WGA PTO Website Has a New Look-and-Feel!

We've been busy this summer creating a central hub for all-things-WGA PTO! This year we are committed to providing clear and timely information, offering a variety of volunteer opportunities, and staying more transparent with members about PTO-funded projects.

Read on to learn about all the fun website updates!

What prompted the change?

At the end of last year we sent out a survey to WGA parents to get your feedback about our PTO efforts. Communication was our weakest area (we thought so, too)!

With multiple social media channels, classroom communication threads, school and district websites, it's hard to remember where you've seen a piece of information or when you've read an announcement!

(We totally get it! We're right there with you! We're parents, too!)

Almost 60% of parents stated Infinite Campus was their primary source of PTO-related information.

Last year, we depended on our social media channels for MOST of our messaging, thinking this was where our parents were turning to for information. We leveraged Infinite Campus the LEAST.

But clearly the data showed the opposite. Thank you to everyone who completed our survey!

So, how will we communicate better?

You did not hold back in telling us all the ways we could improve! (Anonymous surveys are the best, right?! People are so honest.) We took all the feedback to heart and adjusted our communication strategy in a few ways.

1. We will provide more advanced notice.

The single most common complaint about PTO-specific communication was its timing. By the time you came across a Facebook post or saw an announcement in Infinite Campus, the volunteer opportunity had expired or it was too late to adjust schedules to attend a family event.

Here's what we're doing about that:

• Website is the central hub for all-things-PTO. Everything you need to know will be posted here first. (Hint: bookmark wgapto.org).

• WGA PTO Monthly Newsletters via Infinite Campus. We will send a monthly newsletter to highlight upcoming events and recap latest news through Infinite Campus.

• Our Google Calendar is public. We have consolidated everything WGA, PTO, CUSD-related into one awesome calendar. We know parents live by this information (and so do we). We have the iCal link, so be sure to add/sync/subscribe our calendar to yours so you always have the latest deets.

2. We will provide more variety and clarity around volunteer needs.

WGA parents are brilliant and busy (our gifted kiddos don't fall far from the tree). They have a lot to offer, but their time is valuable. Many of you expressed the need to know a bit more detail around different activities and events in order to determine the best ways to get involved.

Makes total sense. (How else will know you know what to wear at the next Jingle Jog? Running gear? Spirit gear? Holiday gear?)

Here's what we're doing about that:

• We've added a dedicated Volunteer Manager to the PTO Team. Woot-woot! We streamlined the volunteer process so parents would have a dedicate person to contact with any questions related to volunteering.

• Diversified our volunteer opportunities. We are brainstorming with PTO committees and WGA staff/teachers to discover new ways for parents to help.

• List at-a-glance information on one volunteer page. Every volunteer post will indicate location (online/on campus), type of activity (classroom-specific, event-specific, PTO-specific, etc.) and time commitment (approximately 1 hour, 15 mins, etc.) so you can quickly determine if a volunteer opportunity is right for you.

You can help us with our volunteer efforts by filling out our Volunteer Interest Survey so we know more about your needs and preferences, too!

3. We will increase transparency about the organization.

Some of you expressed the need to have a clear distinction between WGA-PTO supported activities and WGA-hosted school events. Others of you wanted more transparency over our budget expenditures.

Here's what we're doing about that:

• Calendar items will have more granular information. At minimum, you will know if it's a PTO, WGA, or CUSD item. All PTO items (or events where PTO has a role) will include additional details and a point of contact for your reference.

• Status updates for PTO-Funded Projects. **COMING SOON** We are currently working on the best way to surface the status of big projects and purchases. These updates are presented during general PTO meetings. But we know not everyone can make those, so we want to make this information more accessible. (NOTE: Members will be required to login in order to access this information through the website).

You can always go to our support page and read "PTO Does That?" to learn all the ways we directly or indirectly support WGA.

What's next?

If you only do ONE thing this year, either...

• Bookmark wgapto.org

• Subscribe to PTO Google Calendar

We're always open to feedback. Feel free to email your comments to wgapto@gmail.com.