Do you think you could send me a copy of the letters to send my parents? Thank you so much. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I have a letter and volunteer form that I used last year that worked great. We had 10% send it back in, which I thought was great. (750 students) I would be happy to send it to you. (email me @ bevshorespto at cs.com)
I spoke with the principal and next year, there will be a letter and form in every student info packet that goes home at the beginning of the year.
Sounds like you are on your way! good luck
thanks for all the encouragement and the support.
We do have some parent participation. About 15 that I know of. The ones I've met are very nice and don't mind helping out. I'm hoping I can use this to benefit the school. One of our biggest problems is that the school has many teachers or staff doing what others should be doing. There's also a lack of organization and communication. They had the V.P heading up PTO and they still have a teacher doing Volunteer coordination (VIPS) as well as Business Partners. Which explains why they are not able to make the most of these offices.
I am getting with the teachers next week to see what ideas they may have. Hopefully I'll get their support. If they don't support me I probably won't be able to make a go at this. I've also spoke to the principal and we're going to send home a survey note to parents. Then if I get a good response from both parents and teachers I'll plan an event such as a talent show so I can get the parents here at one time. I know this will be slow going but we have to start somewhere.
I'm just glad to know that our school is not unusual as far as getting help with the Parent-Teacher organization. We dont have an overwhelming encouragement from our teachers either. They don't seem to want to participate either. Its as if when the school day is over- so it there job...I don't get it.
This year I volunteered to coordinate our group. Our school has about 78 families and about 120 students (Pre K-6). Our first meeting we had 5 parents and our most recent one we had 13!!! That was very encouraging to me. We had two moms at our meeting that came from a school with 300+ students and their meetings only gathered about 3 parents.
I just don't understand why parents lack the interst in their childs school activities.
Well, don't be discouraged. You just need to get some word of mouth out there about all the cool stuff you're doing. We are spending money to provide books and prop rental for staff CPR training, we're purchasing nurse's office equipment and electronics. It just takes a few great fund raisers.
Our last meeting I hyped about having money to spend and didn't know how to go about doing it!!! Now, getting people to spend money that isn't theirs, who's NOT for that!! LOL
Best of luck!
I'd first like to say that parent participation is a problem across the board...on a local, county, state, and national level. PLEASE don't think that it's only your school, your county, or state. It's everywhere. There are many factors that weigh in to it. The number of single parent household is so much higher than 10-15 years ago...and the 50% of families where the parents are still married, the majority are dual income families. When both parents are working 40 hours per week, raising the kids, taking care of the house, and just trying to keep their heads above water, volunteering at the school sounds just too overwhelming. People are just BUSY...life is BUSY!!! I've always followed the motto--"When you want something done, ask a busy person" but you also have to have a feel of what the person can handle. Sometimes I get the feeling that if one more person asks me to do one more thing, it'll create an avalanche and there will be no reeling back. I'm sure that many of you have experienced the same feeling. And keep in mind to what' just "busy" to one person can be truly "overwhelming" to the next.
I have found that by accomodating children during all PTA functions (and including childcare), it opens the function to every parent at the school. We've had a nice increase in participation and volunteering because parents know that all are welcome. And I also try very hard to acknowledge every parent that helps to make an event...from the person that makes one phone call, to the person that is up for three days straight to make things fly. People can be very sensitive if they get the feeling that an organization is only for the elite "few"...and those few are the only ones that get pats on the back.
Also keep in mind, there are many parents that would love to have the time to put into the school, but simply cannot. That parent does feel guilt when little Johnny comes in and says "Susie's mommy is at the school almost every day. Why don't you come to see me?" THAT can also create animosity--and I truly do feel for that parent (and child!)
Good luck! My hat goes off to everyone that works for the good of the children...our combined efforts DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!
Yes, the percentage does bother me, but it is up from the .5% last year and to be honest with you, the way our PTO was run in the past was responsible for chasing people away and I am trying to slowly rebuild that foundation. I just don't see how it is possible to tell someone that they need to come to our evening meeting instead of going to work but because that is when the rest of the staff can come, that is what we do. I have spent 3 years just getting all the ins and outs of our school and the district figured out that I finally feel
i can tell people why they need to join the PTO and what it can realistically do to help but that isn't to help raise money and since we don't handle school volunteers, it's understandable why our group has such low participation.
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
