North Carolina PTA is excited to announce the Elected Officials Go to School program. This program provides an opportunity for elected officials to visit, observe and participate in activities of North Carolina Public Schools. We encourage you to invite county commissioners, members of local boards of education, state legislators and other elected officials to participate in the daily routine at your school.
We encourage all PTAs to become involved in the program sometime during the school year. This is a great student project for PTSAs. It gives students a wonderful opportunity to learn about advocacy and support their school.
Participating in this program will enlighten elected officials of our schools’ needs. Our elected representatives will better understand the conditions and the educational environment of the staff and students in your school. It is important that they see the total spectrum of your school. We believe the survival of effective public education in North Carolina is dependent upon adequate laws and resources that will provide quality education throughout our state. This experience should enhance elected officials’ awareness and support as they make decisions regarding public education in North Carolina. We have included a number of suggested activities in the program guide.
Thank you for your advocacy efforts. By working together, we can make a difference in the lives of all children.
Planning the Program Checklist
- Choose the elected official you are interested in inviting to your schools – local city officials, county commissioners, state legislators, or federal representatives.
- Plan activities for elected officials’ visit at your school – Show the reality of your school. The good and where your needs are. suggestions listed below.
- Send written invitations to elected officials (sample available below)
- Make a call to your elected official to confirm and follow up with written confirmation on the date and time
- Let people know what you are doing (newsletters, announcements, social media, press releases, etc.)
- Send elected officials materials they need to have prior to school visit – directions, simple fact sheets about your school with your school’s successes and needs
- Have a great visit with your elected official. Encourage them to share their perspective with your PTA. (see The Day of Visit Below)
- Report back to NCPTA. Let us know how it went and what your thoughts are. Click here to report back.
The Day of the Visit
- Arrive early to greet visitors and escort them to the classroom and throughout the school
- Elected officials should experience a typical school day
- Encourage elected officials to have a first-hand experience with students
- Invite elected officials to have lunch in the school cafeteria
- At the end of the visit, thank the elected officials and present them with a response card (sample available below) asking them to let the NCPTA know about their visit
- Complete and return the enclosed Report Card to NCPTA
- Follow up by sending a thank you letter from your PTA, school and/or the students
Suggested Activities for Elected Official’s Visit
- Speak to class about being an elected official
- Attend a PTA meeting/activity
- Attend a School Improvement Team meeting
- Tutor a child
- Tutor hearing or visually impaired student
- Visit a special needs classroom
- Read to a child or group of students
- Eat lunch with students and staff
- Assist with playground supervision
- Lunch duty
- Bus duty
- Bathroom duty
- Hall monitor
- Computer Lab
- Chaperone a Field Trip
- After school activity
- Ride the bus
- Visit special education classes
- Visit ESL classes (English as a Second Language)
- Assist in a ISS Class (In School Suspension)
- Alternative Education
- Class changes with students
- Homeroom attendance
- Fire Drill
- Assist in school offices
- Check papers
- Lesson plan with team teachers
- Visit Guidance Counselor
- Visit School Nurse
- Accompany a teacher on a student home visit
- Check out a favorite book from the Media Center
- Carry books from class to class
- Add your own creative activities