Welcome back to school! That means it’s time to organize, plan, and rally your community. Whether you’re running a PTA or managing a classroom, Cheddar Up has everything you need to kick off the year with less stress and way more style.
Here’s a quick rundown of everything you’ll find in your go-to guide for a smooth start:
Your “Welcome Back to School” Go-To Guide
Back-to-School Night Events
Start the year right with a back-to-school night that gets everyone excited and informed. Check out these Top 10 Back-to-School Night Ideas for inspiration. It’s packed with creative ways to bring your school community together.
Already planning the night? The Back-to-School Night Volunteers Template is your best friend. Customize it, and organize everything from set-up crews to concession shifts.
Streamline Registration and Reveal Days
Say goodbye to piles of paperwork. Our Back-to-School Registration Template makes it easy to collect fees and forms online, no printing or stapling required.
Hosting a teacher reveal event? The Teacher Reveal Event Template adds fun and function. It is perfect for class placement announcements and spirit gear sales.
Boost Engagement with Fundraisers
If you’re planning a fundraiser, we’ve rounded up our favorite back-to-school fundraiser ideas — from merchandise sales to “sponsor a classroom” campaigns.
One easy way to get started? Try a Readathon Fundraiser. It’s fun for students, simple to run, and works great as a first campaign of the year.
The School Fundraising Calendar is a great next step for planning your efforts throughout the year. It helps you keep things fresh and fun without the last-minute scramble.
Power Your PTA Membership Drive
Kicking off a membership drive? The Join the PTA Template and PTA Membership Form Guide make it simple to collect dues, gather member info, and get more families involved.
Make Giving Easy with Supply Drives and Wish Lists
Support your school community from day one with donation drives that are super simple to run. The School Supply Drive Volunteer Sign-Up Template and Teacher Wish List Drive Template let families contribute exactly what’s needed.
Need ideas or strategy? Our School Supply Donation Drive Guide shows you how to run a drive that actually delivers, whether it’s backpacks for students or dry-erase markers for teachers.
Get Loud with School Spirit
Support your school community from day one with donation drives that are super simple to run. The School Supply Drive Volunteer Sign-Up Template and Teacher Wish List Drive Template let families contribute exactly what’s needed.
Need ideas or strategy? Our School Supply Donation Drive Guide shows you how to run a drive that actually delivers, whether it’s backpacks for students or dry-erase markers for teachers.
Welcome Back to School, the Cheddar Up Way
Make your back-to-school collections feel tailor-made — because with Cheddar Up, they are! Every collection page is fully customizable. Drop in your school colors, add banners, upload item images, and tailor forms to gather anything from shirt sizes to emergency contacts.
When you’re ready to share, use a link, QR code, or email invite. Once it’s live, Cheddar Up handles the tracking by automatically logging payments and form responses in real time, so you always know where things stand.
Need more firepower? Unlock features like eCheck payments and discount codes (Pro and Team plans), plus ticketing and Group Pages (Team plan only). They’re simple to activate and built to make your collections more flexible and efficient.
All of this and more allows you to focus on welcoming families and building community.
Before you go
As you say, “Welcome back to school,” lean on tools that save time and spark connection. Whether you’re organizing one event or the whole school year, Cheddar Up helps you pull it all off with confidence.
You may also like:
10 Best PTO and PTA Fundraising Platforms (2026)
This guide is for PTA and PTO leaders comparing fundraising platforms before making a decision.
Picking a fundraising platform should take an afternoon, not a semester. But with dozens of options out there, most PTA and PTO leaders end up doing one of two things: choosing whatever a predecessor used or going with whichever platform they heard about at a conference.
Neither approach is wrong. But if you’re setting up your group for a new year, or switching away from something that’s been driving you (and parents) a little crazy, it helps to have a real comparison.
We reviewed the field of PTA and PTO fundraising companies and narrowed it to the 10 that make sense for PTA and PTO operations. Not generic school software. Not platforms built for large nonprofits. The ones parents and volunteers are using to run fundraisers, collect dues, sell spirit wear, and get paid without chasing anyone down.
How to Run a PTA Membership Drive (2026 Guide + Letter Template)
A strong PTA membership drive sets up everything else your PTA does. Membership dues support programs, events, and initiatives throughout the school year, while a growing membership base helps build engagement across your school community.
This guide walks you through how to run a PTA membership drive from start to finish, including when to launch, how to increase sign ups, and a PTA membership drive letter template you can customize and send to families.
A PTA membership drive is the annual campaign a school’s parent-teacher association runs to recruit members and collect dues for the upcoming school year. The goal is simple: make it easy for families to join the PTA and support the programs, events, and initiatives that benefit your school community.
PTA Fundraising Letter Templates: Kickoff, Reminder, and Thank-You
Your fundraiser is set. The goal is in place. Now you need families to show up for the campaign. A well-written PTA fundraising letter is what makes that happen.
The templates below are ready to customize. Swap in your school name, your goal, and your dates. Then send.
If you’re still deciding on your fundraiser format, the PTA fundraising ideas guide covers your options from top to bottom. But if you’re already in motion, start here.
The best letters are short, specific, and personal. Families don’t need a history of your PTA. They need to know what you’re raising money for, how much you’re asking for, and where to go to give.
PTA Fundraising Ideas: 20+ Ways to Raise More Money (2026)
Most guides to PTA fundraising give you a list. This one gives you a plan. Your committee has limited time, limited volunteers, and a real revenue goal to hit.
The ideas here are organized by how much effort they take, so you can find what fits your situation and skip what doesn’t. It also covers what’s working in 2026, how to pick the right PTA fundraising ideas for your school type, and how to collect money online to make it easy for parents and volunteers.The right fundraiser depends on how much time and volunteer capacity your PTA has. These ideas are organized by effort level so you can find what fits your situation, not just what sounds good on paper. Looking for easy PTA fundraising ideas? These are low lift to set up and fast to launch. They work well when your committee is stretched thin or when you need to raise money between bigger campaigns.
