The Multipurpose Room

What is a PTA without its members? Whether you’re 3 or 30 members away from your fall goal, investing in your PTA membership drive can pay dividends. This episode will share tips we have gathered from other PTA leaders on how to structure your PTA to achieve your membership goals and some tried & effective ideas to get you the most members. 

This show is brought to you by K-12 Clothing. K-12 Clothing is a PTA-Dad created business focused on providing high-quality school apparel while increasing access to educational resources through fundraising in schools. Learn more at k12clothing.com

This show is made possible by support from SquadLocker.

Ever wonder how to cut through the noise on social media? We will talk about how schools, PTAs and PTOs can connect with their audience, create engaging content, and effectively manage their social media accounts. We will be joined by social media veteran, Matthew Desilet, and it may surprise you to hear who he suggests should run your social media accounts.

About our guest, Matthew Desilet, Marketing Director, SquadLocker

Matt Desilet is Marketing Director at SquadLocker, a company that provides online tools for teams, organizations, and schools to manage custom apparel and equipment purchasing. After his first childhood nickname “Dez” stuck, he never went back. Matt is a growth and engagement strategist experienced in creating digital marketing campaigns, launching new products, and enabling sales + success teams. He is an experienced contributor, manager, and leader on agile marketing teams. Matt likes to focus on delivering data-driven results in a human-centered way. His first startup experience came in the form of gigging and recording with his band full-time. Having a seat on the startup rocket ship gives Matt the same vibe as watching his music take off and get into the hands of thousands of people. To slow things down, he enjoys building and tinkering with guitars at home. A proud Rochestarian, Matt supports the Buffalo Bills, Wegmans, and proper Buffalo chicken wings. Bleu cheese only, Ranch need-not apply. 

With millions more students relying on online tools for virtual education, we need to be extra diligent in maintaining students’ data privacy. As a PTA or PTO leader, you play a large role. Did you know that even the title of the photos the PTA posts on FB could be subject to data privacy laws? We’ll talk about this, and a brief overview on what  PTA and PTO leaders need to know about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) on this episode.

This show is brought to you by K-12 Clothing. K-12 Clothing is a PTA-Dad created business focused on providing high-quality school apparel while increasing access to educational resources through fundraising in schools. Learn more at k12clothing.com

This show is made possible by support from SquadLocker

Social media is a powerful tool but it can be overwhelming trying to figure out where your school or school group should start. Should you manage accounts on all major tools or just one? If just one, which one? And how do you get your community to engage? We’ll answer these, and other questions, in this social media 101 episode.

This show is brought to you by K-12 Clothing. K-12 Clothing is a PTA-Dad created business focused on providing high-quality school apparel while increasing access to educational resources through fundraising in schools. Learn more at k12clothing.com

This show is made possible by support from SquadLocker.

Parent-teacher organizations have historically been an in-person organization but this method of operating just isn’t feasible in light of the pandemic and many schools being 100% virtual. So how does a PTA adapt? Hear from a PTA leader about how their PTA revamped their website, meetings, and membership communications to facilitate the 2020 school year and beyond.

About Deb & Wes' Guest:

Selma Avdicevic is a financial services professional and an entrepreneur, with an extensive background in commercial real estate finance and investment, structured finance, CMBS, portfolio management, project management, entrepreneurship, retail, small business management, non-profit management, fundraising, marketing, and communications. In her free time, she is an active member of the local PTA council, and a strong advocate for public education, as well as an active Impact100 Essex chapter member. Selma is a proud graduate of CUNY Hunter College and New York University. She lives in Montclair, NJ, with her husband and two kids.

Running a classroom online is not the same as in-person – what are the differences teachers need to think about and how do they make a seamless transition? Join us in this podcast with acting coach, Susan E. Finch, to discuss tips for effective teaching via the web.

A night of food, libation, and bidding on all sorts of items you don’t need --that’s what school auctions are all about. So how does one maximize fundraising to best support our schools? Join us with a special guest, Dabney Lawless, to discuss the most effective way to solicit donations, maximize bidding, and run a successful auction.

School spirit wear has taken on the role of unifier in whichever school model yours is offering. This episode will answer a question we get almost every day: “I’ve just been made spiritwear chair of my PTA but I don’t know where to start. Last year’s person ordered from a local print shop but with the new safety regulations, I’m not sure if that’s the right thing to do. Can you help?”

PTA’s role has taken off in a new direction, and become more important than ever to help our students stay connected through community and tradition, as well as adding new spins to old expectations and outdated roles. However, many PTAs are asking “why bother” with the PTA this year. With schools in virtual or hybrid mode, aren’t resources better spent in other areas by helping teachers? Or since events are difficult to host, what is the purpose of the PTO? This episode will explore the PTA’s role in today’s world.

We have seen medicine and technology advance by leaps and bounds in the last six months - who would have thought that buying cars from a vending machine would have taken off! The evolution of the education system has been equally dramatic. The logistics and safety changes have forced us, and given us an opportunity, to rethink how we’ve “always done it.” Today we will talk to Erin Girard, a teacher and Class Quality Specialist at Outschool, an online education provider, about the evolution in the educational system in the last five years, the growth spurt provoked by COVID, what’s to come in the next five, and what this all means for teachers and schools.