Parent Associations and Parent-Teacher Associations:

A Foundation for Parental Leadership – Part 2

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Session Overview – Part 2

Executive Board Myth or Fact Best Practices Support and Resources

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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 or Fact?

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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?

MythMyth

Myth

Myth

Myth

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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?

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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

MythMyth

MythMyth

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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

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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