UPC Academy
Everything a PTO, PTA, or booster leader needs, in one page instead of a folder of slide decks.
This page reflects what UPC knows as of each section's last-reviewed date below. Vendors, pricing, and tools change. Always confirm current policies, approvals, and forms with your site principal or PVSchools leadership before acting — this page is a starting point, not the final word.
Getting Organized
Last reviewed: Spring 2025
The legal and procedural backbone of running a parent group — bylaws, meetings, and how the group itself is structured.
Bylaws
Bylaws should be reviewed and updated or amended every 2–3 years. If your group needs to write bylaws from scratch, start with a template rather than a blank page.
- PTO Bylaws FAQ — PTOToday.com
- How to Write PTO Bylaws — PTOToday.com
- Sample Bylaws and Annotated Bylaws (with section-by-section descriptions) — PTOToday.com
- PTA-specific bylaw templates — AZPTA.org
Running a Meeting
- Start and end on time — every time.
- Use Robert's Rules of Order to keep votes and decisions organized and defensible later.
- Meeting minutes are legal documents. They may be referenced later to resolve a financial or procedural disagreement, so keep them even for informal meetings.
Group Structure & Elections
- Incorporation and 501(c)(3) status are worth understanding even if your group doesn't pursue them immediately — they affect liability and whether donations are tax-deductible.
- Keep organized records: PTOToday's record-keeping rules cover what to retain and for how long.
- Plan your election and board transition process before you need it, not during it.
Money & Treasurer
Last reviewed: Spring 2026
You don't need a finance background to be treasurer. You need a budget, two signatures, and a monthly habit.
Core Duties
- Build a budget for the new school year and present it to the board for approval.
- Put financial controls in place: require two signatures on checks, keep a paper trail of receipts, reconcile to the bank monthly, and report to the group monthly.
- Conduct an end-of-year audit (see below).
- GASB 39 report: sent out in May, due mid-August, each year.
Taxes
File IRS Form 990 annually if your group is a registered 501(c)(3). Returns are due the 15th day of the 5th month after your fiscal year ends — for a fiscal year ending June 30, that's November 15. Groups earning under $50,000/year typically qualify for the simplified 990-N, which requires no professional help.
Accounting Tools
- Excel or Google Sheets — free, sufficient for most groups.
- QuickBooks — easy to use; discounted (around $80/yr) through TechSoup.
- PTOToday's Finance Manager — newer platform built for treasurers, around $139/year.
- Membership Toolkit — more robust, around $550/yr.
- Money Minder — used by some groups as an alternative.
Accepting Online Payments
| Platform | Fees |
|---|---|
| Zeffy | None; optional tips |
| GiveButter | None, as long as optional tips are shown to donors |
| GiveLively | 0.8% for ACH; 1.99–3.5% via Stripe/PayPal |
| PayPal | 1.99% + $0–0.49; none for ACH |
| Every.org | 1.99–2.2% + $0.30; none for ACH |
| CheddarUp | 3.95% + $0.95 |
Annual Audit
- Use a 3–5 person audit committee with no prior access to the checkbook or bank account.
- Good habits make this nearly automatic: organized files, sequentially ordered canceled checks, receipts stapled to authorization forms.
- Typical records requested: bank statements, reconciliation reports, check register, canceled checks, reimbursement forms with receipts, deposit slips, and the annual budget.
TechSoup and Goodstack both offer discounted nonprofit pricing on tools mentioned throughout this page — commonly QuickBooks, Zoom (around 50% off), and Constant Contact. Check both before paying list price for anything on this site.
Fundraising
Last reviewed: Spring 2026
Fundraising doesn't have to be overwhelming or sales-heavy. A mix of passive fundraisers, community events, active campaigns, and sponsorships spreads the load and builds school spirit along the way.
Making the Most of a Fundraiser
- Set clear goals early — it guides your events and makes success easy to measure.
- Offer a mix of high-energy, low-key, and passive options so more families can participate.
- Be transparent about what the money funds — playground equipment, supplies, field trips.
- Remind families to check for employer donation matching.
- Make giving easy — QR codes, Venmo, or a donation link beat a paper form.
- Share progress regularly, and recognize donors publicly.
Active Fundraisers
- Pledge drives — a direct ask, no product to sell. ChooseBooster.com is a popular partner with positive reviews in our district.
- Silent auctions — hosted via 32Auctions, Zeffy, GiveButter, or RallyUp; class baskets and student art are typically top sellers.
- Penny Wars — a friendly change-collecting competition between classes; confirm with site leadership before running it.
- "A-thons" — walk-, read-, or dance-a-thons that get kids and families involved.
- Double Good Popcorn — roughly 50% profit back to the school; works well for sports/booster clubs.
- Book fairs, carnivals/fall festivals, product sales, holiday shops, and glow/color runs round out the list.
Passive Fundraisers
- Fry's Community Rewards — enroll a Fry's card once, a portion of every trip goes back to school.
- Box Tops for Education — scan receipts via the app.
- Kendra Scott give-back events — 20% back, in-store and online.
- Spiritwear vendors — Industry Print Solutions (Huddle Up) and 1stPlaceSpiritwear.com are low-effort options currently used in the district.
- RaiseRight gift cards, Label Daddy (25% back on customizable labels), car wash fundraising codes, and recycling programs (TerraCycle, GotSneakers).
Community-Building Fundraisers
- Restaurant nights — Chick-fil-A, Peter Piper Pizza, and Sonic have consistently been top performers district-wide (often $600+ each).
- Back-to-school and year-end events (Meet the Teacher, Popsicles in the Park, Yearbook Signing).
- Activity partners — SkyZone, trampoline parks, mini golf, bowling alleys often give a percentage back.
- Kona Ice or similar trucks after dismissal, movie nights, fun runs, bingo nights, book swaps, teacher/principal challenges, art shows, and paint nights.
Sponsorships
- On-campus banners, digital visibility on your site/social/newsletter, and event participation (a sponsor table or booth).
- T-shirt logos on spiritwear, family "naming rights" for a space, backpack stuffers, and event naming rights (e.g. "Fall Festival presented by...").
Event Planning
Last reviewed: Spring 2025
The paperwork trips people up more than the event itself — get it lined up early.
Required Forms
- Certificate of Insurance — confirm with your Athletic Director exactly who needs to be listed; this has caused confusion district-wide.
- Permit for Use of School Facilities and a Facility Use Agreement.
- Any special-request documentation and, if applicable, a volunteer-hour tracking form.
Financials
- Use a cost-modeling worksheet before committing to a vendor or venue.
Marketing
- Share your events with district communications so they can help promote it.
- Share event photos with UPC for cross-promotion.
- Free flyer templates are available through PTOToday; the district also runs an eFlyer partner program.
A current list of vendors who've worked with UPC and are open to working with parent groups lives in the Resource Library below — check there rather than reusing an old list.
Communications & Branding
Last reviewed: Spring 2025
Reaching families takes more than one channel — and a few hard rules protect your group and the district.
Reaching Families
- Newsletters — Constant Contact, Membership Toolkit, or Mailchimp's free tier all work; Smore is a lighter option some PV principals still use.
- Social — link Facebook and Instagram through Meta Business Suite to post to both at once and schedule ahead.
- Graphics — Canva's free tier covers most needs; the paid tier is free for 501(c)(3)s. PTOToday's Clip Art Gallery, ilovepdf.com, and iloveimg.com are free add-ons.
- Text messaging — see PTOToday's list of texting apps in the Resource Library.
Coordinate with your school's own newsletter schedule too — many principals will include parent group information if you submit it by their deadline.
Communicating Within Your Board
- Google Workspace for shared docs and slides.
- Slack or the BAND app for quick chat, with separate channels per project (fundraising, event planning, etc.).
Logo & Messaging Rules
- Always be clear about who a message is from — a PTO/PTA email has more messaging flexibility than a mention in a principal's newsletter, which must conform to district guidelines.
- Use your parent group's own logo on your materials.
- Never use the school logo on parent group messaging unless the principal has approved a joint message.
- Never use the District logo without both principal and District approval.
- Every message should have a clear point and a clear call to action.
Growing Involvement
Last reviewed: Spring 2025
A handful of tactics show up at nearly every high-attendance parent group. None of them require a big budget.
Meeting Attendance
- Feed people — even a simple pizza dinner changes turnout.
- Offer childcare informally — middle or high schoolers supervising younger kids in exchange for community service hours works well.
- Start and end on time. Handle business first, then let people socialize.
- Publicize meeting time and agenda well in advance, across multiple channels — social media, newsletters, even a printed poster on campus.
- Invite your principal for a short Q&A each meeting — it builds a direct connection and keeps parents informed.
- Offer a virtual or hybrid option, and vary meeting times across the year (morning, after school, evening) to reach more families.
- Open the year with something social — an ice cream social with light entertainment for kids works well as a kickoff.
- Add a short parent-education segment after the business portion of the meeting.
Drawings and small giveaways help attendance — a school t-shirt or a $5 gift card are common examples, not requirements.
Board & Committee Recruitment
- Advertise open roles with clear, specific descriptions of the time commitment and support available.
- Ask teachers and principals directly — they often know which parents are already showing interest.
- Offer "co-" positions (co-secretary, co-fundraising chair) to lower the barrier to saying yes.
- If you're a middle or high school, reach out to your feeder elementary schools for incoming parent leaders.
Engaging Staff
- A teacher or staff representative on the board strengthens communication and helps drive staff participation.
- The president meeting regularly with the principal keeps both sides aligned.
Resource Library
For anything not covered above, or for the underlying source material.
Vendor & Tool Links
Every named tool, vendor, and template above, kept as live links in one document.
Open in Google Drive →PVSchools Booster Guidelines
The district's official Support Organization guidelines, for anything district-specific.
Open PDF →Past Training Recordings
Full slide decks and video from past live workshops, for context beyond this page.
Watch on YouTube →