ISSUE DATES

  • Teachers Lounge Makeover Tips

    Essential advice for upgrading your school’s teachers lounge.

  • 5 Ways PTOs Support Teachers

    Go beyond typical teacher appreciation efforts with these high-impact ideas.

  • 9 School Store Setup Tips and Ideas

    School stores can be a great way to serve students and earn money for your group, too. Here are some key points to consider when setting yours up.

  • Tips and Ideas for Sweetheart Dances

    Families love sweetheart dances. Here's how to make your dance a success, whether you hold it around Valentine's Day or another time of year.

  • Deconstruction Zone

    Tech Take-Apart event required only donated electronics, a few tools, and students’ natural curiosity.

  • Principal Matters

    What to do when you and your school's administrator just don’t see eye to eye.

  • 6 Ways To Use Social Media Effectively

    Easy tips for maximizing your parent group's social media presence.

  • Get Kids Involved in Your PTO or PTA

    Parent groups can serve their schools better when students have a say.

  • Real Talk About School Principals

    Working well with your school’s top administrator is important for PTO and PTA leaders. Here’s how to tackle some common sticking points.

  • How To Do a School Holiday Shop Yourself

    If your PTO has enough time, strong organization, and enthusiastic volunteers, a do-it-yourself holiday shop event can be a success!

  • How To Run a School Readathon

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    Tips and tools for putting together a readathon or other educational fundraiser.

  • Text Messaging Apps for PTOs and PTAs

    Messaging services can make it easier to stay in touch with board members and families.

  • Community Service Ideas for PTOs and PTAs

    Community service is an important part of parent groups’ plans and activities, and for good reason: Contributing to the greater good not only presents your group as one that cares; it also teaches children valuable lessons about giving back and making the world around them a better place. Our free guide with community service ideas for PTOs and PTAs covers the key steps in choosing and planning meaningful projects for your group and school. You’ll get specific community service project ideas ranging from collection drives to projects for families, tips on publicizing your event, free downloadables for promoting your project, and more. Read Free Guide Inside the Ultimate Guide to Community Service Ideas for PTOs and PTAs: Planning a Community Service Project Important points to consider, including where help is needed, volunteer load, and timing. 17 Ways PTOs and PTAs Can Make a Difference Community service projects for kids and families, including classroom project ideas Project Ideas by Season A handy list if you want to pick a project for each season or to see when a community service effort you have in mind might work best. National Service Celebrations If you want to be part of something bigger, consider scheduling your project during a national community service observance. Rev Up Your Donation Collections Helpful tips, whether you’re collecting specific items like food, shoes, or pet supplies or are using a more general collection effort like box tops or coins. Downloadable Tools Lists of service project ideas, customizable flyers, and clip art images to help promote your community service project. Facebook graphics Draw attention to your Facebook posts about upcoming community service efforts. Supporting Families in Need The desire to help is a heartwarming response when a family is in need, but your group should consider several issues before stepping forward. First, when you decide to help an individual or a family, you’re setting a precedent for your group. How will you decide in the future who receives help and who doesn’t? You might want to be extra generous the first time an issue like this comes up, but will you have the resources and the desire the second, third, and fourth times a situation arises? It’s difficult to say no in these situations. Think about a policy decision in advance rather than simply reacting to an individual event. One approach is to create a fund that’s administered by the school social worker, the principal, or the school administrative director. They’re in the best position to know which families and students need help. This approach also helps put aside any concerns about conflicts of interest if, for example, the person who needs help is one of your officers. (Giving a significant amount of money directly to an officer is a no-no under IRS regulations.) Some groups designate a committee and small budget, such as a “sunshine fund,” that can be used for token donations for unexpected events like an illness or death. Some parent groups will hold a collection for a family as a separate initiative that doesn’t get combined with the existing PTO bank account, or they’ll hold a separate fundraiser specifically for a family in need. The key is to avoid having to decide subjectively whether one family’s need is more significant than another’s. Preserve your funds for your primary goal—helping the school and the students as a whole—while also showing support for community members in need. Read Free Guide Still have questions? Call us at 800-644-3561; we’re here to help. Share this page:

  • Inspiration From the 2017 Category Winners

    A look at some of the achievements and ideas from the 2017 Parent Group of the Year category winners.

  • Reading Between the Lines

    Life lessons found within the pages of Parent Group of the Year search entries.

  • Supporting Healthy Lifestyles

    Broad offerings help the Stiles Point Elementary school and community in Charleston, S.C., make good changes.

  • A STEM Collaboration

    Parents, teachers, and the principal joined to give STEM learning a boost at a Georgia school.

  • Judges' Choice: Risks That Paid Off

    Taking an outside-the-box approach makes the Rescue Elementary parent group stand out.

  • Ideas You'll Want To Steal for Your Parent Group

    Get inspired by these tips, tricks, and creative efforts from entries in the 2017 Parent Group of the Year search.

  • National Winner: An Unstoppable Spirit

    Handling challenges proactively and taking chances build up this group and school.
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