Okay today was a typical PTA president day. I arrived at school at 11:30 to calculate the latest fundraiser. While that was happening the school pictures came in. Handled that, went back to the fundraiser. Finished the fundraiser and realize the banks are closed. Take home money from fundraiser and picture profit. Stop at barnes and noble to purchase 20 books for tomorrow’s book club. They only have 10 copies. Call next nearest store and reserve another 8 (all they had) and will have to find another 2 copies at Borders. Realize that I have again scheduled my son’s allergy shot during a once every two week special event so call to reschedule. Now I am downloading software for another homework assignment and I either have to go out early tomorrow morning or tonight to get Danishes for the group that does my son’s event tomorrow. Life is never boring!

It is very easy to plan a movie day if you have cooperative teachers. Pick a date and location in the school that holds the students. The easiest is to make popcorn and we have a large drink thermos. I put together a couple bags of ice, Ginger ale (about 6 2-liter bottles), any powdered juice mix you have to make punch. Have the movie run, feed them a little popcorn and punch and you are doing good. Anything that breaks up the every day tedium is appreciated.

I have just returned from a lengthy “emergency” meeting of our city’s PTO council. This meeting was to discuss a draft of a document that will be discussed at the next BOE meeting. We were not suppose to have access to this document. It is impossible to have 10 or more people in a room and expect no one to leak the information. You also have to wonder how subterfuge makes your PTA looks to the BOE and how the BOE looks to the PTA using the same tactics? Is being sneaky the best way to achieve your agenda? At what time do you try to work out issues at a school basis? Is it better to work with your principal or against? As a PTA President you have to determine how to handle these issues. I prefer working with my principal. I honestly believe if you and your school administration don’t see eye to eye (or eye to chin) you should change schools. Nothing gets resolved if both parties don’t have mutual trust and/or respect for each other. It won’t work. PTA’s need to partner with the administration and work together towards at least one common goal. Once the respect is in place compromise will follow.

When looking for new programs to start at your school do not try to recreate something that already exists. Art museums should help with art program. Science museums should help with science. Always ask the programs for discounts, the worse they can say is no. The best thing a school can do is find other community groups to share on the effort. Either they have resources they can donate or grants they can share.

I am always curious to see what time brings out the best turn out at a PTA event. During school limits it to stay at home moms, right after school limits it to mainly parents and later in the evening(after 5) limits you to working parents or extremely dedicated teachers. The hardest is when you wait until 6 pm and only 5 people come. What works for your school?

Noah Webster PTA Calendar

Everyone likes to know what they are getting into when they volunteer.  Here are some examples of the positions that I have designed.

Roles and Duties of PTA Officers

I know very little about basketball but I do know that it is a good way to draw a crowd. First you need to plan ahead by a couple months. Then you need to pick a teacher who will coach their team (they tend to have an easier time organizing and they know their player’s strengths better since they work together). Then you need a willing parent, someone with a great sense of humor, patience and a very thick skin. Don’t become attached to them as a long time coach because usual one time coaching burns them out. Setting up several practices helps! Once those two people are chosen the majority of your work is done!

Usually my teacher coach gets the gym reserved and set up, access to the equipment and the referee. NEVER forget to pay the ref, they will deserve every penny. Also try to make sure they don’t work at the school. We use students to keep score since they have to be some what impartial plus it gets them involved

All that is left is a trip to a wholesale store. Buy healthy snacks (pretzels, granola bar, popcorn, juiceboxes and bottled water) and set up a table and sell, sell, sell.

Also make sure you have security onsite since these can be very competitive games.

Okay, I am going to start with some basic PTA knowledge. If you feed them, they will come. That is the theory and at times it works but I personally believe that they can not come if they didn’t know about, even if there is food. Our school district just got hooked up to a program that is called “ConnectEd” and it is great. It sends a pre-recorded phone call to all of the numbers listed on your child’s contact information. Some parents find it VERY annoying BUT they did get the information even though they felt like it was under duress. Every school has different ways to communicate. We have also gone the “kill a tree” route which we make a ton of copies and send them home in the backpack. I would believe that it was effective except for the fact that the playground after school looked like it was attacked by whatever distinctive color we chose that month. Phone trees work and of course the ever great email. I suggest you try a couple routes until you find one that works. I think communication is the key to making any PTA a success.