I can relate how middle school is different from elementary - my son is entering 6th grade and I'm curious how different it will be. But to answer your question...we have been successful with contacting local fast food and restaurants asking for coupons for free kid meals or ice cream cones, etc. We tell the parents that when they join the PTA they will receive an envelope full of family restaurant coupons. If we know the specifics, we tell them. And we communicate to them as we've added new ones to the list. Every year we end up with coupons that exceed the membership fee. If both parents join, they get two envelopes. It's really a great deal for the families.
Examples of what we get:
Sonic - free ice cream coupon
Wendys - free Frosty
Chick Fila - free kids meal
Jason's Deli - free kids meal
Red Robin - $5.00 off their total bill and a free kids meal
James Coney Island - free hot dog
We also have door prizes. We announce that all parents who join by a certain date (our fall Open House date), that their names will go into a hat and we have prizes. Nothing super exciting - but spirit items from the school store - the new school t-shirt - fundraising incentive prizes we've received, etc. Parents love to win stuff. We would make a last ditch effort at the Open House to get people to join before we drew names for the prizes. Of course, they could still join up to our final date which is sometime in October.
Then, lastly, we have a party for the kids. Last year our Membership theme was "Get the Latest Scoop" - basically an ice cream theme. Everything had something to do with ice cream. In the cafeteria, we had a giant paper ice cream cone. As the kids joined - their name went on a paper "scoop of ice cream" and was attached to the top of the cone. All the kids whose parents joined were treated to an ice cream party. Middle schoolers wouldn't want their name on the cafeteria wall (I don't think), but I'm sure they wouldn't say no to ice cream.
I will be president at our middle school this year....6-8 grades. Middle school is completely different then elementary and we traditionally have trouble getting people not only involved but willing to pay the $5 PTO membership dues. Crazy to me but I am looking for way to intice parents to join. Perhaps some sort of incentive for the student??? Please suggest.
