Sixth District everychild.onevoice.		Click here to join!

August 1, 2007

Dear Friend of PTA,

The PTA is committed to helping parents understand the importance of supporting their children in school activities. We encourage parents and community members to be informed about education issues in order to understand and support our schools. 

We are in the process of chartering a new PTA in Santa Clara County—Santa Clara Valley PTA.  Many of you have seen the articles in the Mercury News pointing out the inequitable funding at schools around the county.  The schools with high populations of students qualifying for free and reduced lunch are unable to raise the needed funds for services from their own school parents.  We have more than 30 PTAs in Santa Clara County where more than 80% of the students qualify for free/reduced lunch.  Over the last year several of us on the Sixth District (Santa Clara countywide) PTA Board have been struggling to provide the monetary gifts and grants to help those PTAs.  The Sixth District just does not have a sustainable source of income that can be used for Grants to low wealth PTAs.

Last year the District provided 17 grants, and we will do so again, but we need your help as well.  By becoming a member in the Santa Clara Valley PTA you are meeting several needs in the county:

• You are becoming an advocate for all the children in Santa Clara County, California, and the Nation, for as you become a member of Santa Clara Valley PTA, you also become a member of California State PTA and the National PTA.
• The amounts raised above the pass-through dues of $3.50  (less than the cost of a latte) will be used to provide grants to low wealth schools.
• You are telling the parents and teachers of low wealth schools that we the public believe all children deserve the same education and educational services.

We need your support, and we are asking you to become a member of the Santa Clara Valley PTA.  State PTA President Brenda Davis stated, “Because there is a PTA, the voices of parents, teachers, students and community members have a deeper, richer, greater meaning.  As an organization, we have often been referred to as the “Sleeping Giant.”  Well, it is time to poke that sleeper and Roar!”  Please join our ROAR and become a member of the Santa Clara Valley PTA.  We need you.  The membership form is attached. 

Please feel free to invite family members, friends and neighbors to join as well.  You don’t have to have a child in school to join the PTA; you don’t even have to be a parent. You just have to care about children and public education.  Membership is only $10 per person, and it’s tax deductible.  For a downloadable membership form, please click here.

Thank you!