North Fulton Council
PTA
®
everychild. onevoice.
®
President’s Presentation - 101
September 4th, 2013
The PTA Organization
National
• Board of Directors
• National Council of States
Georgia
• Board of Directors
Districts
• Board of Directors – District 10
Councils – NFC PTA, SFC PTA, APSC PTA
Local PTA Units – Board & members
PTA Purpose
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 Mission
To make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and
communities to advocate for all children.
NFC PTA Mission – Engage, Educate & Collaborate
To 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.
Basic Policies of PTA
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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
Your PTA Organization
Executive Committee
 Officers – Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer
 Principal or Designee
 Parliamentarian
Board
 Officers
 Principal or Designee
 Standing Committee Chairs
 Parliamentarian
Your Board’s Responsibility
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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.
Being an Advocate
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
Board Member’s Job Description
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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.
Your PTA Committees
• 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?
Types of 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)
What does a committee do?
• 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.
Your PTA Organization
The PTA Board is in charge of running a business!
Managing a Non Profit Board
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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
What does that mean?
 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.
Build a Solid Foundation
• 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”!
Leadership vs. Management
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 Must-Do’s
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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
The PTA President
= Team Leader and Manager
Protects Assets….
Volunteer, Financial and Good Name
Achieves Goals….
Benefit children and increase family
engagement.
Vice President Duties
• 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?
Secretary 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.
Financial Responsibilities
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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 Guidelines
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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 Reporting
• 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.
Promote Your PTA
• Use logo everywhere
• Brand everything (fliers, letters, banners, posters);
 Give credit to your PTA
 Thanks to the PTA
 Hosted by the PTA
 Provided by the PTA
PTA is more than a meeting….
It is like a small business!
Preparing Students;
Improving Schools!
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!
Resources
• 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