PTAs can hold virtual meetings if needed. Virtual meetings are similar to an in person meeting with a few more things to think about.
Finding a Meeting Platform
There are several ways to hold a virtual meeting. Some of the most popular platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams) are free for short meetings (40 - 60 minutes). Other platforms, such as Facebook Messenger, are free for unlimited time but have restrictions such as you all need to be Facebook friends. More and more free options are available, so search if you need to find other options. To hold a meeting longer than the free time limit, you could announce at the beginning that when the free meeting time ends, they should re-enter the meeting with the same link to continue the meeting.
Preparing Before the Meeting
Virtual meetings take a little extra preparation. Email out the agenda, the minutes, and any handouts ahead of time along with the meeting link. Ask someone to be a co-host to help you let people in from the waiting room, follow the chat, and mute people if needed. You may need to prepare slides with the information you need to share. Be sure to use your PTA logo on your slides. Decide how you are going to vote and make some polls or surveys ahead of time if needed. Decide how people will indicate they want to speak (ask verbally, raise their hand, etc). Make sure you know how to use the controls. If this is your first virtual meeting, run a practice session to make sure you know how to do everything.
Meeting Day
Get on a few minutes early. Make sure you don’t have background noise. Make sure the lighting is good and you don’t have a lighted window right behind you. Start on time. Announce how voting will work and how someone can indicate they want to speak. Do not let a few bumps throw you. Keep on smiling and keep on going. End the meeting on a high note: recap, tell members what will happen as a result of the meeting and thank everyone who attended. Consider adding a short post-meeting networking session for those who want to stay and socialize. Pick a topic and ask people to share ideas.
Voting
Most routine voting, such as approving the agenda and minutes, can be done with a voice vote or by raising hands. Some platforms have a way to indicate yes or no or a thumbs up in their reactions or participant controls. Polling or a survey sent to attendees might be needed for a vote that might be controversial or for a vote with more than one option. Polling isn’t available in the free version of some meeting platforms (Zoom). Polls can be set up ahead of time to help the meeting go smoother. A survey, such as in Google Forms or Survey Monkey, could be emailed out to the attendees. The chair announces a vote will be taken, launches the poll or emails out the survey, waits a specified amount of time or until everyone present has voted, then displays or announces the results of the vote. The secretary should record the result of the vote in the minutes. As a reminder, proxy voting, which is allowing someone else to vote in place of someone who can’t attend a meeting, is prohibited in the bylaws.
For more information and tips, visit National PTA's Lead a PTA Virtually page.