New Year’s resolutions have been made for millennia. The start of a new calendar year is the opportunity to start new habits and new projects. Here are five New Year’s resolutions for PTA leaders.

  1. Advocate. PTA advocacy has made a difference in the lives of children for over 120 years in Illinois. A more equitable school funding formula, school bus swing arms, vision screenings, testing for lead in school drinking water, and more have come about in recent years through PTA advocacy. This spring, our Advocacy Day in Springfield will be combined with the Illinois PTA Convention on March 29-30, 2022. While it is too early to know what legislation we will be fighting for during Advocacy Day on the 29th, increased funding for the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) formula will certainly be a part of it. With the legislative session is scheduled to end on April 8th, you will be a powerful advocate for school funding just before the state budget is passed. Plan on attending Advocacy Day and Convention in Springfield now.
  2. Grow Your Membership. When an Illinois PTA President testifies before a legislative committee and says, “On behalf of the (number) Illinois PTA members…” state legislators sit up and pay attention, and they sit up straighter the higher that number is. Growing your PTA’s membership not only makes our voice more powerful in Springfield, it helps your PTA find volunteers and new leaders. PTA members can join at any point in the year, and growing your PTA membership can get your PTA rewarded with our new Membership Recognition Program.
  3. Share Your Success. Your PTA does great things for your school, your students, your families, your teachers, and your community. Make sure they know how your PTA is making a difference and how joining your PTA helps to support those successes.
  4. Thank Your Volunteers. As a PTA leader, you know that it is sometimes a “thankless job.” Make sure that volunteering for your PTA isn’t one by thanking your volunteers publicly and often. Making sure your volunteers feel valued is one of the secrets to getting and keeping volunteers.
  5. Prepare for the Future. Your PTA will be electing new leaders this spring. Review your bylaws about when and how your nominating committee is formed. Make sure your officers and committee chairs are keeping procedure books to help make finding their replacements easier. Plan for a smooth transition to the new PTA leadership team at the end of the school year.

Photo courtesy photos-public-domain.com.