parents questionnaire

[frangale]

Hi Everyone, would be grateful for some inspiration! I am writing a questionnaire for the parents at school (primary) about the PTA, have asked: if people attend meetings, if they get sufficient info about the PTA, what we should do to raise money and what to spend the money on. Can anyone think of any other relevant questions that they might like to be asked by the PTA. I am doing the questionnaie to raise the profile of the PTA

[Jules001]

how about suggestions for fund raising events that they would like to see being run, hopefully you will then get a good idea of what to organise and get a good attendance at them.

[noxlumos]

Ask them what they think the PTA should be about, what puts them off supporting it more and what changes they would like to see.

[sense4all]

Round here they go for the jugular a.s.a.p. The first letter you get every September, reminds you in a very loving way, that by having a child attend the school, you are in fact already a member of the PTA, sneaky innit?

The most popular school events are a Summer Ball held in the hall,and the winter quiz night, at the last school ferret racing was hysterical. The PTA sell mince pies or cakes and drinks at events through the year and a christmas the children pick charities (usually 3 ) for the proceeds to be divided among. Usually one uk kids one, one sponsor a foreign child and one that has affected someone in the school (birth defects, whizz kids, cancer )Ask if you divide the tasks into hourly slots and people don't feel like they are signing their life away would they be happier to join in? Are the meetings held at the right time for them to come? don't forget to leave a space for them to put in their own words any helpful suggestions or ideas that they maybe feel too shy to say in public but will put on an anon. questionnaire! Do they have any useful contacts to sponsor an event or donate goods? Set a target for a project eg 400pounds for new books and people find it easier to relate to what you want from them. Good Luck.

[MrsJo49155]

As chair of our school PTA I would echo the suggestions already mentioned above. If you are having trouble recruiting and chatting with the mums why not as in the questionnaire if they would be happy to support a termly "Coffee 4 A Cause". We do one each term during the morning in the school hall and choose a charity applicable to the health of a family at school. It has been a great way to recruit and get parents involved in PTA events as they are already on the premises dropping off their kids!

In our questionnaire we also ask if people would like to volunteer as helpers rather than committee members as some people dont mind helping out at events but are not the "committee type".

If you are feeling brave you could always ask them how the PTA could be more approachable but if you do you have to be prepared for some criticism (its usually that the PTA appears too cliquey!)

Another idea is to ask if anyone has any "talents" that the PTA could use in the future - it may surprise you what some parents and able to do without you knowing about it!

Good luck!