PTO Today

If you’re hanging around on ptotoday.com, then you likely already understand and value the work of PTOs. But it sure is nice when the regular ol’ media gets the story right, too. That’s what happened with this Ohio feature about all the good work being done and support being provided by the many PTOs in its region. Love it.

I ran across this video recently and saw such clear connections to our PTO challenges. Reminded me a lot of what I’ve talked about in my columns and in my PTO Expo keynotes over the years.

You’ll notice that this is entirely about a Church, but see if you can make the switch to your school. We all talk about wanting new members and welcoming new input, but what signals are we actually sending?

Is your PTO like this Church?
Any lessons for your group in this video?

Local PTO, principal and a local church group looking for a project team up in a big way to transform a school. Very cool. We’re talking, painting, murals, moving fences, landscaping — the whole enchilada. Great casue. Great effort.

Always fun to read about one of our programs paying dividends for a group, so I was more than pleasantly surprised when i picked up a local paper this morning and ran across this piece from a paper near my hometown.

The BF Norton school in Cumberland, RI is seeing strong involvement gains using the 2 Hour Power Pledge model. Volunteerism has nearly doubled, and we’re only in October!

Want to check out our free 2 Hour Power for your school? Full details and downloadable letters and forms are all here.

Impressed by this feature from Michigan, where author captures both the importance of involvement and the challenges of growing involvement at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

A good read…

This Washington Post column brings up an interesting issue — why are Principals fundraising (especially when they have an active parent group already doing so?

Talk about fundraising burnout! The parents at this school must be buying locks for their wallets. At most well-working schools the goals (and the fundraising) is shared. The idea of parents trying to differentiate between a Principal’s fundraiser and a PTO’s is just not realistic. To parents, it’s all just the school reaching into their pockets again, and — long-term — that’s a recipe for turned off parents and (ironically) lower fundraiser earnings. Not good.

This happening at your school? Why?

We’ve worked with these guys a bit in the past, when we’ve had PTO Expos in the Philly area, but we’re continually impressed with the Philadelphia public schools and their outreach to parents. Here’s just another example, as district hosts wide-ranging Parent Appreciation Day. Love it.

Ran across this mom’s blog and couldn’t help but laugh. Talented writer who really captures a day many of us have also had. How many of us can commiserate with these frustrations that sometimes, regrettably go along with school volunteering?

It’s that time of year when the new PTO cubs start bugging the seasoned PTO mama bears. Yup, I said it Whether you’re the spirited newcomer or the grizzled old verteran, I hope you can find some peace by thinking about what the other side is going through. This column on the gap between old volunteers and new volunteers could help.

Also find this quick diary/blog interesting from a brand new PTOer, attending her first meeting at a new school. Good to hear what the new eyes see. Love the observation about just how much trash can be turned into school cash (and the fact that she’s diving through the home trash to recover school treasure).

I haven’t really been counting, but I sure do love stories like this one about parents and teachers and admins working together to transform a school. Especially like how the parent piece is featured not as a nice-to-have, but as a must-have element of really getting the school thing right. Couldn’t agree more.

It’s decidedly not a quick read, but it’s good enough to make the “grab a cup of coffee” or “print it out and read later” list. We’ll have to make these guys contenders for our next Parent Group of the Year search.