I know that your meeting is over, but I would seriously consider tape recording future meetings. Record keeping is not my strong suit either, but I would make sure that all the flyers were signed off on and keep them in a folder that only you have access to. CYA.....

Good luck!

Kath--WOW-talk about organized! I love it!! However this would be impossible in our school. Not only is it WAY to complicated for our office staff (take my word on this one), if we even asked them to TOUCH the flyer asides from when they have to file it we'd get grief for a month of Sundays. Besides, our principal is such a micromanager that getting a timely response from her is IMPOSSIBLE.

I posted this update under the STICKY SITUATION in Free for All:

Here's the kicker to this whole debacle with these baskets. My VP had to meet with the principal today about another matter. At the end of the meeting she asks if the principal answered my email with an OK on the letter to the teachers informing them that their names were going on the baskets and the reminder flyer for that "last call" to the parents.Naturally she hadn't even opened the email yet--now 48 hours old--so they started to go over the stuff there. Three teachers had an issue with their class's name going on the basket--they didn't want to be embarrassed, to which my VP answered, "Well, that might be a problem. We can't label every basket except those three. It would look strange." So our principal answers with, "Well I told them that maybe some money could be spent to puff them up." Thank God my VP thought quickly on her feet, and she replied, "Sure, if they want to do that that's fine!" The principal was very taken aback, and sort of skipped on to another issue.

SOME MONEY COULD BE SPENT TO PUFF THEM UP???!!!

EX-CUUUSE ME??!! I certainly hope you don't mean MY or this group's money! What--now I'm supposed to spend MY money so THEY aren't embarrassed?? And this coming from the same principal who was all upset because a "concerned" (who by the way was changed to "livid" the last time we covered this ground in a meeting) parent came to her asking if this was how the money she donated to the playground fund was being spent, supposedly waving our very first newsletter in her face! AND, who to date has participated in ONE fundraiser--she bought a cookbook we produced, and as she handed me the money she said--"well you got your ten dollars out of me!" I felt like whipping the book and the money at her and saying, "you know what--F YOU--keep your godda^n money. I wouldn't want to break that bank of yours."

I'm not even going to touch this one with a ten foot pole unless I'm backed into the corner. In that case I'm not sure how to handle it. The funny thing is that we were going to "help" some of the lesser baskets with stuff that we had in our homes or got in clearance racks, but now I'm thinking twice about it, firstly because this...woman assumes we'll do it and that the teachers shouldn't have to, and secondly because now that I think about it, how is it fair to help some and not others? And if she even suggests that we change how a Tricky Tray is run to save these three people embarrassment....

I'm just curious to see when she's going to answer my email--which I've sent two subsequent "nag" emails about.

Wow! That took a looong time to read. I have a quick (okay, this started off quick, but I got carried away) suggestion regarding the Principal signing off on your flyers. The PTA keeps a folder at the Secretary's desk at our old ele. school (I've moved on to MS) in it is a form that has these headings: date, subject of flyer, name of person who did it, signature of PTA president, signature of Principal. EVERYTHING that is to go out to the entire school must be signed by both people and is also looked over by the Secretary for typo's. It's quick, easy and painless. Committee chairs as well as PTA officers must do this. After it's signed off on, the paper moves to the copy committee folder.

The flyer then gets a half page form paperclipped to it that indicates what teachers or staff are to get the flyer. To cut down on paper we have a YOS (youngest or only sibling) count for every classroom and an abbreviation for every class. For instance if it was a market day flyer and copies were to go out to Mrs. Brown's 4th grade class there would be a little paper paperclipping the stack together and it would say YOS, 4B.

On the form for the copy committee there are the following things to choose/fill out: Name of person requesting copy, YOS or All students (circle one), Staff? blue paper (PTA), one sided or two and special instructions? The copy committee person then initials and dates the paper and attaches the original to it and puts it in the pta file folder. At the end of the year all of the flyers for EVERYTHING are there and also the originals in case more copies need to be made. Sorry for such a long post that really didn't have much to do with your psycho Principal but perhaps this straightforward accountability system will help someone!

you should sign it "And we not only approve but wrote this memo ourselves." The memo should really be printed on toilet paper or on tissue and wrapped onto a cardboard roll.....

I'm not mean, just too ceative for my own good!

You guys are so funny!!! Kma, I don't envy your position. I still think that the Principal doesn't have anyone whispering in her ear though, I believe she is using the idea of "others" to try to make her look less like the a@@hole and to back up her own disdain. Unfortunately for her, it's hard to keep track of lies and she showed herself for who she really is and in front of a witness even. In fact, I wouldn't be too quick to assume that the teachers are complaining to her either. She may be the one telling them her opinions which is reflecting on their participation.

I only wish the super had been there for the whole meeting! As it was he saw quite a bit, especially concerning the behavior of our vice principal, who as one of my friends once commented about--"please, the last meeting we had with him (concerning the treatment of her son is a class) he sat there like a momo--how the BOE could have hired him is beyond me." I love that word "momo." I use it all the time now, along with my other favorite, "chooch."

Again I must say you are FAR nicer and less bitter than I. My note to the teachers who were "less than supportive" would have been along the lines of:

Dear Mrs/Mr X,
Thanks for NUH-thin'. Knowing we have your support is truly more than I could have wished for (BTW--yes--that IS meant sarcastically). I now see taking the time to ask you to actually give a shi^^ and do something for someone else, as well as encouraging the children to do so was a complete waste of my optimisim and money.

FYI--your name is going on all that hard work and caring you dropped in our collection box, so get ready to be talked about in social circles (like by your colleagues at our sister school,you know--the ones who not only support THEIR parent group, but also actually come up with extra ideas to make things better for our kids) and to face the ire of parents (who yes, should have made a greater effort to remember to bring their things in) who are now dealing with humiliation and embarrassment. Unless of course, you'd like to now make that last ditch attempt to look like you find our work important and are willing to throw an extra roll of toilet paper in there to make a better showing.

Your Beloved Parent group

PS--No, it's NOT your job to handle these things. Nor is it your OBLIGATION to donate or otherwise participate. But excuse me for actually thinking you'd be wiling to go beyond what's required of you to instill that lesson of giving back to your community in my child, as well seeing you're willing to go that extra five feet or so to give us SOME support.


Yes, I DO know I'm a bitter and angry woman! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

But, no, I will send a nice letter, because believe it or not, despite all my lesser qualities and ability to even think such unpleasant things, I am polite and respectful, even when I don't think people deserve it.