1. Tech Talk: Using Technology for PTA Success
Danielle Spigler
Prospect Mill Elementary PTA

2. How Did this happen? Prospect Mill Elementary PTA Committee Chair
Officer: Secretary, President, Vice-President/Membership
2011: The Beginning
Yahoo List
Redistricting brought change
PTA leadership
School leadership
The community
Setting Goals:
COMMUNICATION is the key to success!
We lacked an efficient way to
communicate with members

3. Why use Technology? Our PTA needed to…
…improve our communication with members & the community
…streamline the communication process
…create consistency with what we communicated to the community
…clarify what was PTA business and what was school business
…set up our PTA for transition & information transfer with leadership changes
How we started: Baby Steps!
Started to explore other options: Mail Chimp
Facebook
Sign Up Genius

4. Where are we now? Email: PTA email addresses for officers Mail Chimp
distribution list
650+ members
Facebook Page
400+ active members
Several smaller groups for committees
Sign Up Genius
Used for committees, class events, donations
Paypal
Swiping cards at events
Online donations and payments
Website
Google Calendar
Documents
Ticket Sales

5. Don’t PANIC!  You can do this! There are challenges! It IS worth it!
Let’s break down each of these items, and you’ll see that ANYONE can set these things up to help improve the way your PTA uses technology!

6. Email: BE AVAILABLE! What is it? Why Use it? How to Set it up?
An address for members to reach officers, committee chairs, PTA leaders
Gmail is FREE!
Separate from your personal
Record of communication for future PTA leaders
Serves as a User Name for use on other web-based apps, like Sign Up Genius, Paypal, etc.
Create a name that is easy to remember and makes sense
Create folders for next PTA leader to easily find s and documents

7. Email: Get the WORD OUT! What is it? Why Use it? How to Set it up?
An service to send s to large groups of people
Mail Chimp is FREE for most users!
Limited to certain numbers of s per day
Most basic communication for most people
Easy to reach large numbers of people quickly
Communication record for future PTA leaders
Include pictures, links to websites, documents, etc.
Create an account
Add addresses
Collect at Open House, Back to School Night, etc.
Members sign up via Link on website or Facebook page
Schedule s to go out days in advance
See how many people are reading them, when, clicks, etc.

8. MAIL CHIMP: What it Looks Like:
Send your !

9. Facebook: Make it social!
What is it?
Why Use it?
How to Set it up?
A social media platform to share information & communicate
Groups are effective to target your audience
Be careful with public information: Social Media posts are forever!
Majority of people use Facebook
Easy to reach large numbers of people quickly
Quick responses from members
Share pictures, events, reminders
Unlimited posts
Smaller groups for committees
Create GROUP
Members must ask to join
Security Questions
Choose a picture for your page that makes it easily identifiable
Set up admins for group
Set limits for members posting
Moderate & Monitor

10. Cool things to do with your Facebook Group
Set up Events
Reminds members about events
Forces them to acknowledge the event 
Advertise for Business/Corporate Members
Businesses LOVE Social Media exposure!
Easy to post and link!
Conduct Polls
Get feedback on different topics
Upload files & documents for families to access

11. Sign Up Genius: Volunteer Organization
What is it?
Why Use it?
How to Set it up?
An online tool to create a list of items a volunteer can choose to participate in, or items that can donate.
It is an easy way to control sign ups and not end up with 400 spoons for a class celebration
Easy to share a link on Facebook, , or even a flyer
Volunteers can switch or change sign ups
Automatic reminders
Create an account
Create your event (date, location, times, etc.)
Choose a picture or theme that makes it easily identifiable
Preview your sign up
Send link to your members, and/or post on social media.

12. Sign Up Genius in Action

13. Accepting Credit Cards & electronic Payments

14. Paypal: Accept payments!
What is it?
Why Use it?
How to Set it up?
Paypal is an online tool to accept money, either via an online link, or by swiping credit cards in person.
Customers do NOT need a Paypal account to pay you!
In person swipes, website and hyperlink donations
People are more likely to donate if it is EASY and they can do it right away.
Checkbooks are not as commonly used
Detailed record-keeping
Inventory items
Fees easily made up with increased revenue
Treasurer needs to call Paypal to set it up
You will need an address to set it up, along with other documentation to get non-profit rate
You can get a free swiper from Paypal

15. Show me the Money!

16. Facebook: Make it social!
What is it?
Why Use it?
How to Set it up?
A social media platform to share information & communicate
Groups are effective to target your audience
Be careful with public information: Social Media posts are forever!
Majority of people use Facebook
Easy to reach large numbers of people quickly
Quick responses from members
Share pictures, events, reminders
Unlimited posts
Smaller groups for committees
Create GROUP
Members must ask to join
Security Questions
Choose a picture for your page that makes it easily identifiable
Set up admins for group
Set limits for members posting
Moderate & Monitor

17. Social Sharing Events Desktop vs Mobile Invitations to all members
Open page or
Closed Group?
Desktop vs Mobile
Invitations to all members
Reminders
RSVPs
Open page: PUBLIC, can share events, fundraisers, pics, etc.
Closed Group: Invite only, approve members, can’t share outside the group
Business partners/donors
Celebrations
Concerns & Advocacy
County, State & National News
Contests & Grants
No faces
Allow parents to comment with pics
Set up album and allow adds
Events
Comments or no comments?
Photos or No Photos?
Sharing from other pages
Polls & Surveys

18. Google: Take it LIVE! What is it? Why Use it? How to Set it up?
A suite of online apps to store files
“Cloud” format
Allows lives updates by multiple users
Can be used with existing software programs like Microsoft 365.
It’s FREE!
Easy access to anyone who has a Google account
Free & easy to set up!
Many can access an updated version immediately
No more sending “updated” files.
Calendar meshes with many other calendar apps
Create Google account (or use existing Gmail account)
Share links & invite others to collaborate
Set up calendar & share link with members
Encourage them to use mobile app

19. Wait…When is that event?

20. Wait…Did anyone go to Looney’s yet?

21. Wait…Who’s going to input all that MemBership Data?
Members enter their info…
…you download it into an organized spreadsheet! 

22. Website: Make it ACCESSIBLE!
What is it?
Why Use it?
How to Set it up?
A public online platform for sharing information, calendars, documents & links
Possible to use SharpSchool PTA page for your school?
Possible limitations with collecting funds?
Most people can access the internet
No account needed to access information
Constant resource
“Home Base”
Find a web host
Homestead
Figure out a domain name
Keep it short & simple!
Find a Webmaster
Update regularly

23. Website: Stay Connected
Event Pages
Resources
Membership
Spiritwear
Documents
Calendar

24. Questions. Comments. Other ideas. Find this presentation at www
Questions? Comments? Other ideas? Find this presentation at – Documents Tab