Planning Timeline

Beginning  |  Planning  |   The Big Day  |   After

Sponsoring programs for parents and families is an important part of the mission of the PTA. Programs can promote parenting skills, strengthen families, and develop a more close-knit community.

Beginning:

  • Appoint a volunteer to chair the committee.
  • Send home a survey to parents, giving them a choice of possible programs and asking them to rate them in order of preference.
  • Tally the results of the survey
  • Form a committee to decide on the programs for your PTA, and to help plan them
  • The committee should decide (with approval from the principal) on three possible dates to offer when contacting the guest speaker. They should also decide:
  • Who will give the program?
  • What time will it begin and how long will it last?
  • Where will the program be held?
  • How will the event be advertised?
  • Will refreshments be offered?
  • What materials/supplies will be needed?
  • How many volunteers will be needed, and for what jobs?
  • Will there be a fee? (“Fees” can be a can of food for Dare to Care, or a gently used shirt or pants for a clothing drive.)
  • Is there anything else that will need to be purchased for the event?
  • Will any necessary props or seating be needed?

Planning the program:

  • Contact the guest speaker/presenter(s), request that they speak at your event, decide on a date and time. (Requests can be in writing on school letterhead, or by phone.)
  • Assign jobs to committee members. (Who will purchase materials, get props, be responsible for refreshments, advertise, set up, clean up?)
  • Prepare advertisement: a flier home to parents, an article in the school newsletter, an article in the Courier-Journal, an announcement on the school marquee’
  • Prepare handouts or a “program” for the program!
  • Contact or recruit volunteers needed for the event, and assign them jobs.
  • Arrange with the principal or custodian for the room to be set up.
  • Purchase any needed materials or props.
  • Turn in check request forms to the treasurer well before the needed date, or soon after you make a purchase.
  • Confirm the event with the guest speaker a day or two before the event.

Day of the program:

1. Make sure the room is/will be set up.
2. Set up the refreshment table.
3. Watch the door for the guest speaker.
4. Greet parents, families at the door.
5. Introduce the speaker to the audience.
6. After the program, thank everyone for coming.
7. Clean up. (This includes eating the left over refreshments!)

After the program:

  1. Send a thank you note to the speaker.
  2. Meet with the committee to evaluate the success of the program:
    • Was it well attended? Why or why not?
    • Did you like the speaker/presenter?
    • Did you get any positive or negative feedback?
    • Was the program enjoyable? Informative?
    • Did the audience enjoy/learn from it?
    • Would you recommend it for the next year?
    • What should be done differently?
  3. Write up the evaluation and put it in your procedure book for next year’s chairman!
  4. Congratulate & thank the committee.
  5. Start planning the next program!

Good luck planning and producing your program!