Arlington School & Family Magazine January/February 2016 | Page 34

Nonprofit Organizations The Arlington Council of PTAs is in full swing as it moves into the year 2016. The past fall has kept Council board members busy helping various schools start local units on their campuses. Two of those campuses are Burgin Elementary School and Jones Academy. As the new year approaches, Council continues to offer these brand new units training and support, as they enter into this era of partnership between campus administrators and local and community volunteers. Also occurring in the fall, Council’s Community Service VP Ilisa Mitchell successfully initiated a coat drive to benefit Mission Arlington. The “Help Share the Warmth” campaign collected hundreds of coats, jackets and other much needed winter items. The schools that participated in this program include Adams, Burgin, Hale, Key, Knox, Moore, Morton, Roark, Short, and Wimbish elementaries; Jones Academy; Bailey Junior High; and Martin High School. Many thanks go out to these campuses for their donations to this worthy cause. In February, Council will host the annual Founder’s Day Banquet at the Mac Bernd Professional Development Center. Local units are invited to celebrate and honor those individuals to whom they have bestowed a Texas PTA Life Membership or the Extended Service Award. The Texas PTA Life Membership is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon an individual for 32 Arlington School & Family - January/February 2016 outstanding contributions to the well being of children and youth. The Extended Service Award is to honor those people who have continued to give outstanding service for a minimum of 10 years and who have already been presented a Texas Life Membership. Each year, Council requests nominations for these honors. Local units are encouraged to nominate someone - a parent, teacher, or community member - who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in working with youth in the Arlington ISD or in the community. For more information or to nominate an individual for the Texas Life Membership or Extended Service Award, please email [email protected]. The Arlington Council of PTAs seeks to finish the school year strongly, as it promotes PTA membership and the benefits that come with it. For more information regarding Council, including meeting dates, please visit www. ArlingtonCouncilofPTAs.org. †