Worried that getting parents to attend your monthly PTO meetings is going to become a challenge? The truth is that most parent groups totally struggle with meeting attendance… for a myriad of reasons. So whether you’re struggling with this issue now or not, at one point, this issue will probably pop of for your group....Continue reading
Does your Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) have trouble getting volunteers for events and programs? Do you find that it’s the same 5 or 10 parents pitching in each time and it’s a struggle to get new volunteers? Unfortunately, this is a really common issue facing all volunteer organizations, not just school parent groups....Continue reading
Need some help thinking of some out of the box places to promote your PTO events to boost involvement from school families, community members, or both? Just think how fantastic it would be to have a well attended event, whether it be a school dance, PTO meeting, Color Run fundraiser, or Reflections Art Show! Quick...Continue reading
Social media is a great place for PTOs to spread the word about volunteer and donation needs, fundraisers, and events. But many groups have noticed that they get virtually no engagement on Facebook and are wondering what gives? This post is going to shine the light on how you can get more people to see...Continue reading
A PTO welcome packet, meaning information about your school and PTO to be given to either families new to the school or new PTO members (or both!) can be not only time consuming, but also intimidating to put together. Just figuring out everything that should be included in a Welcome Packet is a project in...Continue reading
The easiest way to get new members for your PTA or PTO is to set up a Membership Table. But knowing what is best to have on the table in order to attract new parents to first come over and second, actually join isn’t always clear. This post will walk you through what’s involved with...Continue reading
Looking to make your very own custom PTO shirts? It’s easier to do than you think! Making your own t-shirts can be a cost effective way to have custom shirts for your PTO or PTA- as long as you have the right tools! Many of the options featured in this post as SVG files which...Continue reading
There are so many different ways to get parents to sign up to help as volunteer for PTO events: All of these methods for getting parents to sign up to volunteer are great options, except for the last one mentioned. If you’re using a program like Sign Up Genius to track volunteers, then you probably...Continue reading
Last week, I started a conversation about PTO Board shirts. Since that post was so fun to put together, I decided to hunt down some sillier options. And now for some T-shirt eye candy for when you’ve had a rough day in PTO Land! Most of these are funny, some are sincere, but all...Continue reading
Look, I know I’m being a little cheeky with the title of this blog post, but in all seriousness, you’re working too hard as a PTO volunteer to have parents ignore PTO events. You’re putting in a ton of time to put together wonderful programs and events and it’d be a real shame if...Continue reading
One of the best ways teachers can support your PTO is to communicate with parents and get encourage students and families to come to PTO sponsored events. Teachers are super busy and have negative time to get everything done. So anytime you want to tell them something, it needs to be done smart and strategically!...Continue reading
Have you ever planned an awesome PTO event and thought you’d have a ton of families show up for the event, but in reality, no one comes? So frustrating! One of the biggest reasons why parents don’t show up to PTO events is that they’re simply not finding out about they event! It’s not like...Continue reading
There’s something we need to talk about. Something troubling that keeps happening in PTO land. It’s bad. Worse that most realize, or else they’d quit doing it. Before I tell you what it is, story time… Not so long ago, I was at my child’s school and was chatting with a fellow PTA volunteer...Continue reading
Want to know what PTOs do that parents really hate? Read on, my friend to discover five ways that PTOs turn parents off and cause them to not only ignore your PTO but possibly even run when they see you coming. If your PTO is struggling to get parents involved either as leaders or...Continue reading
Volunteers who give of their time or money deserve to be recognized early and often! It’s a great way to foster a positive experience and it leads to greater involvement. After all, when’s the last time you stayed involved when you didn’t feel appreciated? Ummmm… that’s right, you didn’t! Don’t make the same mistake with...Continue reading
Ah, PTO Meetings. Those in the know recognize they’re essential: An hour of discussion and decisions each month to set the group’s course. Despite their importance, PTO meetings can be some of the most poorly attended school functions! Here are five reasons why no one is coming to your PTO meeting and...Continue reading