More often than not, PTA is a squandered opportunity 

The beginning of the school year brings many changes to the family routine – earlier bed times, homework, dance class, countless sports and the dreaded onslaught of papers. Each day parents all over Moore County find themselves sorting through dozens of pastel colored papers. Somewhere buried within the multicolored pile, there are the yearly pleas for membership from the Parent-Teacher Association. This year, I thought I’d heed the call. So off I went to join the PTA.

As I patiently waited for my first meeting, I recalled Barbara Eden in “Harper Valley PTA” and wondered if my experience would be similar to hers. Would I find myself surrounded by a group of pretentious women who were quick to judge?

I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome I received. The current PTA members graciously accepted us “newbies” and actively sought our input. At the end of that first meeting, I was relieved to have had such a positive experience—but also greatly disappointed.

My disappointment lay in the lack of parental involvement with the PTA. For a school with 400 plus students only 25 parents attended the meeting—and that was a great turnout according to the PTA president. Of those who did show up, all but two were women and most were new to the school. The PTA had spent weeks publicizing the meeting, passing out flyers and even offered free childcare. So why the poor turn out?

Most are quick to assume its parental apathy that leads to the small numbers. But that didn’t make much sense to me. I know a lot of the parents at our school and they are all very involved with their children. After talking to a few parents, I learned it wasn’t a lack of interest that keeps them from PTA meetings; it’s a lack of time. With the challenges of balancing work, home, school, activities and children, parents are overwhelmed with time constraints. Add to that the challenges of being a single parent and the job becomes even more difficult. So how does a busy parent participate in an organization that plays a vital role in their child’s education without adding to their already overflowing workload?

The responsibility falls on both the PTA and the parent. The PTA needs to be accessible beyond meetings and flyers. Contact information such as phone numbers and emails should be readily available. Organizations should take advantage of the school’s websites to post their meeting schedule, upcoming fundraisers, and volunteer and donation requests. Unlike a flyer that finds its way into the trash can, the school’s website is a great tool to keep parents on the go connected.

But the biggest burden falls on the parents. The failure or success of our school’s PTA falls directly on our shoulders. We’re quick to use the “I don’t have time” excuse. The assumption usually is if we show up to a PTA meeting, someone will pressure us into volunteering for something. So instead of participating on even a small level, we just avoid doing anything at all. In the end, that’s the easy way out. I know that each of us faces our own challenges as parents and that playing an active role in our PTA is not always possible. But we all need to do our part—regardless of the size of the contribution.

I hope to encourage you to find out how you can support your PTA. Call your PTA president and ask how you can help. You’ll find out that you can make a difference by doing something as simple as providing cookies for the bake sale, paper products for the teacher appreciation breakfast, a small donation from your business or a half an hour to work the concessions at the fall festival. One small contribution plays an important role in the success of your school and the effectiveness of the PTA. So the next time one of those pastel flyers shows up on your counter, take the few minutes to call your PTA representative and ask how you can help. You’ll find it a rewarding experience that leaves you feeling connected to your children’s education—and still leaves you with free time.   

For additional information on PTA/PTO visit the following websites:

www.pta.org

www.ptotoday.org