President's Message

November 2008

By Patty Christiansen, President

Encourage Members to be Active in PTA

How many of your members pay dues, but do nothing more? Are only a few parents in your PTA willing to take a position on your board? Do the same people run the PTA year after year?

Here are some ways to encourage all of your members be more involved:

Be aware. Survey members who are not actively involved and ask why they do not participate in your PTA. Is it lack of time? No interest? No friends in the PTA group? Shyness? Language or cultural barriers? Gender barriers?

Develop strategies to overcome the obstacles you discover. If members are too busy to participate, brainstorm ways for limited participation. Offer tasks that can be done at home, such as making phone calls, grading papers, providing supplies for daytime events, or contributing computer skills.
Change your meetings. Would more parents attend if you changed your bylaws and held the meetings at night rather than during the day? Would you have greater attendance if you provided child care, or invited a guest speaker, or hosted a children’s program?

Improve the feel. Look at your meeting as if it were your first. Does it feel welcoming? Does someone greet you as you enter? Or, is everyone sitting with friends and ignoring you? If members feel welcome at your PTA meetings, they are more likely to continue participating.

Try something new at meetings. Ask each board member to bring another parent from their child’s class. Assign someone to sit by and talk to first-timers. Provide translation services so everyone feels accepted. Start with an icebreaker…ask everyone to answer the same question about themselves or their children. Provide refreshments to make your meeting feel more like a friendly gathering.

Get rid of the clique environment. PTA provides the perfect atmosphere to develop good friendships, but that can make it difficult for others to feel part of the group. Make an effort to include someone new in your discussion circle. Establish an open discussion policy so that all members feel they can share their feelings about the needs of the students and families.

Create opportunities to participate. When members show an interest, invite them to join a committee. As a member becomes more involved, offer him or her a chairmanship. Nominating committees make note of these emerging leaders as potential officers.

Include everyone. Members with physical disabilities have much to offer; be creative with job assignments. Mothers of babies and toddlers might take on limited assignments. Ask parents with second languages to provide translations. Working parents can provide assets and help from the workplace or home. Don’t forget to include dads and grandparents!

Practicing respect and having a welcoming attitude are the best ways to grow your PTA. We want more than just membership dues; we want members who feel comfortable participating in our organization, and who want to be a part of the education team at your school. PTA is a voice for all children, with a place for all parents!