1. HOW TO HAVE AN
EFFECTIVE MEETING
Parliamentary Procedures and the secrets to
achieving team objectives
2. HOW TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE MEETING
“Start with the end in mind” Steven Covey
(author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People)
Want meeting attendance to grow? Run an effective meeting.
3. MEETING FUNDAMENTALS-
WHY AND WHEN AND WHO?
PTA meetings types:
• Board meetings
• Committee meetings
• General meetings
4. MEETING FUNDAMENTALS-
WHY AND WHEN AND WHO?
Board meetings
Section 7.4 Regular and special meetings. Regular meetings of the board of
directors shall be held during the fiscal year, the time to be fixed by the board of
directors at its first meeting of the fiscal year. Special meetings of the board of
directors may be called by the president or by any three members of the board, at
least three days notice having been given and the purpose of the meeting stated.
6. MEETING FUNDAMENTALS-
WHY AND WHEN AND WHO?
General meetings
Section 9.1 Regular general membership meetings. Regular general membership
meetings of this local PTA shall be scheduled by the board and held at least three
(3) times per fiscal year.
Five (5) days notice must be given to the general membership to change the date
of a regular general membership meeting.
7. THINGS TO REMEMBER
Meetings should provide information, inspiration and instruction for
local members.
General meetings are open to all PTA members and they have the
privilege of introducing motions and voting.
These privileges are limited to members of your PTA.
8. THINGS TO REMEMBER
If the attendees feel something significant was accomplished and their
time was valued, they will come back.
For best results,
• Schedule meetings that are convenient for your membership
• Say on task
• Start (and end) on time.
Poll members to find out when is the best time to hold a meeting.
You will increase your members’ participation if the meetings are held at a
time that is convenient for the majority of members.
9. THINGS TO REMEMBER
If you chair the meeting, you are the leader.
First, confirm that the meeting was called for a specific purpose.
Then, direct all conversation at the meeting to address this purpose.
10. CONDUCTING MEETINGS
The President role during
meetings:
Facilitator
To organize
Conduct the business of the PTA.
The Board’s role during
meetings:
Come prepared
Assist the president in working through
the agenda.
11. THINGS TO REMEMBER
Good meetings stay on track, follow an agenda,
and run smoothly so that all members feel
welcome and able to participate. Effective
facilitators are viewed as fair and unbiased.
12. MEETING TIPS:
Effective meetings require preparation, facilitation, inspiration and results.
Preparation means you come to the meeting ready to state the purpose
and agenda.
Facilitation means the leader (or chair) keeps the meeting on time and on
track, allowing input from the group appropriately.
Inspiration means you incorporate activities that engage participants and
generate discussion, and you use visual aids to grab attention.
Results mean that the meeting achieves one or more outcomes. Share the
results to keep participants connected to the work of your PTA.
13. MINUTES- WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL
The official record of a meeting is referred to as the minutes.
Why are minutes needed for local units?
According to the IRS, minutes need to be treated as a
permanent file and kept forever.
14. DO’S AND DON’TS
MINUTES
Do’s
All officers get a copy
Minutes prove what has taken place
Include a sign in sheet for attendance
Keep a copy in a secure file
Don’t’s
No opinions or lengthy descriptions
No quotes from speaker
Include all actions of the meeting
15. WHAT IF…..
What do I do if there is a heated debate? What does the
chair do?
Maintain your impartiality; a chair is like a judge in a court.
Ensure that all participants have a fair opportunity to express
their points of view. Robert’s Rules are designed to assist you—
the rules allow all sides to be heard and the majority to rule.
Then take control so that the meeting can continue to be
productive. Board members should remember that they also play
a role in holding an effective meeting, and they should act
professionally and ethically as they discuss even the most
controversial of issues.
16. WHAT IF…
What if someone is dominating the meeting? What does the
chair do?
Be assertive and use phrases such as, “I think we should hear
from some other attendees,” or, “Can we have some
comments from the rest of the group on this?” You may want to
ask your secretary or vice president to list names of individuals
as they raise their hands to speak so that you can call on them
in order. A good ground rule is that everyone who wants to
speak gets a chance to speak once before someone gets a
second turn.
17. WHAT IF…
What if the meeting starts off well but gets stuck on a
particular topic?
The chair facilitates the meeting and should take control and
suggest another meeting to discuss the issue at a later date, or
suggest that the concerned parties continue the discussion at
the end of the meeting. If the topic is one that requires more
time and thought, perhaps appoint a special committee or task
force to research the topic and recommend a course of action
for the next meeting. Sometimes it will be necessary to call for
a decision and then move on to the next topic.
18. WHAT IF…
What can chair do to ensure that everyone is clear on what took
place and what action is required?
Clearly state each motion before voting on each item, and clearly
state the result of the vote. Summarize the meeting; state
concisely, and in an impartial way, what was said. End with a clear
statement about what is expected to happen next. A nice touch is
to thank all who attended the meeting, tell them what got
accomplished thanks to them, and thank them for taking time to
help the PTA make a difference.
19. WHAT IF…
What if I feel like I am being the “bad guy”?
Remember that it is the role of the chair to facilitate the
meeting, making it a safe place for all members of your PTA
to participate. It is your role and responsibility to be fair and
efficient and to keep the meeting on target. At times, this
requires that you be firm. It is the role of the board to ensure
that meetings are effective. Board members should not
attempt to dominate meetings, nor should they ignore the
rulings by the chair.
20. BYLAWS AND STANDING RULES
Bylaws are the rules the local unit must
follow. All officers and board members
should be familiar with their local unit
bylaws.
Any member has a right to view your
bylaws. Your entire board should have
their own copy.
21. BYLAWS – TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE 1 NAME, ADDRESS, DATE OF ADOPTION
ARTICLE 2 PURPOSES
ARTICLE 3 BASIC POLICIES
ARTICLE 4 RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIONAL PTA AND NCPTA
ARTICLE 5 MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
ARTICLE 6 OFFICERS
ARTICLE 7 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
ARTICLE 8 COMMITTEES
ARTICLE 9 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
ARTICLE 10 COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE 11 FINANCE AND BUDGET
ARTICLE 12 NCPTA CONVENTION
ARTICLE 13 FISCAL YEAR
ARTICLE 14 PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
ARTICLE 15 AMENDMENTS
ARTICLE 16 APPLICATION OF THESE UNIFORM BYLAWS
22. STANDING RULES
Standing rules outline the procedures of the association with
specific details that are not included in the bylaws and that must
not conflict with the bylaws.
Standing Rules are a board document.
Unlike bylaws which can be changed only by membership, standing rules
can be changed more easily. Standing rules may be changed from
administration to administration or from meeting to meeting.
23. SOME EXAMPLES OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
BYLAWS AND STANDING RULES ARE:
Bylaws
Bylaws usually state the number of
meetings an association must hold or
the group responsible for setting the
meeting calendar.
Bylaws give the primary responsibilities
of officers and chairs.
If the bylaws state that the first vice
president is responsible for a program
Standing Rules
Standing rules tell where and what
time these meetings are held.
Standing rules give the specifics.
The standing rules would list the
various chairs who work with the vice
president under the first vice
president’s title.
24. WHAT IS A QUORUM, AND HOW DO I KNOW
WHAT OUR UNIT’S QUORUM IS?
The quorum is the minimum number of members who must be present to
conduct business at a PTA or board meeting.
Section 7.5 Quorum. A majority of the board of directors shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business.
Section 8.8 Quorum. Unless otherwise specified in these bylaws, a majority of the
members of any committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Section 9.4 Quorum. Either twenty (20) members or fifty percent (50%) of the
membership of this local PTA, whichever number is less, shall constitute a quorum for
the transaction of business in any general membership meeting of this local PTA.
If a quorum is not met at a meeting, then business cannot be transacted. You may
hold a PTA meeting without a quorum, but a vote cannot be taken
25. BEFORE WE GO…….ELECTIONS
Section 6.2 Election.
a. Officers who will serve for the coming fiscal year shall be elected at the last general membership
meeting of the fiscal year; these officers will assume office on July 1 and serve until the following
June 30.
b. The nominating committee shall nominate a slate of eligible candidates for election as officers of
this local PTA, as provided in Section 8.3 of these bylaws.
c. The president shall give notice of the election of officers to the general membership at least ten
(10) days before the last general membership meeting of the fiscal year, and the notice will include
the nominating committee’s slate of nominees.
d. In addition to the individuals nominated by the nominating committee, nominations from the
floor will be allowed. When there is only one nominee for an office, that election may be held
by voice vote. If there is more than one nominee for any office, election for that office must
be by ballot.
e. Only those individuals who are PTA members and who have signified their consent to serve if
elected may be nominated by the nominating committee or by floor nomination or elected to such
office.
26. ONE LAST THING……….NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Section 8.3 Nominating Committee.
a. The nominating committee shall be comprised of an odd number and no fewer than
three members; at least two of the committee members shall be board members and at
least one committee member shall be a member of the local PTA who does not serve on the
board.
b. Neither the president nor the principal shall be a member of the nominating committee.
c. Throughout the year, the nominating committee is tasked with identifying talented,
motivated, and responsible individuals to serve as officers of this local PTA.
d. Prior to the last general membership meeting each fiscal year, the nominating committee
shall prepare a slate of nominees for officers of this local PTA for the coming year, and the
president shall include that slate in the notice for the last general membership meeting, and
the chair of the nominating committee shall place such names in nomination at that
meeting, and the election shall be conducted as provided in Section 6.2 of these bylaws.