Raise your hand if you’ve stepped up as a PTO/PTA volunteer, but you’re not clear on what comes next.
You are so not alone, my friend.
That’s exactly how I felt when I started.
If we haven’t yet met, I’m Christina Hidek, attorney turned professional organizer and PTO volunteer nerd.
The truth is that no PTO/PTA volunteer starts out knowing everything they need to.
Everyone needs help at some point.
You deserve advice that’s anything but generic from someone who’s been there and done that, plus tools that slash the workload, and ideas that inspire.
That’s just what you’ll get here!
Bake Sale Fundraiser Ideas to Raise $1500+
Is your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) considering hosting a bake sale? A bake sale is a classic school fundraiser that most people associate with school parent groups. Don’t underestimate the potential for this fundraiser, especially when you time the bake sale right. One Title 1 Elementary school PTA made over…Continue reading
101+ End of the Year Teacher Gift Ideas
Your school’s Principal, teachers and staff work so hard to make your school community a fabulous place to support your child’s learning and growth all year long So recognizing their efforts with a gift at the end of the school year with a lovely token of appreciation is a wonderful way to recognize their tireless…Continue reading
55+ Best School Spirit Week Ideas & Themes (For Students & Staff!)
Boosting school spirit is one of the smartest things a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) can do. Because smiles are contagious and schools can’t possibly have enough of them. Happy students and staff make for a happier school overall, and that’s a major goal of any school parent group! Fostering school…Continue reading
The Best School Fundraiser Prizes That Actually Work
School parent groups like Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO) and Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) need to fundraise to bring in money to do all the wonderful things for their school communities they do. The best plan for school fundraising is to organize a fundraiser so successful that your PTO only needs to hold one or two…Continue reading
Step-by-Step Bounced Check Protocol for PTA and PTO Treasurers
Let’s talk about one of the absolute most uncomfortable moments in PTO leadership. As the PTO Treasurer, you’re balancing the books, reviewing recent deposits, and come across a notification in your email from the bank about a returned check due to insufficient funds. Your stomach drops. Then you realize the check is from a parent…Continue reading
6 Essential Questions to Ask the Outgoing PTO Volunteer: New Leader Onboarding
Congratulations on being elected to your new PTO position! Stepping into a parent-teacher leadership role is incredibly exciting, but it’s completely normal to feel a little overwhelmed by the phrase, “Now what?” Most school parent group volunteers don’t come to their role knowing all they need to. If you’re feeling like there are some gaps to…Continue reading
165+ School Fundraising Ideas: The Mega School Fundraiser List
Don’t settle for the same old school fundraiser to bring in money for your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA). If done right, school fundraising can be fun and creative while drawing participation from the students and families themselves, plus teachers, school staff and the surrounding community too. It all comes down…Continue reading
Elementary School Dance Activities They’ll Love
An elementary school dance is one of the most fun family events your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) can host. But as all experienced PTA/PTO volunteers know, dances can quickly devolve into a group of kids running around like they’re a bottle of coke with a Mento that’s just ben dropped…Continue reading
75 Elementary School Dance Theme Ideas
Planning an elementary school dance is a bit like directing a high-energy theater production where the lead actors are fueled by sugar and have a three-minute attention span. It’s chaotic, loud, but if done right, absolutely magical! Part of creating this experience is coming up with a fresh theme, so I’ve put together a massive…Continue reading
Why Parents Don’t Volunteer for the PTO: 9 Mistakes to Avoid
One of the biggest challenges of running a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is getting and retaining volunteers. Most school parent groups don’t have enough volunteers and are constantly on the lookout to get answers and the solutions to keep their group afloat with enough helpers. That’s just what we’ll focus on in this blog post….Continue reading
The Best PTO Treasurer Software and Finance Manager
One of the most time consuming Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) volunteer positions is that of Treasurer. Tasked with safeguarding the school parent group’s money, providing regular reporting, and tracking every penny of the group’s money, adds up to a big job! Let’s explore the best PTO Treasurer software and finance…Continue reading
Volunteer and Teacher Gift Cards: Keeping Your PTO Legal
Is your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) thinking about giving volunteer or teacher gift cards? There are quite a few considerations to make before your PTO uses group funds to purchase gift cards. Technically there isn’t a written rule against providing gift cards to volunteers or teachers, even if your PTO is a 501(c)(3). This means…Continue reading
How to Create a PTO Budget
The thought of figuring out how to create a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) budget can be super intimidating if it’s the first time you’re putting one together. It’s such a big responsibility, after all and money talk can be uncomfortable in and of itself. Fear not, today’s post is going to walk you through the…Continue reading
Safeguard PTO Money: Prevent Theft and Embezzlement
One of the most common ways Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) are in the news is because a trusted volunteer, usually the PTO Treasurer or the PTO President has embezzled money from the school parent group. This is super sad because PTO theft prevention is relatively easy with some checks and balances. This post is going…Continue reading
November PTO Leader Tasks
It is time once again to take a look at your November Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) leader tasks and to-do list for the month. This post is the 11th in the monthly series of checklists for school parent group volunteers with timely reminders of what to pay attention to in your volunteer role. General Considerations…Continue reading
How to Set Up a PTO Treasurer Binder
Drowning in a mess of disorganized bank statements, reimbursement requests and receipts as Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Treasurer? That’s a huge indication that it’s time to get organized and set up a PTO officer binder. Let’s walk through the step by step process of setting up an organized PTO Treasurer binder. Why Assemble a…Continue reading
PTO Treasurer Organization: 5 Clever Methods
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Treasurers have one of the biggest roles in the entire school parent group. And that’s for good reason because the task of managing and safeguarding the group’s money is a crucial job. Getting organized as PTO Treasurer can cut down on the workload and decrease overwhelm, and make your term as…Continue reading
How to Prepare and Present a PTO Treasurer Report
One of the biggest responsibilities of all Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Treasurers is to present the financial status of the PTO to the school parent group officers, committee chairs and members in the form of a monthly Treasurer report. A good PTO Treasurer report will provide complete transparency about the money the PTO/PTA has both…Continue reading
How to Start a PTO Mini Grant Program for Teachers
Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) exist to improve the educational experience for students. But they also exist to improve the entire school community, including the school’s teachers and staff. One fantastic way to support your school’s staff and teachers is to provide funding for projects, equipment and supplies that fall outside the normal school funding process….Continue reading
Help for New PTO Presidents: 5 Little Lessons
So you’re stepping into the role of Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) President for your child’s school and you have questions. You’re ready to make a positive impact on the educational community, support your school’s mission, and foster stronger connections between parents, teachers, and students. Whether you’re a seasoned PTO veteran or a newcomer to the…Continue reading
The 10 Essential PTO President Binder Forms You Need to Get Organized
As a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) President, you’re able to juggle a lot of things at once. You wouldn’t have taken on the role, otherwise! And because you’re so smart, you know that you need to have on hand tools to make the job easier, including getting organized. The question…Continue reading
5 Super Smart PTO President Organization Tips
As a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) President, you know that this is a role that many are hesitant to take on because of how large the role is. One of the best strategies to easing the role’s burden is to get organized. I’d even argue that taking the time to organize the records, documents, and…Continue reading
How to Get Started as New PTO President
Congratulations on your role as a new PTO President! You’re joining a select group of volunteers who are going above and beyond the usual call of duty to serve their school parent groups and entire school communities. Before you get totally overwhelmed, know that the volunteer position you’ve signed up for is something you totally…Continue reading
The Best PTO President Planner You’re Not Using
With so many moving parts in a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association, it’s difficult for the President to keep track of all of the details! From bank account information and bylaws, to the officer, Principal and Teacher Liaison’s contact information, and all the big plans and ideas you have for your group,…Continue reading
