Pros and Cons For Joining a Parent Teacher Organization
Posted by San Luis Obispo Mom on Sunday, March 26, 2023 Under: Mom Life
Many schools call their Parent Teacher Organization, PTA (Parent Teacher Association), others are just PTO.
What's the difference?
A PTA, Parent Teacher Association, has to pay fees to the the national PTA organization in U.S.A. but a PTO, Parent Teacher Organization, doesn't have to pay fees to the PTA and can have different rules and regulation/by laws.
Regardless if they are PTA or PTO, how they are run can be pretty impressive, dependent on the leadership of the board.
After volunteering for the last half year, here is a table of my thoughts.
What's the difference?
A PTA, Parent Teacher Association, has to pay fees to the the national PTA organization in U.S.A. but a PTO, Parent Teacher Organization, doesn't have to pay fees to the PTA and can have different rules and regulation/by laws.
Regardless if they are PTA or PTO, how they are run can be pretty impressive, dependent on the leadership of the board.
After volunteering for the last half year, here is a table of my thoughts.
Pros and Cons For Joining a Parent Teacher Organization or Parent Teacher Group.
Pros |
---|
|
Cons |
---|
|
Aside from volunteering to help my parent teacher organization at my kids' school, I've also volunteered to chaperone for 6 different field trips so far. Read about my list of Pros and Cons for Volunteering at a School Field Trip! Depending on what school your kids go to, volunteering for a field trip and volunteering for PTO or PTA are managed by two different administrators. I've met many chaperones on a field trip who have never attended a PTO/PTA meeting and I've also met PTO/PTA members who have never volunteered for a field trip before.
- Ideas to Bring to Your First PTO/PTA Meeting:
- Depending on how organized the PTO/PTA is, they may not have enough pens to go around so, if you like to take copious notes during the meeting for yourself, I advise that you come ready with your own pen! Maybe you can even bring a couple extra pens to share. Sharing your pens could be a great way to start a new connection if you've never been to a meeting before.
- If it is a potluck type meeting, I suggest bringing a nut-free vegan dish or nut-free vegan snacks. There are so many nut-free vegan dishes that I enjoy and I'm not even vegan. This is a great way to connect with a broader range of parents who may often feel left out at food sharing events. Nut-free is especially important for parents and kids who are severely allergic to peanuts or any other nuts.
- At the PTO meetings that I've attended, they don't offer coffee to the parents so by the time the meeting starts, it's evening and I would often need a pick me up. If that is the same for you and if it's okay to bring a drink with you, I suggest bringing your own cup of coffee or handy coffee in a can so that you have the energy to listen and collaborate.
Reading Suggestions:
- I've volunteered to chaperone at 8 different field trips that my kids have gone to as a class. Read about my field trip chaperoning experiences and tips.
In : Mom Life
Tags: parent teacher organization pto pta reviews pta benefits elementary school pto reviews parent teacher groups