Seattle Council PTSA 2008 Survey- Qualitative

This section of the SCPTSA 2008 survey results encapsulates the many thoughtful responses received in the free form text and comments questions on the survey. If you are interested in the quantitative results of the survey, please see the SCPTSA 2008 Survey - Quantitative Results Report on the SCPTSA website.

• Building Community (including parents & staff): 10
• Funding/Fundraising: 9
• Communication (between parents/school/community): 8
• Student Enrichment: 5
• Parent Involvement (includes recruitment of volunteers): 5
• Support Students/Academics: 4
• Reduced Class Size: 2
• Security: 2
• Family Events: 2
• Beautification/Maintenance: 2
• Support Staff: 2
• Advocacy; Website; Librarian; Drama Program; School Spirit; Re-organize; Document & improve PTSA processes; Identify & respond to needs of families & teachers: 1 each

• Parent Involvement/Membership (includes recruitment/attendance issues): 24
• Lack of Funding: 10
• Difficulties working with staff at school: 6
• Communication: 3
• ELL/Language issues: 2
• Diversity: 2
• Getting feedback; Over-enrollment; Safety issues; Managing; Auction planning; Unstable PTA processes; Identifying & responding to needs of families & teachers; Getting a curriculum that attracts local community; Socioeconomics: 1 each

• "Surviving" phrases: Had to start over; expecting more help from staff and families, struggle to
• bring people together; very few parents doing a lot of work.
• "Striving" phrases: Supportive staff but not enough volunteers; limited budget; work very hard; growing membership and events; little input; small turnouts for good programs; transition year, change is difficult; burn out; apathetic participation; sustaining but can't add new events.
• "Thriving" phrases: Active, involved parents; proactive; high membership; fundraising success; work well with staff; good relationships; healthful dialogue, volunteers with diverse skills/matching need with skill.

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7. What other ideas do you have on how the Seattle Council PTSA and local units can support each other�s efforts to strive and thrive?

• Get together in unstructured, fun environment to share ideas
• Getting the e-bulletins and newsletters (from Seattle Council) and being invited to the meetings
• On-line method for sharing what worked, what didn't, who to contact when you want "X"
• Publish the results of this survey
• Connect PTA's who do auctions and trade-off the work - so one school is running it & the other is enjoying it
• Central cluster PTA presidents meet to exchange info, we also invite each other's membership to speaker events (comments about central cluster listed twice)
• Less meetings and less emails
• Glad high school leaders group is started. Would like Seattle Council to support/mentor schools who
• don't have a PTA so all schools would be stronger
• Help us manage WSS!
• Suggestions on newsletter topics
• Get all parents on a listserv. Get the word out schools are doing a great job.
• Document & post processes for requirements as functioning PTSA. Hold fewer meetings. Set expectation that volunteer service is part of raising a student.

• Effective Volunteer management
• Would like the meeting minutes so we can be helped by the ideas
• A listserv accessible by each PTSA

• Appreciate the support we receive and the quick response from members of the Seattle Council.
• Leadership training program at the end of the year is very helpful.
• Very few parents involved in High School level. Need "localized" publicity campaigns touting benefits of schools.
• Need phone trees/email trees in place for use in emergencies/disasters.
• Too much paperwork from National PTA. Would enjoy learning about academic research being done that looks at models of parent involvement & how that translates into student academic success.
• Would like to see results of this survey.

Nancy Clinkenbeard and Claire Foster, SCPTSA 2008 Survey Committee Co-Chairs