How To Do PTO and PTA Elections Right

by Tim Sullivan

02/07/2016

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This is the time of year when so many PTOs and PTAs are thinking about elections and new officers.

For some groups there are the dicey politics of choosing from several interested volunteers, and for others it's the annual beg-and-plead to find someone -- anyone -- to step up. (We have some excellent FAQs on officer elections.)

No matter which description applies to your group, the real key to transition success is what you do for your new officers once you've found them. In a perfect world, the new officers can benefit from your experience, build on your success (to reach even greater heights), and count on you for support and guidance. But too often, there's friction between new and old, or even a subtle feeling that a new officer's success somehow diminishes the past regime's work. We need to work against these counterproductive habits.

Whether you're the retiring officer getting ready to step down or the new leader about to take the reins, please take two minutes to read A Tale of Two Volunteers.