This is my first year in PTO and I was elected PTO president. I have no idea where to start and we only have about 5 people involved total parents and teachers. I do not know the laws or ways to get things done.
Our family night is coming up soon. What we are doing is getting the teachers involvled too along with the parents. Some of our events are: coloring contest, bingo, free throw shooting, and to end it they will have a dance contest. This event is for the parents and the students to dance to some oldies back in their day. I think this will get the ball rolling. I had a grandparents day and 62 showed up. So it's a biiiiiiiiiiiiiig step from last year!
First, select a theme for the evening. Last year I selected "Welcome Back Round-Up" for one theme. Everything from the flyer to the decorations had a cowboy/western touch. Families were encouraged to wear their western duds, and many did! The evening was a blend of fun and education and was free to all students K-5 and their families. After families signed in they received a rotation card that gave them the order of their rotation stations for the evening. Each group had a western name, for instance, The Mustangs, The Rattlesnakes, etc. I had 5 rotations that they rotated through. At one station they learned country line dancing from this delightful groups of senior citizen ladies in our community. I'm not sure who had the most fun, the ladies or the families. One station was reading around the campfire. One was called "Little Town on the Prairie" and taught our families about the 150 year history of our town. Cowboy Bingo was of course a popular destination. Well, you get the picture. Families enjoyed snacks or "vittles" and each family had their picture taken by the cactus. The art teacher helped make all the decorations from cardboard. At the end of the year my them was "Back to Nature Night" which focused on all the great things families could do outside during the spring and summer. Our local nature center and master gardeners helped with stations. My theme this fall is "The 50's Are Nifty" focusing of course on the 1950's. Should be fun. My point is I guess, if you select a theme it makes the ideas come easier. Good luck with yours!
Thanks.. our local rink does that, too. I'm going to try to push that family meal coupon to try to bring in some families.
What's the best time to do raffles? I'm wondering if doing them all at once at the end of the night is a good ides? I'm afraid it will be pandemonium at that point, but if we do it earlier, where will the kids keep their prizes? I'm also doing a couple raffles for the adult volunteers... I'm guessing 20-30 raffle pulls! Is that too much?
Pam,
We get flyers and coupons for a meal from the skating rink. If you have the place just for your school like we do, you could offer a raffle ticket for every paid admission and raffle off spirit items or other small prizes.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
