Your bylaws (for both the PTO and the PTA) should be your guide on meetings. Your bylaws may say that you'll have meetings monthly -- or they may not.
Also, if your PTA bylaws say that you'll have meetings monthly, you could amend those bylaws through the amendment process.
Finally, I don't think it's necessary to keep both organizations running at the same time for so long, but I suppose it's doable. What I wouldn't recommend is PUBLICIZING the existence of two groups. I think you'll only confuse those general parents who you're trying to connect with and involve. (General parents = the ones who are good prospects for getting involved, but not involved enough -- yet! -- to know or care about the PTO v PTA stuff.)
If you are going to have two groups "alive" at the same time, I'd recommend that one of those be alive in legal terms only, not in public terms.
Thanks for everyone's input. We're considering forming the PTO and then dissolving the PTA at the end of the school year.
When there's a PTA and a PTO. Are there two meetings? We would need to discuss fundraisers in PTO and How to spend money in PTA. I'm thinking the members would be the same.
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No Way has some interesting and viable thoughts, but here's another consideration. If the disbanding is not official yet, you could 1) hold off on that final move until your funds go down to near zero, 2) you could start the process now for officially forming your PTO. Incorporate and apply for 501(c)(3) status on your own. When your application is approved, your nonprofit status will actually be retroactive to the day you formed your group -- so technically, you could donate to your new PTO provided you're going that legal route; 3) you could donate/spend your remaining dollars to a 501(c)(3) that provides services to your school. I'd wager there's an Arts group or such (Young Audiences, I believe, is a 501(c)(3)) that could take the money, and you guys could get great services in return. With young Audiences, for example, you could pay for your Arts&Enrichment offerings for the year with your "donation." I know in my area, there are plenty of school services that are 501(c)(3), maybe even DARE.
Just some thoughts. After thinking about this, NoWay's ideas have even more merit.
Spend the money on something for your school or for the kids? Buy a playground piece or pre-pay 8 performers or field trips. If this lady insists you did something wrong, then go to the newspapers and tell the reporters that the PTA wants to take away your kids' field trips or assemblies that you paid for with money you raised.
HELP!!!!! We also just switched from a PTA to a PTO. We are an EXTREMELY small group, hoping that the switch would bring about a change in attitude from our parents. Last year, we just voted and switched, however, we just received a letter from the President of the County PTA stating that all money belonging to the PTA had to be disbursed to another 501(c)3 and that she would be by to pick up our charter. I'm the new President of the PTO, and I am jumping into this with no prior experience -- I don't even know what the Charter is. We adapted our By-Laws from another posted on your site. The money (approximately $4,000) is to be utilized on the school, of course, but does anyone have any suggestions?? PLEASE HELP!!!!! So far, parents have been very positive, but should we stay a PTA for another year to solve this problem???
If you want to go officially by your PTA bylaws, then the longest thing will probably be the different notifications of meetings and stuff before you can finally vote to disband. You're supposed to announce that you're considering it and give notice to the state office and do other stuff before you can have the vote. At least that's the way it was in our state. (Or you can just stop paying dues, lol.)
