Ep 184 | Myth busting with the PTA

SPEAKER_00 0:00

The main mission of PTA is to advocate for children in their educational journey, is how I like to put it. So certain issues, which we have several going on right now, that affects the public school system or all the children's education, we will go to Tallahassee as Florida PTA and advocate either for or against a certain legislation that is up for voting or being discussed.

SPEAKER_03 0:35

Welcome to the Voices United in Education podcast. Each week we showcase the teachers, administrators, and community members who go the extra mile to contribute to the success of every child in Escambia County. You'll meet the real people behind the titles and learn about the amazing resources to support your child's success. If you've ever felt out of the loop of what's going on in your child's school, my next guest may have a solution you've overlooked. One is the president of Escambia County Council PTA, and the other the vice president. Today they're going to talk about what the PTA is and isn't, how it benefits you directly, and what's next for the 100-year-old organization. Community advocates and ground roots momentum makers, Melanie Gamble and Samantha Strickland. Thanks for being here, ladies. Thank you. Thank you. So I'd love to hear from each of you on why you decided to be active in your PTA. Sam, do you want to kick it off?

SPEAKER_02 1:34

Sure. Well, my son was in kindergarten. So this was probably, oh gosh, about six years ago. I started off as a room parent. They needed some help just cutting things out in kindergarten and helping with the class. And that just led into PTA. I had some other parents that were already involved that reached out to me and said, if you'd like to be at school and you like to be involved, come join us and be a part of our group. And you've been a part of it ever since. Sure has.

SPEAKER_03 1:57

And now the vice president. Yep, it just lures you in. What about you, Melanie?

SPEAKER_00 2:03

So I spent a career with the Escambia County Public Schools. And after I retired, I just felt like it was a way to stay connected with education. And they had an opening at the county council level. And so I joined, this was in 21, 22 school year, I believe, and been there ever since. Wow. I have three grandchildren in the public school system too. So it's kind of to support them too.

SPEAKER_03 2:28

So how does that experience of being with the district? You were there, what, 33 years?

SPEAKER_00 2:34

A little over, yes.

SPEAKER_03 2:35

I mean, that is nothing to shake a stick at. That is significant. Plus, having grandkids in the school system, how does that kind of inform your perspective as president of the PTA?

SPEAKER_00 2:46

It allows me to have a lot of connections because some of the same people are still in the system. So it helps the county council have a little bit of better connection with the district, more so than it would if the person didn't know anybody that worked there. I know all the ins and outs pretty much, which department to go to, that type of thing.

SPEAKER_03 3:07

I was wondering if that was the case because as someone, as an outsider myself, coming into this world, it's like, okay, I'm starting to understand how the landscape works and who passes the ball to who and what departments do and all the hats that people wear. Because it's if you just go on the district website and you look at the staff list, it does not reflect at all everything everyone does. Like you could have one title, but it's only one because that's what fits on the page. Usually it's like lots of slashes and dashes.

SPEAKER_00 3:40

Right, right. There's a process.

SPEAKER_03 3:42

There is a process. And Samantha, you worked in restaurant management before becoming a teacher assistant at NBC. Yes. And both of those things, I would say, are very people-ly.

SPEAKER_02 3:51

Oh, they're very peoply, yes. I didn't realize how much of a people person I was, and I didn't realize how much hospitality is involved in PTA. Oh, I didn't think of that. Tell me about that. Just talking to people, getting people involved, making friends, reaching out to people, seeing what they are enjoying, what they maybe think can be done better, just kind of like a restaurant, you know, how's your meal? Is this good? Is it not? What can we do to make it better? I mean, it all just plays hand in hand.

SPEAKER_03 4:16

That's interesting. Yeah, it really does. And I bet you are very disarming. I just have a feeling. A little here and there. Yeah. Yeah. Do people ever confide in you that they had certain misconceptions about PTA? What have you heard?

SPEAKER_02 4:34

Just people thinking that if you're gonna volunteer or if you join PTA, then you're gonna be required to volunteer all the time. And some of the myths that are involved with PTA.

SPEAKER_00 4:44

That's the biggest one. People think that by joining, they're saying that they will do work, they will volunteer. And you can actually join and never volunteer a minute of your time. We absolutely love our volunteers and we want them to be involved with what the PTA does at the school level and at the county level, but it's not a requirement to be a member.

SPEAKER_03 5:07

So, what does joining mean if you're not volunteering?

SPEAKER_00 5:10

So by joining PTA, it just kind of says that you support PTA's mission of making every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. We are a membership-driven association. Our voice is only as strong as the number of members. Therefore, it's not about volunteer hours and it's definitely not about fundraising monies. It's about having the number of members when we go to Tallahassee or when National PTA goes to Washington, that there are members behind them saying we have all these members that support our mission.

SPEAKER_03 5:52

So talk to me about Tallahassee in Washington. Why are we going there?

SPEAKER_00 5:56

So the main mission of PTA is to advocate for children in their educational journey, is how I like to put it. So certain issues, which we have several going on right now, that affects the public school system or all the children's education, we will go to Tallahassee as Florida PTA and advocate either for or against a certain legislation that is up for voting or being discussed.

SPEAKER_03 6:25

Ah, I see.

SPEAKER_00 6:26

Okay. Florida PTA has an annual annual legislative convention during their session each year. This year it's January 25th through January 27th, where all the county council board members and local unit members can attend, learn about what they can do to support Florida PTA's stances on certain subjects and bills that are being brought up to be passed.

SPEAKER_03 6:53

So by someone being a member, when y'all go to Tallahassee, you're able to basically show numbers, like show a list, like, hey, I'm here representing this hundred people or whatever it is. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Thousands.

SPEAKER_03 7:10

Thousands. Sorry. Didn't want to undercut you there.

SPEAKER_00 7:13

So Scambia County has approximately 3,800 members of PTA. Florida has close to 200,000 PTA members throughout the state. And then of course that snowballs international because we're in 50 states, all 50 states and territories.

SPEAKER_03 7:31

Wow. Okay. So back to the membership details. Is there like an annual fee, like someone just putting their name on a list? What constitutes a member?

SPEAKER_00 7:40

So to become a member, you pay that particular local unit, which is a PTA that's housed at a school or represents a school. And the membership fees are usually between five and ten dollars. It's set by the general members of each local unit. In Escambia County, the average is around five to seven dollars to become a member.

SPEAKER_03 8:02

A month?

SPEAKER_00 8:03

No, a year. Oh, sorry. It's a yearly fee. So $4.50 of that membership goes to Florida PTA to pay dues to Florida PTA to help support their initiatives. And then part of that $4.50 goes to National to do the same.

SPEAKER_03 8:21

Ah, okay.

SPEAKER_00 8:22

So we're all under the umbrella of the National PTA.

SPEAKER_03 8:25

Okay. That really helps. And it helps to paint a picture of how volunteering is optional, not required. So someone could jump in and jump out as their time allows, or just simply be a, I don't know, like a ghost supporter.

SPEAKER_00 8:41

Right. I like to choke around to people. We just want your money. We don't have to see you ever again. And I say it jokingly. Yeah. You know, and then I follow it up with, but we would love to have you come join us at one of our events, yeah, see what it's about.

SPEAKER_03 8:57

I mean, I can't get a coffee for four or five dollars. Right. So I mean, that seems like an easy thing. Right. Well, the other myths is like more of a stereotype. And that's that PTA members are really just it's an organization for board housewives. Who wants to tackle that one?

SPEAKER_02 9:17

No, no, no, no, no, no, no. No. So uh PTA is also made up of, and we've got lots of male members as well.

SPEAKER_00 9:24

Um a lot this year. They're we're really have engaged the male population.

SPEAKER_02 9:29

I like that. Yeah. And then also a lot of people are working now. Everybody's working these days. I mean, the cost of living has gone up, and I mean, everyone is dividing their time and they want to be a part of their children's education. They want to know what's going on in school. So they're making an effort and making the time to come and volunteer and be a part of the PTA and help it grow and put on these programs and events that are helping not just their children, but everyone else's children too. And they're holding jobs and they're getting their husbands involved, grandparents, teachers.

SPEAKER_03 9:59

So I think that was part of one of the other myths or objections was like, well, I wouldn't be able to attend a meeting because it's during the day.

SPEAKER_00 10:10

So meetings are either during the day or evening, with since COVID, of course, the virtual meetings by Zoom or Google Meet are very popular. We encourage to do virtual meetings because it tends to help the parents and guardians so they don't have to travel to a meeting and they can just do it in between cooking or whatever. So basically, meetings are supposed to be done so you can get the majority of the general membership your members to attend. We also have hybrid meetings where they'll be in person and have a Zoom link that you can listen in on.

SPEAKER_03 10:48

What about clickiness? That's another stereotype of the PTA.

SPEAKER_00 10:53

I'll answer real quick and then Sam can take over if she'd like. But I think the clickiness is a societal thing that is going to be seen no matter what organization you're in or association you're in. We try to minimize it and encourage our local units to include everyone.

SPEAKER_02 11:15

I think all of our PTAs do a really good job of including everyone. And we've got a lot of diversity with male and female members, every religion, every color, background.

SPEAKER_03 11:24

What about benefits? How do you think parents benefit from PTA participation?

SPEAKER_02 11:31

It just keeps you more informed. It gives you a voice. It's a great place to make friends. It's a great place to mostly have your ideas heard. If you want to do something differently, voice your opinions, get to know your teachers better, your administration.

SPEAKER_03 11:46

I've heard that there's even like specialty PTA groups. Is that true?

SPEAKER_00 11:52

Let me circle back about the benefits a little bit. Florida PTA provides trainings, usually by Zoom meetings, on various different aspects of leadership, advocacy, and just the basic of running a PTA local unit. Anyone that becomes a member has access to national PTA's leadership and professional development courses under a thrive, what they call their Thrive coursework. So with your membership and the email that you use to sign up, if you go to the National PTA website, you log in. I think you have to create another login, but anyway, you have access for about 50 small modules of coursework that you can do at your own speed and time. You actually get a little certificate. I like to tell my local unit leaders that it may benefit them not only in PTA, but in their professional careers and personal life. So there is some benefits like that that may enhance their ability in their careers and through life.

SPEAKER_03 12:55

Well, that's definitely not an expected perk.

SPEAKER_00 12:59

Yeah. You get a lot for five to ten dollars.

SPEAKER_03 13:01

No kidding. Yeah. And more than the return on a cup of coffee, that's for sure. So talk to me about these specialty groups. Like I heard there was one for special needs kids.

SPEAKER_00 13:11

So Florida PTA does have a special education PTA. It's a statewide PTA that anyone can join. Now, when I say statewide, it doesn't mean that somebody in Alaska couldn't join it. Anyone can join any PTA. Doesn't matter where you live, who you are. If you decide you want to join the special education PTA, and Florida PTA has the Kaleidoscope PTA, which is for the LGBTQ community. It's relatively new. It's only been founded for, I think, three or four years. And then there's Sunshine State PTA, which is again a statewide one. And it was originally, I believe, formed for homeschool parents, for people to still be belong to PTA and still have a connection and a voice and advocacy, and to understand how the homeschool parents could interact with the public school system because they most of them, I believe, still have to deal with the public school system. So that was how that was formed. And there may be another which I can't recall at this moment.

SPEAKER_03 14:18

I didn't even know that there was these like subgroups. And how great is that? Because I think parenting is y'all are doing the Lord's work, right? Like it's not an easy road. And so to have a potential community of other parents in the same state and in the same school district, that's pretty powerful.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

And the interesting thing that a lot of people don't know is that you can join as many PTAs as you'd like. Just because you joined your child's PTA at his school doesn't mean you can't join a state PTA or the PTA that was at the elementary, middle, or high school that you went to. You can join as many as your bank account will allow you to. And we encourage that because the more you are involved, the more it will benefit your students.

SPEAKER_03 15:08

How would a parent bring an idea or a concern to the PTA? What's the best way to do that?

SPEAKER_00 15:16

You can email to president at ecta.org.

SPEAKER_03 15:20

Okay. And then if they want to go to a meeting and that's the way that they want to connect, have their idea heard, how do they figure out when and where the meetings are?

SPEAKER_00 15:29

So if they're a member, they should get notification of a meeting at the school. With the advent of social media, usually it is promoted on either the school's website or the PTA's school's Facebook page or the PTA's Facebook page. At the county level, we do the same thing. We promote it on a public-facing Facebook page and also send it out through email to all the members in the county.

SPEAKER_03 15:58

How does the PTA collaborate with teachers and administrators? What's that relationship look like?

SPEAKER_02 16:05

Communicating, open communication. I know that I'm at NB Cook and our principal comes to all of our meetings, and our assistant principal usually attends as well. And they're always open for questions if parents have things they want to know and they usually give a little update and tell us about things going around on campus that we might have missed.

SPEAKER_03 16:24

I totally thought it would be more bureaucratic than that. I mean, that sounds very organic that, you know, well, in your case anyway, that your principal attends.

SPEAKER_00 16:34

Yes, the principal is definitely involved with the PTA. It is best practice for the PTA and principal, PTA president and principal to stay in communication, collaborate, see how the PTA can support what the principal wants going on at his school, and vice versa. The principal, if he joins, is part of the PTA. So we encourage the principal to join and all the teachers, because PTA stands for Parent Teacher Association. So it's a huge collaboration between parents, teachers, and the school administration.

SPEAKER_03 17:12

Is there anything that we haven't covered that you really want to make sure that parents listening hear?

SPEAKER_02 17:20

I feel like now is the time more than ever that you need to be involved. I mean, parental involvement is just so key right now. They don't realize, a lot of people don't realize how important their voice is, how important their ideas are, how much they need to be heard, they need to be advocating for their children. Because a lot of times people have the same questions, the same concerns, and they just they don't know that other people are thinking just like they're thinking. And why, especially now? I just feel like ever since COVID, it's just we have less and less parental involvement. I think a lot of parents just assume that teachers are taking the leap. And with a classroom of 23 plus kids, you know, you just don't have time to give everybody all the individual attention they need all the time. You need that at home, and you need parents in the schools, and you need parents asking questions.

SPEAKER_03 18:07

So you feel like PTA is kind of that built-in container bridge the gap for that back and forth.

SPEAKER_02 18:12

Interesting. And we have a lot of teachers that are PTA members and they attend meetings as well. And then they're right there to tell us like what they need, and we can ask, how can we help you? How can we assist? Do you need volunteers in the classroom to help with answering math problems? And I mean, that's how I got started. I mean, I never thought that I would be working in a school, and I'm going on four years now as a teacher assistant, and I love it. And I just I had no idea I'd be good working with kids until I started volunteering with PTA. And it just they led to a whole career change, and it's just been life-changing.

SPEAKER_00 18:43

We have a lot of PTA local unit leaders that end up being an employee of the school district since they got involved with PTA. The parents who get involved with PTA and do volunteer within the school system or the school, their child's school, they get to learn more about the school and truly firsthand see what great things are happening in our school instead of relying on someone whose child went through the school years prior. And it may be a negative, and every entity has a negative at times, but there's constant change. And we as a school district and as a PTA, we're always striving to improve. And so it changes year to year. And if you don't stay in touch with the school your child's going to or will be going to, and rely on other people's perspectives, then you don't really know the great things that are going on inside of our schools. And so that's a big perk of being involved with PTA.

SPEAKER_03 19:50

What would be the next best step if a listener, after hearing this, is like, okay, I will check it out. What should they do?

SPEAKER_00 19:58

They should reach out to their school where their child goes and find the email or phone number of the PTA president or another board member. And if they cannot find that, then reach out to the school secretary, stop in and ask, hey, I hear you have a PTA. How do I get information on it? The front office of the school should be able to help them.

SPEAKER_03 20:22

Perfect.

SPEAKER_00 20:22

They could reach out to us also at the county council level. We do have a website, ecta.org, and there is a list of the 32 active local units in our county. So 32 of our schools have a PTA, and they're all doing very well in supporting the students' educational journey.

SPEAKER_03 20:43

Thank you, ladies, so much for talking about this. Thank you for myth busting with me. I appreciate that. And here's to a good school year with lots of parental involvement. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks for listening. Be sure to subscribe and share. Voices United in Education is a production of Escambia County Public Schools.