Parent Associations and Parent-Teacher Associations:

1. Parent Associations and Parent-Teacher Associations: A Foundation for Parental Leadership – Part 2

2. Session Overview – Part 2 Executive Board Myth or Fact Best Practices Support and Resources

3. Executive Board • PA/PTAs must establish an executive board that includes at least three mandatory officers: president, recording secretary and treasurer. The bylaws may allow the election of co-officers. • PA/PTA officers: • are elected annually by the membership. • are expected to provide the leadership needed to move the goals and objectives of the association forward. • share the responsibilities of executing association business in a fair and transparent manner. • should make every effort to build and sustain positive relationships with members of the school community. • The PA/PTA bylaws may include chairpersons of standing committees or other officers as members of the executive board.

4. Executive BoardMandatory Officers • The PA/PTA President: • serves as the chair of all association meetings, unless otherwise specified in the bylaws. • assists the association in moving forward with the decision-making process through the use of parliamentary procedure. • coordinates the work of the executive board and committees of the association. • is typically one of the signatories on association’s checking account. • serves as the association’s representative to the appropriate Presidents’ Council.

5. Executive BoardMandatory Officers • The PA/PTA President: • serves as a mandatory member of the School Leadership Team. • meets regularly with the other executive board officers to plan agendas for general membership meetings and engage in information sharing. • appoints chairpersons of association committees, unless otherwise specified in the bylaws • assists with the June transfer of all association records to the incoming executive board. • The bylaws may include the position of vice-president. Typically, a vice-president assumes the president’s duties in her/his absence.

6. Executive BoardMandatory Officers • The PA/PTA Recording Secretary: • records motions, votes, decisions, financial activity, reports and abbreviated discussion at all association meetings (i.e., takes meeting minutes). • distributes minutes from the previous meeting at each general membership meeting for review and adoption by the membership. • ensures that association records are available for inspection by the general members upon request and reasonable notice. • prepares responses to all incoming correspondence. • maintains an accurate file of all incoming and outgoing correspondence.

7. Executive BoardMandatory Officers • The PA/PTA Recording Secretary: • prepares all meeting notices and agendas for distribution at association meetings. • is typically one of the signatories on the association’s checking account. • receives all of the association’s mail and directs mail to the appropriate executive board member. • assists with the June transfer of all association records to the incoming executive board. • The bylaws may include the position of corresponding secretary. Typically, a corresponding secretary assumes some of the recording secretary’s duties.

8. Executive BoardMandatory Officers • The PA/PTA Treasurer: • keeps a record of all income received by the association. • keeps a record of all expenditures made by the association. • provides a written Treasurer’s Report at each general membership meeting • contributes to the development of the PA Proposed Budget.* • prepares a Fundraising Activity Report following each fundraising activity conducted by the association. • The PA/PTA bylaws may establish a Budget Committee to assist with the review of the prior year’s budget and the development of the current year’s proposed budget.

9. Executive BoardMandatory Officers • The PA/PTA Treasurer: • prepares the January Interim PA Financial Report and June Annual PA Financial Report. • deposits money in the association’s checking account. • is typically one of the signatories on the association’s checking account. • assists with the June transfer of PA/PTA financial records

10. Myth or Fact? • PA/PTAs are: • entitled to a “parent room”? • permitted to acquire or use an ATM, credit or “P” card? • allowed to use the school’s EIN or Tax Exempt Number for purchases? • permitted to keep association records in their places of residence or employment? • permitted to keep association funds in an unlocked drawer, in a brown paper bag?

11. Myth or Fact • PA/PTAs are: • entitled to a “parent room”? • permitted to acquire or use an ATM, credit or “P” card? • allowed to use the school’s EIN or Tax Exempt Number for purchases? • permitted to keep association records in their places of residence or employment? • permitted to keep association funds in an unlocked drawer, in a brown paper bag? Myth Myth Myth Myth Myth

12. Myth or Fact? • PA/PTAs are: • allowed to exclude non-PA/PTA members from general PA/PTA meetings? • able to identify a single signatory for the association’s checking account? • allowed to make checks out to “cash”? • encouraged to act as cliques and drive away other parents? • encouraged to have the same president for ten years?

13. Myth or Fact • PA/PTAs are: • allowed to exclude non-PA/PTA members from general PA/PTA meetings? • able to identify a single signatory for the association’s checking account? • allowed to make checks out to “cash”? • encouraged to act as cliques and drive away other parents? • encouraged to have the same president for ten years? Myth Myth Myth Myth Myth

14. Best Practices • Be inclusive, not exclusive • Build and nurture relationships with other parents and members of the school community • Support your parent leadership • Each one, teach one! Information is only powerful when you share it. • Learn from each other and model what you’ve learned • Build the capacity of the organization by rotating leadership • Know where PA/PTAs can go for help when it is needed

15. Additional Resources • FACE has developed a number of resources, including a PA/PTA election toolkit. All resources are posted on FACE Parent Leadership webpage: • http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/OFEA/BecomingaParentLeader/default.htm