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Volunteer wants to take over PTO

14 years 5 months ago #152314 by Averytop
Replied by Averytop on topic Re:Volunteer wants to take over PTO
I really feel for this situation..I am the President of the PTO and sometimes, I wonder if this is really so because others want control over everything and haven't even paid their dues!!..LOL..I mean, what is the purpose of having a President?
Recently, I've discovered that people will steal your ideas and run with it!! This seems to be a pretty unfair practice and it's really disgraceful, but depending on what your goals are, it can be dealt with in a fair manner...LOL...I find myself not sharing as much with those folks anymore! GOOD LUCK!
14 years 5 months ago #152182 by Ann
Replied by Ann on topic Re:Volunteer wants to take over PTO
I am interested in hearing how this turns out for you. We have a similar situation, but ours involves a former officer who resigned. They didn't want to do the work assigned to their office, but want to control everything else. Now they are trying to get involved in everything, and in a very domineering way (imagine a steamroller if you will..). We have no support from the principal, as he justs wants everyone to get along.
It's really difficult to keep the other officers on board, as nobody wants to deal with this individual.
14 years 6 months ago #152071 by MIDad
Replied by MIDad on topic Re:Volunteer wants to take over PTO
This is a tough situation, made tougher by the precedent you've set of letting her get away with whatever she wants to do -- and even before that, with treating her as an equal to the Board. Your heart was in the right place there, but it's a dangerous precedent, as you've learned. I'm afraid the solution will be uncomfortable for you, but you'll probably have to get tough with her (them, really, since the parliamentarian is conspiring with her).

Start gently by reminding her of how much you appreciate all she's done for the PTO and the school. But then ask her nicely to remember that there is a Board and a process, and remind her (still nicely) that she was not elected by the parents; you were. And definitely tell her that further unbudgeted expenses she incurs without Board approval will not be paid. If she promises to straighten up and fly right, thank her for her understanding and be done with the conversation -- but monitor.

If she objects, baldly says she's going to keep right on doing it no matter what you say, or promises to change but doesn't, then you'll have to get tough. The first thing I would do at that point is to change the lock on the PTO room so her key won't open it any more; you'd probably need help from the principal for that, and might have to offer to pay for it from PTO funds. Remove the parliamentarian from office if necessary. Tell the principal and all teachers -- and maybe even parents, since the renegades have communicated directly with them -- that neither the volunteer nor the (former) parliamentarian represent the PTO or are authorized to act in its behalf.

I hope it doesn't come to that, but you need to have a talk with her (them) before it gets worse. Good luck!
14 years 6 months ago #151969 by Melissa
Volunteer wants to take over PTO was created by Melissa
There's this one volunteer who helps us out as often as she can. We've shown our appreciation by allowing her to sit in during PTO Board Meetings and we treat her as an equal to us. That would be myself, I am the PTO President, the secretary and the treasurer.
A few weeks before the Christmas holidays this volunteer and a PTO Board member,The Parliamentarian, who I have to say has not made an effort to help with anything, decided to reorganize the PTO room without our knowledge. We walked in one day and everything was moved around and some stuff was thrown away. Ok we thanked them and left it alone.
For the teachers luncheon, this volunteer and PTO Board member took it upon themselves to decide what the teachers would have for their luncheon. They took the teachers orders and left us for last to order our lunch and since the teachers had already ordered we felt we had no choice but to agree. Ok we let that go also.
We had a PTO Board meeting before the Christmas Holidays with the Principal of our school and we gave her a list which showed when we'd be doing our Friday Sales. The Parliamentarian was told about this meeting and she chose not to attend. We held the meeting without her.
She and the volunteer took it upon themselves to do a Friday sales without discussing it with the rest of the PTO Board. They sent notes out to the students and at the last possible minute asked the treasurer for a check to purchase items needed at the Sams Club. We were against this from the get go but since they sent notes out to the students to go home for the parents we felt our hands were tied.
What can we do to stop this volunteer from thinking she can do whatever she wants when she wants to do it. We've run out of popcorn and butter, which we sell during our Friday sales, because whenever she feels like it, she goes into our PTO room and pops popcorn. She takes it home for movie night. Which was fine with us at first but then we started noticing shed pop it whenever she felt like eating it.
I dont know what to do and it's driving us crazy with everything shes doing without asking the PTO Boards approval.
Any advice anyone??
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