Getting started as a brand-new PTA officer can seem daunting at first. There’s a lot that needs to be done to get things up and running, but who does what, and in what order?
This list help you figure out when and how to schedule meetings, create calendars, and perform other tasks that will ensure that your PTA gets off to a good start!
- The president should set up a meeting with the school principal and call meetings of the board as soon as possible.
- At the first of meeting, ratify appointed officers, fill any vacant offices and make plans for the coming year. Strive for a balance of experienced and new members, keeping in mind that all areas of the community should be represented.
- Consider a membership survey, to be returned prior to the end of the school year, where past unit activities are reviewed and suggestions for new activities are solicited.
- Use input from the survey for brainstorming session(s) with the board-elect to establish board goals. Set realistic goals and
prioritize projects. - Set a calendar for the upcoming year and provide membership campaign materials to the school for any summer mailings
they may be planning. - Review procedure books from past years.
- Become familiar with the duties of each chair by reviewing the California State PTA Toolkit. Share job descriptions and materials as noted with the chairpersons and help them to secure procedure books and materials from their predecessors. If they fail to receive procedure books, assist them in setting up their own.
- Consider reviewing the PTA bylaws with the entire board (even if they are newer than three years). The bylaws contain many job responsibilities and timelines/due dates. Reviewing them together gets everyone on same page with the same expectations.
- Encourage every board member to attend trainings.
- Prepare a preliminary budget and present it for adoption at your next association meeting.
- Verify with outgoing board that the year-end Annual Financial Report has been completed after the books are closed, that arrangements have been made for the annual year-end financial report, the year-end audit, and that documents have been compiled for ease in preparing tax filings.
- Update signature cards for bank accounts.
- Provide names and addresses of board members to council and/or district PTA for their respective directories. Make sure each of your board members knows how to contact their counterpart at district (or council) to get questions answered.
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Carol Green begins her term as California State PTA president this week. We have worked together for many years, and I know Carol will do great things in this role.
The biggest challenge of the last year to maintaining healthy vision has been digital eye strain. With kids being forced to switch from in-person to digitally based distance learning because of the pandemic, the number of hours per week they spend staring at computer screens has increased exponentially.
California State PTA believes that all children deserve a quality education regardless of the community in which they live, the color of their skin, their language, their gender identity, or their immigration status.
We all want all families to feel welcome at our schools.
As PTA members, we know how important family engagement is for student and school success. 
This article was provided by our sponsor ETS. Read more about ETS 
Recognizing the need for a whole new way to create engagement and community, the PTA in San Francisco started “4-1-1 Wednesday” virtual gatherings for all San Francisco families. They could join by phone or computer. Topics centered on how to support families and parent groups: fundraising brainstorming, mental health and wellness strategies, and tips on creating an inclusive community. 4-1-1 Wednesdays also feature Town Halls with the District Superintendent and Department of Public Health.