Are you a new Education Commissioner and need some ideas for your PTA to support learning at your school? Here’s a month by month view of different programs, activities, and opportunities. (This is intended as a planning help only. Pick one or two activities for your PTA.)
May
- Organize your commission. Invite new members to join.
- Attend Utah PTA Leadership Convention for training
- Develop and send out a survey/needs assessment to know what the needs of your students and parents are for planning over the summer.
July
- Schedule book fair dates, if applicable
August
- Plan a display or handouts for Back to School Night
- Introduce an incentive program to reward excellent attendance
September
- Start the year with an activity that provides maximum participation but requires minimum planning such as a free Math Night sponsored by Mathnasium https://www.mathnasium.com/mathnight1
- Plan an Engineering Fair (5th-12th grade)
- Assign volunteers to help with the take-home reading program and get that program up and running
- Encourage families to participate in literacy opportunities
October
- Encourage students and parents to read a book to celebrate National Book Month
- Be a part of Jumpstart’s Read for the Record or use National PTA’s Family Reading Experience for a Literacy Event https://www.pta.org/home/programs/family-reading
- Invite science-related professionals to present information or demonstrations at a school event
- Publicize the KUED Reading Marathon in elementary grades
- Plan a program to celebrate National Family Literacy Day, observed each year on November 1
November
- Remind elementary students to track their minutes for the KUED Reading Marathon
- Sponsor a Reading/Literacy event at your school
January
- Begin planning with teachers for Read Across America activities observed annually on March 2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday
- Contact your local, council, region, or state PTA Legislative Vice President to receive updates about Education Bills during the Utah legislative session
February
- Partner with the Family Life Commissioner to include education activities at PTA Take Your Family to School Week
- Attend PTA Day at the Capitol
- Hold an event on civics education
- Ask if PTA volunteers can help with the science fair
March
- Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2 with “Read Across America”
- Hold a College Fair with booths representing various colleges and universities manned by alumni (yes, even for elementary schools)
- Register for the Utah PTA Leadership Convention and encourage all PTA leaders to attend
April
- Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day is held on April 12, Beverly Cleary’s birthday. Consult with the school librarian on ways to partner for Children’s Book Week in May
- Hold an event focused on financial education
- Hold an engineering fair or participate in a district engineering fair
May/June
- Teacher Appreciation Week
- Children’s Book Week
- Attend Utah PTA Leadership Convention
- Begin publicizing the Read with a Child summer reading program calendars published by the governor
- Encourage families to attend local educational events during the summer
- Advertise the summer reading programs at local libraries
- Finish your procedure book and prepare to transition with the new Education Commissioner