I have to agree with you on wanting more participation, especially if there are changes being made. Some catchy phrases to use in correspondences could be; "We've Missed You", "Can We Talk?", Show Your Face, Show Your Support", "New Committees Being Formed!" "Guess What!!...Come And Find Out What's New.", "We've Got A Secret." and such like that. Good luck. If I think of any more, I'll let you know.
The very same thing happened with our group (although then it was PTA). We sent out an "introducing the new and improved parent group" letter and a survey to see what issues were important to families AND staff. It was hard to even get teachers/faculty involved because of resentments caused by past officers.
We also have a "conversations not communications" policy - speaking personally with people instead of just sending a flyer out. A personal invitation to a meeting means a lot more than a piece of paper. Wary parents and staff are finally seeing that things have changed, but it took over a year. Good luck!
We have used "PTO, Get Involved" as a slogan along with a write up about the educational and social advantages of being an involved parent.
For the Uncle Sam promo, how about using some kids with the big hats and little white beards pointing and saying "We need you in our school!"
As for getting started, I'd have a couple of meetings-one during day and one during evening so you can cover more people. Send out a survey on everything from what parents expect from the PTO to how they would like to fundraise. Most importantly, keep communicating!
I made flier one month the said "The Parent Teacher Organization wants YOU" and had the Uncle Sam finger pointing and meeting info. If you find you are having trouble, keep working but keep in mind that some people will have to be shown that you mean business and what a wonderful group you can be. I also asked teachers for parent referral and sent notes home to those parents or caught them at a function and just talked to them. There was one mom that couldn't come to meetings but was always very active and even though she can't come to meetings, I know I can call on her to run copies or help me some other way. I know some schools around here rotate meeting times to stay at home and working parents each have a chance and they send home minutes for those who weren't there.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
I am trying to get parents to see the PTO in a different light. In the past we have been viewed as unorganized and very cliquiq. That is b/c in the past we were. So in a month we will be having a focus group where basically we are trying to kick off a new PTO and get input from parents who don't want to be involved b/c of the past. Does anyone have any catchy phrases we could use as our slogan for getting involved specifically for this focus group. It is like we are advertising a new product. The new and improved PTO. However I don't want people to feel like it was bad to begin with.
