Make Your Group a Resource - PTOToday.com

Make Your Group a Resource

If people think of your group as welcoming and helpful, they'll turn there first when they have questions—and the PTO will gain their support and loyalty.

by Evelyn Beck

You probably don’t think of “serving parents” as a goal for your PTO. You help the school and the students; parents should be serving the PTO, not the other way around. In truth, though, helping parents is probably the most important thing you can do to ensure the long-term health of your group and the school. shows that when parents get involved in their children’s education, students do better in school, the school improves, and teachers are happier. That’s why the most successful groups focus on building a stronger connection with parents. They know that giving moms and dads a more positive image of their group and the school pays off in increased involvement. That translates into more volunteers, better fundraising, a stronger school community, and a better learning environment.

A key way to grow that connection is to make your group a resource for parents. You have access to valuable information and contacts that can help parents. You just need to put them to use.

Help for Newcomers

The PTO for the Maine School Administrative District 51, based in Cumberland, has a mentoring program for new families. Newcomers receive a list of names they can call, or they can request that someone contact them. The advice sought ranges from recommendations for pediatricians to where to get the best pizza in town, says PTO cochairwoman Gloria Nicholson. A more formal mentoring program at Our Lady’s Christian School in Erie, Pa., matches new and veteran families who have children of the same age.

Some parent groups assemble handbooks with tips on everything from what to do if your child is sick to the school’s visitor policy. Information like this is posted on a new parent webpage at Sylvan Park Elementary Paideia Design Center in Nashville, Tenn. It includes a map to illustrate the drop-off and pickup route and the ending time for kindergarten. The website address is posted on the school marquee as well as on a magnet sent home with students. “We encourage people to make it their homepage,” says PTO president Julie James.

PTOs also offer more general parenting resources. For example, the Lincoln Park (N.J.) Elementary PTO links to “Questions Parents Ask About Schools,”a free pamphlet from the U.S. Department of Education.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009