I too will be helping with the membership drive. Sorry I don't have an idea with a puzzle theme, but I do have a question. We would like to get more parents involved. (including dads). So I was thinking of having the parents who join fill out a short questionaire, but I am not sure how to set it up. We want to ask what their volunteer hours can be, what they are willing to help do (ie: chair a committee,give an hour at the carnival, room parent, pick up donations etc.) Also, ask what talents they might have and be willing to use for us. (ie: great fundraiser, baker, musician, makes balloon shapes, etc.)
Does anyone else do anything like this? Or do you think its a silly waste of time? Its a new idea and we don't know if it will even help.
Thanks

I think the puzzle idea is great. What if you set up a table at the door. As people came in hand them a piece of the puzzle and have them sit down. Then, in your opening, have those people one at a time come up and put the puzzle together. That will give your crowd a visual of each person contributing time and energy to complete the task at hand. This may emphasize time, work and energy. I don't think it would work for my group though. I come from a very small school, 150 students in the elementary, we have more teachers than parents come to the meetings, anywhere from 4-12 people. It is awful. I don't know what to do. I find myself and 2 others busting our tail for the school, planning events, fundraisers, etc... and then you have one parents that wants to know who decides where the money goes. Go figure. I wish we had more mouths working for the organization than against it. Good Luck.

I do not know where I read this but here goes. A picture was taken of the school and made into a large puzzle. Copy of th puzzle was made and staff was given a piece and asked to join to complete the puzzle by becoming a member. The puzzle is displayed prominently in the school and as the staff joined their real puzzle piece was placed. This group received 100% staff memberhsip that year. plw

I am so glad to hear from you. Thanks for taking the time to reply.
I think that your idea is great. Maybe making a huge poster of the school mascot in black and white with a puzzle outline over it, then as the memberships come in color in the puzzle pieces. How large is your school? It would be neat to be able to have student participation in coloring the pieces in, but it would be difficult with a large student body. You could have a different aspect of the puzzle to represent the teachers and staff, maybe that would encourage teacher membership. Let me know what you think.Thanks again.

I am also in charge of our membership drive for the first time next year. I have been contemplating using a puzzle theme and stressing the fact that it takes all pieces of the puzzle to complete the puzzle successfully.(parents, teachers, children, etc). We have a membership drive back to school night and I am still trying to decide how to create a large puzzle with each member bringing in a piece, receiving a piece, or what??? Any ideas? If this helps you with a theme idea, maybe we could work together to make it all happen!!! Good luck and hope to hear from you again.

Hello I am new to the board and will be over the membership drive for next school year. I would love t hear so ideas about reaching out to the other parents and getting the children involved. I would like to have a theme to base the drive on, prizes for the classes with highest membership and the like. I will be working with 6th -8th grade students and their parents. I will be grateful for any help that I recieve.