Tag: Membership Monday

Promote Safer Internet Day & Start Planning Future Membership Drives

Posted on by Ray Kinyon

by Membership Services Commission

MEMBERSHIP TIP:  HOW TO PROMOTE SAFER INTERNET USAGE

The pandemic has forced students and educators across all levels of education to rapidly adapt to online learning. Safer Internet Day is February 9th and PTAs can build awareness and support schools and families by sharing National PTA resources. Help members  BE INTERNET AWESOME!  Use the following tools to encourage your students and communities to be good digital citizens, to prevent cyberbullying, and to teach best practices for their safety as they grow up in this digital world.

Check out the Google + National PTA Workshops

YouTube Kids Digital Parenting Workshop

Learn how to set up and download the YouTube Kids app, activate the parent tools, and discover examples of unique programming available.

#ItsCoolToBeKind Workshop

National PTA and Google teamed up for National Bullying Prevention Month to share tools and resources for families to help teach kids to be safer, smart, and kind online with the Be Internet Awesome program.

Google Kids Space Workshop

As we spend more time at home, Google created this workshop to share tools for PTA parents that help manage kids’ screen time, from Family Link parental controls to finding quality content on the new Google Kids Space tablets. 

START PLANNING FUTURE MEMBERSHIP DRIVES

As we start thinking about elections and transition, remember you can still make a big impact this school year.  Because this has been such an unusual year, parents and families may have forgotten to join the PTA– February is the perfect time to send out a reminder note!

And it’s never too early to start looking ahead to next fall and your efforts to increase membership in the coming school year. Here are a couple of things you may want to consider: 

  • Evaluate what worked well for you this year and what might need some fine tuning:  Maybe there’s something that you and your team found really successful that can be used for next year or during the rest of this year. Was there something you tried that didn’t quite deliver the results you wanted? Now is a great time to evaluate.
  • Plan early: Whether you’re a returning leader of your local PTA, or a newly elected officer, it’s not too early to start thinking about the upcoming year. There will be multiple training opportunities available at the council, district, and state levels. Take advantage of these opportunities to get a jump start on next year’s membership campaign. 
  • Make a plan to reach out to everyone: Everyone belongs in PTA. Take a good hard look at the current makeup of your PTA board and members to see if there’s anyone from your school community that isn’t represented and develop a plan to reach out to those potential members.

GET EXCITED AND START PLANNING & BUDGETING FOR FOUNDERS’ DAY

If you have plans for Founders’ Day 2022– We would love to hear about them.  Please share your success on social media and tag us.  We want to celebrate with you.  If you haven’t started planning a PTA Founders’ Day event–feel free to hold your celebration later in the year.  Yes, PTA was founded on February 17, 1897, but we can celebrate all year. Take the time now to form a committee to start planning. You can even start planning for next year. 

Why PTA? We’re so glad you asked. Share this flier with your parents and community in six languages!

WE STAND FOR ALL CHILDREN! PTA is part of the fabric of the United States’ public-education system and a trusted partner to millions of parents, families, educators and community members, as it advocates for the education, welfare, health and safety of all children. PTA has been instrumental in establishing programs and services to improve children’s lives.

More from the California State PTA

FIND LOW-COST (OR FREE) INTERNET AND COMPUTERS THROUGH CETF

Get Connected ImageCalifornia State PTA has partnered with the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) to help those in need access the technology that can help their children succeed.

CETF is a non-profit organization that can connect you with a wide range of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and device providers that feature affordable computers and internet solutions, and now, they can even help connect you with internet providers offering free service (for a limited time).  Click here to read CETF’s flier in English or Spanish to get more information about how to qualify, and who to contact. Click here to visit CETF’s website to find providers in your area.

Membership Monday: Spread Warmth and Grow Your PTA

Posted on by Ray Kinyon

by Membership Services Commission

MEMBERSHIP TIP: GROWING MEMBERSHIP CAN BE AS EASY AS A CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE

Today is National Hot Chocolate Day! Spreading a little warmth and joy can help you build community and grow your PTA membership. Offering a cup of warm cocoa or coffee/tea can be a great conversation starter as you continue to meet new parents (parents with students in different grades and staff). Set up a membership table if you can and serve coffee or hot chocolate as a way to remind your parents and students of the support and work your PTA is doing on their behalf. Try a virtual coffee or cocoa chat if the in-person table is not possible at your school.

Throughout February, there are many celebrations that can give you ideas on how to connect to your community. Every time you have an event you can use it to encourage membership! 

For more ideas, be sure to read Ways to Increase PTA Membership on the California State PTA website.

February Can Be A Membership Cultural Celebration

Connecting to your community is essential to increase membership in PTA and will help your PTA  recruit members in a way that is inclusive of all of our families and students. February is a time to celebrate Lunar New Year, African American Heritage Month, and Black History Month. See what your school and community are doing and sponsor or plan events to support these causes. In the process, your PTA can also build educational awareness and learning around these cultural celebrations.

Boost Membership With Healthy Lifestyle Awareness

February is also National Children’s Dental Health Month, National Bake for Family Fun Month, and National Snack Food Month. Remind your membership that healthy and active lifestyles are a part of PTA values and give them ideas of what they can do as classes, a PTA, or a community whether in person or virtual. Encourage families to be diligent about dental health for their children and find ways to do easy baking ideas that bring the family together to do constructive and team building activities. Virtual cooking (baking) classes have been a big hit in some communities.

Celebrate all PTA has to offer by honoring PTA’s founding. See all the ways PTA has been advocating for children and families for 125 years and is still relevant today.  You are part of the PTA legacy. Share your story with us! Learn more ways you can celebrate PTA’s founding.

Start 2022 With a New Membership Campaign 

Posted on by CAPTA IT

By Membership Services Commission

MEMBERSHIP TIP: The New Year Calls For New Membership Campaigns

Let’s ring in the new year by bringing in new members to our PTAs so we can continue to support children and families in our communities!

This is the ideal time to try some  new membership campaign ideas! Start small with 22 new members for 2022, or aim big with 125 new members in January to celebrate 125 years of PTA! Whatever your goal, it makes a difference when you know what you’re aiming for. 

California State PTA Membership Service Commission’s Favorite Resource

As we’ve counted down to kick-off the new year, we’ve also counted 101 Ways to Increase PTA/PTSA Membership. Loaded with ideas, this is our top pick because it gives you the opportunity and inspiration to apply new ideas to your  membership campaign. As you read through these ideas, look at your membership and decide where you need to focus in 2022 to expand and enrich your PTA/PTSA membership in the new year. Let’s continue to grow in 2022.

Get Students Involved

One great membership idea is to focus on the students! Get them excited, involved, and help them join the PTA so they can find their voice. Involving students can give your PTSA more perspective and understanding of what  your school needs to thrive. Learn more at Building Student Membership or in the toolkit. And remember, students of any age can be PTA members, whether you have a PTA or PTSA.

This is also a great time to publicize the California State PTA Graduating High School Senior Scholarship and the membership requirements for scholarship applicants.

DON’T FORGET! You can win prizes for your PTA!

Click here to view the 2021-22 California State PTA Membership Incentives and Challenges. There are still SIX Membership Challenges available! We have prizes and recognition that reward all your hard work including free 2022 Convention registrations, Membership Marvel pins, convention ribbons and a PTA banner!