Brooklyn, NY – On Sunday, October 5th (12:00 PM – 5:00 PM), join Town Square as we present New York City’s first ever NYC PTA Expo at P.S. 250 George H. Lindsay Elementary School (108 Montrose Avenue, Brooklyn, NY).  Confirmed guest speakers/attendees/workshop presenters include: NYS Senator Daniel Squadron, NYS Assemblyman Joseph Lentol, NYC Councilman Stephen Levin, NYC Councilman Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, Deputy Borough President, Diana Reyna, PB Project Director for NYC District 33 Lisa Bloodgood, PB Project Coordinator for NYC District 34 Ava Farkas, Co-Founder of PTAlink Rachel Fine, Past-President of Staten Island Federation of PTAs Cathy Carlson, author Jean Joachim, Senior Staff Attorney of Lawyers Alliance for New York Neil Stevenson and more!   www.NYCPTAExpo.com.  Media sponsors include: NYMetroParents/Brooklyn Parent Magazine and WillyPoint Kids. 

Exhibitors/supporters/attending NYC PTAs include: Town Square, ABCs for Smarter Kids, Adventureland, AMC Photo Inc., ArtWare Fundraising, Boy Scouts of America-Brooklyn Troop 26, Brooklyn Nets / Barclays Center, Brooklyn Robot Foundry, Carpingo, Carousel Cakes, Chess NYC, Chuck E Cheese’s, Cross County Savings Bank, Deanan Gourmet Popcorn, DRNS Corp, EDS Presentations, Engineering for Kids, Gamewright Game Nights, Greater Giving, Green Mountain Energy, Irvin Simon Photographers, Lawyers Alliance for New York, Lucky Kat World, MakIt Products, Miss Chocolate Fundraising Co., Mission Be, MobileArq, Mulee School Supply Kits, Municipal Credit Union, Planet Aid, Popcorn Palace, Project Playdate, Rhode Island Novelty, Sandy Candy, The Wholesale Candy Shop, Trees New York, United Healthcare, NYC Councilmember Levin's District 33 Participatory Budgeting Project, NYC Councilmember Reynoso's District 34 Participatory Budgeting Project, Office of Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, P.S. 26K, P.S. 34K, P.S. 110K, P.S. 119K, P.S. 120K, P.S. 132K, P.S. 150K, P.S./I.S. 165K, P.S. 250K, P.S. 297K, P.S. 414K, P.S. 705K, I.S . 285K, M.S. 126K, P.S. 187M, P.S. 334M, MS 67Q, Academy for Environmental Leadership, K403, Beginning With Children Charter School, Northside Charter High School, Williamsburg Charter High School, The Young Women's Leadership School of Brooklyn and more!

Produced by Town Square, NYC PTA EXPO 2014 presents a fun and informative event with great resources, products, services and information for New York City PA and PTA groups (together “PTA”) while bringing together community members, educators, families, parents and city agencies under one roof. Complete with workshops led by education specialists, business leaders, and past PTA representatives offering advice and fundraising ideas to new PTA members, this expo bridges diverse PTA councils through network sharing and camaraderie. All NYC PTAs are invited to attend.

• To purchase tickets, visit Eventbrite here.

• For more info, call 347.559.1410, e-mail info@NYCPTAexpo.com or visit www.NYCPTAExpo.com.

• To apply as a vendor, visit Application Link here. 

 
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NYC has the largest number of public schools in New York State with more than 1,700 public schools serving more than 1 million students. Through the NYC PTA Expo, our neighborhood PTAs can “meet the parents” and share information on projects, plans and development, so that everyone can stay in the loop. Celebrating education by supporting PTA councils throughout New York City, NYC PTA Expo offers community access and support for exhibitors and educational leaders, alike.

NYC PTA EXPO PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

12:00 PM - Exhibit Hall Opens
12:30 – 1:00PM - Keynote speaker and local elected officials

WORKSHOP I: ABCs FOR PTAs
1:00-1:45 PM
Cathy Carlson, Past-President, Staten Island Federation of PTAs & Rachel Fine, Co-Founder of PTAlink will cover:
- What is a PTA?
- Chancellors Regulation A-660 highlights in plain language
- What are examples of a PTA's mission, role, and objectives?
- What are a PTA's powers and limitations?
- 45 minute breakout session to follow.

WORKSHOP II: Fundraising 101
3:30-4:15 PM
Jean Joachim, Past-PTA President of PS 87 and Author of “Beyond the Bake Sale: The Ultimate School Fund-Raising Book” will address vital fundamental considerations for PTA fundraising:
- Important issues to keep in mind when developing fundraising plans
- Development and actualization of effective and successful fundraising strategies
- Her most successful fundraising projects, and what made them so successful?
- 45 minute breakout session to follow.

WORKSHOP III: Participatory Budgeting, A Great Funding Source for NYC Schools!
3:30-4:15 PM
Lisa Bloodgood, PB Project Director for District 33, CM Levin & Ava Farkas, PB Project Coordinator for District 34, CM Reynoso will discuss:
- What is Participatory Budgeting and how can it help your school?
- How does PB work?
- Examples of successful PB school projects: technology upgrades, bathroom renovations, playgrounds, etc
- 45 minute breakout session to follow.

WORKSHOP IV: 501(c)(3) Basics
4:15-5:00 PM
Neil Stevenson, Senior Staff Attorney of The Lawyers’ Alliance will walk you through:
- What is a 501c3?
- Is a 501c3 right for our school’s PTA?
- What are the pros and cons?
- What are the ongoing reporting requirements of a 501c3?
- If you choose not to become a 501c3, what are other options available?
- 45 minute breakout session to follow over refreshments during Tequila Time!

CONTINUE NETWORKING AT SWEET SCIENCE!
As NYC PTA Expo ends, join us to mix and mingle over PTA Expo Happy Hour specials at Sweet Science (135 Graham Avenue, Brooklyn).

SPEAKER BIOS: Elected Officials

NYS Senator Daniel Squadron is serving his third term representing New York's 26th Senate District, which includes the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Vinegar Hill, DUMBO, Fulton Ferry, Brooklyn Heights, Downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Columbia Waterfront, and the Manhattan neighborhoods of Tribeca, Battery Park City, the Lower East Side, Chinatown, the Financial District, Little Italy, SoHo, and the East Village. In the Senate, Senator Squadron has worked tirelessly to reform Albany; strengthen affordable housing; promote comprehensive, community-empowering economic development; enhance regional transportation infrastructure while improving pedestrian and road safety; protect the most vulnerable in our society; and secure parks and open space for all communities. At the heart of these priorities is Senator Squadron’s ability to bring diverse parties together to find practical solutions that make government work better for people and communities. Public transit and complete streets are critical to New York's success and Senator Squadron has been a driving force on both. www.nysenate.gov/senator/daniel-l-squadron.

NYS Assemblyman Joseph Lentol has represented North Brooklyn in the New York State Legislature since 1972. He is a lifelong resident of New York City, whose father and grandfather both also served in the New York State Legislature. In his community, Assemblyman Lentol has fought to preserve and enhance the waterfront and provide for public access. He has spearheaded efforts to improve tenants’ rights and affordable housing. He has initiated many programs to deter crime, help our youth, and revitalize the commercial corridors in each of the communities he represents. Respect for all people, their beliefs and customs is a defining principle of his public life. Mr. Lentol’s North Brooklyn Assembly District is one of the most ethnically diverse in New York City. It has long been home to generations of Polish-Americans, Irish-Americans, Italian-Americans, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, German-Americans, and Americans from the Island of Puerto Rico. North Brooklyn boasts a large population of Orthodox Jewish-Americans and Hasidic residents from many parts of Europe. It has recently become the new home of families and individuals from Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Central and South America, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. People from all over the world have found harmony and acceptance in this community. Assemblyman Lentol considers it an honor to represent such a diverse constituency. He is extremely well known in New York for his personal attention to solving problems and for his dedicated public service. For over three decades, he has worked to improve the State’s quality of life and the well-being of its residents. http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Joseph-R-Lentol/

NYC Councilman Stephen Levin was elected in 2009 to represent the 33rd District in the New York City Council, which includes the diverse communities of Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Boerum Hill, Vinegar Hill, Downtown Brooklyn, and Bedford–Stuyvesant. As a Councilmember, Stephen has proven to be a leader on education and early childhood issues, and an advocate for increased open space in our communities and transportation safety initiatives. He has passed legislation requiring the Department of Education to notify families and teachers about potential PCB contamination, and has sponsored resolutions calling for mandatory kindergarten and breakfast-in-the-classroom. In addition to serving as Chair of the Committee on General Welfare, Council Member Levin serves on the Cultural Affairs, Education, Environmental Protection, Land Use, and Transportation committees, and the Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Siting and Maritime Uses. http://council.nyc.gov/d33/html/members/home.shtml

NYC Councilman Antonio Reynoso represents the 34th District in the New York City Council, Antonio wants to create an environment conducive to a better quality of life for residents of Bushwick and Williamsburg in Brooklyn and Ridgewood in Queens. He understands that success in his district starts with strong schools, the fundamental access to affordable housing, and economic growth. Leveraging his years of experience as Councilmember Reyna’s Chief of Staff, where he oversaw and advanced progressive policies and legislative reforms for affordable housing, economic development, job creation, education, and public safety, Antonio is an experienced leader who knows how to cultivate diverse coalitions and is focused on delivering and maximizing the necessary programs and services to the diverse populations in the 34th District. http://council.nyc.gov/d34/html/members/home.shtml

Brooklyn Borough President, Eric L. Adams was born in Brownsville and is a proud product of the New York City public school system, graduating from Bayside High School in 1978. He received his Associate in Arts Degree in Data Processing from New York City Technical College and his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice; later, he received his Masters' Degree in Public Administration from Marist College. After a distinguished 22-year career in the New York City Police Department, Eric served for four terms in the New York State Senate, representing the 20th State Senatorial District, covering Borough Park, Crown Heights, Flatbush, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Sunset Park and Windsor Terrace. Eric worked on issues that mattered to his constituents, including affordable housing, educational funding and preventative health. He became a champion on statewide matters such as good government, workers' rights, quality of life concerns and public safety. In particular, Eric effectively organized support against the NYPD's controversial stop, question and frisk policy and on behalf of gun control. Eric has also served on the board of the Eastern District Counseling Service, an organization assisting former substance abusers to live productive lives without dependency on drugs or alcohol. In 2013, Eric was elected by Brooklynites to be the first African-American to serve as Brooklyn Borough President. http://www.brooklyn-usa.org/pages/Eric.html.

Deputy Brooklyn Borough President Diana Reyna.  Since 2001, Diana Reyna has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to her community through government service and advocacy as New York City Councilmember for twelve years. She is the first woman of Dominican descent elected to office in New York State. During her tenure she has garnered citywide attention for her tireless efforts powerfully and successfully championing for her district on issues like affordable housing, improving education, expanding youth and senior services. Diana Reyna was Chair to the Committee on Small Business and served as committee member on Finance, Land-Use, Sub-Committee on Zoning, Economic Development, Community Development. As Deputy Borough President, Diana Reyna will join Borough President Eric Adams to build sustainable communities focused on jobs; maintaining industrial and manufacturing economies and keeping neighborhoods affordable, safe and secure to continue to work together for a better Brooklyn. She envisions an innovative new park by decking the Brooklyn Queens Expressway expanding open space and reconnecting divided communities. She attended the Transfiguration School, St. Joseph's High School, and Pace University in Pleasantville, New York. http://www.brooklyn-usa.org/pages/Diana.html.

SPEAKER BIOS: Workshop Presenters

Ms. Lisa Bloodgood has worked as a community liaison and environmental advisor for Council Member Stephen Levin since 2011. In 2012 Levin enrolled the district in the NYC Participatory Budgeting Project and tasked Lisa with coordinating the project's inaugural year in the 33rd district. With three cycles under her belt, Lisa is one of the most senior Participatory Budgeting coordinators in the New York City Council. She sits on the Participatory Budgeting City Wide Steering Committee and the Coordinating Council Committee.

Ms. Cathy Carlson has volunteered many hours supporting her children’s schools and was active on those schools’ Parent Teacher Associations and School Leadership Teams. She has served in the capacity of PTA President or Treasurer at each of her children’s Elementary, Intermediate and High Schools. Additionally, Cathy has been a representative to the D31 District Leadership Team, Staten Island High School Presidents Council and the Citywide DLT High School Subcommittee. From 2011–2013 Cathy served as President of the Staten Island Federation of Parent Teacher Associations (SIFPTA), an organization whose mission is to act as a liaison and channel communication among Staten Island Parent Teacher Associations, families and the education community. This organization provides information, training and support to every Staten Island Public School PTA, and awards over $30,000 in scholarships for high school seniors each year. Cathy currently acts in an advisory role to the SIFTPA, and chairs their 501c3 committee. Cathy also serves as a Board of Director of the Bruce G. Geary Foundation, an organization that grants financial assistance to many local non-profit organizations that advocate for and enhance the health of animals. Cathy holds a B.S. with a concentration in Accounting from Wagner College.

Ms. Ava Farkas is the director of community organizing for council member Antonio Reynoso. Prior to joining the council she worked as a community organizer on a city-wide living wage campaign.

Ms. Rachel Fine is the co-founder of PTAlink, a web-based resource center dedicated to supporting and enhancing the work of PA/PTAs across NYC public schools. She developed the initiative to provide these organizations with equal access to the information they need to be effective and successful supporters of parent engagement and student education, and to help build a collaborative community among them. At P.S. 321 in Brooklyn, she served on the School Leadership Team (SLT), was involved with numerous school committees and initiatives, co-developed and ran one of the largest curriculum-enhancing and community-building events at the school, and served as PTA co-president. Since 2011, Rachel has been involved with the city’s Participatory Budgeting process: as an Education Committee facilitator and a District Committee member in District 39, and as a member of the PBNCY Citywide Steering Committee, focusing on education and equity issues. Rachel is a former staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society and a former Assistant General Counsel at the Administration for Children’s Services. She holds a B.A. from Columbia College, Columbia University and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law.

Ms. Jean Joachim is a wife and a mother of two sons and a rescued pug. Her first book, "Beyond the Bake Sale, the Ultimate School Fund-Raising Book," was a smashing success based on her 15 yearT of experience as an engaged NYC mom and past-PTA president at PS 87. The fund-raising events and activities in this book reflect fifteen years experience and fifteen years of making money and fifteen years of saving money. "We have made plenty of mistakes in our fund-raising efforts, but we never got discouraged. I have learned that it takes a year or two to really get an event to run smoothly. You have to have patience, be creative, listen to other people, and be open to suggestion. We started small with bake sales and grew over the years to huge events that made up to $60,000. But it didn't happen overnight." Since then, Jean has written non-fiction and fiction novels. Now she spends her days in New York City in the company of her characters, with a cup of tea and a secret stash of black licorice. Connect with Jean through email: sunnydaysbook@gmail.com, blog: http://jeanjoachim.blogspot.com or www.jeanjoachimbooks.com.

Mr. Neil Stevenson, Senior Staff Attorney, Economic Development Initiative, Lawyers Alliance for New York, 2004 – present. Columbia University School of Law, LL.M., 1982. University of Glasgow School of Law, LL.B., joint honors (law and economics), 1980. The Legal Aid Society, 2003 - 2004; Eaton & Van Winkle, 1982 - 2003. Lawyers Alliance for New York is the leading provider of business and transactional legal services for nonprofit organizations that are improving the quality of life in New York City neighborhoods. Our network of pro bono lawyers from law firms and corporations and staff of experienced attorneys collaborate to deliver expert corporate, tax, real estate, employment, intellectual property and other legal services to community organizations. By connecting lawyers, nonprofits, and communities, we help nonprofits to develop affordable housing, stimulate economic development, promote community arts and operate and advocate for vital programs for children and young people, the elderly, recent immigrants, and other low-income New Yorkers. NYS Attorney Registration #: 1887587. www.lany.org/