Reflections Program

Want to do something fun and exciting for your students in your school? Participate in the National PTA's Reflections program. Reflections is the National PTA's Cultural Arts Program. Students in preschool through grade twelve are encouraged to express their thoughts and feelings on a given theme through the creative arts. Students may submit works in any of the seven arts areas:

·Literature and/or literature special needs

·Musical composition and/or musical composition special needs

·Photography and/or Photography special needs

·Visual arts and/or Visual arts special needs

·Dance choreography and/or dance choreography special needs

·Film/Video Production and/or film/video/production special needs

·Dance performance individual or group and/or dance performance individual or group special needs.    (This category does not go on to National PTA for judging).

 The 2006-2007 Reflections theme is "My Favorite Place....". Participation in the Reflections Program is open to all students in attendance at a PTA/PTSA school in good standing. Check your bylaws for explanation of a unit in good standing. Entries are sent to the District PTA who submits winning entries to the State PTA. The National PTA level must be submitted by a state PTA. Membership in the PTA/PTSA for students or parents is not a requirement. The deadline for entries to the district is Thursday, October 26, 2006.

The Reflections Program provides the opportunity for all students from pre-kindergarten through grade twelve to demonstrate their skills in the arts. The Core Content is now listed on all Kentucky PTA Reflections rules and guidelines. Inform your teachers of these guidelines. Each student may enter in one age category:

·Primary: preschool through grade two

·Intermediate: grades three through five

·Middle/Junior: grades six through eight

·High: grades nine through twelve

·Challenged

Local PTAs may submit entries to the district by October 26, 2006: One entry per grade in each category, ie; music, photography, visual arts, dance choreography literature, film/ video production and dance performance individual or group. For example, A PTA can submit one entry in third grade, fourth grade, and fifth grade (which is the Intermediate category) in the category of Music. They can also submit one entry in preschool, kindergarten, first grade and second grade (which is Primary category) in music, and so forth.

What to do:
·Familiarize yourself with the materials in the Kentucky PTA Leaders' Notebook for PTAs/PTSAs. 15^th District PTA Reflections Chairman, Sharon Whitworth (485-7450) has sent out information packets through the PONY to PTA presidents, principals, art teachers, music teachers, physical education teachers, literature teachers and Family Resource Youth Service Centers. All of these people can serve as a committee to develop your program.

·Develop a Reflections Program planning calendar using the District PTA deadline (October 26, 2006) as your guide.

·Set interim deadlines and identify key steps to meet your deadlines.

·Establish a budget for your school's Reflections Program. Use this budget to prepare informational materials, to encourage student participation, to promote the Reflections Program with parents and community members, and to fund a recognition event for student winners at the local school level.

·Publicize the Reflections Program and "My Favorite Place..." theme in your school or PTA/PTSA newsletter.

·Select impartial, qualified judges. Inform judges of the criteria to be used in evaluating/judging Reflections Program entries. (Refer to the rules for each category.)

·Inform all participants that the judges decisions are final. IMPORTANT: Ensure that all students' personal information (names, addresses, etc.) is hidden from the judges' view.

The Reflections Program is structured for PTAs to recognize students at the local, district, state, and national PTA levels. Remember to coordinate your Reflections Program with your English, music, art, and physical education teachers. For more information about sponsoring the Reflections Program, please contact Sharon Whitworth, 485-7450. 

Getting your Reflections Program off the ground

Managing a Reflections program can be a lot of work for one person—but it can be done. It is suggested that there be one committee member for every 200 to 300 participating students in your school. Follow the steps below for a successful program.

1. Partner with your principal right away. Get approval to participate in the Reflections Program with at least one of your school’s teachers. Field Elementary School worked with the art teacher so that every student would have a visual arts entry.

2. Appoint a chairman who will oversee the process. You may wish to have a committee as well.

3. Schedule a due date by which everyone has to turn in his or her entries. Give yourself three to five days after the due date to display the art and have the projects judged. Also, schedule a date and time for an in-school assembly to recognize everyone for his or her participation and to announce winners. If you need to hold this assembly after the entries are turned into the district, use pictures to show off the work of the winning entries.

4.Support your partner teacher by making sure that he or she has a copy of the complete rules and that he or she understands the rules. (Make sure you understand them as well!)

5.Send home a note to parents telling them about Reflections. Let them know that although students will submit an entry completed in class, they are encouraged to submit additional entries. Also, ask students if they would like information on any of the other categories so they can submit an entry in another category.

6.Secure your judges. Three judges usually is sufficient, and an odd number is a good idea in case of a tie.

7. Make sure that your judges are not from your school.

8.Collect the entries and organize by class/grade.

9. Display the art somewhere in the school (for example, a gym or auditorium) after the art is submitted. Place the entries by class/grade but make sure students names are hidden from view. Keep a secret grid or list so you know whose art is whose.

10.Make sure you get the permission forms back from the winners’ parents. You many need to call the winners’ families, and tell them that their child’s entry was a winner (ask them not to inform their child.) Invite them to come to the in-school assembly to see their child accept his or her award.

11.Get your prizes ready. Give the students something for participating, as well as winning, such as a certificate, a medal or some other small gift.

Good idea!

In addition to an in-school assembly, the Field Elementary School PTA hosted an evening program last year to celebrate their participants and winners. Parents, friends and family members came to this program and the children walked down a “red carpet” as they arrived. Medals and certificates were given out to all participants and refreshments were served after the program.

Make sure to attend the 15^th District PTA Reflections Award Program on December 5, 2006, at 7:00 p.m. in the Durrett Auditorium on Louisville Male High School’s campus.