The Central Council PTA, with eight elementary schools in the Layton and Kaysville area, has a few schools struggling to maintain membership levels high enough to remain a part of the national PTA organization.
If schools do not get a certain percentage of membership, they are at risk of losing their participation in the national level PTA programs, such as Reflections, Battle of the Bands, and Red and Green Ribbon Weeks that teach safety and drug prevention.
Two of the schools have severely low membership, with numbers below 150, while most of the schools are averaging around 200, which is still discouragingly low considering that many of these schools have 400 to 500 families, said Nicole Miller, the Central Council PTA president.
Despite low membership numbers for some schools, Davis County, on a whole, is bringing in large numbers, said Jeana Stockdale, Utah PTA region director for Davis County.
"The Central Council might be struggling, but I really think they just may not be seeing the numbers they are used to," she said. "We've seen some great things happening, so I think we'll see those numbers increase."
One of the biggest problems PTA is encountering is that many parents assume if they sign up for PTA, they will have to invest numerous hours volunteering at the school.
With many moms having to return to work in this economy, many are hesitant to sign up, Stockdale said.
Parent volunteer and membership donations do go hand in hand with helping students at local schools; however, PTA leaders want parents to know that volunteering at the school requires only three hours for the year.
"We are asking parents to commit to three hours during the school year that can even be broken down into smaller chunks," Miller said.
"We want parents to see that this is achievable since we know there are many demands on family time."
The PTA at Creekside Elementary had its lowest number of parents helping in classrooms last year, so members are focusing on increasing the number of volunteers this year.
"We want to help support our principal, and together we are working on a plan to help support our teachers. Where most of the classes have 30 or more students, we need parents to come in and help," said Julie Stephenson, PTA president at Creekside Elementary.
She thinks parents may not fully understand what PTA is or may downplay the importance of a parent-teacher school alliance.
"Many parents think, 'Who cares if we don't have moms and muffins?' but the kids do," Stephenson said.
"It's the idea of parents coming in and showing their child it is important when they sit down and read with them. Signing up for PTA does not mean you are signing your life away."
Creekside Elementary Principal Vickie Jessen knows the PTA help is critical for the school.
"The volunteer hours are so needed and appreciated," she said.
"The additional activities we are able to have as a result of our PTA are things that teachers just would not have time to do and provide great opportunities for kids.
"Some of these activities are the things that bring parents into the school when they would not otherwise come."
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