Start the School Year Strong with Tips for PTA Organizing

The first few weeks of school are the perfect time to set the tone for your PTA and PTO organizing. Parents are excited about the year, ready to create new relationships and re-evaluate priorities. Capitalize on that enthusiasm and help your school achieve more with these tips.

Organize PTA Events and Volunteers

First, evaluate any gaps in your PTA leadership. Did someone unexpectedly move over the summer? Make sure every important initiative has a strong leader and that expectations and deadlines are clear.

• The next step is recruiting volunteers to support your goals. The more you plan early in the year, the better. Use an online sign up form to gauge interest in different areas. (And take that feedback into account.)
• Make sure to clearly communicate ongoing opportunities with parent volunteers. For instance, do you provide a duty-free lunch for teachers on a regular basis? You can share opportunities by including your unique sign up link in a newsletter or social media post or creating a button for your website. Genius Tip: Our new partnership with Zapier makes it easy to share your sign up data and group member information with email programs.
• Next, start recruiting for special events, particularly fundraisers. These will probably be your largest and most well-attended initiatives. Fundraising is how you'll be able to provide your school with extras from technology to playground toys and equipment. Genius Tip: Try these 50 successful school fundraising ideas to boost your efforts.
• Remember to be flexible — parents are busy and need opportunities that are easy to say yes to. Check out these 50 tips for organizing volunteers if you'd like some pointers for how to maximize recruitment and volunteer appreciation.

More Useful Resources

The school year is full of opportunities to celebrate teachers and support your school. Try these ideas to push your efforts to the next level.

• Show teachers you care — before Teacher Appreciation Day in May. Plan teacher appreciation events like a class supply wish list, bulletin board decorations or a gift basket giveaway!
• Need help with the next school book fair? Use SignUpGenius to organize volunteers and choose a Scholastic-branded sign up theme.
• Organizing a capital campaign in lieu of several large fundraisers? Refer to these tips to get started.

Be a Genius Organizer

Running a successful PTA requires advanced communication and organization. Select the right plan for a wealth of professional features.

• Organize multiple sign ups on one page with Tabbing so volunteers can easily see several opportunities at once. Genius Tip: See how this PTA simplified volunteer recruitment with Tabbing.
• Eliminate advertising from your sign ups for a cleaner look.
• Design your own sign up theme with our Custom Theme Builder or choose from our exclusive Pro design templates with multiple photo layouts.
• Update parent volunteers about event logistics on the go with our new text messaging feature!