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Demystifying the PTA Board Election Process:
How the Nominating Committee Works
Did you know that we’re already starting the process of putting together a PTA Board for next year? As we start this process, I wanted to take some time to explain how it works, and invite questions. I truly believe that this process should be as transparent and inclusive as possible. I’ll try to keep this short, but there’s a lot to cover!
The first step is to confirm a nominating committee. What is the point of the Nominating Committee, you ask? The Nominating Committee does the important work of recruiting and vetting potential candidates for board leadership. The Nom Com (because, Nominating Committee is a mouthful!) is responsible for reaching out to the community for nominations and then reviewing each nomination that they receive. They will also reach out directly to anyone they think would be a good candidate for the board. They will review resumes, conduct interviews, and hold confidential deliberations. Then, at least 15 days before the June General Membership Meeting (when we will hold our election of Board Leadership), they will submit recommendations for the elected board positions (President(s), Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Treasurer, and Fundraising Chair(s)), to the General Membership (that means you! If you’re not a member yet, please sign-up here!).
In addition to the elected positions, the Nominating Committee can submit recommendations for the other open board positions for the president to approve. This works well because while searching for the leadership positions, the committee will often find folks who have a lot to offer the board but either aren’t ready to commit to taking on one of the leadership roles, or they could benefit from some experience being on the board before they move to one of the elected positions.
Now, I think it is important to note that the recommendations of the Nom Com are just that– recommendations! Anyone in the community is welcome to nominate someone from the floor at the June General Membership Meeting, for any of the elected positions. That said, the Nom Com makes recommendations from a place of real understanding of what it means to be on the Genesee Hill PTA Board, and they have the opportunity to really understand who has the qualifications and energy that we want from our leaders. So, if we choose a Nom Com that we trust, they will do the hard work for us by helping to ensure we are choosing the most qualified candidates, rather than having a popularity contest.
So, who gets to be on the Nominating Committee? You get to decide! We want folks who are thoughtful, inclusive, and able to hold confidential counsel. The general membership is tasked with confirming the Nominating Committee. We need three members for the committee, and if more than three members are interested, the committee will be the three members who receive the most votes. We are holding the vote to approve the committee at the March 13th General Membership Meeting, so mark your calendars and invite your friends! If you are interested in being on the Nom Com or know someone who you think would be a great fit, please reach out to me and I can answer any questions you have. Or just come to the March General Membership Meeting! I want to end by saying that I think this is a great chance to make your voice heard; whether you are helping to confirm the Nom Com, or actually volunteering to be on the committee yourself, this is an opportunity to help set the tone for the next Genesee Hill PTA Board.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for sticking with me!
Molly Hunt
Membership Co-Chair
membership@geneseehillpta.org
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