It sounds like it runs hot or cold with this teacher issue. Is there a middle ground? I guess I should have stated that the only staff who are involved are the ones on the board. The rest of them might show up at the general meetings, but they don't say anything. They seem to support us. It's just so frustrating that a certain staff member who isnt a teacher feels that PTO should buy him everything. He wanted us to buy him a $600 shed to put tools in when he has half a basement empty. Now this $400 cleaning solution that seems like it's just a fancy solution for what we already had in place. It's not like our school has an over abudance of sick children. He still has plenty of cleaning products to get him through the year. But the staff on the board felt that it was a neccessary purchase. The parents on the board feel like the staff is ganging up on us. We are pushing all this money through for them, but have yet to purchase anything for the kids. To me, that is sad. Any opinion would be greatly appreciated.
Lisa S, our executive board has NO staff members. Our PTO membership only has 8 staff members who joined this year.
As PTO president I sent the teachers a note to envite them to our meetings, even if they could only make one meeting a year. What a joke!. Our principal has never ever been to a PTO meeting. Last year we even rearranged our first meeting so that she could be there. Well needless to say she never showed up.
I ran for president with the hopes of changing things around but to no availability, but our teachers want their opinions counted when it comes time for any trips or shows.
SOrry but I don't think I can help you being that our school staff doesn't care.
How many staff members do you allow to be on the board? We have more staff than parents on ours and I feel that we have lost our goals. We haven't spent a dime on the kids yet this year. All of it has gone to teachers and staff. The staff part of the board voted yes to a proposal last night to get the janitor some $500 cleaner that us parents didn't feel neccesary. And after all the fundraising they have done this year they will get a lousy candy cane from us for Christmas! Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated. I am so frustrated with this that my brain can't even conjur up the reasons to explain to the board that it was a lousy vote. We are a low income school. The staff doesn't understand this. They don't live it everyday. This is why I feel that more parents than staff should be on the board because they understand what the school population is going through. I want to convey this to the board, but I always end up putting my foot in my mouth. I am good with pen and paper. Do you think that I could effectively get my point across in a letter and not upset the board because I didn't vocalize this? Also I don't want a written copy to be able to be passed around to the staff. I know it would happen .
All of our teachers are automatically members and the fee is waived. We feel that they are very supportive and provide the amount of participation we need. BUT - we aren't asking them to attend meetings every month (except the faculty reps on our Board) or sign up for volunteer shifts every time they turn around.
Most of the support we ask for is in the classroom. Teachers help make sure information gets home in backpacks and that forms/orders get collected, reminding students again and again. They promote our events, loan us supplies, good naturedly let us take tables out of their classrooms, let students who finished their work help with folding or stapling of programs for big events.
For our Spring Fling, which involves an auction, food, bingo, etc. - all the teachers help one way or another. The principal expects them to attend, but I think they would anyway. Those who truly have a conflict and can't come sign up to help with setup before or write thank you notes afterwards.
Those who are also parents tend to get more involved in more activities.
We have 100% participation and we tie it in to the Annual Back to School Luncheon that we hold on one of the Professional Growth days the Teachers are aattending at our school on the few days before school starts. We send out invitations to the event and let them know they must hold a ticket to get in. This ticket is received by joining PTO. The real plus is we offer door prises off of that same ticket too! Some things we go get donated and some things we buy, like gift certificates (5$) to our Teachers supply store, and then we make up some grab bags with T-shirts, and other school spirit items. We also have a table availaable to special order certain spirit items just for the staff. Such as the bluejean shirts with a logo embroideried on it, book bags, aprons, t-shirts that can be specialized to each team logo ( 1stgrade,etc) All PTO is encouraged to attend so we have a chance to meet and greet and then we ask for input from the teachers about the upcoming year. We have a great time! It also helps tremendously when your Principal is supporting this too!
All of our teachers and aids are PTA members. Our Principal makes it her job to get them to all sign up. How many attend the meetings? Only the Principal. To be fair, we have mostly day time meetings and a handful attend the social events and many help out at our festival. I'm not complaining.
