Our best President was a fifth grade teacher. She brought to our attention actual issues that we are parents don't see or realize is an issue. Minor but because major, no one had flashlights in their rooms. It took a car accident (one of the cars hit a power line) to knock out our power for two hours and no one had a flashlight in the classrooms OR operating phones!
I really enjoy having a teacher on board as a rep or on the board. It really can be a good thing!!
Well, there were by-laws made,but never adopted. It was decided to present them in February, but no one stepped up to present them to the membership. It seems like my board kept this going to operate in ignorance rather than to take resposibility. They in essence shifted all responsibility and blame to me.
I am running again for a second term, and she is running against me. I guess she feels she is more qualified than I am because she works for the district. She likes to be condescending about my businessskills- although she has never ran a business nor had any business training that I know of. Her hangup with me has been about our spiritwear- she blames me for the debacle of having to wait over a month, even though it was the Treasurer procrastinating on getting our new account started. She even had new shirts made this year using the artwork of the first company without obtaining a release from them to reproduce it. She has just been a maverick- doing what she feels is needing to be done.
To go into the funds, I had removed any financial responsibility from my position. Our group has had a black-eye dealing with past Presidents dipping into the till, so This was the only issue I removed from the office. Well, my VP decided that this was her domain because I ask her to be a account trustee along with the Treasurer. She has kept all financial information secret, she complained to the Principal about me opening the bank statements because they were not addressed to me. They had been slow to get financial reports to me andthe members. I had over the Christmas break some discrepancies. I informed the principal about them, only to be told that the CD they used broke in the drive and they had done an incomplete report. We started the year with a surplus of $3000, the last financials showed we had about $4800 so far. Last year our former president raised over $10,000, so this is why I say what I said. We average around $6000 to $8000 per year.
There is very limited support from the principal. She has in the past told me she doesn't like to get in confrontations and rahter not deal with them. I asked her for a Nominating committee, and she decided to use last years Committee members just because it was time saving. She even reprimanded me one time for talking rudly to one of her employees during a PTO function. So needless to say- no support is there. I hope this clarifies my position on why I feel that school staff should be supporters and not active decision makers, because some can't divide the loyalty to the parents fro loyalty to the school administration.
I think it's ok for staff to serve on the board. I served on our board for 2 years and then became a full-time employee of the school this year and am PTO president. I feel fortunate to now see all sides of an issue as a parent, officer and school employee. But, I can totally see how someone could take advantage. I guess the big question would be, do you have by-laws??? And how could she as VP cause this to be the lowest funds raised year? There definitely needs to be clear by-laws in place and someone to make sure they are followed to a T. Is there anyone who will run against her for the President spot? Do you have a nominating committee or some other fair way of running elections? Do you have your principal's support?
I wanted to ask what the popular opinion is on school staff as being boardmembers. I ask because my opinion is that it presents a biased interest and definite conflict of duty to being nuetral to the influence of the school administration. My current VP is a Paraprofessional and has basically done what she feels is in the "best Interest" of the school community. She has made decisions without the approval of the members, has managed to make this year the lowest funds raised, and now wants to be President this upcoming year. I fear that she will run the group into the ground if she keeps putting the school's interests before the members. Any thoughts?
