Running your PTA

When running a PTA , you ’ re bound to encounter challenges – and that ’ s where we can help . At Parentkind , we have a dedicated team of advisers , headed up by our PTA Community Manager , Clare . With 23 years of experience and a wealth of knowledge to share , she offers her straight-talking advice on your issues

We have lots of new enthusiastic parents that have started coming to PTA meetings , can we add them to the committee ?

That ’ s great news – more parents means more volunteers ! However , just because they have attended PTA meetings , it doesn ’ t automatically make them committee members . Depending on your constitution , you may be able to co-opt some parents onto the committee , but it ’ s more likely that you ’ ll have to wait until the AGM when they can stand for election . There ’ s nothing to stop them continuing to volunteer and attend meetings though !

We ’ ve had a complaint that PTA committee members won prizes in the summer raffle , should we prevent them from buying tickets in the future ?

This is all about the optics ! PTA families needn ’ t be excluded from participating in the raffle . It ’ s a game of chance and they have just as much chance as anyone else of winning . I ’ d suggest having a non-committee member doing the draw – perhaps the headteacher or a local celebrity / mascot ? That way the draw is impartial .

22 PARENTKIND . ORG AUTUMN / WINTER 2024