Another way to remind all parents/guardians of up and coming events is a phone program our schools have. I can't think of the name of the program, but it is the one the school uses for blanket calls about days off and such. You record a 20 second message (This is ______ School calling with a reminder that Thursday is a modified schedule. Students will be released from school at 1 p.m. and Parent Teacher Conferences will begin at 1:30). I will try to remember to ask what the program is. We have had it at the Jr. High and High School level for a couple of years. We intended to get it up and running at the Elementary Schools last year, but won't actually have it until after Christmas. It will be a great tool for the school AND our PTVO.
My philosophy is you can never give too much information, at least, when it comes to the PTO! [img]smile.gif[/img] We have a spot called the PTO Corner that is in the weekly school paper. It comes home on Thursdays in a special folder with all the other correspondense from school. This newsletter is also posted on our website. Plus we use email for everything! What a nifty invention. My Booster Mom chair for middle/high school has never been one to use email, until she had to coordinate help for the Halloween Carnival. She stopped me that night to tell me how much easier it was than calling each individual and the response was just as good. We also translate info for our Spanish speaking families and this has added to our numbers of volunteers. I always make sure to have a Spanish speaker on each committee or at each meeting. Since I live in a Spanish speaking country, I know what it is like not to understand what is happening. Also, not everyone knows what a silent auction is, what a homeroom parent does, etc...your idea to explain these things will only be for the good of your group! :cool:
Our group was having a heck of a time getting anyone to even notice the PTO so what the new officers did this year was take e-mail addresses of parents wanting reminders of meetings, fundraisers, events, etc. The biggest issue we noticed was the newsletter we send home was not making it home because Johnny in 8th grade didn't take one, Matt in fourth grade said John would take one and Little Suzie in kindergarden left hers on the bus....Mom never recieved one outta the possiblity of getting 3! I love the e-mail idea and wish I would have thought of it! Our VP averages 15 messages a week from parents with questions! Worth looking into! [img]smile.gif[/img]
The reason I originally wrote the Top 10 was because I didn't think the 'little questions' were being answered. I will scare up the Top 10 list and post it again. It should be in one, or quite possibly two, catagories.
thanks for the input. We do have a newsletter. Keepontrying, what you explained was exactly what i was saying. Maybe it is something that could be handed out along with the newsletter. I have read the letter and it doesn't tell you the simple things. Like Whether you can bring kids. I think that this may be a big thing as to how much a parent can come to the monthly meeting. I know that it stopped me from coming to the first 2 meetings we had.
I like the idea of the 10 reasons not to be involved with PTO. Could send that out to as an extra thing with our newsletter. Love the ideas!! THanks
