Message from the President
PTA started as the idea of one woman named Alice McLellan Birney. In 1897, she along with Phoebe Apperson Hearst founded the National Congress of Mothers. According to Birney, the goal of the organization was to unite the forces of home, school, and community in recognizing “the supreme importance of the child.” As we look back at the footsteps Alice took and her goals, we have a new opportunity to add our footprints to follow PTA at this year’s convention.
We have had many amazing leaders over the years who added their footsteps to the PTA path including Selena Sloan Butler who founded the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers, local leaders such as Mrs. G. H. Robertson, the first president of Tennessee PTA; Mrs. J. F. Trimble, first president of the Tennessee Colored Congress of Parents and Teachers; Nashville born Lois Jean White, the first African American President of the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA); Billy Davis the first male president of Tennessee PTA to name just a few.
Through a grant from the Gates Foundation, this year’s Convention & Annual Meeting will be very different! First, the registration cost is very low! Secondly, you will be given opportunities to add your footsteps by sharing your input on issues around the Tennessee PTA—Gates grant focuses. We have planned workshops, celebrations, and business meetings. There will be
networking opportunities with other PTA leaders. Convention also gives you a chance to visit with exhibitors, attend the Awards Dinner, and see the amazing talents of our students at the Student Awards Ceremony. Convention is an excellent training opportunity and a worthwhile and legitimate expense for your PTA/PTSA. Don’t miss your opportunity to join us for convention. Mail your completed registration form, together with your check made out to the Tennessee PTA, to the State Office no later than March 29, 2022. You can also pay at our MemberHub store
and email completed registration form. Find more information from the Delegate Registration Packet. Thank you for all you do. Together we will make a difference in the lives of the children, families and their communities in Tennessee.
Dwight Hunter
President, Tennessee PTA
View & Download the February 2022 Newsletter here
