#Formation of new executive committee of PTA

[pooma-education]

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AZEEZ

Guidelines for the formation of Parent Teachers Associations (PTA) in Schools

General Education Department has published detailed guidelines for Parent Teachers Associations (PTA) formation and its activities in Govt/Aided schools. The first meeting of PTA in Higher Secondary schools should be within one month after completion of Plus One admission whereas it should be conducted in the month of June itself in schools with no Higher Secondary section.

The common PTA should be conducted at least thrice a year. Selection of PTA Executive Committee PTA Executive Committee should be elected in the first meeting itself. PTA executive committee is a syndicate of Parents and Teachers.

The number of executive committee members should be between 15 and 21. The number of Parents be at least one more than that of Teachers and the number of female members must be equal or more than equal. It should be confirmed that representatives from each section - Primary, High school, Higher secondary and Vocational Higher secondary are there. Selection of PTA Executives (President, Vice President etc:-) The first meeting of executive committee and General body meeting be on the same day so that the President, Vice President etc. can be elected. The duration for being a PTA president is limited to three consecutive years. PTA Executives selection related detailed guidelines are available in the link given below.

PTA Membership Fee PTA membership fee is mandatory for all parents every year. The membership fee should be given either at the time of admission or in the first month. Membership fee order- LP Section 10 UP Section 25 HS Section 50 HSS Section 100 The PTA membership fee is not compulsory for the parents of SC/ST and financially backward students. Still they would be members of PTA general body.

PTA Fund Collections PTA fund can be collected as per the amount if the PTA General body decides.

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Step-by-step: Start a PTA

Learn how to set up a PTA, start fundraising and bring your school community together

Every PTA has to begin somewhere – perhaps with a conversation about something the school needs.

Over time, the discussion becomes a question: Is there something we can do?

The answer is yes. If your school could use the additional resources that a PTA can provide, now may be the ideal time to establish one.

To be successful, PTAs should be open and inclusive, welcoming suggestions from the entire community and collaborating closely with the school. But before you dive in, consult with as many stakeholders as possible to make sure everyone’s on the same page.

Step-by-step

Speak to your school

Whatever the scope of your plans, you will struggle without support from the school. PTAs often rely on their schools for access to buildings and communications, while schools help PTAs compile wish lists, and promote and run events. Aim to get at least one member of the school staff to support your new PTA directly by becoming the PTA liaison and participating in meetings. To be persuasive in the meeting, focus more on the benefits for the school than the detail of what your group will do. It may help to bring along a few PTA success stories that demonstrate what’s possible, but don’t overwhelm! Frame your ideas as suggestions and, above all, listen to what the school has to say.

Discuss the type of association you want to form, as the school leaders may have a view on who can join. A traditional PTA includes only parents and teachers at the school, whereas a Friends group has a wider range of members, including grandparents, community members and parents whose children no longer attend the school. Friends groups are becoming more popular because they offer a larger and more diverse group of potential volunteers.

Gauge interest

Hold an open meeting for your new PTA or Friends group that welcomes all potential members. Ask for input on who can help, what activities they would like to participate in and what skills they can offer. Find out if anyone is interested in joining the committee, specifically in the roles of chair, secretary and treasurer. You could suggest other positions too, such as communications officer and bake sale coordinator.

You may be pleasantly surprised by the range of people who step up and the variety of skills and ideas they bring. Welcome volunteers from outside your social circle; making new connections and friendships is one of the benefits of being a part of the PTA.

Form your team

Gather together everyone who has shown interest in forming the new PTA. Your group will be classed as a small charity, and finding out the basics of how charities function will help you answer questions that are bound to arise in the future. Those who are considering taking on committee roles should understand the responsibilities of being a trustee (see further information, below). But don’t be overwhelmed by the regulations: thousands of people serve on the committees of PTAs and other small charities.

Start the formalities

It’s time to formalise your PTA. Starting a small fundraising group is a fairly straightforward process requiring only three people: a chair, treasurer and secretary. Staying small has advantages, such as keeping admin to a minimum, and is good for groups which are just starting out.

Choose a name that describes what you do and that won’t be confused with any other organisation.

The right name will also help future donors, such as grant funders and local businesses, find information about your PTA and what it does more easily.

Call your first AGM

Give notice of your first Annual General Meeting (AGM) as required in your governing document and in a way that will reach as many potential members as possible. Invite nominations for elected officers on the committee and make sure you are familiar with how the voting process will work. On the day, vote in your new committee and adopt your constitution. If there’s no other business, set a date for the next meeting to keep things moving forward.

What support can the school offer a PTA?

A dedicated storage room or space to build a shed

Allow meetings to be held on school premises

Send emails and newsletters to parents

Announce and promote PTA events in assemblies

Appoint a school liaison to attend PTA meetings

Encourage teachers and staff to volunteer at bigger events such as fairs.

What can a PTA give back to their school?

Raise funds for important school resources

Hold fun events

Run a pre-loved uniform service or shop

Write and submit grant applications (some grants funders will only give to registered charities)

Provide a link between parents and school

Run community-building activities such as coffee mornings for the parents of new starters.

Next steps

Open a bank account: Select a charity bank account and appoint designated signatories. Choosing a bank with a nearby branch makes it easier to collect floats for events.

Set some simple objectives: How much do you want to raise and how will you do it? What will the money be used for?

Hold effective meetings: Learn about what makes a good PTA meeting and decide how often you will meet.

Plan an event: Most PTAs hold events. Go to pta.co.uk for event ideas and get started.

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What are the main roles and responsibilities of a PTA committee?

The usual structure of a PTA committee is to have at least three named officers: the chair, treasurer and secretary. While the exact duties of each role often vary from committee to committee, the principle responsibilities remain the same. Check your constitution to find out how many committee members are needed to run your association (G. O. Issued by the state governments)

1. PTA chair

Main purpose of the role

To lead the committee, ensuring the PTA is run in line with its constitution and according to the wishes of all members.

The chair’s responsibilities

Chairs and facilitates meetings in a manner that encourages everyone to contribute

Sets the date and agenda for meetings and keeps the discussion on track

Delegates tasks to committee members

Ensures decisions are implemented

Liaises with the school about fundraising priorities

Welcomes and motivates new volunteers

Is a designated signatory on the PTA bank account

Ensures the PTA is registered with regulatory bodies or the department of Education

At the AGM

Writes the annual report

Suits people who are…

Strong leaders

Diplomatic and fair

Enthusiastic

Good delegators

PTA+ TOP TIP: As PTA committees come and go, experience can be lost, work repeated and fundraising activity impacted. Collaborative leadership helps minimise the effects of these changes.

2. PTA treasurer

Main purpose of the role

The treasurer controls the PTA funds in line with the committee’s decisions as well as charity law. They make sure upcoming events are affordable and profitable and report financial information to the rest of the team.

The treasurer’s responsibilities

Manages the day-to-day finances

Keeps a detailed and accurate record of the PTA’s financial activity

Reports on the finances at meetings in a clear, concise way

Arranges floats for events

Ensures money is kept safely before and during events

Banks the takings from events and fundraisers

Makes Gift Aid claims

Implements procedures for making payments and claiming expenses

Completes the Charity Commission annual return (if registered)

Gets accounts audited where necessary

At the AGM

Prepares the financial report

Suits people who are…

Confident at handling money and budgets

Good with numbers

Methodical

Recruiting a treasurer? Try our social post

PTA+ TOP TIP: All committee members, not just the treasurer, are responsible for using the PTA’s money in line with its purpose and constitution.

3. PTA secretary

Main purpose of the role

The secretary ensures that the PTA’s activities run smoothly. They use their excellent communication and organisational skills to arrange meetings, take minutes and keep records.

The secretary’s responsibilities

Assists the chair with planning meetings

Communicates with the school and committee members, including circulating the agenda before PTA meetings

Takes minutes at meetings, recording the key points, decisions made and relevant action points

Manages communication between the committee, volunteers, school and school community

Prepares the publicity for events, including flyers, posters and tickets

Ensures meetings have enough attendees to form a quorum

Keeps records

Shares information

At the AGM

Helps the chair prepare for the meeting and takes minutes on the day

Suits people who are…

Great communicators

Accurate writers

Helpful and motivated

PTA+ TOP TIP: To make the secretary’s life easier, appoint a person to assist the secretary with social media, newsletters and event publicity.

Share the workload

Co-chairs

To spread the responsibility and lessen the workload, some people choose to share the chair and co-chairing is a great solution, especially if both of you are new to the job or if one of you is leaving soon.

Micro-volunteers

Even if you have planned the perfect fundraiser, you will fall at the final hurdle if no one steps up to volunteer. Micro volunteering is one way forward.

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