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Show Notes
Welcome to Season 3 of the Utah PTA Pulse Podcast! Hosts Angelee Aedo (VP of Advocacy), Corey Fairholm (Immediate Past President), and producer Mike Williams share essential guidance for PTA leaders launching the new school year.
This episode covers membership drives, building principal partnerships, budget management, and volunteer recruitment. Discover how PTAs solve real problems—like innovative "bike bus" programs addressing absenteeism—and why mission-focused planning prevents burnout.
The mission of the PTA is to make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. This episode shows how effective leadership turns that mission into daily action.
Key Points
Getting Started
- Hold membership drives using QR codes and flyers
- Approve budget by August 31st before spending
- Update bank signers with documented meeting minutes
- Schedule regular principal meetings starting early
Building Relationships
- Meet principals in pairs for support
- Build connections with school secretaries
- Ask "why" to understand policies when facing resistance
- Serve on School Community Council to identify needs
Mission-Focused Planning
- Evaluate every event against PTA's mission
- Be flexible and cancel traditions that no longer fit
- Focus on solving real problems like literacy or safety
- Example: Parent-led "bike bus" helps students get to school safely
Volunteer Recruitment
- Give personal invitations
- Create time-commitment lists so people know expectations
- Welcome everyone: parents, grandparents, community members
- Target kindergarten events to engage new families
Takeaways
✓ Get budget approved and bank signers updated immediately ✓ Build genuine principal partnerships through regular communication ✓ Align activities with making every child's potential a reality ✓ Be realistic about capacity to avoid volunteer burnout ✓ Partner with School Community Council for real solutions ✓ Reach out to region and state PTA volunteers for support ✓ Stay "PTA flexible"—adapt while staying mission-focused
Take it one day at a time and focus on what matters most for your community!