Pittsburgh Nesties
lishie
member
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
PTA
Are any of you active with your school's PTA?
I'm a person that likes to get involved, and I've gone to the first two meetings at Jackson's school. It's depressing to me. There are somewhere between 300 and 400 kids at his school, and there are about 8 people at these meetings. Steve went up with me on Tuesday since it was also open house, and couldn't believe it.
The lack of involvement almost makes me want to not bother, but then I'm part of the problem and certainly not helping to improve things. Any ideas on ways to help make the PTA what I want it to be? I've already volunteered to write the new bylaws, since officially they're splitting from the national PTA and becoming a PTSC. Any ideas on how to try and get people more involved?
Re: PTA
yep depressing is right. I am not on PTA yet although I am sure I will go down that road at some point but am involved in lots of other committees at Caileigh's school & church and its the same people doing everything. BUT there's no shortage of complainers!
To answer your question, I have found that if you ask people directly, not through email or letter but have the prinicipal or head of PTA approach people directly and say "will you volunteer for XYZ" or head this committee, or come to a meeting, or whatever they have a much harder time saying NO. I know I do!! But since no one likes to ask for people's time directly they do it in "safe" ways & the majority won't respond. I just know this b/c my sister is in charge of CCD at our church and there are 100s of kids in the program but she can't get anyone to teach! So she walks up to people directly and asks them and that's how she gets her teachers. Annoucements at mass, bulletin, etc... nothing. She asks direct.
How time flies! Caileigh (9), Keira (6) & Eamon (3)
Tie it in with Happy Hour?!
I only half-kid here. But, seriously, I know I want to get involved, but the meetings are at 7pm, mid-week, and the school iis about 12 miles away - with DH's unpredicatable work schedule, I wish I could commit to help!
My three sons!
This.
We fond that we need to ask people directly and personally. Having kids ask is also very effective, although it borders on manipulation.
But I am not above a little manipulation.
Also, it seems as though people are more willing to commit to specific things, and specific time frames. If it seems as though by signing up for the PTA they are committed until graduation day, they are more hesitant; or if they feel like they are being tossed in with no direction, people will shy away.
And, we get better response to "Can you make sure the parking lot is blocked off for Trunk or Treat" than to "Can you organize Trunk or Treat." So, if you can get some good strong coordinators in for each of your tasks who can then delegate the to-do list to others, that may be a good route to go. Make sure that there are some tasks for "everyone." A working mom might be able to write letters to solicit donations, but not help with class Halloween party at 2:15pm. Also, someone may be willing to shop for items who may not be comfortable being "up front" and leading/speaking.
We've also been trying to detail the procedures and to do list for each event we coordinate. That way, if it needs handed off to someone else they are not starting from scratch.
All of this takes a long time, so be patient. It won't happen over night, but I think you will be able to build a stronger PTA with some hard work! Good for you for getting involved!
My final piece of advice is to really take care of the volunteers you do have, esp. the good ones. A $5.00 Starbucks gift card can go a long way in the appreciation department. And it doesn't even have to be monetary. A kind word and a genuine TY note can do wonders for morale. I know it does for me!
Here's where I admit that I joined the PTA and follow them on FB, but I haven't made it to a meeting yet. I plan to, but we have just adjusted to having the kids at two schools and are just getting into a groove on homework, etc. I do plan to start going to the meetings, but I probably won't volunteer anything other than money or baked goods until the spring. Money is more available than time right now...
That stinks! Ours are at 7pm, so there is really no excuse not to go. Although with my usual schedule I don't get dinner on the table until 6:30, so I'd either need to leave work a little early or eat out.
I belong to our PTA, and have for the past 3 years. I would love to be more involved and have tried numerous times, and I think I'm black balled. (It's a long story). Anyway, I would love it if they gave us information on what committees there are and what help is needed. It's always very vague and like I said, no one gets back to me. I caused a stink last year because they called me the day before Santa's workshop to ask me to work - even though I returned the volunteer form like 3 weeks prior. I told the woman that while I had a flexible job, I did need more than 24 hours notice to take off, so I couldn't help. If the meetings were at 4pm, I think my head would explode! Perhaps that's why a lot don't come. I'd try to get that changed. Working moms want to participate, too. (And I would think 4pm would be a time of day that wouldn't work for a lot of SAHM's too. Dinner prep and all of that).
We also have a "rule" that PTA members are the parents that are asked first to help with parties, field trips, etc.