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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Welcome to another month of tasks and to do list items for Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and Parent Teacher Association (PTA) school parent groups! October brings a change of seasons and a slew of to do items and tasks for PTO school parent group leaders and volunteers to handle to stay on track for the...Continue reading
Don’t wait until Teacher Appreciation Week to thank your school’s teachers and staff for all they do to better your children’s school. Most Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Staff Appreciation Chairs make sure to plan events for Teacher Appreciation Week, which happens every year during the first full week of May. And that’s great, but there...Continue reading
All too often, I’m hearing from parent group leaders, whether they’re in a Parent Teacher Association (PTA), or Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), that parents are simply not stepping up to fill the critical leadership positions needed to keep their groups running. What usually happens is a very small, dedicated core of parents ends up doing...Continue reading
Ever hear about a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) that smashes their fundraising goals, bringing in big money (tens of thousands of dollars) for their school community, and wonder how they manage to do it? Do they have a secret grove of money trees to generate the money? If only it were that simple! The truth...Continue reading
Is your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) struggling with your general membership meetings? Are the meetings drag or seem like a chore to run or attend? Are too few parents coming to the meetings, making it feel like no one is invested in your school parent group? Or the meetings are...Continue reading
The months leading up to the holidays are the perfect time to hold a fundraiser for your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), especially when you choose the right fundraiser! Because money can be tight during the holidays, with families buying gifts and handling other end-of-year obligations, it’s a great idea to center school fundraising ideas in...Continue reading
Are you a Principal or school leader looking to start a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) at your school? If you’re looking for ways to boost family engagement in your building, then starting a PTO is a fantastic way to achieve that goal! There’s no better way than leveraging the power of parents to make the...Continue reading
Are you a new school parent group, a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Secretary, now tasked with taking meeting minutes? And you’re wondering what the actual heck you need to be doing to ensure the meeting minutes are proper and complete? That’s exactly what we’re going to be talking about in...Continue reading
Welcome to September! Are you ready for the new school year as a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) leader? Are you feeling totally prepared and knowing exactly what you’re gonna do? After reading this post, you’ll be able to answer an unqualified “yes!” to the last question. I’m laying out the exact to do list items...Continue reading
Looking for a fun theme to use for a school staff appreciation event? A cheerleader theme is a great one to use since the teachers and staff operate like a team and can always use an infusion of team spirit to uplift moods and enjoy your tokens of appreciation! This theme is also versatile because...Continue reading