May PTA President Newsletter: What to Communicate This Month

May is the most emotionally charged month in the PTA calendar. The year is almost done, everyone is tired, and there is still a lot to communicate. A good May newsletter from the PTA president does three things well: it honors what the community built together this year, it covers what families need to know about the final stretch, and it sets up next year before anyone goes quiet for the summer.

Open With Gratitude That Feels Real

Do not open your May message with a generic "what a year it has been." Open with a specific moment that captures what made this year meaningful. "I will never forget watching 200 families show up to our spring carnival on a Tuesday evening after a full day of work and school. That turnout told me everything about what this community is." Specificity is what separates a president's message from a form letter. Give families a memory to hold onto as they head into summer.

Recap the Year in Three to Four Lines

Families who attended every event know what happened. Families who missed half the year do not. A brief recap in your May message fills in the gaps and reinforces the PTA's value. "This year we funded $4,200 in classroom supplies, hosted six community events, welcomed 87 new member families, and sent 120 volunteer hours to the school." Numbers like these are easy to include and have a real impact on how families perceive the organization going into next year.

Cover Final Events Clearly

May is packed: field day, awards ceremonies, fifth-grade or senior celebrations, teacher appreciation, spring concerts. List each event with its date, time, and what families need to do before it, whether that is signing a permission slip, bringing a food item, or simply showing up. If any event requires a volunteer, name the specific commitment needed and give a direct link or email to respond. Vague asks in busy months get ignored.

Name Your Volunteers

The May newsletter is the right place to publish a real volunteer appreciation section. List committee chairs by name and committee. If space allows, list every volunteer who put in significant time. People who see their name in print feel recognized in a way that a general thank-you cannot match. People who see a friend's name are reminded that real community members do this work, not just the same three people every year.

Share a Quick Financial Summary

You do not need to publish a line-item budget in the newsletter. You do need to give families a headline. Something like: "Our PTA raised $18,400 this year through fundraising and membership. We spent $16,100 on school programs, supplies, and events, and will carry $2,300 into next fall." Families who see their money accounted for clearly are more likely to rejoin and donate next year. Transparency is one of the most powerful membership retention tools available.

Plant the Seed for Fall Involvement

May is one of the best times to recruit for next year because families are feeling good about the school community. Include a brief paragraph about open committee chair positions or board roles. "We are looking for someone to lead the fall fundraiser and someone to chair our family engagement committee next year. These are part-time commitments with real support from the board. Email me if you are curious." You will be surprised how many families say yes when asked directly in May rather than after a summer of silence.

A Template to Adapt

Here is a closing message structure you can use directly: "This has been a year I am proud of, and it happened because of you. Thank you to every family who showed up, donated, volunteered, or simply cheered us on. Our final events this month include [list]. One last ask: we need [specific role] for [specific event]. Reply to this email. I will be around all summer -- reach me at [email] if you want to talk about next year. Enjoy every moment with your kids this summer. See you in September. -- [Name], PTA President."

Send Before the Last Week of School

Do not wait until the final week to send the May newsletter. By that point, families are focused on end-of-year logistics and the email gets buried. Send it in the second or third week of May when there is still time to act on event information and respond to volunteer requests. Use a tool like Daystage to schedule the send so it goes out at an optimal time -- mid-week mornings tend to get the best open rates for school communications.