17th District President Colette Rudd wrote the following letter to the editor of the San Mateo Daily Journal, which was published in today’s (August 7) edition of the paper.

Resources for parents, volunteers available
Editor,
As a volunteer for the California State PTA (California Congress of Parents, Teachers and Students, Inc.), I am always dismayed to read about theft of money that was intended to benefit children (“Parent association head takes embezzlement plea” in the July 30 edition of the Daily Journal).
The California State PTA offers training to prevent theft and insurance to cover losses when theft occurs. However, not all parent associations are part of the PTA. Many readers may not realize that the Fair Oaks Parent Association, which was impacted by the theft, is not part of the state PTA. Public trust is important to us. Our purpose is to promote the well-being of all children and families. We also work to educate PTA officers in comprehensive financial procedures that are required for nonprofit organizations, help prevent losses and protect honest and hardworking volunteers from false accusations. I hope all families in schools in San Mateo County recognize the benefits and become a part of the California State PTA. The 17th District PTA office is located at the San Mateo County Board of Education. Our contact information is on our Web site www.17thdistrictpta.org.
Colette Rudd
San Mateo

On a related note, if your PTA is in need of assistance or guidance dealing with issues, financial or other, please take advantage of the resources that 17th District PTA can make available to you. Contact Colette Rudd (17th District President) and Pam Selli (17th District Vice President of Leadership) for assistance.

If you are interested in forming a new PTA within San Mateo County, you should also contact Colette Rudd and Pam Selli using the links above, who will be able to guide you through the process.