Let's talk PTAs and participation

[Anonymous]

I'm relatively new to this PTA thing and am finding it hard to make meetings on weeknights. DH works a lot, younger siblings, etc. Our PTA seems to do the traditional thing of having in-person meetings at the school, and I'm wondering whether there are ways to use technology to allow for remote participation. I'm not necessarily talking anything more fancy than a conference dial-in, but we're in APS and the Board does stream all of its meetings. Do any PTAs do things like this? Other ideas? I'd like to get more involved but frankly can only see that being realistic for me if it is a little bit easier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm relatively new to this PTA thing and am finding it hard to make meetings on weeknights. DH works a lot, younger siblings, etc. Our PTA seems to do the traditional thing of having in-person meetings at the school, and I'm wondering whether there are ways to use technology to allow for remote participation. I'm not necessarily talking anything more fancy than a conference dial-in, but we're in APS and the Board does stream all of its meetings. Do any PTAs do things like this? Other ideas? I'd like to get more involved but frankly can only see that being realistic for me if it is a little bit easier.

I know my PTA uses Facebook to live broadcast meetings.

[Anonymous]

Our PTA also live streams. Although to be honest, there are a billion opportunities with our PTA that you don't need to be at meetings to hear about. We have a PTA FB group that is very active, and at the end of each year they ask for folks to be on committees for the next year (for various projects).

[Anonymous]

Thanks, PPs. I'm posting in part because our PTA isn't that active and there aren't a billion opportunities. I am trying to think of ways to get the ball rolling with more participation, for me in the first instance but for others as well.

[Anonymous]

Our PTA is very active and there are tons of people involved in activities and even leading activities who don't attend meetings. The meetings are normally a presentation by a guest speaker, an update from the principal and a teacher, and committee updates to whomever happens to be in the room. Most of the work is done separately. At the beginning of the year one of the papers that goes home in the first day packet is from the PTA asking for your interest in volunteering to participate or lead in various activities or planning committees for events. I think that's how most people get engaged.

Interesting idea to stream it or have a conference line open, but at this point our PTA does not.

[Anonymous]

Our PTS a cut up to the fact that many families have dual working parents. Definitely a different feel than the daycare world, where everyone by default is a dual working family.

Also generally the unspoken assumption is that women will be doing 90% of the work.

What I do is find the things at the school that fit my schedule, and leave it at that. DH does very little with the PTA other than write a check sometimes, he’s fine with that.

I tend to volunteer for things like junior achievement, Because I think the kids need to see that women have a job sometimes outside of the school. I participate in what works for my schedule (usually in the evening) but don’t beat myself up if I can’t be at the school during the day for something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, PPs. I'm posting in part because our PTA isn't that active and there aren't a billion opportunities. I am trying to think of ways to get the ball rolling with more participation, for me in the first instance but for others as well.

The majority of opportunities come to us through the FB group or via email.

[Anonymous]

Gurl- these are the women that need to be seen. They dress for you. They can not acheive the goal of Queen Parent without your seeming them in all their glory. Clearly you don't belong

[Anonymous]

OMG, it's not that deep.

Major things--dates of events, opportunities to contribute via SignUpGenius, requests for donations, yearbook and spirit wear sales, etc.--are all going to come to you via email or newsletter or what have you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, PPs. I'm posting in part because our PTA isn't that active and there aren't a billion opportunities. I am trying to think of ways to get the ball rolling with more participation, for me in the first instance but for others as well.

You can't even go to the occasional meeting, but criticize your PTA for not being that active? You can't even go to the occasional meeting, and are trying to be the one to "get the ball rolling"?

If it is so freaking important, get a sitter once a semester or something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, PPs. I'm posting in part because our PTA isn't that active and there aren't a billion opportunities. I am trying to think of ways to get the ball rolling with more participation, for me in the first instance but for others as well.

You can't even go to the occasional meeting, but criticize your PTA for not being that active? You can't even go to the occasional meeting, and are trying to be the one to "get the ball rolling"?

If it is so freaking important, get a sitter once a semester or something.

No, cranky. I'm not criticizing. I'm observing, identifying something that is a problem for me (weeknight meetings), and wondering if it might be a problem for others and whether we could get more participation doing other things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG, it's not that deep.

Major things--dates of events, opportunities to contribute via SignUpGenius, requests for donations, yearbook and spirit wear sales, etc.--are all going to come to you via email or newsletter or what have you.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

At my kids' schools most PTA mtgs are a waste of time because they are not set up to be a discussion on a topic; they're just reading out stuff that could be communicated via email. "Here's what we raised from x fundraiser; next month we have a spirit night at y restaurant." The leads just provide short updates but it's not "let's have a discussion on a given topic to get parent feedback".

I would LOVE to attend the latter and would even get a sitter for meetings like that. But i've given up going to the "report out" meetings. They are not a good use of time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my kids' schools most PTA mtgs are a waste of time because they are not set up to be a discussion on a topic; they're just reading out stuff that could be communicated via email. "Here's what we raised from x fundraiser; next month we have a spirit night at y restaurant." The leads just provide short updates but it's not "let's have a discussion on a given topic to get parent feedback".

I would LOVE to attend the latter and would even get a sitter for meetings like that. But i've given up going to the "report out" meetings. They are not a good use of time.

This is how ours were at the elementary level as well. I did serve as recording secretary for 2 years, so I know that the minutes were always posted on the pta website. My particular school PTA wasn't into using FB even though I tried. They were effective at getting volunteers for events though and lots of committee meetings happened via email conversations.

As it was, the meetings often went 2 hours. I know personally, that whenever I saw a parent come in who wasn't on the Board, I thought, "Oh great, it's going to be a 3 hour meeting." Rarely if ever did people come just to listen / learn about what was planned -- they came to bitch about something or make a pitch for an event that they wanted to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gurl- these are the women that need to be seen. They dress for you. They can not acheive the goal of Queen Parent without your seeming them in all their glory. Clearly you don't belong

Completely not true at our (small but mighty) PTA.

In all seriousness OP, you may need to help them figure out how to do it but I assume they would welcome the help!