Boost PFM / PFM Attendance

Boost PFM / PFM Attendance

Since most people view meetings as a form of slow torture, it's not surprising that schools face enormous challenges in getting parents together for such a purpose. With so many demands on their limited time—and the perception that meetings are a waste of that time—parents often choose to bypass these traditional powwows. While poor attendance can feel like failure, the most successful groups recognize that getting parents to meetings is not vital. In fact, building parent involvement in other activities can be much more effective than trying to lure everyone to sit through monthly recitations of the marks, the report, and other agenda items.

Still, it's good for parents to feel that they have a stake in the school and a voice in its decision making—and meetings are one way to accomplish that. So here are some ideas for boosting the numbers at your next meeting.

Vary the Meeting Time
Surveys are one way to discover what times best suit your population; variety is often appreciated. To accommodate its parents' schedules,  hold meetings on rotating days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Consider the timings also …like hold evening meetings in October and March, when it seems to be hot & with morning meetings the rest of the year. Have flexible schedules.

Vary the Meeting Place
Either the school cafeteria, at a skating rink; Conference Hall, local restaurant, potluck dinner meetings, school potluck lunch in a park etc. The result is that attendance at the monthly meetings has increased from five people to 50.

Encourage Attendance as a Responsibility
Some parents respond to direct appeals by teachers or the parent group about the importance of their presence at meetings.

Make Meetings More Fun
Another approach is to invite guest speakers or have students perform. The guest speakers are the school's less visible faces, people not everyone would know, like the guidance counselor and the resource teacher. This gives parents an opportunity to come and meet these people. Advertise each month who will be attending. They can put a face and name to some of these people so if in the future they come across them, parents will be more comfortable. It's especially helpful for our new families. In addition, a different grade level of students makes a presentation each month, such as reciting poems they've written, and parents are notified ahead of time when their children will be performing.

Give Prizes
Sometimes  prizes or awards bring people in. One attendee wins a gift certificate.

Offer Baby-sitting and Other Services
Make it easier for parents to attend by eliminating reasons why they can't, especially when it comes to childcare. Offer translation services at PT meetings for parents who don't speak English. The school may also offers baby-sitting and that option is mentioned in all monthly PTO reminders.

Make Meetings Shorter
Who isn't in a hurry these days? Who doesn't want to avoid meetings that go on and on? That's why a reputation for concise meetings might boost attendance. Cut the meeting time  by eliminating unnecessary discussion about details. There is no time to get into the nitty-gritty at meeting. That is one of the factors that has increased attendance—the length of the meeting.

Hold Fewer Meetings
Monthly meetings are a tradition that some schools hold only three/four PT meetings per year. We found out we had a lot better attendance when we shortened the amount of meetings. With everybody as busy as they are, it's almost worthless to try to get them all out for a meeting. We realize people's time is important. For most it's a relief—one less thing off their calendar. And it's a huge help for us to have better participation."

Combine Meetings With Other School Events
When the meeting is held in conjunction with a school event, attendance doubles or even triples. Meetings can also be held after the science and book fairs.  The group sets up a table where parents can fill out a survey about their own ideas for increasing parent involvement or sign up to volunteer at the fall festival.
Have the PTM  in conjunction with another event such as a dinner, exhibition, book fair, or performances by the choir and band or  immediately preceding school concerts.

Publicize
Parents with full appointment books need a heads-up about meeting dates. Have  meetings listed on a school calendar magnet and on the school sign and also sends out reminders a week or two ahead of time. This can be done  through a newsletter, website, school calendar, and district TV station. And on the day of a meeting, teachers can put little round stickers that say "PTO meeting today/tomorrow" on the children before they leave.

Use Other Vehicles To Get the Word Out
If your PTO meetings still aren't standing room only, don't despair. Communicate the necessary information to parents through newsletters and websites. Then focus on drawing parents in for the fun family events that will keep them coming back. Make creating and sending group emails (and managing all those addresses!)