So the previous PTA president just dropped off a box of stuff and sped off down the street (and was that a cackle you heard?). The person from the nominating committee had said it was an easy job, just run the PTA meetings, but there’s so much stuff in the box and nothing about running a meeting other than a fat copy of Robert’s Rules of Order. Do you really need to read the whole thing? Take a deep breath, relax, and read our six steps to surviving the start of your PTA presidency.
- Think about your legacy. Wait, you’re just starting out, and you should think about your legacy? Do PTA presidents even have a legacy? Yes and yes, although its generally not the type of legacy that results in your statue out in front of the school. In thinking about your legacy, think of what you want to have accomplished by the end of your term. Is it growing your membership? Engaging more families? Helping families better support their child’s education? Whatever your legacy looks like, those goals can help you plan your PTA presidency, and there are PTA programs and resources to help you accomplish them.
- Get to know your Region Director. Every PTA in Illinois has a support person. For most, that is your Region Director, though it could be a District Director in Chicago or, if your region doesn’t have a director, the Illinois PTA Vice President of Field Service or an appointed contact. They may contact you from time to time to remind you about tax filing deadlines, grant opportunities, and other matters, but they’re also there to help you. Think of them as your new PTA BFF, ready to listen to you rant about a board member’s behavior, answer questions, direct you to PTA resources, and help you survive the year with your sanity intact.
- Get trained. You don’t know what you don’t know, but Illinois PTA training can help you with everything from learning how to set up a meeting agenda and using parliamentary procedure effectively to building your leadership skills and understanding budgets and the financial ins and outs of running a 501(c)(3) organization (which your PTA is). Talk to your Region Director about when training will be available.
- Communicate, communicate, communicate. Communication is critical to your PTA’s success. Communicate with your PTA board, with your principal and teachers, with your members, and with your school community. Anything Illinois PTA or National PTA sends you can be shared with your members, so feel free to forward e-mails or clip articles into your PTA newsletter. Share information and resources with your board related to their PTA jobs, because helping them be successful makes your job as PTA president easier.
- Don’t be afraid of advocacy. You may think that your PTA and PTA members aren’t really interested in advocacy, but remember that advocacy is not just speaking to legislators. At its most basic level, advocacy is just working to make things better, and your PTA is probably trying to do that at your school. The resources in the Illinois PTA Local Unit Advocacy Toolkit can help you address issues in your school and your school district. And do encourage your members to respond to Illinois PTA calls to action—the two minutes it takes to send a pre-written e-mail to your legislators (even if you don’t know who they are) can result in significant changes in the lives of children.
- Use your board. A lot of PTA presidents try to do everything themselves, and it helps no one in the long run. The president burns out, things slip through the cracks, and no one wants to take over as the next president because look what it did to the last one. You’ve got a PTA board (and PTA members) to help you. Delegate jobs, let them do it their way, check in to see if they need anything, and celebrate their successes.
Photo courtesy Andrea Piacquadio.
One Voice Illinois 