Dear Members,

Welcome to the new school year and a brand new PTA State board. I am Melissa Johnson.  I live in Terryville with my wonderful husband Tom and our three boys, Alexander, Christopher, and Zachary. I am excited serve you as your state president. Thank you for your support (and many thanks to all of the Plymouth/Terryville PTA's)!

I have many ideas and goals for us to accomplish over the next two years. I am always looking for more. So I am opening up to all of you to contact me with your suggestions, or ideas.

We have just successfully held our Summer Leadership training in Cromwell, at the Crowne Plaza which was very successful with the largest attendance in many years. I am very excited to say that our State PTA convention will be at the same location on May 1 & 2, 2008. I feel this location is fabulous... it is near the center of the state and very easy on and off the highways. The facility is beautiful and very accommodating to our needs. I hope to see you all there. We have over 270 units and councils, having over 56,000 members, and I would love to meet each and every one of you there. The convention is a legitimate PTA expense and should be included in your budget for the coming year.

This brings me next to the National Reflections program. As most of you know there were 2 categories added last year by National PTA, and CT PTA added the Special Needs categories at the State level. I am very proud to say that Plymouth/Terryville council sponsored this category locally for three years, and now this will be the second year we will offer this at the state level. If your units or councils need more information about this Arts Program, please contact the CT PTA business office. We can send someone to you to help start one, or answer any question you may have about Reflections. This year's theme is "I can make a Difference by..." - please make a difference in a child's life by supporting this program in your town.

I had the honor to travel to St Louis Mo. for the National CT Convention in June of this year. It was exciting and I was able to attend leadership training with other leaders around the Country. I was able to meet Craig Scott, Rachel Scott's brother from the Columbine Tragedy. His message was inspiring and moving. It moved 2,000 PTA members from across the country to tears and wanting to make a difference in the lives of all children. A part of his message during his workshop was about character building and teaching it in the classroom. I know that I was inspired to look closer at character and the importance of it in the classroom. The link to his message, which is called "Rachel's Challenge" is www.RACHELSCHALLENGE.COM.

This is just one example of what I have brought back from the National PTA convention and I know this type of thing happens at the state convention too. Just think about what YOU can bring back your schools and the children of your towns if you attended our convention. I hope to see you all there!

I hope that I have enticed you all to see what CT PTA can do for you and what you can do for the children of our state. Please have wonderful back-to-school celebration, and please do not hesitate to contact me.