First, I would not use their supplies/machines until you get it worked out. Its not worth the hassle. Find a local mail/copy place that will let you use their machine at a discount. Have any of your teachers attended your meetings? Maybe you can get one from each grade level to attend and share ideas. Have you sent them a Survey? Ask them what the PTO/PTA can do for them and that you are very willing to become a team. But they have to realize you are the children's advocate, as well as there to help them make their jobs easier.
Perhaps schedule a meeting with all parties and openly discuss the issues.
Good Luck!
Lisa @ Tx
I am new to this site and I am this years PTC(Parent Teacher Club) president. I have walked into a literal battle of wills with a new principal and new criteria he has. We are a very small group and were wondering about our rights and where we go to find out more. To get to the gist of it; the new principal has asked that the parents not touch the copiers or anything else. We have abided by this but in cases were we really need maybe posters or flyers sent out to the students in a hurry we go to the office secratary and ask if she has time or does she mind if we do it ourselves. She will usually start us make sure we know what we are doing and then leave so that we might be able to complete it without her losing anytime. If a teacher walks in we stop and ask if they need to use it we will finish later. Well it seems several teachers are complaining and so to keep peace we back off. As you all know you put in long hours for fundraisers and extras for the school and staff. We even give the staff gift certificates for GW School Supply on their birthdays so that they have help to pay for the supplies instead of majority of out of pocket. Well of course the teachers keep complaining and going to the principal and then we are reprimanded then we have to defend ourselves and say we had permission and we try very hard to make the conscious effort to get out of their way because of previous complaints. Our children irratate them what we do irratates them and it is getting old. When we approached the principal to day we were tired of walking around on eggshells and that we would appreciate the teachers directing their complaints directly to the parent offending them that we are all adults he said he had the right to do this and that he is the director of our group although he does not hold an officers position and he has the right to do or say what he wants and we have to follow it and if we don't like it to not do as much at the school and back off. I took this offensibly and we are ready to walk away and drop it in his lap but we want more for our children and the school. How do we get his attention to what we are doing? How do we get these teachers to realize we are not trying to offend but help? We have tried reasoning but that is not working. And as far as I understood it what we do has to go through a vote it is not the principal who can make those decisions. If anyone can help I would appreciate this. We have been pushed into a corner and don't know what to do know.
