It's Not Impossible
By Nicole McCabe
Let’s face it, this last year was probably one of the toughest years to get parents involved in PTOs and boosters. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible!
First make sure that parents understand what you’re all about. Who are you? What does your group do? Why do you need them? How much time will it require? Why does it benefit them to get involved? And where could you use their help?
Adding chair/coordinator positions can be super helpful. For example: a social media chair, donation coordinator, membership coordinator, fundraising chair, etc. Some parents don’t feel comfortable with committing to a “board position” and this might be the solution. In fact many of these positions don’t even require leaving the comfort of their homes.
A great way to get that info out is a Welcome letter. Whether you are a PTO or Booster club, getting this welcome letter out to as many parents as possible is key. If you are a PTO or JHS booster, asking administrators to put this in registration packets and welcome back packets is a great idea. Create an interest form or membership form to include with your welcome letter. Include all the area’s in which you will need some help in the coming year. Even creating a member database will help make the information collected easier to manage and compile.
I have templates and examples if you need help getting this started. Please feel free to reach out to me at nmccabe76@gmail.com
