Would love to see the text - don't need it right now, but I've been making files from the forum, vendor contacts I've talked to, etc. and am of the mind that I'd rather not need it and have it than need it and not be able to find it.
I am on Cloud 9, or maybe 10...
Last week I sent home to all parents a letter telling them that our group would be disbanding, unless we had volunteers for officers at our next meeting. I told them how this would impact them (no Science Fair, Family Fun Night, classroom funds, etc.) and we had STANDING ROOM ONLY at our last meeting!
Not only did we elect all officers, we elected 2 Presidents! (the office is just too much for one person). We are going to work on strengthening committees, so the officers don't have to do so much work this next year.
If any of you would like a copy of the text I used in my 'threatening' letter, I will post it....I agonized over being too negative, but it did work and the response was so positive!
Thanks for your feedback and advice, Liz
I like the bribery idea, we have done the breakfast bribe before, but it hasn'r worked and I ended up 'sacrificing' myself to too many glazed raised!
Actually, workers aren't the problem, officers are.
One of the solutions we've thought about is simply having 'work parties' - no regular meetings, just groups that center on accomplishing specific tasks. We know pretty much what the timelines are for these groups, anyway, so could give the 'chair' of each one an outline. They would be responsible for getting funds to our treasurer (who, thankfully, we DO still have for next year) and coordinating everything.
We also have a new volunteer coordinator coming on board who could help, too.
My sneaky idea was to make the 'chair' of these committees a board member. Out of this board, I would hope that someone would come up who would be capable of leading as President, if not next year, then maybe the year after.
Is this crazy? I'm still hoping someone out there has a way that they've run their group successfully, in a more nontraditional way....like a council or something like that.
Our parents and teachers were notorious for not attending or helping. At our first meeting, I promised everyone who attended a free gift. I got 2000-2002 date books donated (because 2000 was just about over at the time...lol). If they can make it for freebies, they can make it for other things...lol...
OK - this has been the Year from Hell. Well, not completely - everything has gone well but no matter what we do, no one wants to be accountable. Gosh, we have LOTS of hard working parents, but none of them want to be on our booster board or in any way take responsibility. So - we are heading into another school year next fall with no board officers...some are 'graduating', some are moving to other positions at school, but most of us are simply burned-out.
I have read all the ideas, agonized over this, worked hard to recruit, etc. Its time to think of a NEW way, because this problem has been going on for more than 10 years now. We are in an area of 50% single-parent, 95% working outside the home parents, and have a 30% transient rate at our school (meaning 1/3 of our kids move in and out of the school in a year). What I am saying here is that the traditional board idea isn't going to work.
I would love to hear from anyone out there who has tackled this same problem creatively....did you 'meet' online? Is there a way to structure your governing board to get rid of traditional board roles and still get things done and books balanced? I am concerned with making the opportunity available to everyone, so not real crazy about online boards, but am open to any new ideas out there.
