Dwight Hunter Blogs: 2023 Tennessee PTA (TNPTA) Annual Convention

The second annual convention during my term as state PTA president was a successful one. Everything organized from registration to detailed schedule - check. Executive Committee meeting completed night before-check. Board meeting completed - check. Set-up of venue for convention and registration and workshops completed - check.

And the largest surprise to me -- I had scheduled three days of convention to get through business items, workshops, elections, installation, and more. We wrapped up in two days and gave everyone a Sunday off to rest up and travel back early.

We met at the Williamson County Public Safety Center for the weekend. This venue is outstanding and perfect for a convention with classrooms for workshops, a board room for the board meeting, an office for photocopying, and a huge large group seating with surround sound and monitors! The only knock is that it was difficult to find: one had to travel down an alley from the main street to find the building sitting behind another building.

During the business meeting, we adopted four new resolutions. We approved several bylaw amendments. We elected officers and installed the incoming officers.

We had workshops covering membership software, family engagement, and national standards for schools and families. We had a Q&A session by table led by a board member.

We had an awards banquet for our units and for my farewell speech. The food was lousy for the banquet but we were fully refunded for it.

Taking a break during convention business.

The 2021-2023 Board of Directors

The voting delegates at the 2023 Annual Convention.

I was so pleased that G drove in on Friday afternoon. She helped with the Saturday lunch, attended the awards banquet and heard my farewell speech, and helped clean up the venue on Sunday morning!

I gave my farewell speech. It was tough not to get emotional but this board did a lot in two years! From the Gates Grant that drove so many good programming for us to the sale of the building. I was very touched by the board gift -- very very appreciative of this board!