Been there...... ask your parents to simply get in where they fit in. For example....if you are having a bake sale....send a flyer home with the children asking their parents to volunteer there services to help serve. Asking the parents to get in where they fit in, simply gives the parent an opportunity to feel like they are in control of what they do with/for PTO. Unfortunately, you will not get the mass majority all the time, but if you can get at least 5-10 willing parents, then go with it. let me know how it turns out.
Originally posted by <momof3>: I am a new PTO President of a small private school and I am feeling quite overwhelmed. I have always been very involved for the three years we have been in our school (I have three young ones). It is a wonderful school with great teachers and great potential - BUT, getting parents to help is like pulling teeth. It is the same group of people helping every time and I am worried about them getting burned out. Myself and the other 3 board members are picking up the slack everywhere and starting to run thin - I don't want us to overlook anything. How do we get parents to want to help and not just complain? ANY ideas would be sooooooooo wonderful.
Our Fall Festival operates a bit differently. All of the money earned goes directly to the teachers for use in their rooms. We simply cut them a check the next Monday. This makes the teachers VERY motivated. The staff is required (I adore our princ.) to work the festival and since the money goes straight to them, they are extra motivated to make sure activities are fun and parents are involved.
Well, we are getting there. We have had a couple new recruits and we are starting to "hand things off" - just letting everyone know that they need to step up to the plate or risk losing activities (even Library had a no-show). I think it comes down to choosing your battles - if its not huge to the kids or to our bottom line - it will have to go -if someone gets upset - maybe they'll volunteer for the next time around. The sad part is - we really have a wonderful school - if more parents only knew what they were missing by not being a part of it.
We just had our back to school carnival. I got our principal to ask each teacher to get at least 3 parents from their class to volunteer.for those teachers who didn't want to be bothered I was given the class list and called each parent. Guess what pulled them in? Free Food. When I started to offer free food(one item from each food booth) for one hour of help they said "oh I guess I can do one Hour." As sad as it sounds try offering them free or discounts for the event. Maybe at the next event they will be more willing to help with out anything in return.
I've found the personal approach is the best approach. Be specific as to what you would like them to help with, how much time/how often they would be needed and what the expected outcome may be.
I think the first time that the families see an activity cancelled for lack of volunteers they may spring into action.
I wouldn't count on that. There are far too many schools here in my area that have no parent group, due to lack of involvement and no one steps up. It is most common to have a core group of people who continue to be involved and occasionally some new parents join to replace the core as the core leaves. Just keep asking for help. Approach it as "are you busy on "insert date" get an answer and then ask them to commit.
It's sad that getting parents involved in their children's lives is so difficult. Kindof makes you long for the days of June Cleaver...
Don't allow this to put you over the edge of either your personal or professional life. I think the first time that the families see an activity cancelled for lack of volunteers they may spring into action. It often seems easier on the surface to make all the projects work regardless of the strain that puts on the lives of your "core" volunteers and their families - but if one thing that lots of kids look forward to gets cancelled because you simply don't have 30 hours in the day, you may see some results.
It is very sad that it has to come to that because we ALL work, whether it is at an office or at home, everything we do has value, and everyone gets tired.
