Focus Newsletter for the
fourth week of May, 2008
NEARING THE FINISH LINE
Nominate
and recognize outstanding members for PTACHC/MDPTA/Nat’l PTA Awards.
Year-end
reports - each
executive board member (officers and chairs) should prepare a written
report summarizing their activities for the year
Procedure notebooks
– update your working
notebook as a permanent record of what you did, what worked and did not
work and any other information your successor may need.
Clean
out files. Keep
all-important papers. Check What to Retain checklist found in the
treasurer’s guide or on PTACHC website: http://www.ptachc.org/CTreasurer_guidelines/whatrecordsshouldmyptakeep.htm
.
DO
NOT develop
or present a budget in the spring for the general membership to approve.
The newly elected executive board should form a budget committee
and develop a budget to meet their needs and goals.
Present
a motion
that will authorize the PTA to pay regular and necessary operating
expenses over the summer (e.g.,
phone lines, membership envelopes, summer conference reimbursement and
registration, subscriptions, start up expenses)
a specific dollar amount not to exceed, or a working percentage of the
previous year’s budget
Don’t
feel pressured to spend every penny
(if there is an excess of income over expenses). National PTA recommends that emergency
reserves be established in an amount equal to an average of three month’s
budgeted annual expenses. This
fund is intended to serve as a means to retain financial stability in the
event of an unforeseen and unplanned expense or an increase in inflation.
Approve an auditor or reconciliation committee to review
the books at year-end
Establish
a deadline for handing in reimbursement/receipts to treasurer so the books
can be closed out by end of your fiscal year June 30th.
Write a year-end letter to the membership highlighting
the advocacy activities, special events and programs your PTA participated
in the school year. You need
to draw attention to yourself, “toot your own horn so to speak”.
Don’t be shy; you’ve done a great job!
Thank all the volunteers that have made the PTA and
school successful. Create
certificates and distribute them with a thank you note.
Host a ‘volunteer tea’ or assembly to honor the
volunteers at all levels
Tally the number of volunteer hours dedicated to promote
the PTA in your school. Recognize
those who have volunteered specific numbers of hours, e.g., 100 hours+,
250 hours+, 500 hours+, and maybe even 1,000 hours+.
For some members, this is their full time job outside of their
home. Recognition in front of
peers is a wonderful way to say thank you.
Most
importantly,
evaluate your own status on the PTA.
Do you have an interest to go forward in some leadership role and
neglected to give your name to the nominating committee?
It is never too late to volunteer!
There is always a job to do, either at the local, council or state
levels of PTA. Is there a
future there for you?
Thank you for being an advocate for every child with one voice.
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