Success Tips & Traps for Boosting Parent Participation in your PTA

@SignUp.com SignUp.com/TXPTA
Success Tips & Traps for
Boosting Parent Participation
in your PTA
Facilitator:
Karen Bantuveris
Founder & CEO
SignUp.com

AGENDA
2
•  Parent Par6cipa6on Pain Points
•  What is SignUp.com
•  Journey of a Parent Volunteer
•  Success Strategies
•  Trust-Breaking Traps
•  Recogni6on & Feedback
•  Back to School Bonus Tips

What are your biggest Parent Participation
pain points?
OUCH!

Q: WHY PARENT PARTICIPATION?

Involvement
Improves Student Performance &
Builds Commitment…

to our Schools, to our Communi6es and to
ALL our Children!
A: WHY PARENT PARTICIPATION?

Thanks to Chris Jarvis,
@RealizedWorth
JOURNEY OF A PARENT VOLUNTEER

Please select the following reasons that describe why you do not
volunteer more at school. Please select all that apply.
73%
21%
14%
13%
4%
3%
3%
2%
1%
Work schedule conﬂicts
Too busy
Never asked to volunteer
Caring for others during the day
Poor communica6on- too many emails, etc.
Teacher doesn't welcome volunteers
School doesn't welcome volunteers
School as too many volunteers
Conﬂicts with parent group or room parent
n=188
WORK IS THE MOST COMMON BARRIER

TEACHERS FIND PARENTS UNRELIABLE
58%
48%
45%
36%
32%
9%
9%
Parents not showing up for volunteer ac6vi6es
The 6me to prepare informa6on/ac6vi6es for
volunteers
Concern for students/classroom conﬁden6ality
Organizing/managing volunteers
Disrup6on of regular classroom rou6nes
Other
None of the above
n=646
What are areas of concern or difficulty using parent volunteers?
Please select all that apply.

n=475 n=601
Parents: Do you wish you could
volunteer more at school, less, or are
you volunteering just the right amount
for you?
Volunteer
More
43% Right
Amount
Less
2%
Do not
wish to
volunteer
2%
Too Few
Volunteers
45% Right
amount
Too many
1%
Educators: Do you feel there were too
few, just the right amount, or too many
volunteers in the 2012-13 school year?
BOTH GROUPS WANT MORE PARTICIPATION

SignUp.com − THE EASIEST WAY TO
BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER

SAVING TIME = BIG TRACTION
THEY SIGN UPYOUR PLAN WE REMIND EASY!
12 Million People Organized
37 Million Spots Filled

WHY LEADERS & VOLUNTEERS LOVE US
SAVE TIME
BOOST Volunteer Turnout
REDUCE Leader Burnout
BUILD Loyalty & Donors
99% of Organizers &
95% of Volunteers
would refer SignUp.com to a
friend or colleague.

SIGNUPS MADE SIMPLE
•  Volunteer Interest Forms
•  Cafeteria
•  Carnivals
•  Concessions
•  Classroom
•  Hospitality
•  Library
•  Oﬃce
•  Trips
•  Fees
•  PickUp/DropOﬀ
•  Book Fairs
•  Tailgates
•  Talent Shows
•  Walkathons

GROUP PAGES
Post all your SignUps on one shared Group Page.
Parents can sync commitments to eCalendars, swap spots, and more!

015
FRESH & FUN THEMES
Over 1500 themes, badges and logo combinations for your SignUps.

ORGANIZE ON THE GO!
Manage SignUps, invite participants, make assignments and more –
from any device!

17
GET STARTED NOWFOR EVERYTHING YOU ORGANIZE
Field Day &
Festivals
Back to School
Teacher
Appreciation
Library &
Bookfair
Concessions
Walkathons &
Races
Parties &
Potlucks
Class Helpers

1.  Go Wide
2.  Think Flexible
3.  Tune In
4.  Just ASK
5.  Get Speciﬁc
SUCCESS STRATEGIES

•  Focus on broad
par6cipa6on
•  ALL involvement is
important
•  Cul6va6ng future
leaders, champions
& donors
1. GO WIDE

Something for Everyone
•  Ongoing
•  Special events
•  On-the-Go
•  At home
•  Weekend
•  On-line
•  Special Skills & Interests
2. THINK FLEXIBLE

Family Needs?
•  Working
•  Immigrant
•  Military
•  Grandparents
•  Small kids
•  Dads
3. TUNE IN

Several AWESOME Programs…
A SHOUT FOR DADS!

•  Customize Engagement
and Opportuni6es to
meet diverse needs of
YOUR Community!
•  Which ﬂexible solu6ons
apply to your
community?
ACTIVITY: 10 Min. Small Groups

"Have you thought
about how you
would like to get
involved this year?"
4. JUST ASK – MAGIC SENTENCE

!
Overuse of
any
channel
gets
ignored/
avoided
4. JUST ASK – MIX IT UP

1.  (Newsle)er) Cafeteria Lunch Volunteers needed – please
email mary@schoolPTA.org if you can help on Mon. or
Tues. (or just show up, THANKS!)
2.  (Reminder Text) Urgent: 5 Volunteers needed in the
Cafeteria next week on Mon. at 11am or Tues. at noon.
Please let me know if you can help – thanks!
3.  Urgent: We need your help in the cafeteria next week to
give our teachers a well-deserved break (and your kids will
LOVE seeing you by day). Please click here to choose a fun
50 min. shiY. THX! SignUp.com/go/LunchVolunteers
5. GET SPECIFIC

1. Go Wide
2. Think Flexible
3. Tune In
4. Just ASK
5. Get Speciﬁc
SUCCESS STRATEGIES

1.  Only reaching out when you need
something
2.  Not calling back/conﬁrming interest
3.  Not reminding people
4.  Not needing ‘em when they show up
5.  Keeping ‘em too long
6.  Calling on same 10 people/clique
7.  Not sharing results
8.  Not thanking ‘em
TRUST-BREAKING TRAPS

RECOGNITION &
FEEDBACK
Thanks to Chris Jarvis,
@RealizedWorth
ACCELERATE THE JOURNEY

•  Face-to-Face
•  Photo Walls
•  Personal Leoers
•  Newsleoer Shouts
•  Hours Awards
•  Social Media
•  Stats & Thermometers
RECOGNITION

ASK FOR FEEDBACK
•  How can we improve?
•  What are your most/least
favorite ac6vi6es & events?
•  I feel …
–  welcomed
–  valued
–  that my opinions and
sugges6ons maoer

Committee Picker/
Volunteer Interest
1.  Welcome Leoers
2.  Share How
Volunteers Make A
Diﬀerence
3.  Social Events
4.  New Parent Coﬀee
5.  ASK visibly and open
6.  Capture ALL interest
& ACT on it!
BACK 2 SCHOOL BONUS TIPS

BOOST PARENT PARTICIPATION
FREE PREMIUM @ SignUp.com/TXPTA

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