When I became president last year I wanted to increase the meeting attendance, but I finally realized, who wants to come sit at the meetings. I would much rather have more volunteer to help with the events that are planned than come to the meeting. So my goal now is to just get them more involved with the actual events.
I also sent home invitations to every meeting last year, I just made them on my computer, cheap, called people hung signs etc...
And my biggest pet peeve are the parents or moms that don't work telling me "I just don't have the time"!!! I work full time, am asst. girl scout leader, asst. baseball coach, and I end up chairing at least half of the committees for PTO. So that just goes up my backside when they tell me that and then have the nerve to complain about what we are or are not doing!

No matter how many ways you try to cover their excuses, some people will continue to think up new ones. Sometimes, you just have to accept that there are people out there who are not like us . . . they just will not get involved in their kids' school. There is only so much you can do to publicize your meetings. After a point, your time and effort can be better used for something more constructive.

Some people need to be "stroked" the right way...if an invitation will get them their then "invite" them!

What we do to get our attendance...

Sign at the pick-up Line
Walk the pick up line
Flyer the pickup line
email, email, email
note on PTO bulletin Board
All parents or teachers that attend can wear jeans the next day.
Child care is provided
Coffee and pastries are served
Guest speaker every meeting announced

This is my 1st year as President, but I am going to post signs in the pick up line the day of the meeting and there should no reason for car riders to say they didnt know about the meeting!!!

To play into your sarcasum (forgive me ) It really cheap these days to print up actual invitations... Target carries them, craft stores, ect carry invitations for brides that want to print their own using their handy dandy home computer!

It blows me away too what I hear and fustrates me to no end the excuses too! Here in Denver we have winter sports to compete with too! I can see if you have season tickets ($$$$) but to stay at home and watch the game instead of with their child's school or their child....sorry, sore spot.

Now this past year the school also prchased a reverse call system! This has been terrific! The system calls all the families in the school to remind them of events, meeting and information. My only complaint is I recieve 3 calls (I have 3 staudents) and hope (and tease) the school will work that out before my other two are in school...you know 5 calls from the school to the PTO Prez's home is a little much! HA!

Just remember you can't make them happy all of the time but it's good to try some of the time!

Thanks... the car line wouldnt be a bad idea... ours is a small campus with right about 300 students... most i think ride the bus though... we do send home notes.. just dont know what more we can do... but i do like the idea of calling... when we get officers ( still looking for elections) that will probably be something we can do. I do have a few membership forms that came in and I am going to call them and thank them for signing up and maybe see if anyone is interested in more... I do have one mom that has me more excited cause SHE is excited about school and being involved in her childs education... She is going to be a plus...