If you are a school administrator, it’s in your best interest to facilitate parental involvement through your parent teacher association. The PTA is made up of teachers, parents, community leaders, and school administrators. It promotes parental involvement and advocacy in education-related matters. The PTA is truly there to help benefit your school and the children who attend it. It allows parents to influence decisions the school makes that will directly or indirectly impact their child.
Unfortunately, PTAs aren’t always fun and games. It can be notoriously difficult to keep parents happy and involved. Some parents seem to have unrealistic expectations and expect school administrators to make it “worth their while” to be part of the association. But the last thing you want to do is set aside an unrealistic chunk of school funds to incentivize parents to join the PTA. So, here are five reasonable ways to keep parents happy and involved without stretching your budget thinning than it already is.
1. Establish Open Communication Channels
Lack of communication inevitably leads to frustration and confusion about what’s going on. To keep parents happy, establish multiple communication channels so they’re always informed. Consider sending out regular newsletters or emails to let parents know about upcoming school events, meetings, and decisions. For rapid reminders and updates, use social media platforms to spread the word. All of these communication methods are either free or low-cost and can keep PTA members informed.
In addition to communication with parents, it’s also important to let them communicate with you. Listen and respond to their questions and concerns within a reasonable time frame. If Jenna suggests getting new playground equipment, don’t dismiss her because it’s not in your plans. Instead, give her a chance to explain why she thinks the playground should be renovated. You may find that her explanations are compelling enough to add to the agenda and discuss in greater detail.
2. Offer Parent Education Workshops
Another way to keep PTA parents happy on a limited budget is by offering parent education workshops. You could send surveys to current organization members to find out what topics they’re interested in learning about. Ideas include child development, parenting strategies, technology usage, and academic support. Then organize seminars and workshops on the selected topics.
You could also organize an educational workshop on how to join and participate in the PTA. This event could be open to everyone — including those who are not currently part of your PTA. Some parents may feel nervous about joining the organization because they aren’t sure what would be required of them. A workshop or seminar could boost your membership and involvement by taking away the fear of the unknown.
3. Have a Variety of Volunteer Opportunities
Not all parents feel comfortable planning fundraisers or volunteering in classrooms. Different people have different interests, so parents need to have a wide variety of service options. To encourage maximum involvement in an affordable way, offer diverse volunteer opportunities. For example, you could provide more opportunities for involvement in event planning, mentoring programs, classroom assistance, and fundraising. As you do, you’ll probably notice an uptick in participation (even amongst parents who never participated before).
Don’t forget to carefully consider the diverse schedules many parents have. You don’t want to limit all of your volunteer opportunities to school hours. Many parents work during the day and are only available in the evenings. To get them involved, make sure to organize some after-school volunteer opportunities, as well. When parents realize you’re putting in extra effort to accommodate their schedules, they’ll feel more valued.
4. Host Family Engagement Events
Living in a close community can enhance feelings of happiness and well-being. It can also sometimes impact physical health. Humans have a biological need for a strong sense of community. Building connections in towns and neighborhoods can be as simple as helping a neighbor pull weeds or saying “hello” to the school custodian. But it’s also important to bring community members together in bigger ways to help people get to know and enjoy each other’s company.
One of the most important roles of any PTA is to bring families and communities together. When you have a tight-knit community, your local PTA tends to be more closely connected, as well. You can facilitate family and community bonding by hosting affordable family engagement events. These could be science fairs, multicultural festivals, holiday parties, or game nights. As a bonus, these events can double as fundraisers to add more money to your school coffer.
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5. Recognize Parental Contributions
Everyone likes to feel appreciated, especially when they go above and beyond to contribute to their community. One of the quickest ways to make PTA parents happy is by showing appreciation for everything they do to make the organization better. You don’t need to spend exorbitant amounts of money rewarding them, either. Often, the most meaningful “thank you” is the one that’s simple and sincere.
To recognize parents’ involvement and contributions, consider giving them certificates of appreciation and thank-you notes. You might take time at each of your PTA meetings to call out top contributors by name. You could also publicly acknowledge PTA members’ contributions during school assemblies or other events.
Keeping PTA parents happy can sometimes seem like a herculean effort, but it doesn’t have to be. Often, small and simple rewards are sufficient to help members of the organization feel valued. These budget-friendly ideas can help you acknowledge parental involvement and keep PTA members happy while sticking to a budget.
