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As the delightful warmth of summer fast approaches and board transitions have recently occurred, it's an ideal moment for some strategic PTA housekeeping. While the summer schedule is typically more relaxed concerning school activities, and most PTOs or PTAs refrain from conducting meetings during this period, it's not uncommon to see newly inducted board members eager to contribute. Equally, existing members might have more free time to volunteer. So, what should be on your PTA's agenda over the summer to ensure a smooth commencement in the fall? This expanded summer schedule provides a detailed roadmap to success. For those who prefer audio learning, please follow this link for the audio version.
PTO/PTA Summer Schedule
June – Wrap up the Year
To wrap up the academic year, consider the following activities:
Year-End Summary Communication: You probably initiated the year by introducing the PTA and its projected goals to the parents. This juncture presents an ideal opportunity to celebrate your accomplishments! Emphasize the significant difference your collective efforts have made in the children's lives this year. Disseminate this summary in your newsletter, share it on various social media platforms, and present it during a school staff meeting for wider reach.
Transition Meeting: Convene a transition meeting for the incoming board members. Discuss the strategies that worked effectively and those that didn't during the past year, pass on any valuable lessons learned, and allow the new board members to probe their predecessors with questions. This meeting will aid in a seamless transition and ensure continuity in the PTA's endeavors.
July – Organize Your Files
July is perfect for organizing your files and documents:
Create/Update Your Digital Archive: If you haven't already, set up an online drive accessible to all board members. Archive essential documents, such as by-laws, role descriptions, previous meeting minutes, meeting agenda templates, and budgets. If you already have an online drive, ensure it's up-to-date, and the right individuals have access. It's easy to remember to include new members or documents, but don't forget to purge outdated files or remove access for members who have transitioned out.
Revise Fundamental Documents: Use the summer downtime to revisit and possibly revise key documents, including your by-laws. Even if members are unavailable for a meeting, individuals can work on drafts at their convenience.
Get Ahead of Spirit Wear: K-12 clothing was created by a PTA dad, specifically designed to provide PTA's and PTO's the easiest way to manage school spirit wear and apparel for adults and students. With the convenience of direct shipping to parents, we've eliminated the hassle of collecting and managing bulk orders with no minimum order shipped directly to parents. With thousands of options, we've got everything your school needs for apparel.
August – Goal Setting
Consider the following tasks in August:
End-of-Summer Board Meeting: Host a meeting to revisit the notes from the June transition meeting. Review last year's goals and the lessons learned, and discuss your objectives for the new academic year. With ongoing educational challenges due to the pandemic, it's essential to remain flexible and prepared for unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, prioritize a single major area of focus. If progress is favorable by January, consider adding another goal.
Membership Strategy: Design your membership goal/strategy before the back-to-school period, which is an opportune time to recruit new members. Delegating specific responsibilities to certain individuals will ensure more efficient execution of the plan.
Launch Spirit Wear Early: In our blog post, we discuss "3 Reasons Why you Shouldn’t Wait Until Fall to Start Selling School Spirit Wear."
September – The Big Welcome
As fall arrives, focus on the following:
Back-to-School Messaging: Articulate your primary focus area and membership strategy into a compelling welcome-back message. Like the end-of-year message, disseminate this across various channels, and repeat it multiple times to ensure the school community comprehends the PTA or PTO's aspirations for the upcoming school year.
First Meeting: Host your first meeting to set the pace for the new academic year.
Come up with your membership goal/strategy. The best time to get new members is back to school, so creating a plan before school starts is key. Make sure you have specific people accountable for each element of the plan.
That’s your month-by-month guide to a productive, not overly burdensome, parent-teacher group leader summer.