Irvine Unified PTA Council Resources and Guidelines

1. Wednesday, June 3, 2014

2. Unit (also referred to as “association”) – your school organization Council – Irvine Unified Council PTA, an association of all PTAs & PTSAs in IUSD District – 4th District covers all of Orange County & small part of LA State – California State PTA – www.capta.org National – www.pta.org

3. By-laws • The rules of your association—read them, update them, use them, share them • Toolkit • Tons of great ideas, useful forms and rules for about every occasion. • Available online at www.capta.org • Insurance Loss & Prevention Guide • Check it BEFORE you plan the event • Council Website & Officers • www.irvinecouncilpta.org Great resources!

4. Good meetings make a great PTA!! • Create and post an agenda • Rely on your parliamentarian for help managing time • Ensure you have quorum (in the bylaws) • Remain neutral on issues (president) • Whistleblower/conflict of interest form

5. Conduct council business Hear information directly from superintendent, school board and ITA rep Give feedback on important topics Meet other presidents and share ideas Obtain important PTA & IUSD info If you can’t make it, please send a delegate.

6. Council Meeting Dates September 17 (Hospitality, insurance, officer list and budget) October 15 (Audit for period 1/2014-6/2014) November 19 (Tax returns) January 21 February 18 (Audit for period ending 12/2014) March 18 April 15 (Incoming officer list) May 20 (2015-2016 budget) Membership remittances accepted at all meetings!

7. Election Year Dos and Don’ts Dos Don’ts Encourage your members to attend our candidate forum October 9 Hold a voter registration drive Look for the results of our study group’s report on the SOS initiative in September Expect to be asked to support the “Our Children Our Future” measure Be thoughtful in holding individual meetings with candidates Use your PTA role to endorse a candidate! Invite individual candidates to present at your General Association meeting Be afraid to sign ballot initiatives as a private individual Be surprised that the SOS initiative is working under a different set of rules than the PTA-sponsored initiative

8. For parents/members: • Use all methods available – newsletters, flyers, e-mails, website • “Brand your PTA” – Make sure the logo and name is on everything! • Review EVERY PTA communication before it goes out • Promote your PTA • IUSD (ihanigan@iusd.org ) and Irvine World News

9. Get great volunteers • Bring people in slowly- little jobs as starters • Match the job to the person • Resist the urge to micro-manage • Empowered volunteers are more likely to continue! • Most people rise (or fall) to expectations • Give lots of credit for jobs done well, or just done! PTA presidents who delegate get more sleep and less grey hair!

10. Use summer to get organized and make plans • Officer binders or Procedure Books: • By-laws • Job Description/relevant Toolkit info • Financial Forms • Board contact list • Portable File Box • Separate e-mail address • E-mail folders/sorting • Automate as much as possible

11. Make sure that your PTA offers something for everyone: • Working parents • Have a least 1 evening meeting • Offer “work at home” opportunities • Single parents • Offer babysitting for special events • Men • Dads only events or “Dad driven” events • Non-English speakers • Translate at least a few documents • Use translator feature on your website • Promote diversity

13. Be nice to people. The busier we get, the more demanding we can become.

14. Budget Committee duties • Meet ASAP • 3 to 1 Rule • Carry-over funds • .1 FTE or 2hrs/day CE per 100 students • School of 700 could hire .7 of a teacher or 14 hours/day of classified or a combination of both • Budget Template • Fundraisers – General fund vs. line items

15. Don’t forget to budget for: • Convention- • Advocacy- A key (and required) part of our work including Sacramento Safari • Try to avoid paying people • Pay the school to pay custodians, etc • Don’t budget for: • Personal Gifts- Not for teachers, staff or volunteers • Tables at galas or events PTA is not an ATM

16. PTA is not an ATM • Cannot stress this enough! You are NOT there to fund every request from your principal - you are not there for the principal, you are there for the students!

17. A Great Budget You are NOT required to have income match expenses to have a great budget.

18. Follow the process • Consider purchasing a laptop and software • Resource: www.techsoup.org • Sample Form • Council remit form • Unit check request form • Generic donation receipt • Fiduciary agreement

19. Cash Verification • Two people - financial officer or chair and any other PTA member not related to above. • Record - using Cash Verification Form • Sign - sign form and copy (snap a picture with your smartphone!) • Deposit - right away • Don't take cash home! • Attach deposit receipt to CVF

20. Cash Verification form • form can be found at California pta toolkit. • Or you can create your own.

21. Remit to Council • Remit dues, insurance, and hospitality to council. • First date - September 17th! • Forms are available on our website: • www.irvineucpta.org

22. Sample remit to council form

23. Check Requests • Use a payment authorization/request form. • Write check. Indicate budget account and purpose on memo line of check. • Record information on form. • Check requires two signatures. • Form requires two signatures. • Ratify checks at association/board meetings.

25. Donations to PTA • If a donation is made for a specific campaign, ie technology, it MUST be used for that purpose. • If you don't reach your goal, that donation must be returned. • Avoid this by getting a letter from the donor stating that it may be used for another purpose.

27. Fiduciary Ensures school spends money as the PTA designates Form is online Up to you to get the funds back from the school district if they DONT use it! Better to reimburse than give them a large lump sum.

28. There are 2 parts to a great report • Budget to Actual spreadsheet • Bank reconciliation detail • “I move to ratify the check number 175-178 for the period of 1/1/15 to 1/31/15 as listed in the report.” • “I move that the Treasurer be allowed to pay all ordinary and necessary bills as outlined in our adopted budget.”

29. Look familiar? If you set up your budget with 3 columns, the same document is a monthly report. This report can be created in Quickbooks as well as Excel.

30. Sample of Bank Reconciliation

31. Seek an Accountant’s Advice • For federal, file 990N if gross receipts are less than $50,000 (State is $25,000) • File a 990EZ if gross receipts are less than $250,000 • State Filing • 199N if gross receipts are less than $25,000 • Less than the federal • Or full form 199 if receipts are greater than $25,000 • Attorney General • File form RRF-1 Annually • Do you hold raffles at your school?

32. E-learning courses on www.pta.org • Conflict Resolution • Grant Writing • Parliamentary Procedure • Planning Your PTA Year & more • Websites: • www.irvinecouncilpta.org • www.4thdistrictpta.org • www.capta.org • www.pta.org • Insurance Guide – username: ptausers password: member

33. Council is here for you—don’t be afraid to ask & give feedback Have fun!