OVmom- Nothing is going to change unless you and other parents that feel the same way speak up. At our meetings, most decisions are not made by the general group but all active committee chairs give oral or written reports and attendees have an opportunity to add their own comments. It's the feedback by the members that may change how an event is run.
My suggestion is to find other parents that feel the same way you do and get a spot on the agenda at the business meeting that is held before your regular speaker-type meetings. Have a concrete alternative meeting in mind before you ask for a change. It's very possible that they used to have regular meetings and that there was very little attendance so they changed it to the current style.
I am the president of our PTO and it is run much in the same way. I was elected, and I recruit the committee chairs. This is my second year and have changed the committees to each consist of 3 people instead of 1 chair person to help bring more people in. The more the better as far as I am concerned.
But, the reality is that things need to get done, and it is the responsibility of the committees that are assigned to do it and it is generaly in a short timeframe. That is their job.
We do have the committee chairs work with a group for each item they are working on - they do not do it by themselves or just with the board. I do encourage everyone to step up and get involved and if they are not on the board, working on the committees is the next best thing.
As nice as it would be to get the entire memberships opinion on everything - that is not possible. Nothing/very little would get done if we had to decide it as a group at the general meetings (which we have monthly for our PTO). Our general meetings are update meetings and open for new business (issues, concerns, etc). We also have speakers at them. We try to keep everyone aware of budget, fundraising, changes, concerns, etc that are going on. Not only at the meetings but we have a monthly newsletter that goes home to all families.
It's only my second year in the PTO, and this probably is not the best format to follow, but it is working and is getting many involved - at the level the people are comfortable with.
I have been secretary of my school's PTO for two years. The way the PTO conducts its business concerns me. There are more or less monthly public meetings which usually consist of a speaker or special program. The officers get together -- usually with the principal, vice principal and two teacher liaisons, before those meetings and conduct the business. There have not been any "votes" either by the officers or the membership, on any issues since I've been involved. Things are more or less decided by consensus of the officers, who are recruited by the president -- who more or less recruits herself. There is never any reporting to the general membership of any decisions, finances, etc. The public meetings are usually run by the principal (she introduces the speaker, and that's about it.) Occasionally, the president will make an announcement about an upcoming event, etc.
This spring, the incoming president (for next year) decided to drop the PTO's biggest fund-raiser because it has gotten harder to recruit volunteers. I'm just really concerned that the parents are losing a voice (well, they haven't really had one for at least two years!)Any thoughts?
