Our PTO has in the past done the volunteer sign up sheet at the beginning of the year also. It's usually a big success "at the beginning of the year". Do other PTO's/PTA's run into the problem of having volunteers for your December event but none for the Spring? It seems that volunteers sign up for the last event, so that it's out of sight, out of mind. And when it comes to that last event, all of a sudden everyone is too busy. I'm wondering if it's more effective to ask for volunteers on a event by event basis?
PTO President
Our position is slightly different in that our number one goal is volunteerism and matching volunteers to school and PTO needs. So, basically every activity in the school that requires volunteers is done in cooperation with the PTO. So, for instance, the Bookfair and Spring Fundraiser which are owned and run completely by the school are staffed almost totally by PTO sign ups and officers. Not that we just take over - we get as involved (or not) as the specific situation warrents. Our volunteer form lists several areas/tasks that involve classroom help. But our plan is to sort the lists by class and turn them over to the teachers. Some things, like mentoring or tutoring, the PTO may completely run. Others are up to the teacher. If she needs our help (parties, field trips), we are available to organize the volunteers, if not, that's fine, too.
One mistake we made last year was to only capture the name/teacher of ONE child per volunteer on our form, (thinking only about the need to send information home in backpacks.) We didn't think about the need fo individual class lists, so are re-designing our form so that all a family's children are listed.
Chrystal, I agree. Teachers like to choose their own helpers. We have all run into those well meaning moms and dads. We continue to have that category on our volunteer form for those who would like to help out in the classroom. But... We hand the list over to the staff. This way they know who is interested and available and they may call who they wish. The list also came in handy when the school decided to call in parents for tutoring. Best Wishes!
Our school puts out a packette at the beginning of the year that has all the PTO events and other areas that we will need volunteers for. The volunteers sign up for the areas they are interested in helping out with and we complile these lists and give a copy to the committee chairperson. The volunteers provide their name and phone numbers by the event they would like to volunteer for.
Good Luck
Our PTO does use the volunteer sign up sheets in the beginning of the year and at each meeting to make sure everyone has a chance to sign up:) As far as getting volunteers for the teachers we DO NOT even try to do that, usually the teachers if they want volunteers in their classroom ask the parents who they think would be an asset to the room. Sometimes, I know of a few cases, you have an over zealous parent in the classroom that drives everyone crazy. It is only my opinion but our PTO would never ask for volunteers on behalf of a teacher, they have their own methods of getting them and they should be the ones to do it.
Our PTO is thinking about having a volunteer sheet included in the school's enrollment packet. This way we could have names and phone numbers. We also would like to get volunteers for one day a week for each teacher. I need ideas on how and what to put
on the forms to be filled out.
