Regarding membership forms, we revised ours last year & we had a pretty good response. However, it will be hard for me to get a copy to you. (I've been really swamped with work this year, so it's been really hard for me to keep up with this forum the way I'd like.)
Regarding a membership drive. Last year was the first year (at least since I've been at this school) that we had an actual membership drive. We also had a theme & a contest. Out theme was something about "linking" with the PTO. Each child whose family joined received a paper chain with their name on it. We had a row of chains under each teacher's name in the front hallway so everyone could see how the chains grew. Our goal was 75 or 80% and we came close. Each class who met the goal received an ice cream party. We had all but one teacher join, which was quite exciting for us :eek: We had lots of fun on "Back to School" night & strongly encouraged the teachers to join that night.
I love these ideas but do you worry about parents who don't join and those kids feeling bad? We are a school with a real split in income from very well off to not so well off. I am our Pres. next year and will pass along these ideas. Thanks SO much!
Each your our Membership chairperson picks a theme for the year. Some examples "reach for the stars" as a child joined we would place a star outside of their home room with there name on it! On the form sent home it had a shooting star and the note encouraged for them "to be shining stars" The next year "cool off with the PTO" the form had an ice cream on it and we encouraged people to be cool and join and also to be "big dippers" give a donation of 20.00 bucks. At the home room an icecream cone was placed and each kid that joined had their name on a scoop of ice cream and they were stacked on top of each other! (who had the tallest cone soon became the thing that was discussed) Next year she is doing Banana splits, be a big banana for the 20.00donations. She will do the scoops again but on a banana boat. That is what we do to draw attention!
I am interested in improving our membership form sent home in the kid's folders that encourages parents to get involved on the top half and lists sign up info on the bottom half. I need any ideas for jazzing up the wording, etc. to catch the eye of parents that haven't joined efore and increase memberhsip. Also, at the first open house, I'm supposed to set up a table for membership and thought about doing a poster to attract interest. I'd also love any help with that. Thanks in advance!!!
