Central Hudson Region Membership Chair (RMC) – Jennifer McPhee
This is my third year as the RMC and although things should be on cruise control this year, 2020 had other plans. My favorite part of being an RMC is helping units work through issues and achieve their goals. I look forward to working with our units this year to find new ways to grow their memberships during these unprecedented times and I can’t wait to be able to gather in person with the Central Hudson Region community, sometime soon. I have truly enjoyed being on the Region Board for the past 5 years — first as Corresponding Secretary, then Associate Director and RMC. I treasure the friendships I have made and being a part of the NYS PTA family.
Clarkstown High School North PTSA has had tremendous success with membership since migrating to the online MemberHub store last year, and it has helped significantly with the obstacles they encounter today due to COVID-19. They currently have 628 members and are 75% of the way toward their membership goal. Membership Chair, Hollie Evans Bialek, says that the ease of the MemberHub store allows everyone to enroll and enroll earlier than ever before. In a time of hybrid/remote classes, communication is key, and they rely on the MemberHub messaging system, as well as the Remind app and their PTSA Facebook page. The quick, short reminders through these platforms seem to be working and getting everyone’s attention. They have also enlisted the help of the school’s guidance department in getting PTSA membership information to parents and families, since not everyone uses the platforms available online.
This year the PTSA is offering a free Clarkstown North face mask with every membership. CHSN’s PTSA President, Angela Barry created the masks and they are a huge hit.
Hollie comments, “I love MemberHub! We started an online school store as well and we have already sold hundreds of items. The system has helped significantly in selling inventory we had in closets for many years”.
Another unit we would like to highlight is the Monroe-Woodbury Senior High School PTSA. Just this week they surpassed their membership goal for the year with no signs of slowing down. PTSA president Dawn Tauber and her board are very proud and excited about their membership so far. They have also been collaborating with their teacher representatives/union reps to promote membership within the staff. The Principal helps by sending out a welcome email from the PTSA with a link to MemberHub as well as a paper membership form to the entire school community. To keep things exciting, they hold raffles where your PTA membership is all you need to enter. This year they gave away GO GOLD shirts to promote pediatric cancer awareness.
What they are most proud of is their newly created Student Leadership Committee. Interested students apply, and 2 from each of the freshman, sophomore, and junior classes, and 5 from the senior class are selected to form the committee. They work alongside the PTSA Executive Board; planning and running meetings and; participating in the decision-making process, as well as bringing their own initiatives and events to the PTSA and working though all stages of the planning and execution of that initiative/event. It has created an opportunity to showcase the PTSA to the student body and their families, and they feel that it has helped their membership grow.
Thank you to all the units in the Central Hudson Region who work tirelessly every day for our children.