Download the Hospitality Job Description
KEY ROLE – Hospitality Chair
- Acts as official host of PTA in creating a welcoming atmosphere at meetings and events
- Works with the Hospitality Committee and other chairs to organize and set up refreshments, food, decorations, registration, greeters and baby-sitting for PTA meetings and events
- Maintains hospitality supplies and equipment and an updated inventory of them
- Presents the hospitality budget for approval at an executive board meeting at the start of the PTA year and monitors the authorized budget
- Reports on hospitality plans at board meetings for forthcoming PTA events
GETTING STARTED
Preparation – Review the procedure book and other materials, such as minutes, supplied by previous chair for ideas on how hospitality was done and what worked best last term.
Schedule Meeting – Meet early in the year with the Hospitality Committee to brainstorm and make plans. Involve experienced and new volunteers on the committee to share planning, preparation and work. Coordinate efforts with the Room Representative Coordinator and Program Chair.
Check Policies – Be familiar with school district policies on serving food, including home-prepared food, on campus.
If arranging for baby-sitters for meetings is necessary, take time to review PTA policies in the California State PTA Toolkit and school district policies on baby-sitting.
California State PTA strongly urges units, councils and district PTAs to refrain from serving alcoholic beverages at PTA functions. PTAs may also not engage in the purchase or sale of alcoholic beverages (See: PTA Insurance Guide) and PTA Toolkit, Alcohol and PTA Events, https://toolkit.capta.org/finance/fundraising/selecting-appropriate-fundraising-activities/
Americans With Disabilities Act
As the Hospitality Chair, be aware that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that disabled persons must be accommodated reasonably by modifying policies, making physical changes and obtaining equipment to assist their participation in an activity.
For PTA meetings/events, this could include:
- Seating to accommodate an attendant accompanying a member or reserved seating in a location to accommodate a member’s special needs
- Providing written handouts to supplement discussion
- Providing qualified readers or interpreters for individuals having a hearing or sight impairment.
WHAT TO DO
- Assign volunteers to take turns and help with hospitality, registration, room set up and clean up for meetings.
- Coordinate the purchase, preparation and set up of refreshments, food, supplies, registration sheets, nametags and any decorations for PTA events.
- Arrive early for meetings to check that the room is ready with enough tables and chairs for presiding officers, audience, presenters and activities. Check equipment, supplies and set up hospitality table.
- Consider assigning board/committee members as greeters for meetings and to introduce new members to others to make them feel welcome.
- Thank volunteers, cafeteria or maintenance staff for helping with the meeting arrangements.
