Note the majority of communication occurs via email. These meetings are to help foster team work and networking. Without these meetings the team will not feel like a team working together. Note a sample of an agenda for the first meeting is in the Parent Education Program section.
October -First Meeting:
Purpose is for the team to get to know each other, training, planning, networking, discuss topics and plans by school. Training includes an overview on how the council wide program works, how the team works together, and how to hold successful seminars and communicate opportunities. Encourage tenured reps to share what works for them and encourage questions. Review Mission and goals. Make adjustments as needed.
January- Second Meeting:
Purpose- sharing plans by school, networking, planning and supporting remaining work as a team. Council updates on what they are doing and current trends etc. Include a Q&A time, sharing successes and time to ask for help.
April or May - Third Meeting:
Purpose: begin pre-planning for following year. Update from council and schools. Begin asking who is returning next year. If not returning encourage them to begin looking for a replacement so replacement can attend June Council training session.
June- Final meeting:
This is a training meeting hosted by the PTSA Council for incoming positions. The room is divided up by topics and the time is typically one hour. The PTSA Council Parent Ed Chair (or designated experienced trainer) gives Parent Ed training to any incoming parent ed reps. Any returning Parent Ed Reps are welcome to attend if they would like to.
Note the majority of communication occurs via email. These meetings are to help foster team work and networking. Without these meetings the team will not feel like a team working together. At Schools that do not have Special Service Reps the position is covered by the Parent Ed Rep. However the Parent Ed Reps role is simply to help get the word out to parents about opportunities available to them and forwarded to the Parent Ed Rep by the Council Parent Ed Chair.
October -First Meeting:
Purpose is for the team to get to know each other, training, planning, networking, discuss ways to gather information, potential resources for topics and speakers and how to get the word out to parents. Training includes an overview on how the council wide program works, how the team works together, ideas, successes, and how to hold successful seminars and communicate opportunities. Encourage tenured reps to share what works for them and encourage questions. It is critical that the team reviews the Mission statement and goals. Only the goals may be altered with out Council Board Approval. Why? This is a sensitive area and it is very easy for the reps to be put into a position of giving advice or advocating for parents. When this happens the effectiveness of the position is lost due to the emotionally charged atmosphere that can result. Maintaining a clear focus on the role and mission helps avoid these pitfalls.
January- Second Meeting: OPTIONAL can be done by email
Purpose- sharing plans by school, networking, planning and supporting remaining work as a team. Council updates on what they are doing and current trends etc. Include a Q&A time, sharing successes and time to ask for help.
April or May - Third Meeting:
Purpose: begin pre-planning for following year. Update from council and schools. Begin asking who is returning next year. If not returning encourage them to begin looking for a replacement.
Sample Agenda for First Parent Ed Rep Meeting
Hello Parent Ed Reps and Special Services Reps,
Ref: Parent ED Rep Meeting
I hope your year has started off well.
As promised, we are having a district wide Parent Ed Rep meeting and it would be wonderful if you could all be there. Special Services Reps this meeting will be focusing on the Parent Ed Program without specifics on Special Services issues, however, you are welcome to come and get a feel for the overall program -we will have a meeting to focus specifically on special service issues in the near future.
Please RSVP if you can or cannot attend, so I can be prepared. Some of you may not be able to make a daytime meeting due to work or other issues, so when you RSVP- please give me a couple of choices on days/times you could meet and I will try scheduling a second meeting for the group of you.
Parent ED Rep Meeting details:
Date: Friday October 1, 2004
Time: 10 am – 12pm
Location: Sunset Elementary School –PTSA Room
(Please sign in @ office and follow signs to room)
What to bring:
BYO-coffee
Paper/pen
Parent Ed binder (if you have one)/plans etc
Your schools desires for the parent Ed program this year
Pre-meeting preparation:
Please try and come with the following information if possible
(If you are unable to get this please do not stress, this is not a requirement)
o Newsletter-method (kid mail, email, weekly, monthly, deadline, limitations, school or PTA written/published, approvals, other details you deal with)
o Flyers –used? Constraints/flexibilities method…
o Websites-school/PTA –flexibility/constraints, parent Ed information on it? Is it active/in design/not used, method…?
o Bulletin Boards and posters: do you have wall space, location, and how used
o Counselor- name/phone #/email
o Library- does your school have parent Ed books/tapes/videos available to parents? Ask your librarian to show you the location and for a print out of those items your school has.
o Personal: Please think about the following and perhaps write them down.
1. Think about where your interest and passion lies with regards to the Parent Education program (For some it may be communication, a certain topic(s), connection to others, community building, etc.)
2. What do you feel are your skills/training/talents etc? (Ex> writing, speaking, organizing, coordinating, getting the detail done/detail oriented, researching, creative ideas, attuned with community needs, development, processes, databases, websites, communication, …)
2004-2005
PTA Council Parent Education Program
10:00 Introductions: Who are you, Kids, what school(s), position, and brief experience/talents/skills
10:15 Overview of the PTA Parent Education Program
How it got started
Where it is today
Where it is going tomorrow
10:25 PTA Parent Education Program
PTA Council
What is it and what is its role
Council Parent Ed program
Where it fits in
Parent Ed Chairs role/job/budget
Who decides what’s included/done
- School Parent Ed Program
- Where it fits in PTA and school
- Parent Ed reps role/job/budget
- Who decides what’s included/done
10:40 2004-2005 Parent Education Program
- Resources:
- Where do we get programs/events/speakers
- Community resources: $/speakers/events
- What are the 2004-2005 Programs being planned
- What is the council doing
- Individual school’s plans
- ISD
11:15 Primary/Secondary Group Discussions and Networking: (Small group breakout)
Divide up by Elementary/Middle School/High School
Discuss special issues unique to your group (i.e.)
- Special Parenting issues/topics
- Unique problems within your program
- Reaching parents
- Communication/support PTA or School
- Other
- Look for ways to help/support/network together
- What help do you need from Council
- Other?
11:45 PTA Council Parent Education Program
Things in development (Process development, Parent Ed Binder, communication, Community networking, resource research, Websites/bulletin board/newsletter articles/topics, promotional writing (flyer, newsletter), Library
Places to be connected - using your unique talents/skills
Plan future meetings/Sessions? Topics?
12:00 Thank you and Good byes
SAMPLE AGENDA FOR 2nd Parent Ed Rep MEETING
Hello Parent Ed Reps and Special Services Reps,
Ref: Parent ED Rep Meeting- 2nd Meeting
We are having our 2nd district wide Parent Ed Rep team meeting and it would be wonderful if you could all be there.
This second meeting is during the day as the majority of you have said that works best. For those of you that evenings work I am working on a room for an evening meeting on Monday 12/6 from 6:30-8:30pm block out the time just in case I can. You do NOT need to attend both sessions, but are welcome to. I hope to have the future day and evening meetings about 1/2 a month apart so if you want to attend both it will make more sense.
Please RSVP if you attending or not, so I can be prepared.
Parent ED Rep Meeting details:
Date: Friday Dec. 3, 2004
Time: 9:30 am – 11:30pm
Location: Sunset Elementary School –PTSA Room
(Please sign in @ office and follow signs to room)
What to bring:
BYO-coffee
Paper/pen
Parent Ed binder (if you have one)/plans etc
Your schools desires for the parent Ed program this year
Pre-meeting preparation: if possible
(If you are unable to get this please do not stress, this is not a requirement)
o Newsletter-method (kid mail, email, weekly, monthly, deadline, limitations, school or PTA written/published, approvals, other details you deal with)
o Flyers –used? Constraints/flexibilities method…
o Websites-school/PTA –flexibility/constraints, parent Ed information on it? Is it active/in design/not used, method…?
o Bulletin Boards and posters: do you have wall space, location, and how used
o Counselor- name/phone #/email
o Library- does your school have parent Ed books/tapes/videos available to parents? Ask your librarian to show you the location and for a print out of those items your school has.
o Personal: Please think about the following and perhaps write them down.
1. Think about where your interest and passion lies with regards to the Parent Education program (For some it may be communication, a certain topic(s), connection to others, community building, etc.)
2. What do you feel are your skills/training/talents etc? (Ex> writing, speaking, organizing, coordinating, getting the detail done/detail oriented, researching, creative ideas, attuned with community needs, development, processes, databases, websites, communication, …)
2004-2005
PTA Council Parent Education Program
9:30 Introductions: Who are you, Kids, what school(s), position, and brief experience/talents/skills
9:40 Overview of the PTA Parent Education Program (brief- only if needed for first timers)
- How it got started
- Where it is today
- Where it is going tomorrow
PTA Parent Education Program
- PTA Council
- School Parent Ed Program
9:50 2004-2005 Parent Education Program
- What are the 2004-2005 Programs being planned
- What is the council doing
- Individual school’s plans
- ISD
- Sharing Resources:
- Where do we get programs/events/speakers
- Community resources: $/speakers/events
10:20 Love and Logic/Sue Caudle
- Brief overview of idea/goals
- Current Status – funding, Issaq Press, etc
- What needs to be done to be successful
- Team work planning
10:50 PTA Council Parent Education Program
- Things in development (Process development, Parent Ed Binder, communication, Community networking, resource research, Websites/bulletin board/newsletter articles/topics, promotional writing (flyer, newsletter), Library
- Places to be connected - using your unique talents/skills
- Plan future meetings/Sessions? Topics?
11:20 Primary/Secondary Group Discussions and Networking: (Small group breakout)
Divide up by Elementary/Middle School/High School
Discuss special issues unique to your group (i.e.)
- Special Parenting issues/topics
- Unique problems within your program
- Reaching parents
- Communication/support PTA or School
- Other
- Look for ways to help/support/network together
- What help do you need from Council
- Other?
11:30 Thank you and Good byes
Copyright 2005-2006. All rights reserved.
No information on this website may be reproduced in any form without the expressed permission of the Issaquah PTSA Council. This website has been published by the Issaquah PTSA Council for specific use by its members and district staff. Information contained on this website and other publications of the Issaquah PTSA Council may not be used for purposes of solicitation, either commercial, political or ideological, or for any purpose not consistent with the Bylaws of the Washington Congress of Parents and Teachers.
Send mail to webmaster@issaquahptsa.org with questions or comments about this web site.
Last Updated October 1, 2006.