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
Looking to know what things to take care of during the month of August as a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) volunteer? That’s exactly what we’re covering in this post. August is one of the busiest months of the year for PTO leaders since it marks the transition from summer vacation to the back-to-school time period....Continue reading
Are you looking to improve communication for your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and, in turn, transform engagement? This is something all parent groups should strive to do because of just how important communication is to support for the PTO. Any school parent group can use the strategies outlined in this post to improve their communication...Continue reading
Every healthy Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) has guidelines and rules to keep things running on track, usually in the form of bylaws. Even more well organized groups will also have standing rules. Although standing rules are considered optional to some, I have a different viewpoint and believe all PTOs should have and use standing rules...Continue reading
Are you looking to add a little “something something” to your next PTO (parent teacher organization) or PTA (parent teacher association) meeting, and you’re interested in perhaps inviting a speaker, but you’re fresh out of ideas? That’s exactly what we’re going to be talking about today! Because reserving a small portion of your monthly general...Continue reading
Are you a principal looking to form a stronger, more effective relationship with your school’s parent-teacher organization, whether it’s a PTO or a PTA or some other name? I’m guessing you are because who doesn’t want this for themselves? You work too hard as a Principal to not leverage the opportunity the PTO presents for...Continue reading
Getting (and keeping) volunteers for your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is hard. So why the heck would you want to limit someone’s involvement in your school parent group? While it might seem a little counterintuitive to have term limits for both elected officers and appointed committee chairs (since that would seem to put a kibosh...Continue reading
Summertime is no time to totally check out of getting things done as a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) volunteer leader. In fact, the summer is a great time to prepare for the upcoming school year! You might be thinking, “It is summertime, Christina. What do you mean I need to do things for PTO?” Well,...Continue reading
Is there really a good time or should you be jumping around trying trying to see what works in your community? Did you know that there actually is a best time to have a PTO or a PTA meeting? Yes, really there is! So don’t waste time experimenting on your own to find the best...Continue reading
Looking for guidance on what to be taking care of each month to keep your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) on track for the year? This post is the ultimate resource for ja consolidated list of monthly PTO volunteer to do list tasks! Each month has a different set of reminders, advice and suggestions for what...Continue reading
The Secretary role in any school parent group, whether it’s a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or another name, is a key position with some essential duties to keep the group on track. Getting and staying organized as a PTO Secretary will help any volunteer have a better term and enjoy...Continue reading
Want to know a secret about Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and Parent Teacher Association (PTA) bylaws and what makes them good (and not so good)? Maybe this burning question has popped into your mind a few times. And that’s a good thing since the bylaws are so very crucial for a healthy and vibrant and...Continue reading
School parent groups, namely Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO), come in a variety of shapes and sizes. And they also range in a number of other ways. Some have a deep bench of experienced volunteers, ready to take on the work of the group. Others may need a little (or a lot) support and guidance! If...Continue reading
Are you a newly elected Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) leader who is suddenly feeling a little overwhelmed? Do you find yourself wishing for a straightforward manual on what to do next? You’re not alone! Stepping into a parent group leadership role can feel daunting at first. While this isn’t an...Continue reading