Membership is a year-round activity. Continually invite individuals to join and become involved. One more membership represents one more parent involved in a child’s life. The more members you have, the larger your local PTA voice. You can send one delegate for every 25 members to vote at Utah PTA Leadership Convention.
MAY–AUGUST
- Attend the Utah PTA Leadership Convention for membership training and information.
- Purchase membership envelopes at the Utah PTA Leadership Convention or from the Utah PTA office ($5 per box of 500).
- Study the actions of previous year’s membership committee in the procedure book.
- Form a membership committee.
- As a membership committee, meet to review the results of the previous year’s membership campaign and to determine new goals. Present your campaign and goals to your local PTA board.
- Contact your PTA council president or region director for current membership information and PTA materials.
- If your PTA is using MemberHub, members can print their own membership cards. If your PTA is not using MemberHub, you may receive your membership cards from your region or council.
- As a membership committee, adopt Utah PTA’s membership theme or develop your own.
- Create a membership calendar with Utah PTA deadlines for remittance of membership dues and application for membership awards. Also include a directory of school and PTA events and activities.
- Be aware of information available in Spanish and English from National PTA and Utah PTA.
- Present a year-round membership plan and budget to the executive committee for approval.
- Establish any membership benefits specific to your local PTA.
- Attend the first faculty meeting at your school with your PTA president. Ask for five minutes to introduce yourself and talk with the staff about PTA. Ask for input on what the faculty would like to see happen in the coming school year. Before you leave remind them that the “T” in PTA stands for “Teachers,” and ask them to join. Leave membership envelopes and brochures with them.
- Plan a membership promotion campaign for your Back-to-School Night/Open House. Announce your theme for the year.
SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER
- Submit membership dues by the 25th of every month.
- Ask your mayor to proclaim September as “PTA Membership Month.” Make a copy of the proclamation and give to council to send on to Utah PTA.
- Kick off your membership campaign by providing information about PTA’s mission, purposes, and activities to all parents and the local media. Include information in the PTA or school newsletter, local newspaper, public service announcements, and public bulletin boards. Translate articles into other languages as needed.
- Work with your school administration to build a classroom incentive program that rewards all classes that achieve a pre-determined goal. Publicize this program at an assembly, with upbeat classroom visits, or by sending a letter home.
- Send a letter or invitation (along with a membership envelope) home with all students for family members to join PTA. Emphasize past PTA accomplishments and future goals. Translate invitations accurately as needed.
- Encourage the return of all membership envelopes whether they choose to join or not. Recognize all students for their efforts. You may honor the classes that have one hundred percent (100%) envelopes returned.
- Send an invitation to join PTA to past PTA presidents, former PTA board members, the superintendent, school board members, and other community leaders. PTA is for everyone!
- Use your campaign opportunity to welcome everyone, encourage involvement, and provide information about PTA programs, events, positions, and advocacy efforts. Discuss the benefits and the value of belonging to PTA. Continue building and demonstrating the partnership between the school and community with PTA.
NOVEMBER–DECEMBER
- Submit membership dues by the 25th of every month.
- Reach out to former PTA members and those who have not yet joined PTA by making a personal contact.
- Check school calendar for upcoming events and programs where you can set up a membership table.
- Update your membership growth display.
- Request additional membership cards from your region or council if needed.
- Keep your members informed through social media, email, newsletters, fliers, and notes. Let them know they are valued as a member of your PTA.
- Submit membership dues by December 1 to be eligible for Reflections, awards, and sales tax refund.
- Update the membership roster and provide a copy to the president, secretary, Treasurer, council, and region.
- Provide a membership roster for the nominating committee.
JANUARY–FEBRUARY
- Submit membership dues by the 25th of every month.
- Update the membership display board.
- Remember, retaining members is important. Contact and inform members regarding PTA and the value of belonging.
- Check with the principal to verify if registration for next fall will be by mail or online, and that PTA membership will be included.
- Consider having an additional membership campaign to increase membership.
MARCH-APRIL
- Submit membership dues by the 25th of every month.
- Review and update the records of membership activities.
- March 1 - deadline for membership awards.
MAY–JUNE
- Submit membership dues by the 25th of every month.
- Celebrate PTA/PTSA accomplishments. Organize a special event or coordinate it with another event to recognize your membership and those that participated.
- Organize an appreciation event for all PTA volunteers.
- Encourage new membership chair to attend pre-convention orientation, Utah PTA Leadership Convention, and post-convention training to network and gather all new membership information.
- Prepare procedure book to be passed on to incoming membership chair.
- Orient next year’s membership chair prior to convention and turn over all records and the procedure book.
- Thank all those who helped with this year’s membership campaign.
KICKOFF AND MEMBERSHIP IDEAS
- Send PTA/PTSA mailings home in the spring from the school, including PTA information.
- Give the faculty members who join a survival kit (full of goodies) to get them through the first day of school.
- Contact the local Headstart school about PTA.
- Help with a Kindergarten Round-Up in your school. Send out PTA information to the parents and new students.
- Check with your school to see if they have a mailing going out. Ask if you can include the PTA membership envelope, brochure, and sign-up sheet for PTA. Secondary PTSAs may consider collecting membership dues with registration.
- Ask your ELL (English Language Learners) teacher or diversity and inclusivity chair to help facilitate a special membership night for Spanish-speaking parents or other non-English languages spoken in your community.
- Reach out to your school and community by sending letters of invitation to inform or give presentations to teachers, administrators, school board members, community members, chamber members, Lion’s Club, Kiwanis, senior citizens, etc. Encourage businesses to join a PTA/PTSA of their choice.
- Create and display membership posters and bulletin boards in the school to promote the PTA membership theme, programs, and activities throughout the year.
- If at a secondary school, sponsor a PTSA dance. The ticket into the dance automatically signs students up as PTSA members.
- For more ideas please see the Membership section on this website or pta.org.