Your school's reputation isn’t built overnight; it's the result of the consistent efforts from your communications office, the community, its leaders, the teachers and staff, and so many other important roles. In school districts nationwide, parent-teacher organizations (PTO) stand out as a crucial force in shaping your school's public image and deepening connections with families and staff.

There are 60,000 PTOs across the country's districts, according to some reports, and the group's involvement in school activities, fundraising, and events can determine the school's atmosphere, impacting everything from student experiences to parental engagement and, yes, budgets.

In addition, dedicated parent groups are often your school's most vocal advocates. Their assistance leads to initiatives that benefit students, support the parent-teacher relationship, and showcase your school's strengths to the public—but only when the PTO and school administration work together.

On the other hand, a strained relationship can impact your school's image, its resources, and, ultimately, the student experience.

Let’s look at how to work better together so your school, parents, and community can benefit.

The Role of Parent-Teacher Organizations

To work effectively with PTOs, it's important to understand what they do and why they're so influential. PTOs act as a bridge between the school and its families, and PTOs help in several ways:

• Fundraising: They raise funds for school projects, equipment, and programs that the school budget might not cover.
• Community Building: PTOs build stronger relationships among parents, teachers, and students.
• Feedback and Input: They offer a platform for parents to voice concerns and suggestions, which can help your school make informed decisions about policies.

And their time is worth so much — thousands of volunteers at Virginia Beach Public City Schools donated approximately 16,000 hours of service throughout the district, a value estimated at more than $461,000— that's amazing!

Building a Positive Relationship with PTOs

Like many other relationships, open communication with the PTO is essential for creating a positive school environment, with regular updates and clear feedback to ensure everyone works toward the same goal.

Here's how to make this teamwork effective and positive:

Open Communication with Parents

Communication is a two-way street, so let the PTO know about school events, schedule changes, and news as soon as possible. It also means listening to what they say about the student and family experience. Here are ways to keep the communication lines open:

• Regular Updates: Share news and updates about the school through emails, newsletters, or a special section on the school's website for PTO members.
• Feedback Channels: Set up ways for the PTO to easily give feedback, like suggestion boxes, dedicated email addresses, or regular PTO school meetings where they can speak up.

Communication Tools to Support the PTO

Your school's communication tools can significantly support the PTO and enhance its impact on the school community. Here's how you can leverage these tools to support a strong partnership with the PTO:

Creating a Webpage for the PTO

Giving the PTO its own section on the school's website is a great way to support and showcase its efforts, but we see a lot of PTO pages linked from the official school website to a Google or Weebly site to let parents edit their content.

Sure, that can be convenient, but these sites rarely have the same user experience, security, or branding as your district’s website provider, which undermines the support the PTO is trying to provide in the first place.

You can create a dedicated space on your site, and with admin privileges and user access, you can keep the school community informed about PTO activities and still enhance the teacher-parent relationship.

Here are some insights and helpful details on how to effectively set up and utilize that section:

• About the PTO: Introduce the PTO, including its mission, goals, and current members, to help new parents understand what the PTO does and how they can get involved.
• Calendar of Events: A regularly updated calendar showing PTO meetings, fundraisers, and other events to get parents involved and your school community to stay informed and engaged with PTO activities.

As part of Burnsville Eagan Savage 191 District, Gideon Pond Elementary’s PTO page features key contacts, a mission statement, fundraising opportunities, and an organized calendar with upcoming meetings for parents to attend.

• Meeting Minutes and Agendas: Posting minutes and agendas from PTO meetings can improve transparency and keep parents informed about the discussions and decisions.
• Fundraising Initiatives: Detailed information about ongoing and upcoming fundraising efforts, including how the funds will be used. This can boost participation and support from the school community.
• Volunteer Opportunities: A section for volunteer sign-ups and descriptions of how parents can help. Making it easy to sign up can increase volunteer participation.
• Contact Information: Providing contact details for PTO leaders makes it easier for parents and teachers to reach out with questions, suggestions, or offers to help.

Wayzata High School's Parent-Teacher Organization lists volunteer opportunities throughout the district, as well as donation forms, the dates of morning coffees with the principal, and some handy FAQs about the group.

A Portal for PTO Activities

A dedicated portal for PTO activities on the school’s website can enhance the efficiency and impact of your PTO. Here’s how:

• Centralized Information: The portal serves as a single source for all PTO-related information. Parents can find everything they need without searching through different platforms, everything from meeting schedules, minutes, and agendas, all making it easier for parents to stay informed and involved.
• Event Calendars: An updated calendar on the portal keeps everyone aware of upcoming PTO events, meetings, and fundraisers.
• Volunteer Sign-Ups: The portal can include sections where parents can sign up for volunteer opportunities.
• Fundraising Initiatives: Detailed information about ongoing and upcoming fundraisers helps parents understand how funds will be used and encourage their participation.
• Contact Information: Providing contact details for PTO leaders on the portal makes it easy for parents to reach out with questions, suggestions, or offers to help.

Mobile Apps for PTO Engagement

Mobile apps, like the one Madison County Schools offers, are a convenient way for parents to stay connected with the PTO and school activities. Here’s how they can be used:

• Instant Notifications: Mobile apps can send push notifications about upcoming events, meetings, and important updates. This ensures that parents are always informed, even if they don’t regularly check the website or their email.
• Easy Access to Information: With a mobile app, parents can access all PTO-related information on the go. This includes event details, volunteer opportunities, and meeting minutes.
• Event Reminders: The app can send reminders for PTO events and meetings, helping parents keep track of important dates and reducing the chances of parents missing out on key activities.

Promoting PTO Events, Initiatives, and Feedback

Use your school's communication tools to enhance the PTO's visibility, reach, and impact within your school community. These tools support the PTO's efforts and strengthen the connection between your school, parents, and students. Here are a few ideas:

• Surveys: Use your school's digital tools to create and distribute surveys for feedback on PTO events, initiatives, and general school issues.
• Newsletters and Emails: Use your school's newsletters and email lists to announce upcoming PTO events, meetings, and fundraisers.
• Social Media: Share posts about PTO activities on the school's social media platforms. Highlighting PTO achievements and events can draw more attention and support from parents and the community.

Edina Public School’s district partners include many of its schools’ PTOs, each with their resources, webpages, and social media accounts. The Concord Elementary School PTO keeps an active Facebook presence, with regular updates promoting volunteer opportunities, fundraisers, and news from the school.

Sure, PTO events can help raise money, but they’re also also about building a stronger school community. Listening to the PTO's ideas and concerns and acting on their feedback (when possible) strengthens the relationship.

Here's how to make the most of feedback:

• Feedback Forms: Embed simple feedback forms on your school's website or in newsletters for quick and easy ways to gather insights and suggestions.
• Follow-up: When the PTO gives feedback, let them know how you plan to address it. If you can make changes based on their input, do so. If not, explain why.

Key Takeaway

Building a positive relationship with the PTO involves teamwork, communication, and mutual support. By keeping the lines of communication open, supporting PTO events, offering resources, and listening to feedback, you can create a strong and effective partnership with the PTO, one that benefits everyone, especially your students.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connor has spent the last decade within the field of marketing and communications, working with independent schools and colleges throughout New England. As Finalsite’s Senior Content Marketing Manager, Connor plans and executes marketing strategies and digital content across the web. A former photojournalist, he has a passion for digital media, storytelling, coffee, and creating content that connects.