Hey Tim- I hate to tell you this but I have tried some of the ideas from the first magazine of this year without much sucess. I was even asked to NEVER ask another speaker to a meeting again! AUGH!
Our January meeting did go well, and did recieve suggestions about what changes we can try to make. We were asked to send home a survey (hope to do in February) by the membership. Many did say they don't attend because of past meetings that were negative and the Board was one big click. Babysitting was asked about, tried that but everyone agreed from our past experience a change could help. We had students watching the children and the students wanted to be paid but many parents (according to the students) never paid them. A high school parent mentioned they should be able to babysit and recieve community service 'credit'.
The biggest issue is the date and time of our meeting but some hated meeting in the morning before school, afterschool was out, and early evening was a whole other discussion! We did find a medium- monthly meetings in the morning with an evening meeting quarterly. This still needs to be voted on etc, BUT to find a half way point was huge! Our Principal mentioned having (in the beginning of the year) meetings with each of the classes (Monday night the kindergarden, Tues. night the first grade etc) to let the parents know we are here and how important their involement is to their child and the school. The school has done this in the past with 10 out of 50 (on average) parents coming. I don't know. Also we are K-12! That is alot of meetings!
PTORock- I should tell you I've heard the same thing about a parent not knowing we were there! As Prez and co-editor of the newsletter that hurt!
As far as speakers, I think it went over great and that parent is just good at......never mind!
I had someone speak about a law going through our state leg. about Bullying in the school, the nurse about health concerns, and we have a staff member that has been teaching an Internet Safety Workshop for the parents, he spoke to our group.
Maybe this can help someone, I thought they went over well.