Before our chsrter school was able to purchase our new site, we were in a shopping center with the K-3 on the far West end and the small 4-12 grades on the far east end. We had one PTO but MANY conflicts about doing more or one "end" than the other etc. We felt SO divided and comunication was a challenge!
It's great now in the new building and I hope you can find a way to keep communication lines clean and open (that was our biggest challenge in the former spot).

We're in a situation like this. We formerly had three individual elementary schools that were turned into one K-2 and one 3-5. Our town is fairly unique in that we have a "campus" system. All the schools are located in one area. The two elementary schools (originally 3- two were attached) are next door to each other; the middle and high schools are across the street.

When the schools were redistricted all the parent groups were redisgned into one. Unfortunately I can't help with how it was done, because it was right before my kids started school and I wasn't involved. I do know all the money was combined and new bylaws were written. This is how our board works. we have one president for the organization (me) and each school has a VP. We also have a treasurer and two secretaries.We alternate which building we hold our meetings in. We do the same fundraisers at the same time at each school (gift wrap, book fairs, etc). The money is pooled together and we distribute the money as the needs arise. The funds are pretty evenly split, although we don't really make an issue out of it. The schools are very closely linked. All the kids in the lower elementary will eventually be in the upper, and everyone wants them all to be taken care of.

Our group works very well this way. Having seperate groups at each school would mean alot more headaches. Parents with kids at both schools would have more meetings to attend, fundraisers could conflict, things like that.

We have three K-5 elementary schools. With state budget cuts taking immediate effect (in Michigan)the district is thinking of realigning the schools so that one is PreK-1st, another is 2nd-3rd grade, and the last is 4th-5th grade. Has anyone been through this type of situation and if so, what reorganization, if any, did the PTO(s) make? We're thinking perhaps one PTO with co-chairs involved at each school representing the grades. We hate to see families split like this but if it happens, it might be easier to have a consolidated fundraising effort, one monthly meeting rather than three different ones, working together for all of the kids in all of the grades rather than "competing" with each other by school, etc. Any thoughts? Thanks