Common Questions about the PTA

Why should I join the PTA? Most simply, to be involved in the school. Joining the PTA shows you’re engaged and involved in your student’s school. Joining the PTA is also an excellent way to connect with other parents at the school. PTA membership is an excellent way to stay informed on what’s going on at Twain, through info passed at PTA meetings, attending events, and the monthly PTA newsletter. 

I don’t have time to volunteer, so why should I join? Even if you are not able to volunteer time at the school or on a PTA committee, you should join the PTA…just joining the PTA shows you care and also helps the PTA financially since we are primarily funded by our membership dues. There are also ways to help out the school that do not involve volunteering your time, such as sending in items for school and PTA events.

Do I have to attend PTA meetings? If I come to a PTA meeting, will I be “volunteered” to help on a committee? While we love having as many members as possible attend meetings, it is not necessary that you attend. You can submit feedback to the PTA board at any time and we do our best to keep the PTA section of the Twain website updated. We also pass information via the monthly PTA newsletter. As for the concern about being “volunteered” to be on a committee- if you attend a PTA meeting, surprisingly we’ve heard lots of people voice this concern as a reason for not attending meetings. Please don’t worry- we love our volunteers and couldn’t function without them, but do not sign people up to with things unless they express a desire to do so.

What if I want to volunteer/help out, how do I do that? If you are interested in volunteering, there are lots of ways to help. The MTMS PTA sends out help requests via Sign Up Genius emails, which are easy to use. We may send out requests for items to be sent in, such as baked goods for an event, or requests for volunteers to help with events, which could include chaperoning dances or socials, and selling tickets for events. If you’d like to be part of a committee, there are lots of different committees to join, such as dance/social planning, Spirit Wear sales, and more. To learn more about volunteering, please contact our Membership & Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected]

Do you really do limited fundraising? Yes, our fundraising is limited and our funding comes primarily through our membership dues. We realize your time is valuable and try to keep our fundraising efforts easy and low pressure. In addition to our membership dues, we bring in funds by making a small profit on events and Spirit Wear sales. Our only regular fundraisers are occasional Restaurant Nights and the monthly Market Day fundraiser. The PTA will not send home packets asking you to sell wrapping paper or cookie dough. We may hold additional fundraisers for a specific purpose, such as in the past when fundraising for the electronic school sign. We may hold a special event or host a raffle as a means of fundraising for this purpose. 

Can I make a donation to the PTA? Absolutely! Donations to the PTA, either for the general fund or for a specific purpose, are always welcome. The MTMS PTA is a 501(c)(3) organization and donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE. To donate online, please visit our givebacks store.

For more info or questions about the MTMS PTA, please contact the PTA President, at [email protected].