PTO School Calendar Magnets: What To Include + Free Editable Canva Template

If you’ve spent any time in our private Facebook group for PTO and PTA parents, you’ve probably seen this question pop up every spring as PTOs plan for back-to-school: “Do you hand out PTO magnet calendars? What do you put on them...and where do you order them?”

A simple school calendar magnet can end up being one of your PTO's most effective communication tools all year. It lives on the fridge, keeps families in the loop on your PTO's important dates (like PTO meetings...don't want to forget those!), and helps cut down on those “Wait, when is that again?” moments. 

We know how busy back-to-school season gets, so we created a fully editable, 4" x 6" PTO magnet calendar template in Canva you can use to make your own. It includes:

• A full July–June school year layout
• An assortment of school staff appreciation days and fun national holidays already filled in to get you started (get the full list of special days)
• Placeholder text for PTO meetings, fundraisers, and special school events
• Ready to print as a 4" x 6" magnet

Just add your school’s dates, and delete what you don’t need.

Free PTO Magnet Calendar (4" x 6" Canva Template) 

USE CANVA TEMPLATE

What Should My PTO Put on a School Magnet Calendar?

This is where most groups get stuck. Remember, the goal isn’t to include everything. Here’s a good mix to aim for:

School Dates  

• First and last day of school
• School breaks and holidays
• Early release days
• No-school days

PTO Dates 

• PTO/PTA meetings
• School fundraisers  
• School family events 
• Book fairs and special days 

School Staff Appreciation Days  

Get our whole list of school staff appreciation days to celebrate during the school year, like:

• Teacher Appreciation Week
• Bus Driver Appreciation Day
• Custodian Appreciation Day
• School Resource Officer Appreciation Day

A Few Fun Extras

These dates are totally optional of course, but nice to have if you have room to include:

• Spirit weeks
• A couple of fun “national days”: these are good to include if your PTO is planning something special to celebrate, like an Oreo tasting on National Oreo Day, or a fun morale booster on National Rubber Ducky Day. Get our whole list of special days to celebrate during the school year

What Size Should I Make Our PTO School Calendar Magnet?

Most PTOs go with 4" x 6" magnets because they’re:

• Affordable to print in bulk
• Easy to hand out at events
• Big enough to read, small enough to keep (they don't take up too much space on the fridge)

But, many PTOs also size up to a 5" x 7" magnet. 

Where Should My PTO Print Our School Magnet Calendars?

You’ve got options. PTOs commonly use:

• Staples
• UPrinting
• Vistaprint
• A local print shop

Quick tip: Order a few extras. New families always pop up after the school year starts! 

Why School Calendar Magnets Are Worth Creating 

We hear this again and again from PTO leaders: these things work!! PTO magnet calendars help:

• Keep families informed (without more emails or texts)
• Increase turnout at events
• Cut down on confusion about school dates and fundraisers
• Keep your PTO visible all year long
• And unlike flyers… they don’t disappear into the backpack void.

A Few Tips Before You Print

• Don’t overcrowd it—white space is your friend
• Double-check every date (seriously)
• Be selective: make your biggest events stand out
• Consider adding your PTO email or a QR code in the corner

Get even more awesome ideas and printables in our weekly newsletter 👉