We simplified all of this and put everything that was important about our parent group in the family directory, which we provide FREE to every family at our school. These directories are constantly used by parents.
Our parent group info in the directory includes: contact info and position, our budget, committee chairpersons names and contact info, committee descriptions (which all include specific volunteer duties and time required to help), our calendar, our fundraisers (and explanation of each), our goals and mission of our parent group, a letter from the president welcoming families to a new school year, how to order school spiritwear, etc.
Also, we worked with the school to add important F.A.Q.'s in the directory, such as, lunch costs $...., "If my child is sick and will not attend school, do I have to call the school?" Basic common questions that the school secretaries helped compile; since they are the ones fielding those questions the first couple of weeks.
Then we add all of the family contact info, such as, name, children and grade, address, phone and email. Of course, families complete a form the first day of school and give us permission to add the info in the directory (we also note in bold that the directory is to be soley used by families at our school and it is not to be used for any other mailing purposes, etc.).
Then, we sell $25 business card size ads in the back to local businesses. We had to get permission to sell the ads from our district superintendent. He felt that since the directory was for adults, that we could sell the ads. We do not, however, give the directories to any businesses.
The money raised provides for all of the printing costs for the directory. We usually have 25-30 extra directories printed for new families that might join our school throughout the year. Also, we send a directory home to mom and the dad if they are divorced. Otherwise, each family gets one directory.
Once we started this, we found that we did not need a welcome packet anymore! And every question that someone had was probably answered in our directory; easier than keeping track of a bunch of loose papers that end up getting thrown out.
