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Understand that sending a form through the “backpack express” or a flier on the PTA table at a school open house is not a very effective “ask.”A real “ask” is personal and powerful. Show enthusiasm and draw on your experiences. Don’t apologize for asking, and be prepared to say what your PTA is doing to help their children. Most important, make the message meaningful to men. According to the survey, men join “to work to improve the school to benefit my child.” Comments by the survey participants said that they tell men to join to:

“Be active in your child’s life”

“Be involved with your child”

“Help your child” They also said:

“PTA benefits your child

“PTA membership is good for your child.

“PTA supports your child.

“PTA involvement shows your child you are interested in school and education.

“PTA involvement shows you support the school and teacher.

“Education is important.

” The overall message should be,“Your child benefits when you join PTA.” Asking women. More than 90 percent of survey participants said their wives or significant others were already members and greatly contributed to their involvement with PTA. Yet, overall, only 50 percent of women claim their spouse is a member. An obvious strategy for getting more men to participate is to encourage their wives to ask them. You can also modify your membership form to include spaces for the names of moms, dads, grandmothers, grandfathers, and so forth. This step can serve as a reminder that anyone can join PTA.You could also offer membership incentives, such as a drawing for a local spa treatment for every mom who recruits a male family member to join. What does your PTA look like? Do men make up half your PTA members? Leaders? Volunteers? If they don’t, do you know why? Do you know why men are important to PTA? Studies show students perform better when BOTH parents are involved in education. Men and women think differently and bring different perspectives to PTA. PTAs are more vibrant and more appealing to all when both men and women help run them. PTA wanted to know what men value about PTA and see as obstacles to membership. Therefore, in 2004, we asked our active male leadership for some adv ice using a poll and leav ing lots of room for personal responses. About 2,700 men responded, 98 percent of them PTA members, and a large majority with students in school. Their responses helped us come up with the ABCs of male involvement.

A = Ask

Asking men. Nearly half the men polled said they were not asked to join PTA.As with every “sales pitch,” asking for their membership is the strongest tool you have to get men involved in PTA. Michelle Reed, Amos K. Hutchinson Elementary PTA The A B C s Male Involvement ofC B Ask for partners. Male community members participate in various organizations and activities, such as Kiwanis,YMCA, and Little League. The men surveyed also suggested PTA invite male speakers from typically male organizations to speak at PTA meetings about what their organizations do—and then ask for the same invitation to their groups. PTA leaders can contact these organizations to initiate joint projects, such as fundraisers, blood drives, and teen nights. Through such partnerships, you can demonstrate PTA’s value to men and gain a valuable opportunity to ask them to join.

B = Bend

One size does not fit all in meeting the needs of PTA members, particularly men. Unless your unit is brimming with male PTA members, what you are doing is not working. Therefore, it is essential that you bend, that is, be flexible in your actions and thinking. The top reason men in our survey gave for not joining PTA was time. In fact, general membership surveys PTA does regularly all say that time is the top reason why all survey participants do not join PTA. But what does time have to do with signing up as a member, paying dues, and carrying a membership card? The fact is that most people think that to belong to PTA means they have to volunteer. Be flexible when signing up new members by differentiating member from volunteer. Members who do not volunteer show support for PTA’s work, increase the morale of volunteers, add strength to PTA’s voice at local school board meetings, provide funds to help PTA do its work, and so forth. Members can and do emerge as volunteers. But members and volunteers are two different things. Men not only want to know if membership equals volunteering, but almost half of the men surveyed said they would volunteer if their roles and expectations were clearly defined. For these survey participants PTA membership and volunteering are not social activities—these men want results. Men also want to join organizations that reflect their preference in programs, and will volunteer for programs that use their skills. Can your PTA bend to accommodate men’s preferences? Can you clearly define roles, differentiate volunteer from member, state expected outcomes, and create programs that appeal to men? Create activities that appeal to men. When survey participants were asked how to motivate other men to be involved, highly ranked was “activities or events aimed at dads.” Suggestions for such activities included building projects, family events, and helping with children directly. Building projects could include classroom or school beautification and upgrades. Helping with children events could include bike rodeos, book fairs, lunch buddies, career days, Reflections, dads clubs, and father/daughter dances. Fun family events include barbecues and cook-outs, carnivals and fairs, proms and homecomings, talent shows, family movie nights, entertainment assemblies, and ice cream socials.

C = Communicate

“C” stands for communication—the centerpiece of any effort to attract new members. What needs to be communicated? At every opportunity, communicate the value of PTA, the value of membership, the need for members, and the need for men. Our survey asked men how to communicate effectively with them. Their #1 answer was male-oriented advertising. It is important to understand that men do not necessarily respond to “parent” as meaning “male” or “dad.” They see it as any parent who is handling the family/school stuff, and often this is the mom. Therefore, communicate to dads (not parents) that they are welcome by addressing letters, announcements, and other communications to “moms and dads.” Highlight opportunities and activities specifically for men. What men want Men told us they want fewer meetings, at convenient times. They want clear agendas, results-oriented meetings, and quick and effective meeting communication. Men prefer bulleted lists and reports, summary points, e-mail communication before and after meetings, and quick updates and reports. When asked about meetings and communication, some men commented on their surveys that they wanted “less bickering at meetings,”“reduced emphasis on fundraising,” and “better communication between board members, and in general.” What everyone wants People want to join an organization that is meaningful and successful. Does your PTA communicate its successes? Can your potential member pool differentiate what you do from what your school does? Be ready to communicate what things your school, children, and community would not have without PTA. Communicate your successes at every opportunity and thank volunteers and members, both male and female, for making positive things happen for their children and school. End all activities, such as carnivals, fun runs, and other events, by letting nonmembers know that they can show their support and appreciation for these kinds of activities by joining PTA. Finally, let moms, dads, and all family members know that the biggest payoff of PTA membership and involvement is the success of their children in school and in life. There is no greater gift children can get than to know that their parents and family care enough about them to get involved. Our Ch i l d r e n Fe b r u a r y /Ma r c h 2 0 0 8 Feature Deborah Walsh is PTA national membership/extension supervisor. Marilyn Ferdinand is editor of Our Children magazine

Just Between Friends, the official PTA communications and membership management system, can help your unit grow membership and engage parents in your school community to be more involved in your unit’s activities.  It’s easy – use Just Between Friends to communicate with your entire school community; earn revenue share; and manage your membership.  And, Just Between Friends is a FREE, private, secure system! 

Benefits to your Unit

Communicate – send emails, with attachments and automatic reminders, to your entire school community to keep them updated and get them involved.

Plus, your unit can earn revenue just by sending emails through JBF!   

• Manage Membership – easily enter members, print membership cards and develop membership rosters.   
• Create Directories – JBF is the simplest way to create online or print directories.

         Benefits to your Parents

• Personal Household Page — When a parent accepts an invitation to join your unit’s communications group, they have a private personal online page showing all of their family’s events, deadlines and activities related to your unit and other group activities.
• Customizable Directory — No more looking for different directories to find people.  With JBF’s customizable directory, parents can keep their school directories and personal contacts all in one place.
• Customizable Calendar – When your unit emails events and deadlines to parents, the events and deadlines will automatically be posted to the household’s calendar.  Plus, parents can post personal items to their calendar.   

NEW – m.JBFnow.com – access your private secure JBF account via
your web-enabled smart phone!

Enter your Unit Today

If your unit isn’t using Just Between Friends, it’s easy to get started.  Simply visit www.JustBetweenFriends.com/PTAquickstart to enter your unit.  Then, visit www.LearnJBF.com for lots of how-to information.  If you have questions, please visit www.JustBetweenFriends.com and click on “Contact Us” or call 412-561-0600 x 0 and a knowledgeable, friendly Just Between Friends Customer Support Representative will help.

Fran

Fran Lytle

Director of Marketing

412-561-0500 ext. 1005

www.JustBetweenFriends.com

@justbtwnfriends

Resources are organized into these categories:

• National Educational Associations
• Federal Agencies
• Partnerships and Alliances
• State PTA
  Websites

National Educational Associations

American Association of Colleges for Teacher
Education
The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education is a national alliance of
educator preparation programs dedicated to the highest quality professional development of teachers and school leaders in order to enhance PK-12 student learning.

 

American Association of School Administrators
The American Association of School Administrators, founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and
throughout `the world.

American Association of School Personnel
Administrators
AASPA provides leadership in
promoting effective human resources practices within education through professional development activities and a broad-based resource network.

American Federation of Teachers
The American Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the AFL

CIO, was founded in 1916 and represents nearly 3,000 local affiliates nationwide, 43 state affiliates and more than 1.4 million members.

American School Counselor Association
The mission of ASCA is to represent professional school counselors and to promote professionalism and
ethical practices. With a membership of more than 25,000 school counseling professionals, ASCA focuses on providing professional development, enhancing school counseling programs and researching effective school counseling
practices. ASCA is a division of the American Counseling
Association.

Association of School Business Officials International
The Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) is a professional association that
provides programs and services to promote the highest standards of school business management practices, professional growth, and the effective use of educational
resources.

Council of Chief State School Officers
The Council of Chief State School
Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the
states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy,
and technical assistance on major educational issues.

National Association of Elementary School Principals
Dedicated to assuring that every American boy and girl receives the world’s best elementary and middle school
education.

National Association of Secondary School Principals
NASSP promotes excellence in middle level and high school leadership through research-based professional
development, resources, and advocacy so that every student can be prepared for postsecondary learning opportunities and be workforce ready.

National Association of State Boards of Education
NASBE is a nonprofit 501(c)3 association that represents state and territorial boards of education. It has existed for fifty years, currently maintaining a staff of twenty at its
headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia.

National Education Association
NEA’s mission is to advocate for education professionals and to unite our members and the nation to fulfill the
promise of public education to prepare every student to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world.

National Middle School Association
National Middle School Association is dedicated to improving the educational experiences of young
adolescents by providing vision, knowledge, and resources to all who serve them in order to develop healthy, productive, and ethical citizens.

National Staff Development Council
The National Staff Development Council (NSDC) is the largest non-profit professional association committed to
ensuring success for all students through staff development and school improvement.

National School Boards Association
The National School Boards Association is a not-for-profit organization representing state associations of
school boards and their member districts across the United States. Its mission is to foster excellence and equity in public education through school board leadership.

National School Public Relations Association
Since 1935, the National School Public Relations Association has been providing school communication training and services to school leaders throughout the United States, Canada, and the U.S. Dept. of Defense Dependents Schools worldwide. NSPRA’s mission is to advance education through responsible communication.

Phi Delta Kappa International
Phi Delta Kappa International is the premier professional association for educators. For more than 100 years,
it has focused its work on the tenets of service, research, and leadership.

Federal Agencies

Corporation for
National and Community Service  

Department of Defense
Education Activity

Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

Office of National Drug
Control Policy

The White House

U.S. Department of Agriculture 

U.S. Department of Education 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

U.S. House of Representatives  

U.S. Senate

PTA Partnerships andAlliances

State PTA Websites

Search for state PTA websites
(upper right sidebar

June 21–24, 2012
San Jose McEnery Convention Center
San Jose,
California

Join hundreds of PTA leaders at the National PTA
Convention where you can:

• Attend dozens of workshops led by dynamic presenters to enhance your
  confidence and leadership skills;
• Gain practical ideas and best-practices on how to run your state, regional,
  or local unit PTA;
• Receive advocacy, education, and program updates about how you can make a
  difference in government and family engagement;
• Network with hundreds of peers and exhibitors from around the country, and;
• Check out the great attractions and activities San Jose has to offer by
  visiting the San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau website, SanJose.org.

IMPORTANT DATES
November 1, 2011:
Call for Workshop Presenters Speaker Proposals Opens
January 4, 2012: Registration Opens

More information about registration fees, hotels, travel arrangements, and the workshop schedule will be announced on PTA.org in January 2012.

In the context of PTA, advocacy is supporting and speaking up for children—in schools,
in communities, and before government bodies and other organizations that make
decisions affecting children.

For over 100 years, PTA volunteers have used their time, energy, experience and knowledge to bring about changes in laws, policies and programs for the benefit of
children.  National PTA has a long, successful history of influencing federal policy to promote the education, health, and well-being of all children—resulting in kindergarten classes, child labor laws, school lunch programs, a juvenile justice system, and strengthened parent-teacher relationships.  PTA continues that legacy today by fighting for change under its federal public policy priorities;

• Family Engagement in Education
• Opportunity and Equity for all Children

Advocacy can be broken down into basic parts: the Advocate, the Issue, the Act and the
Decision-maker.

• Anyone who speaks for another is an advocate.  PTA members are advocates for children and their parents.
• PTA members advocate on a wide varietyof child-related issues: education,
  health, nutrition, safety, juvenile protection, welfare reform, parent and
  family life, to name a few.
• Advocacy issimply communicating about an issue for which PTA has adopted a position by speaking, writing, phoning, faxing or emailing.
  The purpose of the communication can be to inform, educate, persuade or
  increase the level of awareness about the issue.The decision-maker is any individual or body that has the power to address the issue or solve the problem.
  Decision-makers include elected and appointed officials, legislative bodies, school boards, county commissioners, and judges.

Every PTA member can be an effective advocate.  The process is always the same: identify, research and understand the issue; identify, research and understand the decision-maker; and develop and communicate the message.  The process is
not always easy, and dedication and perseverance are usually required.  Sometimes success is achieved quickly, sometimes slowly

PTA Advocacy: A Legacy in Leadership

National PTA is proud to announce
the release of the video, PTA Advocacy: A Legacy in Leadership. Each
PTA state/congress will receive one DVD copy of PTA Advocacy: A Legacy in
Leadership by November 2011. In addition, the video has been uploaded here
for PTA members to view and share!

PTA Advocacy: A Legacy in Leadership can be used by state, council,
and local PTAs to educate and recruit potential PTA members, increase the
advocacy capacity of current PTA members, and increase sponsorship dollars.

For more information on this new PTA advocacy history DVD, please contact
Elizabeth Rorick, director of government affairs, at erorick@pta.org.

Reconnect with Health As parents, we want the best for our children, and we strive to ensure they have what they need to succeed in school—supplies, calculators, computer time, even tutoring if they need it. But the most important thing children need is their health. Research has shown that when children miss too many days of school, particularly in kindergarten and first grade, the are at greater risk of dropping out of high school. Helping our children to eat right, get enough sleep, and stay physically fit ensures that they will be alert and ready to learn.

To focus attention on this crucial piece of the education puzzle, National PTA designated November Healthy Lifestyles Month and developed a grant program to help PTAs improve and expand their healthy lifestyles activities. This issue of Our Children focuses attention on some of these activities and on ways PTAs can make healthy lifestyles a year-round habit in their school communities. At the same time, we can all learn to live better by incorporating healthy habits into our own lives.

It is not easy to balance the demands of everyday life. First Lady Michelle Obama, who has honored us with an article on her Let’s Move! campaign to end childhood obesity, talks about her own struggle to “do it all”; sometimes, she admits, it was easier to go to the drive-thru for dinner than to make a healthy meal from scratch. We shouldn’t feel guilty for taking some short cuts once in a while; however, when we find ourselves taking these short cuts on a regular basis, it is time to take stock and make some changes.

Research has shown that the physical activity and eating behaviors children adopt are shaped by parental health behaviors. It is important for us to be a role model for our children and the students with whom we interact at school and during PTA activities.

We can set children up for success by limiting the sugar-sweetened beverages available in our homes and in the school cafeteria. Let’s help our children appreciate the lovely, sweet taste of carrots, apples, and other healthy foods. If you are a parent who asks your children to clean their plates before they can leave the table, try serving smaller food portions. That way, you can get that clean plate without encouraging your children to overeat. Finally, physical activity is a must for maintaining a healthy weight and reducing stress. So, let’s turn off the television, put away our computers and cellphones, go out, and get active! Getting and staying healthy is a great way to reconnect with our families and the world around us.

Betsy Landers National PTA President

The Best Resource for Parents

As the largest volunteer child advocacy association in the nation, Parent Teacher Association (PTA) reminds our country of its obligations to children and provides parents and families with a powerful voice to speak on behalf of every child while providing the best tools for parents to help their children be successful students.

PTA does not act alone. Working in cooperation with many national education, health, safety, and child advocacy groups and federal agencies, the national PTA organization collaborates on projects that benefit children and that bring valuable resources to its members.

Interested in starting a PTA? We can help. Fill out this simple form to get started or contact Nevada PTA at 702-258-7885 or 1-800-782-7201 or office@nevadapta.org