Communications Archive

How your group communicates with its members and the school community can affect its success. Newsletters, email, even the Open House speech—our writers and editors cover it all. You'll find tons of tips and ideas for good communication in the articles below. Find more helpful tools and info on the Communications resources page.

  • How PTOs Are Going Green

    There are many ways to make your group more environmentally conscious. It starts with a critical review of day-to-day operations.

  • Stop the PTO Drama

    Drama seems like a fact of PTO life—but it doesn’t have to be.

  • Unpaper Your PTO

    Cutting back on how much paper your group uses will mean less time copying—and more money saved.

  • Rebuilding Relations With Teachers

    One parent group regained the trust of teachers by responding to their needs and keeping them informed.

  • Make New Families Feel Welcome

    Holding out a helping hand when families first arrive at the school pays off in increased involvement and a stronger parent group later on.

  • Creating a School Directory

    It's a project that takes careful planning and attention to detail, but the resource that results will be well-used and will help your group serve parents.

  • Make Your Group a Resource

    If people think of your group as welcoming and helpful, they'll turn there first when they have questions—and the PTO will gain their support and loyalty.

  • Customer Service Secrets You Can Use

    The most successful businesses know how to create loyal customers. You can learn from their techniques to build strong parent involvement.

  • How To Work With a New Principal

    A change in school leadership is the perfect time to look at the role of the PTO; parent leaders and administrators share how they forge strong relationships.

  • The Buzz: High-tech Tools

    More parent groups are embracing new technologies to communicate with busy moms and dads.

  • To Build Support, Celebrate Success

    Make publicizing your group's good works and thanking the people who contributed to your success a year-end priority.

  • The Buzz: Wrong Number

    Automated telephone, email, and text message alerts make mass communications easier than ever, but high-tech still can't completely eliminate human error.

  • Fundraising Help From Local Businesses

    Partnering with neighborhood businesses for donations, discounts, or manpower can increase fundraising resources—and build a connection between the parent group and the community.

  • A New Focus on Communication

    How one group repaired its image by reaching out to parents.

  • Don't Say It!

    12 casual comments that discourage involvement, 12 positive alternatives that build it.

  • Send a Powerful Message

    You can use communications to improve your group's image and boost involvement. Just put the focus in the right place.

  • How To Set and Reach Group Goals

    How you go about setting objectives—and how you communicate them once they're set—plays a key role in your chances for success.

  • Create an Effective Survey

    Gathering feedback from parents and teachers can make your programs more successful. These tips will help you create a survey and evaluate the results.

  • Take an Involvement Inventory

    Periodic evaluation of your group will reinforce successes and help deal with areas that need improvement.

  • Email Communication Tips

    How to use email effectively while avoiding common pitfalls that lead to miscommunication and misunderstanding.
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