It's funny and sorta redundant, but our PTA is having many of the same problems. The "cliquey" cliche is one, but sometimes I think that is an all too easy excuse for those who wish not to volunteer. I'll admit that our PTA does seem to be exclusive, but as the future prez.. I think I can change that with better communication to our parents and staff. Being more visable in our school acitivities, sending home more flyers, setting up a welcome booth at our Kindg. Orientation, etc.
We also have $$ issues. We have one fundraiser a year and after our budget meeting, we have quite a bit of money left over! Good thing, right? Not according to some members, instead of getting excited and wanting to do for our school, I have heard suggestions such as cutting back on the fundraiser. Forunately, our principal and I have a good relationship and together we have persuaded our members that this is a good thing!
We have gotten them excited about the money and even thinking of doing more next school year with the hope of having even more money to give out to teachers and our school. Why is this a problem? Ya got me, but my suggestion is try to maintain a descent relationship with your principal, set up communication with other local parent organizations, and last but certainly not least, be creative with your spending suggestions to the board. I believe they call it, "stroking their egos" It's kinda yucky to do, but remember your cause, the kids! Good luck!
OK--Another . Why is it that some people have to have that kind of attitude?! I admit, I am a fundraising sort of person, but what the hell am I raising funds for--chopped liver [img]tongue.gif[/img] ?
Paging Tim? How about paging the paramedics to pick me up off the floor? Don't need to read anyone here chapter & verse - but I've spent the better part of a week working with an assitant principal to put together a parenting program for tomorrow night entitled It Cannot Happen to My Child: The Lure of the Internet, Drugs & Running Away with the Secret Service, Child Recovery Unit, and Local Law Enforcement coming to speak. We have catering (from the PTO) for the 200+ people we think are attending, projectors set up, speakers in two languages on the topics, and child care arranged.
And we are a pt"O".
Oh yeah - we raise money, too - but we do it so we can do things like this.
Please tell me I did not read that correctly and Tim, after I've come to my senses - feel free to delete this and any of my other soapbox posts!
I'll stay away from the "should we go PTO?" in this thread, but two things jump out:
1. Unless your PTA bylaws specifically say that you can't buy a playground or similar for your group, then what the "higher ups" say is advice, not regulation. No two ways about it. There's not a thing they can do to your group if you help fund a playground or a field trip for the kids at your school.
2. Many who frequent this forum can guess my reaction to the last part of your post:
...
we should go PTO if we are only about fundraising and stay PTA if we care about our children
...
UGH!
I'll speak for the 60,000 PTOs who do care greatly about children with a simple: Give me a break.
We ran into the same problem at our school. We were told by district PTA reps that PTA is not for fundraising but for educating our parents. We are not to buy anything that does not benefit every child in the school. That means new equipment for the playground because the kindergarten has a separate one. That means we cannot help fund field trips, uniforms etc. We are thinking of going PTO so we can do these things and were told we should go PTO if we are only about fundraising and stay PTA if we care about our children.
all4school--I really hope everything works out for the best for you! I have to admit, when I first read your posting I thought you might be an "on purpose" misinformed member of my school's community! LOL
When I first got involved in my son's school and started dealing with all this BS I was initially SO anti-PTA, and ready to call for a coup. Then MichelleB from the boards made me see from the other, non-psycho PTA side, and now I'm having much less of a problem! I still don't agree with 100% of their philosophies, but I don't with my husband either and I haven't left him, yet! SO, now with the new board I'm hoping for a LOT of positive change, and in the end if I and the parents in our school still feel an outside source is trying to tell us what we can or can't do in our school, we'll move to disolve and start a PTO (how handy my nonprofit group is already up and running)!
. Why is it that some people have to have that kind of attitude?! I admit, I am a fundraising sort of person, but what the hell am I raising funds for--chopped liver [img]tongue.gif[/img] ? 
SO, now with the new board I'm hoping for a LOT of positive change, and in the end if I and the parents in our school still feel an outside source is trying to tell us what we can or can't do in our school, we'll move to disolve and start a PTO (how handy my nonprofit group is already up and running)! 