Convention

California State PTA Convention 2010: Sacramento
April 29-May 2, 2010

The 111th California State PTA Convention will be held in Sacramento, April 29-May 2, 2010 at the Sacramento Convention Center. More information about convention events and activities will be posted in the fall. The official registration book will be mailed to all PTA presidents in early January. PTA units should plan to send voting delegates to Convention and budget to cover the expenses of the voting delegates. Not only is Convention a legitimate PTA expense, but it is an invaluable opportunity to attend trainings and other informative workshops and participate in the business of the statewide PTA organization. Depending on the number of PTA members your unit has, your unit qualifies to send 2-5 delegates to convention, one of which is automatically entitled to be your president-elect for the following term. Councils qualify to send up to 2 voting delegates from their board to convention.

What to Budget For:

Registration Fees: Early registration fees in 2009 were $140 for a full-time adult, $70 for a full-time student. Note that registration fees are subject to change.
Hotel registration: Depending on the hotels, usually in the range of $90-$150/night. The official Convention hotels and rates will be announced in the Convention registration book, mailed in January.
Meals: State PTA’s recommended per diem is $47 per day (divided up as $10 for breakfast, $12 for lunch, and $25 for dinner).
Transportation: Driving distance from San Mateo to Sacramento is approximately 105 miles one way; your mileage may vary depending on where you’re driving from. State PTA’s recommended reimbursement rate is $0.45/mile, plus all bridge tolls. You may also consider taking public transit; Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor goes to Sacramento, and connects with BART in Richmond or Oakland, or Caltrain in San Jose.
Other incidentals: Room/baggage tips should be reimbursed. It’s also encouraged to attend the Saturday morning Healthy Walk for Kids at a $20 expense.

Sending a representative from your PTA to convention is a great way to encourage your members to be more involved in your PTA. It is very important for the PTA President-elect to attend convention. You might also consider sending members who considering a position on your incoming board, but don’t feel they are qualified. Convention conferences provide training and support to future leaders.

2009 State PTA Convention Recap

The 110th California State PTA Convention was held in San Jose, April 30-May 3, 2009. 17th District was one of the four host districts at the Convention (along with 6th, 33rd, and Peralta Districts), and we were proud to be represented by over two dozen delegates! A number of our delegates logged many hours performing numerous volunteer functions at Convention, from helping in the PTA Store, registration, and even manning the Information booth in the Exhibit Hall! You can view a summary of actions and highlights from Convention here. Also check out the 2009 Convention page on State PTA’s website which contains a number of news items from Convention and exclusive Convention videos!

An important reminder to 17th District Convention Scholarship Recipients: Please remember that as a condition of your scholarship, you must write a report on what you did at Convention! You need to submit this report to your unit, council, and to 17th District by June 15. Failure to do so will disqualify your unit from receiving any Convention scholarships next year! Please also encourage others to attend Convention in the future and encourage your unit to make budgeting for and sending delegates to Convention a priority for 2010!