Daddio - Our meetings are also boring. You are not alone. We do try to have a guest speaker, be it a BOE member or guidance counselor. I'd like to bring in others but not sure who/where or cost, given that we really don't want more than 1/2 hour for it.
Our agenda includes every committee and in alphabetical order, very annoying for someone waiting to report ... on lets say "web site"
We do follow RR very very loosly aside from the order of the agenda, as most of us don't really know it. Sometimes it works well for us this way because input comes from some people who otherwise would not speak. We usually only have about 10 people other than the board.
This is a nice little weblink that reads a little like a Parli cheat sheet. It includes definitions etc. www.robertsrules.org
Also, if you want to see Robert's in action, attend a legislative day or a state PTA Board of Managers meeting (If you know of a well organized PTO that uses Roberts you can contact them also but I only have experience with PTA). If you ask to have a courtesy seat they will likely give it to you to sit in on. The state conventions have been the most impressive example of parliamentary procedure that I have seen and if you aren't attending a workshop, you could sit in on one of those without being a voting delegate for free.
Other groups also use Parli, but for a parent group, that would likely be your best example of Parli in action using a large body. The Board of Managers meetings are a good example of larger but unrelaxed rules.
There's also books like Robert's Rules in Plain English, and the Complete Idiot's guide to Robert's rules. I think they range in price from $10-$20.
Our meetings sound like a carbon copy of Kathie's. We have grants requested at mostly every meeting we have. We have one meeting per month on the first Wednesday evening. They last an hour. As Kathie stated in her post: it is a business . Yes it is. Our meetings keep people "in" on the daily running of the organization and give members a chance to have a say in what goes on, or ask questions. We have committee reports as well. We do have free childcare and have a doorprize at the conclusion.
It's important that the minutes be accurate so they can be referred to later. Our meetings are neither exciting or well attended, they're a business meeting. The people that don't attend are the ones whose voices are not heard and that's their choice.
Our PTA meetings are just over an hour long. We have an agenda which includes a report from all active committees. That's often when regular members comment and feedback is given. We loosely follow Roberts Rules. For example if there is a request by the fifth grade and it's not in our budget so has to be voted on it- goes something like this. (The teachers would have had to give us a written request and a specific item to purcahse):
I'd like to make a motion that we give up to $350 to the Fifth grade teachers to buy a weather station.
I second that motion
President: Let's talk about it
(everyone talks.)Okay, let's vote
The vote is unanimous. Thank you.
It's important that the minutes be accurate so they can be referred to later. Our meetings are neither exciting or well attended, they're a business meeting. The people that don't attend are the ones whose voices are not heard and that's their choice.
I guess biggers question are:
- If our meetings (and sounds like I'm not the only one) are boring, and not much being accomplished at them, then why have them?
- And, why are we trying so hard to increase parent participation in them if there is nothing to do/accomplish?
I understand the need for a few that we have, they are needed and much does get done. But the others, seem to be a waste of time and effort by those that do attend (we ususally have about 20-30 people).
