How to Form a New PTA

Looking to Start a PTA?  You are in the right place!

Outreach Chair: Stephanie Fehr

Email: WEPRoutreach@gmail.com

 

Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is a member led independent group of dedicated parents, teachers, school administrators and personnel, students, and community, who want to follow the PTA Mission and Goals of the NY State PTA and National PTA.

Each local PTA is connected to the Council, Region, State and National PTA to form one network of members working for everychild, one voice.

Each PTA advocates, has family engagement, diversity, equity, and inclusion committees, as well as providing programs and events for the school community. Each official PTA must follow all rules and legal mandates as a not for profit (501c3) to be established after a specific process is completed. Each PTA cannot be selective or discriminate geographically, financially, or culturally if they become PTA

TYPES of PTA’s that can become designated groups include Units and Councils:

1. Public Schools
2. Charter Schools
3. Private Schools and non public schools
4. Early Childhood preschools and special pre kindergarten groups
5. Special Education groups
6. Councils—more than one school or group that joins together to form one PTA

Advantages to Become a PTA:

1. Network with many members across the Region, State, and Nation
2. Advocate to raise awareness on policies, laws, goals, concerns and issues that are common to the PTA
3. Increased Communication through social media, emails, meetings to help members learn how to be a better community voice
4. Insurance to help during meetings, events, and programs for members
5. Better connections to school personnel and School Administration
6. Leadership training
7. Conferences for members

Questions to think about:

1. Why does your group want to become a PTA
2. What are the advantages of becoming a new unit
3. What are the needs of your school community
4. What type of PTA/PTSA/SEPTA, etc. would suit your community

And more….

For more information on starting a new unit/council, contact the Outreach Chair or the Region Director

Thinking about Starting a PTA?

1. Contact the Region Director – westchestereastputnamrd@nyspta.org.

Please note that contacting the Region Director does not lock you in with starting a PTA.  It is just the start of a conversation.  You are free to explore the possibility and work for the best outcome for your community.