What your board should be doing right now

Every month of the PTO year, by role — the tasks, the deadlines that bite, and the things to start now so they're ready later. Assumes a July–June fiscal year; adjust if yours differs.

September: The launch month

September is launch month: the first general meeting, the membership drive, the fall fundraiser kickoff, and sponsorship season all land at once. In September a PTO board should run a short, welcoming first meeting, present the budget, open the fundraiser with clear money-handling rules, assign room parents, and get sponsorship letters to local businesses while their community budgets are still open.

Secretary

Publish minutes within a week

Minutes published fast build trust; minutes published in November build conspiracy theories.
Build the membership roster as forms arrive

Whatever counts as membership in your bylaws — dues, forms, or everyone — the roster determines who can vote later.
Give new chairs access to the shared drive

Every chair gets last year's notes for their event. Institutional memory only works if people can reach it.

⏰ Deadlines that bite

Sponsorship window

Local business community budgets close as fall ends — letters out this month, follow-ups in October.

📅 Start now, thank yourself later

Book the holiday shop vendor

December shop vendors and inventory need commitments by early October.
Plan conference-week meals

October–November conferences mean meal signups — and an allergy check against the favorites collection.

Prefer the readable version? Read the September guide · or see the whole PTO year at a glance.

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