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The Crib Sheet

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Carrollton Early Childhood PTA

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Volume 25, Issue 6 ~ February 2004

Join us February 13, from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. for our general meeting.
Lorraine Murillo and Gail Gibson from the Parenting Department of CFBISD will speak on the topic "Ready to Learn."
We meet at Holy Covenant United Methodist Church, 1901 Peters Colony in Carrollton.
For nursery reservations call Cathy Dreyer at (972) 394-6766

## From the President . . .

Shannon Croft (214)731-9274
The PTA has been around for over a century. Children's lives before PTA were very different than they are today. In 1897 many children in this country left school before 5th grade to work in unsafe factories. Fatal accidents, childhood diseases and poor nutrition claimed the lives of many children. Our founders Alice Birney and Phoebe Hearst set out to change that. Their idea was simple -- to improve the lives of all of our children. The PTA has never lost sight of this idea.
Over the last 107 years this great organization has achieved many milestones. PTA has helped create child labor laws and put a juvenile justice system in place. They introduced kindergarten to the public school system. The rise of the automobile brought and concerns about safety and seatbelts that still live on today. PTA helped nourish children by establishing the school lunch program nationwide. They helped combat polio, a crippling disease that struck thousands of children by field testing the Salk polio vaccine. PTA educates parents and children on the dangers of substance abuse. They speak out about TV violence and have raised HIV/AIDS awareness.
February 17th is known as Founders Day as it was on this day back in 1897 that the first meeting of the National Congress of Mothers (now known as the National PTA) took place. We will celebrate this history at our general meeting on February 13th. Zita Degraffenreid will be bringing one of her delicious cakes, so you don't want to miss it!
I would like to thank those ladies who agreed to serve on our nominating committee. Remember to fill out those officer interest forms! This organization is run by volunteers, without them PTA would not exist.

## First Vice President

Alicia Welch (972) 939-6503
Our February Board Meeting will be Monday, February 9th at 7:30 p.m. at the McCoy Elementary Cafeteria. Please e-mail your agenda items to Shannon and myself. If you have a report to give, but cannot attend, please let me know and I can report it for you. See you then!

## Adult Programs

Our February speakers will be Lorraine Murillo and Gail Gibson from the Parenting Department of CFBISD. They will speak to the group on the topic "Ready to Learn" which will include ideas which will help us get our children prepared to be lifelong learners. The Parenting Department has an abundance of materials available for anyone in the community, include workshops, videos and books.
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