• Thank you and happy holidays from California State PTA
• Leadership monthly call update
• New worker's comp annual payroll report process
• Leg Con registration is open
• Insurance premiums are due now
• Mid-year audit reminder
• Teachers Matter membership challenge
• Take advantage of SkyOne's limited-time Unit Perk offer
• School reopening guidance

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We wanted to start by saying a huge thank you to all California State PTA volunteers throughout California.

You have all worked tirelessly for the students in our state during these most trying times. You have tried very hard to build a community at your schools, and to create a new normal for our children.

Please remember to take a little bit of well-deserved time for yourself during the holidays, and we look forward working with you again in the new year!

There will be no Leadership Monthly call in December. The next one will take place on Tuesday, January 26 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. Topics we will discuss in January include how to hold a virtual election, ways to honor our volunteers, and other topics which will be added later.

Please click here to register.

Once you register, you will get an email with a link for the Zoom meeting. We hope to see you there!

California State PTA, in conjunction with our insurance broker Association Insurance Management (AIM), recently launched a new Workers’ Compensation Annual Payroll Report Form and submission process.

This year there is an updated report form that is simpler and easier to complete, a new, completely online submission process, and you must now send reports directly to AIM, not your council or district PTA.

On the insurance page of the California State PTA website (under the heading "New Workers' Comp Annual Payroll Report Process") you'll find full details of the new process, including links to the online report form, links to paper forms (in English and Spanish), and documents which provide step-by-step instructions on how to fill out the forms.

We also went over the new process during our recent Insurance webinar. To watch a recording of it, click here.

California State PTA is excited to announce that we will be holding an all-virtual Legislation Conference on February 8-9, 2021. All PTA members are welcome – it is open to anyone interested in improving the lives of children and families in their communities, and across the state. We hope you will join us for this new and exciting format!

During the conference, whose theme is "A Path to Equity," you'll hear from legislators and other leaders from around the state on matters that are important to the children and families of California. You can meet and network with other advocates from across the state and participate in learning activities. There will also be a strong focus on how to schedule, plan and execute a meeting with your legislator (or person with decision-making power over your issue).

The cost is $50 per person. For the registration link and further information, visit the Leg Con page on the California State PTA website.

Just a reminder that your unit insurance premiums are due now, through channels. The premium amount for units is $258, and for councils is $178. Contact your Council or District leadership if you have any questions about this remittance.

Continuous insurance coverage, whether or not you are holding in-person PTA events, is crucial to protect your association and your leaders. That is why insurance is required in order to be a PTA in good standing. Thank you to those who have already taken care of this task. For the rest, be sure to take care of this before taking time off for the holidays.

More information about PTA insurance can be found on the Insurance page of the California State PTA website.

Don’t forget that all units, councils and districts are required to perform a mid-year audit. For the majority of PTA entities the audit period is July 1-December 31, 2020.

Please review the processes and procedures for completing this audit, which can be found in the Toolkit. When you're done, don’t forget to upload your completed audits to MyPTEZ.

We've also got detailed audit instructions on the California State PTA blog, in a five-part series called "Your Mid-Year Audit in 5 Easy Steps."

• Step 1 - Gather Materials

• Step 2 - Review and Examine Bank Accounts

• Step 3 - Fill Out the Audit Report

• Step 4 - Present the Audit for Approval

• Step 5 - Present to the Association and Vote

The deadline for the annual Teachers Matter membership challenge is approaching! Teachers Matter is checkpoint #4 on the 2020-21 Membership Drive.

Here's a reminder of how Teachers Matter works: Any PTA that signs up 100% of its full-time credentialed teachers as members and submits a completed Teachers Matter application form by January 31, 2021 will be entered into a drawing to win a PTA tablecloth for your school.

• Remit manual and all non-TOTEM electronic memberships through proper channels.

• Attend and report results at association meeting (virtual or otherwise). Ask for program ideas.

• Send out monthly membership emails and social media posts asking community to join.

• Check your map. Meet with your Membership Committee to review your progress towards your goal.

The application form will be available on the Membership Incentives webpage in early January, and must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on January 31, 2021.

Let SkyOne help your PTA unit raise funds and recruit (or retain) members!

California State PTA is excited to announce that SkyOne Federal Credit Union has created a special limited-time offer just for PTA units in California.

Here's how it works: If your PTA opens an organizational account, SkyOne will donate $1000 to your PTA for every 10 members who open individual SkyOne accounts - plus, SkyOne will reimburse their PTA membership dues for the first year! Please note that you must have your association's approval before opening a bank account.

This offer is only valid until December 31, 2020, so act fast!

Click here for more information and eligibility requirements, or click here to view or download a shareable flyer.

To watch our recent webinar about this unique Unit Perk, click here and enter passcode vm3B%$3Z.

A few months ago we circulated a couple of reports that provide helpful guidance on the issue of school re-openings. We wanted to draw your attention to these documents once again, as many of you may be facing a new round of school reopenings in January.

The first, titled "California State PTA’s School Reopening Principles,” is based on our organizational goals and purposes, input from our local leaders and our parent listening sessions last summer, our longstanding educational and legislative stances, and the most current information from reliable educational and health agencies. We encourage local PTAs and school districts to adhere to these principles during important conversations regarding school reopening.

The second document, by Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) in cooperation with California State PTA, is called "Navigating the Uncertainty of Reopening Schools: A Guide for Parents, Families and the Public." This report summarizes the current state of knowledge about key issues, and suggests a set of questions that parents and educators should ask when considering plans for reopening during the pandemic. It is accompanied by this summary infographic, which serves as a valuable handout for community discussions.