Get Ready for Back-to-School Night
Make the most of your open house table to connect with parents.
An open house or back-to-school night is probably your first chance to meet new families—and impress them with your group! Take advantage of this opportunity with a well-organized table that will attract parents and help you start building a relationship.
Welcome packets
If there’s only room for one, display the contents and put the rest in a box behind the table so you can easily hand them out to parents.
How To Create a Welcome Packet
Brag board
Put together a display board with your group’s mission statement, photos from events, past accomplishments, upcoming plans for the year, and info about your first meeting. Make it fun, colorful, and engaging.
Business cards
Include your group’s website and social channels along with officer contact info. Have a big stack of them available!
Parent Group Business Cards (customizable)
Membership cards and forms
If it’s appropriate for the way your group does business, put membership forms front and center so parents can join while their enthusiasm is high, and hand them their new member cards before they walk away.
Parent Group Membership Cards (customizable)
Parent Group Membership Forms (customizable)
Involvement flyers
Some parents might be on the fence. Help them make up their minds by sharing all the many benefits of involvement!
10 Reasons To Get Involved at School
Volunteer forms
Do what works for your group: a general sign-up sheet, or separate sheets for specific events. Make sure you get permission to add people’s email addresses to your newsletter list, too.
Parent Group Volunteer Sign-up Sheet (customizable)
Spiritwear
Show your school pride and decorate the table at the same time with a few school logo pieces. You can collect orders or even raffle off a couple of items as prizes.
Take-one treats
Have something that draws families to your table, whether it’s free candy or a fun activity, like a photo booth with silly props.
Back-to-School Candy Bar Wrappers for Volunteers (customizable)
Slideshow or video
If you have a tablet handy, run a slideshow on a loop with photos from events and quick facts about your group. Or show a short video about the importance of parent involvement at school.
Parent Involvement Matters video (also available in Spanish)
Join the PTO Today community (it's free) for access to resources, giveaways and more
Back-to-School Night Dos and Don’ts
Do have your most positive and outgoing members talk up the PTO.
Don’t pass the time absorbed in conversation with your fellow leaders staffing the table.
Do make sure volunteers are easy to find, for example with funny hats or matching T-shirts.
Don’t sit down behind the table; being eye-level with parents (standing up!) makes you more approachable.
Originally posted in 2016 and updated regularly.
