What do teachers and school administrators value most in their PTOs and PTAs? We asked them, and here are some examples of what they had to say:
“As a teacher, I love when parent groups are willing to listen to what we need.”
“This parent group worked so well because they had excellent communication with not only each other but [also] the principal and school staff.”
“The best parent groups I have worked with are the ones that are able to step aside from individual issues, social relationships, financial backgrounds, and truly become one group working toward the success of the students, teachers, and entire school.”
There’s a lot more of that in our brand-new article “What Makes a Parent Group Great?” What struck me as the common thread is the idea that in the most effective schools, the parent group is a key part of the engine, playing its unique role to help the school as whole reach its goals for the year. The principal, staff, and parent group leadership collaborate on planning and priorities. Does that sound like your group? Can you get closer to that this year?
We have lots of resources on working with teachers and principals. Check out these two:
Good luck!
