningful connections to thinking outside the box with outreach, you’ll walk away with practical tools, fresh ideas, and a renewed excitement for growing your PTA. Whether you’re rebuilding or leveling up, this session will help you turn your membership goals into a sold-out success.

Workshop Session 3

Cypress 1

Turn Down for What – Finding the Right Volume for Social Media & Youth Mental Health 
Presenter: Dr. Sarah Adams, Ohio AAP
Presider: Alexandra Fultz – Ohio PTA Board Member at Large

Join Akron pediatrician, Dr. Sarah Adams, as she shares recommendations, tips, and practical guidance on how to promote balance, safety, and responsibility with screen time and social media use. Guided by the 5 Cs of Healthy Digital Habits, Dr. Adams will explore media and its impact on children’s lives, support your efforts with digital literacy and safe use of technology, teach the best ways to model positive digital behavior.

 

Cypress 2

Get Up Stand Up – Taking Action for the Public Schools ALL Students Need and Deserve 
Presenters: Nick Tuell – Education Campaign Director, Melodie Agnew – Parent Organizer
                     Jenn Schrock – Parent Organizer, Scott DiMauro – Public Education Advocacy Advisor
Presider: Linda Freeman Walker – Ohio PTA Financial Specialist

Parents United for Public Schools (PUPS) will provide an update on state and federal policies affecting public education in Ohio, with particular emphasis on ways that funding shortfalls squeeze local districts and shortchange services for students with special needs. Opportunities for taking action to stand up for students, safeguard our schools, and fight for the rights of ALL students will be shared, including a unique opportunity to be part of PUPS’ “IEP Circles” program.

 

Birch 1

The Kids Aren’t Alright – Recess Matters for Kids to Learn and Thrive: How Recess Happens Depends On You 
Presenter: Dr. Cathy Ramstetter, PhD
Presider: Loren St. Peter – Ohio PTA Board Member at Large, Standards of Affiliation Committee Chair

Research confirms that recess is a crucial part of schooling, nurturing holistic well-being and supporting schools’ mission to provide a well-rounded education. This unstructured break fosters imagination, collaboration, ingenuity, resilience and critical thinking—skills at the core of emotional regulation. How recess happens requires focused effort by leaders to include recess with other school improvement strategies. As key influencers in schools, leaders are positioned to protect
recess and ensure students experience daily quality recess as an integral part of the school day. Learn what makes a quality recess; it’s not just about protecting minutes. You will be inspired to take action, to provide the best opportunity for kids to learn and thrive, and to move school systems to function in ways that ensure students are rigorously challenged and also given times to just be kids—to elevate the joy of schooling and learning, preparing them for the challenges of life beyond school.

 

Birch 4

So What – You’re Still A Rockstar. You’re Now Elected. 
Presenters: Nicole Lesnick – Ohio PTA President
                     Barb Varley – Ohio PTA President-Elect
Presider: Susan Strandberg – Ohio PTA Vice President of Field Service

Congratulations! You have been elected to the board for the first or fourth time. What does it mean to be a good board member? Get the tips, tricks, and best practices from experienced Ohio PTA Board members. You’ll leave this workshop feeling confident and ready to take on your new role.