This is my first post, I came here looking for ideas for parent involvement, but no one seems to have my same concerns. We are a small school of 220 and have a great turn out for all of our functions, such as spaghetti dinners and our annual carnival. Our parents start off the school year offering help and signing up for committees, but when contacted everyone is busy or not interested. We almost had to cancel our canival due to lack of volunteers, and had to look to high school and college students to help us out. It ended up being that everyone showed up to enjoy the night instead of working a short shift. Parents don't even seem to understand what work goes into it, and some of us that planned and worked didnt even get to enjoy the carnival ourselves. It really stinks and this is why our parents get so burned out and then never want to help again. Any suggestions in getting more people to help out and stick to their word?
We also have only officers and a few teachers that show up to our meetings and no matter what we do different it never changes. One complaint is that they have to bring their children....younger toddlers and babies. Does anyone else address this concern ?

I just have to say that even if you can not attend the meetings please dont give up on joining or being involved in your PTO. We have tried afternoon meetings and evening meetings. In the afternoon our numbers are much higher and in the evenings no ones shows. It just depends on your school and parents. meetings are great if you can make it but if not hopefully your PTO keeps parents informed in other ways, posting minutes and reports or thru a newsletter. Please know that meetings are just a tiny part of the PTO and I hope you can find a way to be involved!! We have working parents who chair and/or help with our evening family fun nights and events.

You may think about taking a partial day off just to attend one meeting to raise this as a concern. Make it clear how the perception is that the PTO does not welcome working parents and should they continue to ignore the huge volunteer population of working parents, then parents may decide not to support them with their financial donations, either.
Our PTO meets at 7:30 in the evening and we also post all our agendas and minutes on our website for those that can't make it. We tried having meetings in the mornings in addition to the evening times, but stay-at-homes didn't show. But we tried!! We actually point out on our volunteer forms which positions or jobs can be done at home for parents that have a busy schedule & getting out is an issue. I've tried to make positive changes in our PTO to be more inclusive; not exclusive.
I am a full time working mom AND PTO President. So I am very open to your concerns & applied a new view at our school. Funny, we have more working moms doing stuff for us that those that are home all day with no young ones!

9:30!!!! Who thought that up?! We hold our meetings, the first Monday of every month, at alternating times for those who work, and those teachers who are at school. So the first meeting is at 3:00, the following month at 6:00. That way working parents can come and teachers don't have to hang around, or come back to school. It works OK. Oh yeah, we also post our calendar at the beginng of school so if there is a topic or event that you HAVE to do or hear, you know when it is.

I have refused to join our PTO, as the only parent involvement the group seems to want is strictly financial. Our PTO only seems to welcome stay at home moms only. I work full-time and would love to be more involved, however, the PTO needs to be more flexible and sensitive to schedules of working parents. PTO meetings are scheduled at 9:30 a.m. when working parents are unable to attend. The principal has discussed the need to have evening PTO meetings with the board, with no success. Since the school provides space to the PTO for meetings, etc.,this group should at least act as though they actually like having parent attendance at their meetings and welcome all parents. The principal should push the PTO for more parent involvement and should also act as though she welcomes parents and their input as well. I believe parent involvement will increase if the PTO and principal give an image of actually wanting parents there, not as being the stay-at-home moms club.

We had two successful parent involvement this school year Parents would donate all the ideas needed (1) Spaghetti Social -Cooked Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Sauce, Salad etc. and (2) Taco Social - Cooked meat, bring all topping needed for taco. We would do this on report day. Parent would also volunteer to Set up, Server and Clean Up.

(ed-- Please feel free to share details on the boards. Tim)