20 Tips to Run a Successful PTA Meeting
Posted by Kelsey Caldwell
 PTA meetings are important opportunities to grow your school community and share updates about events, fundraisers, and support needs. If you’ve been involved in running a PTA meeting, you may be familiar with the challenges of engaging parents and boosting volunteer support.
Make the most of your meeting by preparing in advance, sticking to a plan for the night, and following up with more details about getting involved. And don’t forget to use sign ups to help organize your volunteers and donations!
Below, you’ll find tips to help you run a successful PTA meeting so you can achieve your goals for the year and help students learn and grow.
- Schedule Ahead - Spread the word about your meeting plenty of time in advance so parents can make plans to attend, and PTA board and committee members have time to prepare.
- Outline Goals - Plan your main goals and focus areas for the meeting and share them with anyone who is speaking or volunteering. Ask PTA leaders for feedback after the meeting to assess if the goals were met and if there are takeaways to remember for next time.
- Virtual Attendance - It’s helpful to give parents an option to attend the meeting virtually if they can’t come in person. You might consider livestreaming the event on Facebook or set up a video conference with an app like Zoom.
- Bring Materials – Handing out printed copies of the agenda or other relevant information can help engage parents and keep the meeting on track. You can use a QR code on your handouts to easily take them to a website with further information.
- Offer Snacks - One surefire way to help entice people to a meeting is to offer some yummy snacks. Consider using a sign up to request volunteers to bring in refreshments like cookies, drinks, or baked goods.
- Find the Right Location - Make sure to choose a location that can fit the group you expect to attend and provide seating for everybody there if possible. You might need to coordinate with the school on things like security or parking.
- Consider Childcare - Some parents don’t attend PTA meetings because of a lack of access to childcare. If you have older students or staff willing to help, consider offering childcare at your venue so parents can bring their children without facing extra costs.
- Track Attendance - Use a sign up to track attendance so you know approximately how many parents to expect. This also allows you to have easy access to their contact information so you can follow up with important information.
- Make it Inclusive - If you think parents will be in attendance that do not speak English, it can be helpful to print your materials in different languages. You might also consider coordinating with an interpreter.
- Encourage Dialogue - Get parents involved by asking engaging questions or getting their opinions on important issues. It’s helpful for parents to feel they have a safe place to share their ideas or concerns.
- Split Up - If you expect your meeting to have a large attendance, it can be intimidating for some to stand up and share their thoughts. You might consider splitting into small groups, so parents are more comfortable discussing things with one another. Assign a PTA member to join each group and take notes.
- Student Involvement - Depending on the goals of your meeting, it can be helpful to ask for feedback from students or invite a few middle and high school representatives to attend. You might consider sending out a questionnaire for them to fill out in advance, so you’ll know what things to address at your meeting.
- Keep It Short - Try to keep your meeting relatively short so parents stay engaged and focused, stick to around an hour at the most. Parents are taking time out of their busy schedules to be there, so you don’t want to take too long.
- Centralize Information - Make sure parents know where to find information and sign ups to get more involved with the school. Share opportunities on a website or webpage that is easy navigate and display contact information for questions.
- Make It Fun - Parents are more likely to get involved with events if you make them fun. Consider adding things like a raffle, giveaway, or fun trivia questions to make your meeting or your school events more enjoyable for adults.
- Progress Tracking - Make sure parents can keep up to date about progress when it comes to things like fundraising or events at the school. Share pictures or let them know when you reach fundraising goals.
- Send Reminders - Don’t forget to send reminders for meetings and events a day or two in advance. You can set up automatic reminders when creating your sign up with SignUpGenius.
- Ask for Feedback - It’s important to ask for feedback from parents as well as students. Be open-minded about their thoughts and concerns. Allowing them to have a say in future meetings can increase engagement and lead to more success for your school.
- Don’t Forget About Other Caregivers - So often parent-involvement campaigns and events are aimed mostly at mothers. Make sure that you welcome fathers, grandparents, and other caregivers to your events so that everybody feels included.
- Recognize Achievements - Don’t forget to recognize parents’ achievements and celebrate their successes. Showing gratitude for their hard work or their contribution goes a long way and can help you be more successful with future campaigns and fundraising goals.
PTA meetings can cover anything from school safety issues to budgeting to student concerns. Getting parents involved and excited about engaging in their children’s education is an important way to get things done at your school. Hopefully, you’ll be able to get parents more involved and more interested in improving their child’s school experience.
Kelsey Caldwell is a realtor and freelance writer from Charlotte, NC. She and her husband are parents to two amazing kids, a golden-doodle, and a bearded dragon.
|
