Online Membership Data Reporting (OMDR): OMDR Plus FAQs

What is “OMDRplus powered by Just Between Friends”?
A suite of services for parents combined with a system to operate PTA units

Thousands of PTAs have been using the Online Membership Data Reporting (OMDR) system to help manage their membership information.  OMDRplus powered by Just Between Friends is a new system that combines a superior system to operate PTAs (OMDRplus) with a web-based suite of services for parents.  Based on the private, secure Just Between Friends technology platform, it includes a total rewrite of the OMDR member management system previously offered to PTAs.

Who can participate?
Any parent or child in a school with a participating PTA unit

Any parent of a child in your school can participate, even if they are not currently PTA members, as long as your local PTA participates in the system.  You can also invite local school and community-based groups to participate – such as leagues, churches & synagogues, after school activities and other local groups.  Each local group that participates in your community brings additional value to the parents and children participating in those groups.

There is no charge to local PTAs or parents to use this system.

What are the benefits to local PTAs?
More service to members, better membership management

• Sophisticated electronic communications as easy to use as email
• A group calendar that your parents can customize to meet their needs that lists all the PTA and school events pertaining to them
• A directory creation system that removes 90% of the work and reduces errors.  It produces printed directories and a secure, private online directory accessible only to members of your group
• Various ways to service members of your entire community (not just PTA members), and provides incentives to become PTA members
• Membership management
• Coming soon: A volunteer recruitment and management module

What are the benefits to parents and students?
Quick communication, better organization

• One place to find all the information related to PTA, school, and other important groups in their lives.
• A customized interface that makes it easy to find just the information you want, without having to sift through information that is not relevant – including school, grade, class, and activity information.
• An easy way to update contact information is a cinch because when you update it for one PTA, school or group, you’re concurrently updating it for all your groups.
• A private directory (in some schools) that allows parents to keep better touch with each other.
• A reminder service that you can control – so you won’t get incessant reminders for inappropriate events; but you’ll get the right reminders according to the right schedule for those events and deadlines that are important to you.
• A direct line to group leaders that lets you get information to the people you need when you need it.
• A great way to make yourself available by email without putting your email address at risk.

Is it secure?
Industry standard security measures, no-spam policy protect privacy

Yes.  Just Between Friends is protected by industry standard security measures to prevent the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control. For example, we utilize encrypted user names and passwords, and encrypt data as it moves between systems.  We use data protection techniques to guard against break-ins, and our servers are placed in secure, locked environments that are not available to the public in order to protect the integrity and security of our network and systems.

Your information is not rented or sold to companies.  The only people who get to see it are the leaders of your group (and and when needed, JBF support personnel).  If your group uses the system to create a directory or roster, either on paper or online, you’ll have the ability to choose which information, if any, is shown in that directory or roster.

To ensure that only the right people have access to the right information, neither you nor other members are allowed to access group data without express approval of your group leader (in the case of PTA groups, your PTA leader); and the PTA is not allowed to include you in directories without your express consent, thereby providing a system of checks and balances to ensure privacy.

Just Between Friends maintains a strict no spam policy and by default hides your email address so it cannot be harvested and used elsewhere.  So the mail you get from the system is relevant to you and your group, and not sent by irrelevant third parties.

In addition, when your group uses Just Between Friends for its communications and directories, it means fewer copies of your email addresses are accessible, making them less susceptible to theft, scams and spam.

To learn more, review the Just Between Friends privacy pledge and policy and PTA privacy policy.

How did you get my name?
Your name was already in a PTA system

If we sent you an email or paper note asking you to join the system, you were already included as a PTA member in one or more systems used locally or nationally to manage PTA.  Our new system, powered by Just Between Friends, gives you more control over how your email address is used, including opt-in/opt-out of PTA Benefits and subscriptions, as well as inclusion in various programs based on your participating in various groups and sub-groups.

Who pays for the system?
This system is brought to you by National PTA and proud sponsors

The national PTA orgaization and proud sponsors pay for the system.  However you’ll never get spam emails from our sponsors; and all messages are family friendly.  Part of the revenue from sponsorships is shared with participating state and local PTAs, like yours, to help fund programs and activities in your local community.