Hello! I am a new PTC president and have been involved in my PTC for 4 years now- we suffer from the usual: The same old people doing all the work. We have lots of event volunteers but not as many new committee or board members. At the end of last year as incoming Pres and over the summer I have been recruiting like crazy! We were successful. My first official mtg is coming up and I know we will have lots of new people, I want a way to have a bit of fun, get to know new people and maybe have a small, inexpensive gift. Mostly I want to welcome people but do it quickly and get on with the business part of the meeting. Any suggestions?

This might sound like a wise-guy remark, but I'd suggest reversing your time-frame in that first meeting. Sounds like you want quick welcome so that you can get to the business portion. I'd suggest quick business portion so you can get to the welcoming. Nothing is more importnat than connecting with parents and getting them enthused about involvement.

Make it your goal to push as much of the business portion of (all) your meeting(s) out to the committees and the board. Your general meetings don't *have" to be filled with debates over which fundraiser to run or how the fair will be conducted -- that's why you have committees. Your treasurer doesn't have to read each line item if she has a written report that she can distribute ahead of the meeting. Then all she'll need to do is answer $ questions, if there are any.

The end result -- meetings that provide value for the parents that come. Content, fun, community, involvement. Make that the goal of all your general meetings.

Off my soap box.....

Tim

This year I'm going to door prizes at the meetings. I think this will be fun and business can get recognition in the newsletter. Why not give this a shot!

There are directions in different posts for Volunteer Welcome kits: a rubber band to be flexible, a tooth pick to remind you not to be too picky, a marble to replace yours when you lose them, etc. Does anyone know where to find the list? I got it off this web site. Package it nicely with raffia bow.

We started our first meeting with a mixer game. We gave out papers asking people to find someone with the trait on their paper. Then introduce that person to the group stating their name, where they lived, and their kids names and grades. The questions pertained to our projects and events: Find someone who had cooked spaghetti for over 50 people --- that person can volunteer for our spaghetti dinner. Who eats at Olive Garden? That person can buy Scrip to spend there. Who has ever set up a swingset? That person can come to our Build-a-Playground Day. It was a fun way to introduce our projects through the people at the meeting. I had complaints we didn't go into enough detail, and complaints that our social time turned into a meeting. You can't please them all. It was billed as a Volunteer Breakfast 1 week after school started, but we wanted to introduce our projects and volunteer opportunities.

Next meeting we approve the budget and go over official rules and stuff.

I've just emailed you the many ideas that I've retitled SURVIVAL KIT - 4 versions. It seems to fit great - sinc emany of the ideas are for volunteers, teachers or anyone in between.

Have fun, be creative and choose the one that falls into your FUN mood. There was one that also had to do with candy too!

dcdunlap@mac.com

Could you please email me a copy of your SURVIVAL KIT? Thank you.
pkunze@new.rr.com