PTO Today

A long-time stalwart of our message boards reminded me today about a great thread that is perfect for this time of year.

New to PTO leadership or just want some quick reminder reading, as the new year begins?  Then this thread – entitled “Tips, Tricks and Peeves” – is perfect for you.  It’s a list of all the little things that a whole bunch of PTO leadership veterans have learned over the years.  Everything from “if you have a sign-up sheet, bring extra pens” to “don’t tape your directions to the table because no one can read them once the crowd comes in”.  Stuff like that.  Priceless.

Hope you’ll also feel free to add your own hard-learned words of wisdom…

Came across this article about how 6th graders are “kids are caught in the inbe-tween” when it comes to school. It asks the question: where do these tweens fit in a school system– elementary school or middle school?  Always an interesting and heated debate.

What caught my eye in the article though, is how the writer suggests that the answer to this question affects parent involvement at the school.

…national research suggests that increasing the number of years a student attends middle school — from two years to three or four — can strengthen student connection as well as parent involvement. Those factors have been linked positively to student achievement.

We all can agree that a parent’s involvement at school has a positive impact. What’s less than clear, relative to parent involvement during the middle school years is: What’s the right type and amount? In other words, tweens aren’t the only ones who feel like they are “caught in the inbetween!”

Volunteering at our kid’s elementary school is a given for many of us. In high school, parents jump back in to extracurricular activities, like booster clubs and graduation projects.  But when our kids hit middle school and are trying to separate — what form does parent involvement take? How much is the right amount to make you feel connected to your kids and their school without crossing the proverbial line?

We have several good articles about parent involvement in middle school. Check them out, then tell us how you think parents should be involved in their middle schooler’s school? What do you think in the *right* amount?

Interested in hearing your thoughts.

Living here in the Northeast, our schools go back fairly late, usually right around Labor Day.  So I consider August 15th the kick-off to back-to-school for our family.  (Already told the kids that this was the last weekend before “operation re-adjust bedtimes” gradually begins.  That went over very well.)

For me, back-to-school time also brings thoughts of how we’re going to introduce the PTO to parents this year.  That first Open House or back-to-school night can be so important for setting the stage correctly.  This article from Denver  gives parents advice for making the most of back-to-school night, but what about advice for us PTO and PTA leaders.

My 3 best tips:

1. Think welcoming and serving. Do not – I repeat do not – make it all about fundraising.  Parents will support you with their pocketbooks and wallets *after* they connect with your group and your good work.  Have a column on this concept of The Welcoming PTO here.

2. Address parent fears.  Nearly every parent in the room is thinking either: 1) “they’re a clique”; or 2) if I volunteer once (like a Black Hole) I’ll never get out.  You can’t ignore those thoughts.  Address them head-on. My column on PTOs and Cliques is here. And the best solution to the Black Hole problem, is our 2 Hour Power program.

3. Be fairly quick and light-hearted. You’re trying to draw people in.  Don’t use guilt.  And don’t drone.  You won’t completely convince all your future volunteers with one speech, but you could completely lose a whole bunch of them with one overly-long, too-heavy or guilt-giving speech.

Our editors and writers have covered best back-to-school advice for PTO and PTA leaders in loads of ways.  Take some time to review, and I know you’ll do great.

Have seen countless articles about how the economy is impacting  back-to-school shopping. This recent article talks about how parents and PTO & PTA groups are getting creative for back-to-school shopping during a recession.  Many are taking advantage of the power of a group to help parents out.

A number of PTA and PTO groups put together packages that let parents take advantage of bulk purchasing savings without having to hunt every item down in the store. Chesak/Martin PTA President Dana Wiley said the “Wrap Paks” that her group assembles have quality items that are cost-effective for parents. The kindergarten package costs $55, she said. But for families where that is still too steep, the PTA has bought a few extra supply kits.

Has your PTO or PTA done anything differently this year to help out in the area of back-to-school shopping?

Share your thoughts and ideas!

In our last post Tim talked about the importance of planning out your entire year. Good stuff. Once you have that down, consider thinking about long-term planning for your PTO group. Hot off the “press” is a new article about how to create long-term plans without the headaches. Read that for some practical tips, then check out our new Sample PTO Strategic Plan.

Summer is a great time for thinking about what you want to accomplish this year. It’s important not to get stuck in the brainstorming process, though. If you want your vision to become reality, it’s important to plan. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

Plan out your entire year. Write down all the activities, programs, fundraisers, etc. that you hope to run. Include when they’ll start and when they’ll end. Think about how much each one will cost (or raise), and think about how many volunteers you’ll need for each. You want to make sure that you have a balanced year, that you aren’t caught off guard, and that you have the resources you need at the time you need them. And by the way, it’s OK to change your plan along the way. Starting with a road map makes picking a new route a lot easier.

Plan to build involvement. How will you attract the volunteers you need and the participation you’re hoping for? Getting people connected to the school and to your group through family events and low-key activities is an important first step. Make sure a big part of your plan for the year focuses on building involvement. The better you do that, the easier everything else will become.

Use our tools. We have lots of free planning tools on ptotoday.com. Finances are not a sexy topic, but we have two terrific articles
that walk you through the basics of creating a budget for the year and figuring a budget for a specific event, even if it’s one you’ve
never run before. Our 2 Hour Power volunteer pledge program has proved to be a successful way to build involvement all year long. And ”9-Stress Busting Organization Tips” offers a nice list of objectives to make your year a success.

Your First Impression

What will be the first communication parents receive from your PTO this fall? What impression will it give? What spirit will it convey?

That’s my question for you this week, as I think it’s one of those things that can make or break a whole year of PTOing. Will parents get the sense that your group has its act together and is serious about doing really good work (in a fun, organized manner)? Will they get the sense that you’re all about serving the school and serving parents and creating community? Will the tone be upbeat and optimistic and appreciative?

Or will the first impression be you asking for money? Or you asking for anything? Will you come across as somewhat disorganized or even pessimistic?

If it’s the latter, trust me, you won’t be the only group — and yes, I know how busy you are and how little help you may have. But that’s a recipe for a whole year of struggle. Folks won’t say it right to you, but people are attracted to fun and put-together and welcoming groups. And they generally stay away from those people or groups that make them feel put-upon or that come across as scolding or needy. Is it right? No — parents should get more involved because it’s the right thing to do. But the reality is that more parents get involved when you as a parent group make that involvement more attractive.

Your first impression can go a long way to making it so. We have a ton of good content on communications and first impressions. And check out this list of 38 ways to start the year right.

Let’s face it, PTO school events can make or break your parent involvement equation. A well-planned, well-attended event not only builds community — it brings in more volunteers! Our new Event Planning Kit takes all the guess work out of creating PTO events that rock. Download your free kit today and learn:

• The Power of the Big Idea
• How to Make Your Family Night a Winner
• 36 Ideas for Arts & Science Enrichment
• The Scoop on Field Trips: Getting Organized
• Tips for Better Flyers
• How to Implement an Event Evaluation & Planning Form

And you’re one step closer to achieving unforgettable events in the 2009/10 school year.

What’s your plan for gathering a great list of parent email addresses this upcoming school year? I can tell you both from personal experience and from hearing from a ton of groups that effective use of email can make a huge difference for your group. Promoting events, soliciting volunteers, communicating key updates — all can be more effective (and easier and less expensive) if you have a good email list.

The trick is that it doesn’t happen by accident. You may want to use an opt-in form so that parents can give you those addresses and give you permission to email. You’ll most likely need a different system (and a separate OK from parents) than what the school itself uses. You’ll also want to talk to your principal now so that she knows and is OK with your plan for communicating via email.

Another step is deciding how you’ll be emailing, where those email addresses will be stored, etc. While some groups still use one member’s email account, that can be very limiting, and better solutions exist. The best example is our new, free Parent Express Email service that manages all the addresses and helps you send good-looking emails quickly and easily. It’s definitely worth a look for the new year.

Simple as it is, I consider email the PTO “killer app” of 2009-10. It’s definitely time to get on board.