The president must posses strong leadership skills. She ensures all officers understand their roles and delegates specific tasks to the officers and volunteers. She also serves a a liaison between the board and principal. Maintaining a good relationship with the school's principal and keeping that administrator informed of the organization's activities is essential for PTO effectiveness. The president is also responsible for general oversight of the board's finances, including the annual budget, bank records and accounting system.
The vice president's main role is to assist the president with her duties. He is called on to run board meetings in her absence and to perform other tasks delegated by the president. Effective vice presidents are active in developing long-range plans. The vice president may also use specific experience to enhance his role, such as in fund-raising or organizing events such as carnivals and bazaars.
The secretary's main job is to compose the meeting agenda, as well as record and type meeting minutes. She is also responsible for distributing the agenda and minutes to other board members. In addition, she will arrange the meeting room and organize name tags. The secretary is often called on to serve as the public relations representative for the board. She gets the word out about upcoming events and fund-raisers, handles correspondence, and communicates with parents, teachers and community members regarding activities of the PTO. This can be done in a variety of ways, including broadcast emails, newsletters, press releases and bulletin board postings.
The treasurer is the money manager of the board. It's essential he be organized, detail-oriented and good with numbers. He maintains the bank account and files pertinent to finances, and informs the board regarding the feasibility of purchases. The treasurer should be familiar with PTO bylaws and the treasurer's manual. He should also have a thick skin, politely reprimanding those who don't adequately follow the board's financial policies, particularly that of supplying receipts and following other record-keeping procedures.