President’s Presentation - 101

September 4th, 2013

North Fulton Council

PTA ®

everychild. onevoice. ®

National• Board of Directors• National Council of States

Georgia• Board of Directors

Districts • Board of Directors – District 10

Councils – NFC PTA, SFC PTA, APSC PTALocal PTA Units – Board & members

The PTA Organization

PTA History • Founded in 1897 by Alice McLellan Birney & Phoebe Apperson Hearst• Fought for creation of Kindergarten classes, child labor laws, hot lunch

program, Parent & Family Legislation;• Locally - Georgia PTA = Collective PTA voice at state level

PTA MissionTo make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.

NFC PTA Mission – Engage, Educate & CollaborateTo engage, educate and collaborate with local PTAs, school administrators & community leaders in developing best practices, strong relationships and essential resources to support the education of our students.

PTA Purpose

Noncommercial, Nonsectarian, Nonpartisan Work with schools and communities Promote health and welfare of children and youth Net earnings not a benefit of being a volunteer Activities inline with 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue

Code Shall not participate or intervene in a political

campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate

Basic Policies of PTA

Executive Committee Officers – Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer Principal or Designee Parliamentarian

Board Officers Principal or Designee Standing Committee Chairs Parliamentarian

Your PTA Organization

• Legal responsibility;• Duty of Care, Loyalty & Obedience;• Be an advocate;• Three major roles in the life of your PTA

• To establish mission and direction;• To ensure the necessary resources of funds and

leadership; and; • Provide legal, fiduciary oversight on behalf of the

people served, members and the public.

Your Board’s Responsibility

Passive Advocacy• Sign-up for legislative updates – Capitol Watch at …• Respond to action alerts• Publish legislative articles in your newsletter• Know what you can and cannot do in an election year about ballot

issues and candidates• Recap critical legislative issues for your PTA community

Active Advocacy• Attend the Advocacy Conference - Sept. 28• Attend the PTA Day at the Capital – • Bring a friend to PTA Day at the Capital• Promote PTSA Youth Day at the Capitol, Feb. 13

Being an Advocate

• Attend board and committee meetings;• Read board materials before each meeting;• Stay informed about the issues;• Participate in board discussion and decisions;• Develop a plan of work and submit it;• Submit reports;• Inform and seek permission from the president;• Communicate on a regular basis with

chairpersons & committee members.

Board Member’s Job Description

• How many committees do you need?• Is the event or program a priority?• Do you have the capacity (i.e. volunteer,

financial, school support)?• Standing vs. Special Committees – What’s

the difference?

Your PTA Committees

Standing Committee• Works in a certain area• Continuous service (e.g., Membership, Legislation,

Bylaws, Parent Involvement)

Special Committee• Formed for a specific purpose• When work is done, automatically goes out of existence

(e.g., Nominating, SPLOST, 10th Anniversary)

Types of Committees

• Committees should draft a “Plan of Work” (POW);• Vice President’s review committee POW &

associated budget;• Committee POW’s & budget should be approved

by executive committee;• Pass along or develop Committee Procedure

Book;• Throughout the year, review and modify the

procedure book, as needed.

What does a committee do?

Your PTA Organization

The PTA Board is in charge of running a business!

• Develop a Mission Statement and overall goals

• Create a Strategic Plan• Insure proper financial oversight• Create legal and ethical oversight• Establish Individual roles of board members• Document board member’s job description

Managing a Non Profit Board

Strategic planning – developing a business plan or the annual operating plan and budget

Financial oversight – keeping track of the association’s financial health and initiating corrective action when necessary

Legal and ethical oversight – using policies and procedures to ensure that legal boundaries are not breached

Individual roles of board members – to be part of a group vested with the authority to make decisions on behalf of the association and accountable for the effects of decisions made.

What does that mean?

• Create a PTA Mission Statement and overall strategic goals’;• Understand the principal’s vision, goals and priorities (not

just “wish list”);• Form mutual goals and action with the PTA, Principal &

Foundation (if applicable);• Develop relationships with your Leadership Team, the

Principal & staff, the LSAC and the community; • Make time to plan;• Assess your population and community to insure that your

programs are reflective.• Think “sustainability”!

Build a Solid Foundation

Leadership and management must go hand in hand. They are not the same thing. But they are necessarily linked, and complementary.

Adapted from “The Wall Street Journal Guide to Management” by Alan Murray, published by Harper Business.

Leadership vs. Management

• Attend training;• Connect with your Council and District;• Use and share resources regularly;• Follow policies, procedures, and the law;• Develop a full calendar of events – PTA & School, Council, District, State & National events;• Be fiscally responsible• Focus on your Mission and goals• Be a team leader and role model (set an example)• Take time & evaluate programs/events• Be patient & determined

Leadership Must-Do’s

= Team Leader and Manager

Protects Assets….Volunteer, Financial and Good Name

Achieves Goals….Benefit children and increase family

engagement.

The PTA President

• Services in absence of president;• Assists president & performs duties assigned

by president;• Attends council, district and state functions;• Strengthens team to achieve goals;• Financial oversight of committees;• What if you have multiple vice

presidents, who’s 1st VP?

Vice President Duties

• Takes minutes at all meetings (executive committee & general meetings);

• Sends meeting notices;• Prepares agendas with the President;• Submits board contacts online to Georgia PTA;• Maintains membership lists;• Emergency check signer (optional);• Custodian of records (e.g. minutes, board listing,

bylaws);• Copies bylaws for board;• Establishes quorum and counts rising vote;• Attends council, district and state functions.

Secretary Duties

• Maintain proper incorporation;• Insure that approved bylaws on file at the state office• Purchase appropriate insurance;• Develop, document & explain standard operating

procedures especially related to financial activity (e.g. prompt bank reconciliation with sign-offs);

• Maintain accurate documentation & records;• Insure appropriate uses of PTA funds in accordance

with the budget & minutes of the executive committee & board.

• Achieve “In Good Standing” with GA PTA.

Financial Responsibilities

• Know the Employer Identification Number (EIN)• Know the Local Unit Number (LU#)• Insure 2 signatures on all checks;• Insure 3 signers on file at bank;• Don’t sign blank checks;• Make no cash payments;• Secure cash and checks;• Obtain prior approval for all expenditures;• Only President can signs contracts

Financial Guidelines

• Remit membership dues monthly to GA PTA;• Present the Treasurer’s Monthly Reports at every

executive committee meeting;• Vote to approve the annual budget by the

general membership;• Complete annual audit and submit Audit Report

to GPTA by September 30th;

• Complete Form 990 and file timely with the IRS.

Financial Reporting

• Use logo everywhere • Brand everything (fliers, letters, banners,

posters);Give credit to your PTAThanks to the PTAHosted by the PTAProvided by the PTA

Promote Your PTA

PTA is more than a meeting….

It is like a small business!

Remember to stay connected and focused on the goals; to create and strengthen a

foundation of support for parents, families, teachers, and administrators so that all

students ready for school, k-12, graduation and college and career ready!

Thank You for all you do for all students!

Preparing Students; Improving Schools!

• National PTA at PTA.org • Georgia PTA at GeorgiaPTA.com• Georgia PTA Leadership Resource Guide

• Pages – 15-18; 61-76; 87; 112-114; 139 - 141

Resources