I am the link which unites and presents a clearly defined image of PTA work to the community. I provide strong, inspiring leadership. I am understanding and compassionate to unit problems. I work with the district board realizing that through cooperation, we may achieve the purposes of the PTA. I refrain … Continue reading What Am I?
Inside an Illinois PTA Board Meeting
Most PTA leaders have met a couple of Illinois PTA State Board of Directors members. Maybe you’ve called your district or region director about a problem in your PTA or have gotten a reminder from them to make sure your tax form is filed on time. Perhaps you’ve gotten a call to action from the … Continue reading Inside an Illinois PTA Board Meeting
Why Don’t Volunteers Stick Around?
It is generally agreed that no one of us can motivate another. The most we can do is to stimulate others to action, but individuals must provide the motivation for themselves. Volunteers are obviously motivated by something other than a paycheck, such as self-esteem, recognition, approval, acceptance, and pride in a job well done. A … Continue reading Why Don’t Volunteers Stick Around?
Reflecting on Your PTA Role in the New Year
With the school year at the halfway point and many of us making New Year’s resolutions, it’s also a good opportunity to take time to reflect on how you are doing in your PTA role. Use the self-assessment questions below as well as those to ask of others on how you are doing to reflect … Continue reading Reflecting on Your PTA Role in the New Year
Thanking Your Volunteers
The holidays are a time for reflection and gratitude. It’s also the midpoint of the school year, which makes it a good time as a PTA leader to take a bit of time to think about what you’ve accomplished so far and what lies ahead. A good part of your PTA’s success depends on your … Continue reading Thanking Your Volunteers
Engaging and Retaining Members
PTA runs on its volunteer membership. Whether it is serving as an officer, helping out at a PTA event, or even just supporting the PTA by paying membership dues, members are critical to a PTA’s success. And the easiest people to get to join the PTA are those who have joined in the past. Even … Continue reading Engaging and Retaining Members
What is Illinois PTA University?
The Illinois PTA University is an incentive program to encourage leadership development. The program is divided into three levels—Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, and Doctorate Degree. Each level recognizes the accomplishment of PTA members who have completed its requirements. Those requirements include attendance at a variety of workshops, training courses, and PTA events. Any PTA member … Continue reading What is Illinois PTA University?
October is Fire Safety Month
Fire Prevention Week is scheduled for October 8-14, with Home Fire Drill Day on October 14. While no school is immune from the risk of a fire, the chances of it happening can be reduced or, if it does occur, losses can be kept to a minimum by following a few tips: Conduct fire drills … Continue reading October is Fire Safety Month
ESSA, Family Engagement, and Your PTA
Implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) continues to make progress, with the US Department of Education approving Illinois’s ESSA plan. In Congress, the House of Representatives has included funding for the Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFECs) in its appropriations bill. With the approval of the Illinois ESSA plan, attention now turns to Local … Continue reading ESSA, Family Engagement, and Your PTA
Planning and Running Your First PTA Meeting
If you’re a new PTA president, you probably have your first meeting of the year coming up soon. Here are some tips to get you ready to run that first meeting. Planning the Meeting Make sure your meeting date doesn’t conflict with other events. Get announcements of the meeting out early. Remember that not everyone … Continue reading Planning and Running Your First PTA Meeting
New Resource for School Projects
Whether you’re a teacher looking for a class project or a PTA leader looking for an activity station at an event, Instructables has a new resource to help. Instructables has long been a website full of do-it-yourself projects of all sorts, and now with Instructables Education, projects suitable for students are grouped by appropriate ages … Continue reading New Resource for School Projects
Top 10 Tips for Middle School PTA Success
Middle school is different from elementary school for kids—they’re changing classrooms, managing a locker, and meeting new people from other elementary schools. It’s different for parents as well. New activities like band or sports may pull parents who have been involved in PTA at the elementary level away at the middle school level. Here are … Continue reading Top 10 Tips for Middle School PTA Success
News from National Convention: Attracting Today’s Parents
PTAs used to be able to simply set up a table with a “Join PTA” sign and have parents line up. But those days are long gone, and today’s PTA needs to provide parents with reasons for joining that resonate with them. At the 2017 National PTA Convention, two events focused on how PTAs can … Continue reading News from National Convention: Attracting Today’s Parents
Catch Up on National PTA Webinars
Perhaps you’ve seen them mentioned in an Illinois PTA Weekend Update e-mail or in a National PTA Newsletter. Maybe you saw it on National PTA’s Facebook page or Twitter feed. “It” being a webinar on a topic you were interested, but being held at a time you couldn’t join in. Think you’ve missed out? Think … Continue reading Catch Up on National PTA Webinars
Plan Now for PTA Success in the Fall
With the school year coming to a close and summer activities to look forward to, many PTA leaders may be looking to put their feet up for the next few months. But summer provides an excellent time for PTA leaders to make their lives easier once school starts back up. By doing some planning for … Continue reading Plan Now for PTA Success in the Fall
6 Things to Wrap Up Your PTA Year
May is a busy month for PTAs with Teacher Appreciation Week, end of the school year activities, and electing new officers. As a PTA leader, you’re probably a bit worn out from everything your PTA has done this past year. But making sure your PTA is successful next year begins with wrapping up this year. … Continue reading 6 Things to Wrap Up Your PTA Year
News from the Illinois PTA Convention—Membership Workshops
One of the great opportunities at the Illinois PTA Convention is to attend workshops by state board members that provide you with new ideas and help you to be a better PTA leader. Illinois PTA Membership Marketing Director Julie Holdeman presented two great workshops on growing your PTA’s membership. The first, Planning a Year-Round Membership … Continue reading News from the Illinois PTA Convention—Membership Workshops
News from the Illinois PTA Convention—School of Excellence Program
At first glance, Kreitner Elementary School in Collinsville looks like a school that would be struggling to get families involved. The Pre-K through fourth grade school has just under 400 students, and 91% are from low-income families, 100% receive free lunch, 75% are Hispanic, and 53% are English Language Learners. And a few years ago, … Continue reading News from the Illinois PTA Convention—School of Excellence Program
Micro-Volunteering and Your PTA
Is your PTA struggling to find volunteers? Are people afraid to join your PTA because you are always asking for volunteers to handle big jobs? If so, your PTA might want to look into micro-volunteering. What is Micro-Volunteering? One of the biggest challenges in finding volunteers is people who say they have no time. Micro-volunteering … Continue reading Micro-Volunteering and Your PTA
How Your PTA and Families Can Support National Reading Month
March is National Reading Month, and kicks off with Read Across America Day on March 2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Your PTA and families can support reading both at school and in the home. Reading is a critically important skill for students to develop, and children who read 30 minutes each day progress faster and do … Continue reading How Your PTA and Families Can Support National Reading Month
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