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Goal Setting

Setting goals for your unit helps you work smarter in planning and organizing the PTA year. It supplies a road map to keep you on track as board members with shared priorities to focus on, achieve and evaluate collectively.

Three, basic types of goals to consider are:

Short-range Goals: Accomplished now (starting today and within two weeks)

Intermediate Goals: Accomplished in the interim between short- and long-range goals

Long-range Goals: Accomplished by the term’s end

PLANNING

Setting one or two goals with ten ways to reach each one is better than setting ten goals with only one or two ways to get there.

When starting to plan as a board, take time to learn more about the school community’s current interests, concerns and needs. This can be done by supplying a brief survey or setting up a suggestion box online or in person. Input can be gathered as well by brainstorming at an association meeting.

In assessing community feedback, board members work together to determine:

  • Will the suggestion promote the Purposes and basic policies of PTA?
  • Does the idea address a valid concern or real need in the community? Or, is another organization already working on the issue?

If so, consider joining an existing coalition so that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. (See: Joining, Building, and Making Coalitions Work).

  • Is the idea cost effective and feasible? Can we invest enough time, money and resources to make it happen?

5 Steps in Planning

  1. Research – What do our members need or want?
  2. Goals – What does the unit want to accomplish?
  3. Objectives – What will it take to reach our goal?
  4. Action Plan – Who does what, when, and how?
  5. Evaluate – How can we know it was successful?

POTENTIAL GOALS FOR THE YEAR

To help you get started, here are some ideas for possible goals to set in planning the PTA year:

  • Increase unit membership
  • Enhance outreach and communications
  • Build stronger family-school partnerships
  • Promote PTA benefits and activities
  • Engage families from all neighborhoods
  • Advocate for campus safety
  • Celebrate diversity and practice inclusion
  • Improve student health and wellness

After selecting your unit’s goals, board members collaborate to develop the chief objectives along with an action plan to attain the goals.

Job Description for Outreach

Download the Outreach Job Description

“It takes a whole community to raise a child.”

– adapted from an ancient African saying

California State PTA recognizes that representative involvement of a diversity of stakeholder groups of all backgrounds enriches PTA leadership activities in ways that more soundly promote the well-being of all children, youth, and their families.

As advocates for children, PTA is most effective when we:

  • Understand and embrace the uniqueness of all individuals.
  • Identify and break down barriers that impede children from learning, or families from their full involvement in their children’s education.
  • Create and work together on common goals that focus directly on the needs of the community.
  • Include in our active membership a representation of all stakeholders including families from the multitude of ethnic, cultural, religious, economic and social backgrounds residing in the community.

In evaluating whether or not PTA is as effective as it can be ask the following questions:

  • Are there underrepresented groups within the community that are missing from the PTA’s active membership and its leadership?
  • Is there enough representation from all groups to give the unit the understanding needed to be advocates for all children?
  • Does the way the public perceives PTA allow the association to attract a more diverse membership or lessen the ability to be heard as advocates for all children?

What is Outreach?

Outreach is, first, a commitment to create an inviting climate. Further, it is about forming respectful, trusting relationships throughout the school community and recognizing that everyone has value. Outreach is sharing and distributing important information about PTA and topics of concern that inform and invite action.

Outreach must be a priority for all of us. The greater the ability of PTA members and leaders to form positive one-on-one relationships with all community members, the greater their ability to generate positive impacts for all children, the school community, and the association.

Outreach efforts are successful when PTA leaders can develop community support with meaningful two-way discussions focusing on student success.

Outreach includes efforts that focus on enlisting the participation of parents, students, and community members in the educational process and establishing collaborative relationships focused on positive impacts.

Steps to Take

Using the languages represented within your community to communicate:

  • Invite and encourage everyone to be a part, and assure everyone may play a role, because your community is your greatest asset.
  • Invite involvement through one-on-one relationships focused on what can be achieved for children.
  • Build a volunteer base that is representative of the diversity of the community, encompassing all languages and customs.
  • Empower others with information, support, and resources focused on students’ needs.
  • See the uniqueness of each individual.
  • Work to build representative leadership and voice – support the democratic process. Is the PTA reflective of the greater community?

What to Do

  • Form an outreach committee whose members are representative of the school and community.
  • Survey the school and community members by questionnaire, telephone, or door-to-door. Find out what type of activities would interest all parts of the community. Find out what might prevent them from becoming involved: language barriers, transportation, baby-sitting needs, times of activities, etc. Find out what constitutes involvement to the people being surveyed.
  • Develop an outreach plan in response to survey findings.
  • Set reasonable goals. What do you want to accomplish?
  • Develop activities that include and would be of interest to students, single-parent families, working parents, grandparents, senior citizens, people with disabilities, non-English speaking people, people of varied cultural, ethnic and social groups, and community business people.
  • Provide translations and interpreters.
  • Reach out through other groups to co-sponsor events or activities with
    • Other committees or chairmen within the PTA organization;
    • Student leadership and school organizations;
    • Community festivals, holidays, and celebrations;
    • Parent advisory committees, such as local area councils, bilingual and booster groups to other unit, council and district PTAs in the community, area and state;
    • Government and community groups and agencies, senior centers and civic organizations, cultural groups, local chambers of commerce and businesses.
  •  Promote and publicize activities through PTA newsletters, e-mail, website, fliers, local newspapers, personal telephone calls, public service announcements (PSAs), and other newsletters. Determine the most effective method of distributing printed material: mail, take home, handouts, or personal delivery by adult.
  • Communicate opportunities beyond PTA activities to appreciate and learn more about cultures from around the world (e.g., museums, festivals, special events/activities, books, TV programs, videos and movies).

Evaluating Outreach

Evaluate each activity while in progress or at its completion. Evaluate accomplishments at the end of the year. Ask members of the committee:

  • Were outreach efforts successful?
  • How could we improve our approach?
  • Did those participating show an interest in the program?
  • Will they come again? Will they bring others?
  • Was it accessible to them?
  • Will they become involved on the PTA board?
  • What would they do differently?
  • Were there conflicts in planning (scheduling, translators, facilities)?
  • Was the program timely and of interest to the participants?
  • How could more people be reached?
  • What made the program a success?
  • Were goals reached? Do goals need to be revised?

You Know Outreach Has Succeeded When

  • The make-up of the PTA reflects the make-up of the school community.
  • There are some new PTA board members every year who represent all parts of the school community.
  • New people are at each PTA association meeting, and many come to the next meeting.
  • PTA members ask questions and make suggestions during association meetings.
  • The involved membership includes students, teachers, community, and extended family members, not just parents.
  • People respond to fliers, newsletters and website information translated into all the languages within the school.
  • Members talk and socialize together before the association meeting starts.
  • Membership and outreach are part of all PTA activity planning.
  • The PTA board and membership does not think in terms of “them” and “us.”

Refer to the

 

Job Description for President

Download to Print the President Job Description

Key Role – President

  • Oversees and coordinates the work of an executive board to run a PTA effectively
  • Presides at PTA board and association meetings
  • Serves as the official contact, communicator and representative of a PTA
  • Designated as an authorized signer for PTA checks, contracts and authorizations for payment
  • Serves as ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee
  • Works with other PTA leaders to connect families, school and community to support student success

Getting Started

Preparation – Review files, procedure book and materials from last term to better understand the scope of your new position and learn more about:

  • President’s role and responsibilities in running a PTA
  • Duties of each officer and chairman
  • California State PTA policies, procedures and resources
  • PTA council and district information
  • Community resources

To expand your skill sets as a leader, plan to attend PTA council/district training along with the other members of your board.

Start recruiting chairmen and committee members, selecting first those whose work begins right away such as programs, budget, membership and communications.

Encourage experienced and new members to get involved and share the workload to grow leadership for today and tomorrow.

Networking – Soon after election, meet with the current president to talk about your new role, what works well and what needs to be tweaked to make your PTA even better.

Discuss ways to share information and files among outgoing and incoming board members to ensure a smooth transition.

Get connected by participating in meetings with your council/district PTA, principal and community partners. And, as a unit delegate to the California State PTA convention, take part in your PTA district’s convention orientation.

Board Orientation – Arrange for the incoming board to meet to begin organizing for the new term.

To help select what PTA activities to focus on, encourage everyone to assess last term’s programs and efforts. That way, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel in making your plans.

At your board orientation, take time as well to:

  • Set ground rules for meetings
  • Identify 2-3 priorities as a team to make a difference in your school community
  • Review your Bylaws to learn more about PTA
  • Check the Insurance Guide for the Green-Yellow-Red Light activities a PTA can sponsor
  • Get to know each other better and build relationships

At orientation, your board can also ratify the officers, chairmen and committee members appointed by the president and fill any vacant board positions so they can begin their activities. This may also be done at the first board meeting after the term begins.

Important Tasks – At the start of the year, submit a board roster, with names and contact information, to your council or district PTA.

Remember to update the signature cards for any PTA bank account and any usernames and passwords for access to the PTA website, social media and online services.

Did you know? … PTA Board Members

  • Adhere to PTA financial procedures as outlined in bylaws and State and National PTA guidelines
  • Protect members’ privacy by utilizing member information for PTA work only
  • Attend PTA sponsored workshops or trainings
  • Maintain a current procedure book to pass on to a successor, in hard copy or electronic format
  • Work together as a team to improve the lives of all children and their families

How Tos

Running Your PTA – Monthly Activities

As the team leader, the president oversees and coordinates the work of the executive board in running a PTA.

Here are some tasks that, typically, the president works on each month.

Facilitating:

  • Prepare for board meetings and create an agenda to send to the board ahead of time
  • Lead board meetings, following the agenda to keep everyone on task
  • Review board reports including those prepared by the treasurer, financial secretary and membership chairman plus the secretary’s minutes from board meetings
  • Sign PTA checks and authorizations for payment along with another, designated board member

Collaborating:

  • Touch base with other team members about their plans and preparations for upcoming events
  • Meet with the principal to share information on PTA and school activities and to clear all PTA written materials before publishing in hard copy or posting online
  • Ensure that PTA volunteer hours are recorded and tallied for the Annual Historian Report

Communicating:

  • Update board, members and community stakeholders on PTA plans and activities, encouraging input and feedback
  • Thank PTA volunteers for their time, talents and efforts
  • Promote outreach, inclusion and diversity to connect families, school and community

Managing Meetings – Quick Tips

PTA surveys tell us that members say meetings are effective when they know why they are meeting, believe their time was well-spent making decisions and feel they accomplished something at a meeting.

That’s why the president’s primary role at meetings is to act as a facilitator to set the tone and manage PTA business in an effective way. And, the main role of the board is to come prepared and assist the president in working through the agenda.

Here are some ways to help make meetings more effective and productive:

Before A Meeting – As part of your preparation, consult with other board members to identify the meeting’s chief objectives, activities to engage participants and who will present verbal and written reports. This helps determine what to include in the agenda that you’ll create for the meeting.

Send the agenda to participants ahead of time and widely publicize the purpose of the meeting.

To boost participation, add social time before or after a meeting for everyone to network. And, recruit interpreters and translate handouts in home languages for your meetings.

At A Meeting – Successful meetings give you an opportunity to inform, inspire and empower members. To run an effective meeting, keep everyone on track and time by following the agenda.

As the facilitator, it’s also important to remain fair and unbiased so everyone feels welcome and able to participate.

At the end of the meeting, take time to summarize what was accomplished and important next steps for business items.

After A Meeting – Share the results of the meeting with participants to keep them connected to the work of your PTA. And, follow up with officers and chairmen on next steps and action items to complete tasks and accomplish goals.

Working With Administrators – 6 Effective Ways

School leaders and the PTA represent two important groups on the school campus: staff and parents. They work closely together at a school site as partners in education to support student success.

To nurture this important partnership:

  1. Set the Tone – Build a relationship and collaborate together.
  2. Two-Way Communication – Meet with the principal early in the year and keep him or her updated on events, activities or concerns.
  3. Collaborating with the School – Be aware of the school’s improvement needs and encourage PTA members to actively participate in school site councils, governance teams, or related committees.
  4. Training Opportunities – Offer to provide parent training and resources at the school.
  5. School District Level Involvement – Use the school district’s master calendar to become aware of activities where PTA’s presence is needed and request an opportunity to provide a presentation at school board meetings.
  6. Build a Strong Team – Ask for the principal’s help in encouraging staff to become PTA members. Learn from others and share your knowledge as well.

Other Useful Information

Resources:

California State PTA – www.capta.org

  • PTA Leaders tab and more
  • California State PTA Toolkit
  • Running Your PTA Made Easy
  • Insurance Guide – Also mailed annually to PTA presidents

Online Services:

  • Officer Contact System – To enter officer and board member information and generate useful reports
  • e-Bylaws – To revise and update PTA unit Bylaws
  • Tax Filing Support Center – To help units meet Federal and State reporting requirements
  • MyPTEZ – To handle PTA accounting needs and generate financial reports
  • TOTEM – ELECTRONIC MEMBERSHIP SYSTEM – To join and renew membership and for PTAs to manage membership

National PTA – www.pta.org

Membership

Membership Basics

Develop a Marketing Plan
Membership Theme
Membership Calendar and Budget
Implementing a Membership Marketing Plan
Membership Envelopes
Membership Dues
Membership Cards
Member Contact Information and Membership List
Memberships
Student Membership
Administrators/Teachers/Staff Memberships
Family Memberships
Charter Memberships