Leadership Essentials: Tips to Help Strengthen Your PTA

Leadership Essentials

Leadership Essentials is just for PTA leaders, featuring timely information and reminders about issues, tasks and responsibilities at any level. Plus, you’ll find helpful tips and news to help strengthen your PTA and leadership skills.

Take a look at the latest issues of Leadership Essentials:

2023

2021

2020

California State PTA Seeks Student Leadership

Students are valuable members of the California State PTA Board of Managers. As full voting members, they share their perspectives on current issues, voice their concerns and provide insights during the meetings they attend.  Volunteer service as a member on the board provides students with an opportunity to further develop leadership skills within the framework and organizational structure of the California State PTA.

California State PTA is now accepting applications for students to serve on our state board. Student board members must be a high school junior or senior in the 2024-2025 school year. Selected students would serve on the California State PTA Board of Managers from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.

Students will not be responsible for paying for any travel expenses including transportation, lodging and meals, which will be covered by the California State PTA.

The application deadline is March 15, 2024.

MATERIALS

QUESTIONS

If you have any questions, please contact Student Involvement Committee Chair, Celia Jaffe at cjaffe@capta.org.

District and Council PTA Advocacy Leadership Guide

Designed with council and district advocacy leaders in mind. Basic policies govern the activities of all PTAs. These policies ensure a unity of purpose through the members’ commitment to the mission, core values, purpose and goals of PTA. In addition, National PTA and the California State PTA are tax exempt under Internal Revenue. As such, they must maintain strict adherence to its requirements in order to retain that exemption. These basic policies must be a part of every PTA’s bylaws.

Download our PTA advocacy leadership guide.

Basic Parliamentary Procedure

A parliamentarian can assist the president when questions of procedure arise. If a parliamentarian is not appointed and ratified, the president should appoint one (pro tem) for each meeting to assist the president in conducting an orderly meeting.

Download basic parliamentary procedures.

Going Through the Motions

Parliamentary law is an orderly set of rules for conducting meetings of organized groups for the purpose of accomplishing their goals fairly.

Here are a few brief tips on motions that may help your meetings go faster.

Download our going through the motions form.

First Tasks for New PTA Officers and Chairs

An orientation and planning meetings for a new executive board helps PTA jump start the year right by offering an opportunity to share ideas, review PTA resources and create a working calendar. Agreeing on ground rules for board meetings, priorities in working styles and preferences for types and timeliness of communication will set the stage for a productive PTA team effort.To ensure a successful term of office, certain responsibilities begin as soon as officers are elected.

Download our first tasks for new PTA officers and chairs form.

 

PTA Term-End Checklist

The smooth transition of outgoing and incoming board members and officers is of vital importance and can determine your PTA’s leadership success for years to come. The transition process is the responsibility of both incoming and outgoing officers and board members. It gives closure to those leaving their positions and allows those coming in to be properly prepared. A good process of transition provides an opportunity for outgoing members to evaluate their work and efforts while giving suggestions to new board members on what they wish they had done differently.

Download our term-end checklist.