A parent/teacher organization (PTO/PTA) gives parents and teachers the opportunity to work together to complement and cultivate the educational experience. A well-functioning PTO/PTA can be a teacher's most important resource when it comes to achieving curricular and fundraising goals. Here are some Bright SchoolKitz Tips on how to represent the PTO/PTA.
Tips about representing your organization:
- Always introduce yourself and your position with the PTO/PTA.
- Never speak on behalf of the school or the organization. You might have a great rapport with the principal, but you’re not an official representative and you are only one voice of many in your organization.
- You should never share your personal opinions on issues. When you’re in your official role, you represent the PTO/PTA as a whole.
- Always be polite.
- There are many working parts to your organization so give credit where credit is due.
Tips for working with school staff:
- Learn their names and use them when you address them.
- Respect their positions. Remember that their primary responsibility is to the school. They aren’t there to do your grunt work.
- Include them all in staff appreciation events.
- Help the staff with grants and if classroom supplies are needed offer to help organize a school supply fundraiser.
Tips for helping those in need:
The PTO/PTA is also a wonderful resource for community outreach and support.
- If you work with a school supply kit company with a donation program as ours, spread the word so that parents can make a donation to help get school supply kits for those in need.
- Fundraiser events are a great way to increase your prepackaged school supplies awareness.
- Share the achievements of the organization, so parents are aware of the impact of their contribution.
Tips for increasing parental involvement:
- Check in with your PTO/PTA members at the beginning of the school year to create a plan for giving other parents the tools they need to help their students with homework and classroom routines.
- Then check in to see how well it's working as the school year goes on so you can make adjustments to keep everyone informed and involved.
At Bright SchoolKitz, we are in touch with many parent/teacher organizations and we know they work best when everyone has a clear idea of what goals they're working toward. Set your school's PTO/PTA up for success by providing specific projects to focus on and keeping lines of communication open during monthly meetings and through e-mail between meetings. These steps will make working together easy, enjoyable, and productive.
Contact us at Bright SchoolKitz to hear about more information.
Email us too with questions!