Mastering the Three-Legged Race - Association of ...
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Mastering the
Three-Legged Race
David Jones
Jen Hirman Past President, Elementary
President, Everett School Principals PRINCIPAL EVALUATION CRITERIA
Council PTSA Association of Washington Engaging Families and Communities
E
very Field Day, the three- The relationship between a First, a reminder of who makes
legged-race is a big event. school’s administration and parent up the team. A Parent Teacher
And, every year, within the organization can be a bit like a team Association (PTA or other parent
first 10 yards, it is easy to in a three-legged-race. You are bound organization) is legally separated
see which teams will finish together, in a very public way, and you from a school system. They select
well and which won’t. are supposed to be moving together their own leadership and committee
toward a common goal line. With a chairs. They write their own by-laws,
Some teams move in smooth bit of careful forethought and agreed draft their own budget, and manage
coordination, employing some upon operating systems, the entire their own finances. They create
pre-agreed system to stay in sync. school community wins when the annual goals, decide which programs
Other teams are clearly out of leadership in both organizations takes to implement, and establish their
balance, with one teammate pulling steps to ensure the partnership works meeting calendar. They are supported
harder than the other, or taking long, together well. Not all PTAs are created by their own district, regional, state,
fast steps while the other moves at a equal. Some schools have stronger and national systems, which provide
different pace. PTAs than others, but principals can excellent structures and leadership
At the extreme, these teammates pull help support the development of a development programs.
against each other, tumble over, get PTA no matter where theirs currently
angry and start blaming. stands.
20 WASHINGTON PRINCIPAL | VOLUME 3 – 2019-20
Three-legged race, Kentfield May Day Celebration, Marin County, California, 1909
Strategies to build a productive
relationship with your PTA
You are bound together, in a very public way, and you are supposed to be moving together
toward a common goal line. With a bit of careful forethought and agreed upon operating
systems, the entire school community wins when the leadership in both organizations
takes steps to ensure the partnership works together well.”
Schools, on the other hand, are bound So, why add one more leadership role Too often, new administrators view
by national and state laws, district to your list of duties? Put simply, organized parent groups as a threat.
policies, and collective bargaining most parents and the community at It’s easy to worry about what gets
agreements. Their success, and the large conjoin these two organizations talked about in the parking lot, or
success of their administration, when forming their impression of whether parents are second guessing
are judged by the ability to achieve your school. Almost everything you your actions. As a new administrator,
externally-determined metrics. A do to strengthen the relationship you are the last one in the door.
single school administrator may, in between your school and your Parents, in some cases, have been
many cases, be responsible for the school’s PTA has the potential to with the school for decades. Seasoned,
performance of 60-90 direct reports. increase student achievement, parent successful administrators know that
Reaching out for more-frequent satisfaction, school safety, and the a healthy PTA can help achieve many
and deeper involvement with a PTA overall sense that your school is well- desired elements in a school’s vision,
may feel impossible to an already functioning. far beyond what a school’s resources
overworked school administrator.
Continued on page 22
WASHINGTON PRINCIPAL | VOLUME 3 – 2019-20 21
Continued from page 21
or staffing can handle. But, where to TRAPS FOR • Allowing preferential treatment for
begin? the children of PTA leaders. Nothing
ADMINISTRATORS TO good ever comes from this. Ever.
Nothing starts the administrator/PTA AVOID:
relationship on the right path better • Leaving PTA leadership in the
than a meeting before the start of • Treating PTA leaders as employees dark about upcoming changes and
the school year to share goals, discuss who can be told what to do and how challenges. When you share news
procedures, and clarify roles. Here is to do it. Remember, these folks are with your PTA leaders you gain a
a possible agenda for an early August volunteers, giving their time out of sense of how the range of parents
meeting between the school principal a desire to serve. in the community will respond, and
and the PTA Executive Committee: help those parent leaders explain to
other parents the rationale behind
an upcoming change.
SAMPLE AGENDA
1. Discuss/write norms and g. Posting information on the 9. Talk through where, if at all, PTA
guidelines for your shared time. school’s reader board or supplies may be stored on the site.
Encourage your PTA leaders to displaying posters/banners on
bring along any plans or materials school grounds 10. Explain how custodial time and
that they would like to share with services can be requested for
5. Clarify whether the PTA can use non-school events, and whether
you.
the school’s photocopiers, and, there is a charge.
2. Talk through the annual goals if so, how copies will be tracked
for the school, and those for the and charged. If the PTA will have 11. Work out the expected role of
PTA. Seek ways for these two access to photocopiers, clarify the school administration at
organizations to mutually support who will provide training for the PTA meetings. Will there be a
each other, and to identify and volunteers, how to report a paper scheduled time on each meeting’s
agenda for a Principal’s Report?
focus on shared goals. Think Venn jam or refill the paper drawer.
Diagram. Address access to other workroom 12. Talk about how the PTA Exec
materials, such as colored paper, Committee and the principal will
3. Review the annual calendar for staplers, and markers.
the school and the PTA. Identify communicate. Will the Committee
and resolve potential conflicts, 6. Talk through systems for request time on the principal’s
including busy times of the year distributing PTA flyers and other calendar?
when school families might materials to students and their 13. Remind everyone that every
feel overly stretched or testing families, and the need for the minute at school is instructional
windows when there is limited PTA logo to be on each item time. Proposed assemblies and
access for visitors or events on distributed. other uses of the instructional day
campus. are expected to contribute to the
7. Discuss the handling of money.
educational program and must
4. Clarify contact people within the PTA rules and often district
tie directly to one or more state
school for the following: policies prohibit school staff
standards.
from collecting money for a PTA
a. Request for use of the facility function during their paid work 14. Clarify that the PTA does not have
b. Additions/changes to the day. If this is the case, clarify who a say in school decisions, but can
school event calendar from the PTA will be available be an important sounding board
to receive money from parents before decisions are made, a key
c. Access to the site after hours or students for PTA functions. source of parent representatives
d. Providing information for the Consider installing a locked office on hiring committees, an
school or PTA newsletter drop box for PTA membership essential resource as chaperones
forms and checks. on field trips, trained as effective
e. Requesting background classroom volunteers, and serve in
clearance for volunteers 8. Review the procedures for signing
in and out when on campus as a many other ways that contribute
f. Proposing before/after school volunteer. to the overall functioning of the
clubs and activities school.
22 WASHINGTON PRINCIPAL | VOLUME 3 – 2019-20
• Shortcutting the PTA decision- The entire school community benefits from the
making process. No individual PTA
member, even the PTA president, coordination between these two entities, capitalizing
can commit to a project or decision on the talents and energy of parents to advance the
without first consulting their
board. PTAs are self-governing, mission of the school.”
member-led associations with
bylaws and guidelines. Honor their OTHER THINGS TO ahead of time that shouldn’t be under
consideration. For example, the
structure, processes and timeline. CONSIDER: classroom pet that the science teacher
• Failing to support enrichment Be clear as to which PTA events/ is asking the PTA to buy may not be
and recognition programs offered programs need to be approved by the permitted under district polity, or
by your PTA. Our state and local school administration before they are perhaps the climbing wall the PTA
organizations have access to many shared with parents, and which can be is excited about adding to the gym
programs that support children, approved by someone other than the can not be covered by the district
families and schools. If your PTA school’s administration. insurance.
wants to offer a program, find a staff
The PTA Board members will be New PTA leaders should understand
member who will serve as the school
talking with many more parents than that, when speaking with the school
liaison to the committee organizing
the school administration and can administration or another staff
this assistance, and make sure the
be effective ‘ears on the ground’ to member, they need to be clear when
program receives the attention and
identify concerns and issues in the they are speaking as a parent and
support it needs.
school community. Clarify when and when they are representing the PTA.
• Neglecting to model to staff the what kind of concerns (or gossip) to
respect and appreciation for the share with each other, and how to PTA members must be trained on
PTA that these volunteers deserve. respond if a student’s safety is at risk. FERPA laws. Students and families
have a right to privacy, and a child’s
Remember that if the PTA leadership safety may even be a stake. Schools by
finds itself in a jam the school law may not share addresses, parent
administration can be a helpful, contact information, phone numbers,
confidential resource. Principals student names or birth dates with
know a lot about leadership, problem- anyone without a parent’s permission.
solving, and working with difficult FERPA also applies to photographs
people. You share the PTA’s desire taken at school and at events in which
that the school environment be student faces are recognizable. As a
positive and well-functioning. Be workaround, PTAs will often have
open to help as needed. their own social media accounts and
While principals cannot serve on will want to share pictures publicly,
a PTA’s nominating committee, following their organization’s privacy
administration and office staff can policies.
be especially helpful to PTAs by Discuss the expectation that PTA
keeping an eye out for other parents volunteers will follow the district’s
who regularly volunteer at the school confidentiality policies. When on
and contribute to a positive school campus, volunteers will inevitably
climate. PTA leadership changes from observe actions and come across
year to year as children graduate and information that must remain
parents move on. Identifying future private. It helps to rehearse possible
parent leaders can help sustain a high scenarios and appropriate responses,
performing PTA, and for struggling including which staff will serve as
PTAs this is a way you can help build a contact to handle questions and
their membership. concerns from PTA volunteers.
If the PTA is in the fortunate Often, PTA regions or councils offer
situation of having funds that can a workshop titled, “PTA and the
be used for classroom or school Principal.” Invite your PTA President
grants, help the PTA understand any
limitations and weed out requests Continued on page 24
WASHINGTON PRINCIPAL | VOLUME 3 – 2019-20 23Continued from page 23
or Executive Committee to attend
with you. This is one more way
administrators can strengthen their
relationship with their school’s PTA
leadership and can demonstrate
their active, visible support of the
organization’s positive influence on
the school.
The cheers that
erupt when a team other partnerships and is a reason over the last 10 years, including school
successfully crosses for the entire school community to volunteer, PTA President, and most
celebrate. Your leadership can build recently as the President of the Everett
the finish line can also that level of coordination and get PTSA Council.
echo in June if your that team to the finish line smoothly, David Jones, Ed.D, has worked as a
efficiently and without a lot of
admin/PTA team is shouting or blame. n
teacher, counselor and principal at the
elementary, middle and high school
functioning well.” Jen Hirman, Ph.D, has been a teacher level, and most recently served as the
with the Peace Corps and in the US, President of the Elementary School
as well as served in various PTA roles Principals Association of Washington.
CROSSING THE FINISH
LINE, TOGETHER
It takes time, effort and foresight
to establish and maintain a positive TRAPS FOR PTA MEMBERS TO AVOID:
relationship between a school
administration and PTA. When that • As actively involved school • Blurring the lines between PTA
relationship is working well the volunteers, assuming a level of and school programs and events.
administration feels supported and familiarity and sidestepping rules. This can lead to invalidated
in sync with the parent community. Always sign in. Always wear a insurance coverage for PTAs and
School staff benefit from a powerful visitor badge, even if “they know confusion over who is responsible
partner, helping them meet the me.” Do not drop by a classroom if an incident occurs. Make sure
needs of their students. Members of unexpectedly. It’s important for that contracts for PTA events are
the PTA see their efforts and energy PTA members to remember they signed by PTA elected officers and
making a positive, direct impact. The serve as role models for parent PTA money, either for an event,
entire school community benefits engagement in the school’s fundraising or membership, is
from the coordination between community. handled only by PTA volunteers
these two entities, capitalizing on and not staff, unless those staff are
• Using PTA funds to cover items ‘off the clock.’
the talents and energy of parents to that should be paid out of the
advance the mission of the school. district or school’s budget. Parents • Interceding in parent concerns. If a
Remember that field day analogy and feel strongly about helping out parent approaches you to complain
the three-legged race? their school and want to make about something at school the
sure no need goes unmet, but most helpful response is, “I know
The cheers that erupt when a team PTA funding should be for the school is working hard to
successfully crosses the finish line can enhancements or enrichments, serve this community, and I know
also echo in June if your admin/PTA not basic education. they want to hear from you if you
team is functioning well. Coordinated have a concern. Have you talked
teamwork is the foundation for • Being overly social with the with the teacher/staff member/
success, in which students’ lives are front office staff during school administration about this yet?”
enriched, teachers are supported and hours. PTA members want to feel
parents are engaged. connected with the school and can
forget that all paid staff have many
A positive administration/PTA other responsibilities that need to
relationship becomes a model for be completed throughout the day.
24 WASHINGTON PRINCIPAL | VOLUME 3 – 2019-20You can also read
