Parent Associations and Parent-Teacher Associations: A Foundation for Parental Leadership – Part 2

2 Session Overview – Part 2  Executive Board  Myth or Fact  Best Practices  Support and Resources

3 Executive Board  PA/PTAs must establish an executive board that includes at least three mandatory officers: president, recording secretary and treasurer. The bylaws may allow the election of co-officers.  PA/PTA officers:  are elected annually by the membership.  are expected to provide the leadership needed to move the goals and objectives of the association forward.  share the responsibilities of executing association business in a fair and transparent manner.  should make every effort to build and sustain positive relationships with members of the school community.  The PA/PTA bylaws may include chairpersons of standing committees or other officers as members of the executive board.

4 Executive Board Mandatory Officers  The PA/PTA President:  serves as the chair of all association meetings, unless otherwise specified in the bylaws.  assists the association in moving forward with the decision-making process through the use of parliamentary procedure.  coordinates the work of the executive board and committees of the association.  is typically one of the signatories on association’s checking account.  serves as the association’s representative to the appropriate Presidents’ Council.

5 Executive Board Mandatory Officers  The PA/PTA President:  serves as a mandatory member of the School Leadership Team.  meets regularly with the other executive board officers to plan agendas for general membership meetings and engage in information sharing.  appoints chairpersons of association committees, unless otherwise specified in the bylaws  assists with the June transfer of all association records to the incoming executive board. *The bylaws may include the position of vice-president. Typically, a vice- president assumes the president’s duties in her/his absence.

6 Executive Board Mandatory Officers  The PA/PTA Recording Secretary:  records motions, votes, decisions, financial activity, reports and abbreviated discussion at all association meetings (i.e., takes meeting minutes).  distributes minutes from the previous meeting at each general membership meeting for review and adoption by the membership.  ensures that association records are available for inspection by the general members upon request and reasonable notice.  prepares responses to all incoming correspondence.  maintains an accurate file of all incoming and outgoing correspondence.

7 Executive Board Mandatory Officers  The PA/PTA Recording Secretary:  prepares all meeting notices and agendas for distribution at association meetings.  is typically one of the signatories on the association’s checking account.  receives all of the association’s mail and directs mail to the appropriate executive board member.  assists with the June transfer of all association records to the incoming executive board. *The bylaws may include the position of corresponding secretary. Typically, a corresponding secretary assumes some of the recording secretary’s duties.

8 Executive Board Mandatory Officers  The PA/PTA Treasurer:  keeps a record of all income received by the association.  keeps a record of all expenditures made by the association.  provides a written Treasurer’s Report at each general membership meeting  contributes to the development of the PA Proposed Budget.*PA Proposed Budget  prepares a Fundraising Activity Report following each fundraising activity conducted by the association.Fundraising Activity Report *The PA/PTA bylaws may establish a Budget Committee to assist with the review of the prior year’s budget and the development of the current year’s proposed budget.

9 Executive Board Mandatory Officers  The PA/PTA Treasurer:  prepares the January Interim PA Financial Report and June Annual PA Financial Report.Interim PA Financial ReportAnnual PA Financial Report  deposits money in the association’s checking account.  is typically one of the signatories on the association’s checking account.  assists with the June transfer of PA/PTA financial records

10  PA/PTAs are:  entitled to a “parent room”?  permitted to acquire or use an ATM, credit or “P” card?  allowed to use the school’s EIN or Tax Exempt Number for purchases?  permitted to keep association records in their places of residence or employment?  permitted to keep association funds in an unlocked drawer, in a brown paper bag? Myth or Fact?

11 Myth or Fact  PA/PTAs are:  entitled to a “parent room”?  permitted to acquire or use an ATM, credit or “P” card?  allowed to use the school’s EIN or Tax Exempt Number for purchases?  permitted to keep association records in their places of residence or employment?  permitted to keep association funds in an unlocked drawer, in a brown paper bag?

12 Myth or Fact?  PA/PTAs are:  allowed to exclude non-PA/PTA members from general PA/PTA meetings?  able to identify a single signatory for the association’s checking account?  allowed to make checks out to “cash”?  encouraged to act as cliques and drive away other parents?  encouraged to have the same president for ten years?

13 Myth or Fact  PA/PTAs are:  allowed to exclude non-PA/PTA members from general PA/PTA meetings?  able to identify a single signatory for the association’s checking account?  allowed to make checks out to “cash”?  encouraged to act as cliques and drive away other parents?  encouraged to have the same president for ten years?

14 Best Practices  Be inclusive, not exclusive  Build and nurture relationships with other parents and members of the school community  Support your parent leadership  Each one, teach one! Information is only powerful when you share it.  Learn from each other and model what you’ve learned  Build the capacity of the organization by rotating leadership  Know where PA/PTAs can go for help when it is needed

15 Additional Resources FACE has developed a number of resources, including a PA/PTA election toolkit. All resources are posted on FACE Parent Leadership webpage: /default.htm