I am VP and thought it would be a good idea to have a monthly PTO newsletter. I emailed the execc board and cc'd principal to see what they thought. Everyone was enthusiastic as we have very little parent involvement and really need to work on that this year. Principal emails me and asks if PTO will reimburse school for paper and toner used to print newsletter.I was stunned! To my knowledge, and granted this is my first year as an officer, PTO has never been asked to pay for copies before. I emailed her back saying I would make the copies myself at my husband's office (they agreed to let me do that.)
I later found out that the day before this, the PTO secretary had gone into the school at 4pm, no one was around, and she made 900 copies about our new website and how to use it, as well as about our book sale going on that week. So now I understand why I was asked to pay for my copies, but I still think the school should be supportive in our efforts to help it. We won't be making 900 copies every week, we just needed to get info out instructing parents how to use the new interactive website.
So I email the pres to ask what is on the agenda for the next meeting so I can put it in the newsletter and she says we need to talk about reimbursing the school forthe copies we made. She wants PTO to give school $30. I exploded and told her no, we could not afford it as we had had most of our account stolen last year by the treasurer. I was wrong, I admit it, and I did apologize to her for responding so rudely. It's not my decision to make. But in my opinion, it's not hers either. It needs to be made by the whole of PTO at a full meeting.
I have a sneaking suspicion that the pres and principal are in collusion here. The pres does a lot of a-kissing to the principal to stay on her good side, which I find annoying because it isn't always in the best interest of the PTO, IMO.
But just the FACT that we are fighting over COPIES is annoying to me! Does anyone else reimburse the school for copies made? The sec. has oferred to give the school some paper for the copies she made. And before anyone ask, yes, $30 is a big deal to use--the treas. last year stole all but about $200 from our account so we are starting off the year very broke.
