How to hand over a PTA

[Greatballs]

Hello.

I've been Chair of our small PTA for a couple of years and am stepping down completely this summer. So far nobody fancies taking it on so I've no-one in particular to hand it over to.

Our constitution says that chair, secretary and treasurer all step down each Sept and there's a show of hands at the AGM to (re)elect people into these roles.

I'll arrange an AGM for September as I'll still be in post then but don't know what happens after that.

Any ideas?

Easy.
At the AGM either people step forward, or they don't.
If they don't then the PTA gets closed/mothballed.

Start advertising now saying no one yet take over and it will close.
Then after AGM is no takers get school to put out a final call.

If there are takers then you need to handover your job to the new people. Helps if you have stuff written down.

You're right of course, it just feels strange!

I think I'll put all the paperwork in a box with a big bow on top and take it to the meeting... and leave it there!

Have been getting the word out about replacing me and others in office for a while now but I know how these things work; someone will reluctantly step in at the 11th hour on pain of death...

Sometimes you need to go to the brink to get the new people in.
This time last year our PTA (well my now ex PTA) was desperately calling for new members. It got to Sept and the statement of no Christmas or Summer fairs, and actually no Christmas Fair before people properly stepped up. The committee is now bigger than before with involved committed helpful people.

2 important things to get handed over properly - bank accounts and signatories, and info regarding charities commission.

we did this 3 years ago.
PTA chair stepped down.
We sent out a letter saying that with no new help and a new chair the PTA would close. The following are run by PTA and would stop:
disco
summer fair
coach to swimming lessons
new books in library

We did have a number of new volunteers, and someone tok over the headship, but it wasn't a good year.

The old head picked it up again the following sept.

I think it is hard, but if you need to go, go. If no=one steps up, well that is the way it is.

This was really invaluable to me:
www.pta.co.uk/running-a-pta/managing-your-pta/handover-pack.aspx

I did a calendar with what we did when and links to the various documents (eg summer fair stall list etc) and also a handbook which had much the same information. Every document was saved onto google docs and given very Ronseal names.

My co-chair felt we shouldn't resign unless someone else had stepped forward. I was adamant that we would resign whatever as I knew otherwise we'd be doing it forever. Sure enough someone came forward.
After that I tried to be as helpful as possible to the new chairs without interfering. I'd always volunteer to do whatever stall they most wanted manning and completely own it - get all the supplies etc so that they could cross it off their things to do list. Everything they could have needed was on the handover booklet and I was always full of praise (ie didn't ever do the whole annoying 'in my day').

I am soooo glad I'm no longer in charge...

Yes. I've a feeling it might go like that.

My problem is that I can't transfer the accounts and cc stuff to someone without having a new name to put on. I suppose I could just leave it in limbo for a bit; leave my name on things rather than shutting it down immediately. Did your ex PTA close and then re-open or did you leave it dangling while the No Christmas Fair! was happening?

PS I think it's quite useful if PTAs do actually go dormant for a while as things can get stale, plus it reminds everybody that real people are working hard and that these things don't just magically happen but require input.

That's why it's worth getting really good handover documentation together. If no one does step forward then at least all the information is there waiting for when somebody does. Our predecessors had done everything in their heads and it made our job harder and we had literally no documentation.

Thanks lotsof

I'll definitely do a calendar etc to put in my big box of PTA fun!

I won't be at any meetings after September. I've been co-opted as a governor so I'm giving up the PTA, but will still be around school ( so not like we're emigrating or anything). I'll be a general helper at events but won't be organising or running anything.

Lotsof I had the same. I resurrected it from a complete mess and would like to hand it over in much better condition

We still had a treasurer so that wasn't an issue for us.
I would try to leave it dangling I think if named people are still around.

The main thing I think is to document stuff.

I created and used 'how to' lists - how to run a disco, how to run a cake fair, how to run a Christmas fair, that kind of thing. Including timings, eg send out summer fair raffle letters in March, book discos for year in Sept or whatever.

You have the right idea there. Call the election meeting, and state that you are resigning. Take all the paperwork to the meeting, and leave it behind when you depart. You will have resigned, and it will no longer be anything to do with you.

Don't forget that you get a whole new batch of parents in September. Has anyone canvassed them?

At the meeting stress people only need to even think about running events they feel up to. So if a committee says they can only do a couple of discos, then that's what the school gets.

Thanks all.

I hope it won't come to just abandoning it and that someone pops up from sonewhere. I'll try and make it as neat and tidy as possible and then cut the strings...