Along with the Treasurer and Secretary, this role is one of the three key required officer roles defined in the FEEF bylaws.

 

Key Role

• Oversees and coordinates the work of an executive board to run FEEF effectively

• Presides at FEEF board meetings

• Serves as the official contact, communicator and representative of FEEF internally and externally

• Designated as an authorized signer for FEEF checks, contracts and authorizations for  payment

• Serves as ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee

• Works with other FEEF leaders to connect families, school and community to support student success

 

Key Activities

The key activities of this role can vary depending on how the President and Vice President wish to divide responsibilities, the initiatives currently going on at school, and personal interest and skills, but would generally include the following:

 

• Support all Board Members in their efforts:

  • Vice President

  • Treasurer

  • Secretary

  • Fundraising / Donations

  • Walkaround

  • Communications

  • Social

• Serve as the representative of FEEF internally and externally, which could include:

  • Making brief presentations at parent events such as Open House, the Kindergarten Welcome, and the Principal/Parent Coffees

  • Attending District-level meetings (or delegating as appropriate)

  • Interfacing with heads of other PTOs to share best practices

• Assist in recruiting and retaining Board Members and implementing succession planning

• Manage monthly Board Meetings (usually 1 evening a month, about 2-3 hours each)

• Attend meetings with the Principal as appropriate

• Work with the Principal, Treasurer, and others to recommend an annual budget

• Continue any other projects the President may be working on around the school

 

HOW TOS

 

As the team leader, the president oversees and coordinates the work of the executive board in running FEEF.

 

Here are some tasks that, typically, the president works on each month.

 

Facilitating:

• Prepare for board meetings and create an agenda to send to the board ahead of time

• Lead board meetings, following the agenda to keep everyone on task

• Review board reports including those prepared by the treasurer plus the secretary’s minutes from board meetings

• Sign checks and authorizations for payment along with another, designated board member

 

Collaborating:

• Touch base with other team members about their plans and preparations for upcoming events

• Meet with the principal to share information on FEEF and school activities and to clear all

  FEEF written materials before publishing in hard copy or posting online

• Ensure that volunteer hours are recorded and tallied

 

Communicating:

• Update board, members and community stakeholders on FEEF plans and activities,

  encouraging input and feedback

• Thank volunteers for their time, talents and efforts

• Promote outreach, inclusion and diversity to connect families, school and community

 

Managing Meetings:

 

Meetings are effective when members know why they are meeting, believe their time was well-spent making decisions and feel they accomplished something at a meeting.That’s why the president’s primary role at meetings is to act as a facilitator to set the tone and manage FEEF business in an effective way. And, the main role of the board is to come prepared and assist the president in working through the agenda.

 

Here are some ways to help make meetings more effective and productive:

 

Before A Meeting:

• As part of your preparation, consult with other board members to identify the meeting’s chief objectives, activities to engage participants and who will present verbal and written reports. This helps determine what to include in the agenda that you’ll create for the meeting.

• Send the agenda to participants ahead of time and widely publicize the purpose of the meeting.

• To boost participation, add social time before or after a meeting for everyone to network.

 

At A Meeting:

• Successful meetings give you an opportunity to inform, inspire and empower members.

• To run an effective meeting, keep everyone on track and time by following the agenda.

• As the facilitator, it’s also important to remain fair and unbiased so everyone feels welcome and able to participate.

• At the end of the meeting, take time to summarize what was accomplished and important next steps for business items.

 

After A Meeting:

• Share the results of the meeting with participants to keep them connected to the work of FEEF. Also, follow up with officers and chairmen on next steps and action items to complete tasks and accomplish goals.

 

Working With Administrators: 6 Effective Ways

 

School leaders and FEEF represent two important groups on the school campus: staff and parents. They work closely together at a school site as partners in education to support student success.

To nurture this important partnership:

 

• Set the Tone – Build a relationship and collaborate together.

• Two-Way Communication – Meet with the principal early in the year and keep him or her

           updated on events, activities or concerns.

• Collaborating with the School – Be aware of the school’s improvement needs and encourage FEEF members to actively participate in school site councils, governance teams, or related committees.

• Training Opportunities – Offer to provide parent training and resources at the school.

• School District Level Involvement – Use the school district’s master calendar to become aware of activities where FEEF’s presence is needed and request an opportunity to provide a presentation at school board meetings.

• Build a Strong Team – Ask for the principal’s help in encouraging staff to work closely with FEEF. Learn from others and share your knowledge as well.

 

Time Estimates:

Previous volunteers who have done this job have reported: 20-30 hours per month on average