Download the Hospitality Job Description
KEY ROLE – Hospitality Chairman
- Acts as official host of a PTA in creating welcoming atmosphere at meetings and events
- Works with committee and other chairman 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 for them
- Presents hospitality budget for approval at executive board meeting at start of the PTA year and monitor 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 chairman for ideas on how hospitality was done and what worked best last term.
Schedule Meeting – Meet early in the year with hospitality committee to brainstorm and make plans. Involve experienced and new volunteers on the committee to share planning, preparation and work. Coordinate efforts with room representative coordinator and program chairman.
Check Policies – Be familiar with school district policies on serving food, including home-prepared food, on campus.
If making arrangements for baby-sitters for meetings, take time to review PTA policies in the California State PTA Toolkit and also 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 and Loss Prevention Guide.)
Americans With Disabilities Act
As the hospitality chairman, 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.
