My feeling is that PTO members can go ahead and discuss PTO business all they want with whomever they want. I'd just hope they understand that nothing will be accomplished unless they are talking to the right people.
I'd also gladly go through the budget report with the principal -- same deal -- nothing will actually be accomplished. If you have a monthly treasurer's report, everything the principal is asking for should be on there somewhere anyway.
They also better understand that we'd be making decisions based on facts, figures, and logical opinions, not on emotions.
I would give the 'disgruntled' members the opportunity to revisit the issue at the next meeting -- motion/second/debate/vote. If there is a problem with that, then it is too bad. If they can't get to the meeting, they could submit a proposal to change the decision in writing with explanation of why they think the decision should be changed. Read that to members and vote on whether or not the issue should be revisited. Again, if they can't deal with that, too bad.
I am very tolerant of critics and naysayers regarding our PTO. There is likely at least a little truth in what they are saying. However, if they want to do more than gossip, they need to operate within the PTO system to make change.
If you don't expect too much from me, you might not be let down. <img src=images/smilies/smile.gif>
we pay 1000 per class per grade. per trip. covers bus and entrance fee. if they, the teachers, want a caviar and chamapagne trip (just kidding) then the parents have to shell money out of own pocket to cover the difference.
and, we have about 100 kids per grade, so i gues 10 bucks per kid per trip, usually one to 2 trips per year.
BUT it all depends on how much 'other' discretionsary money there is, provided for by the school and our tax dollars.... i guess each school and district and state is different so its hard to compare the dollar amount of what the parent group donates.
Like I posted before we only pay for the bus costs(we use school buses)--gas costs and bus driver wages. About $100- $200 per grade per year(1 field trip a year)depending on where they go. Parents are responsible for the actual costs of the trip(admission, lunch and spending money). I have been treasurer for the PTO for the last 4 years and we have never spent more then $1000 on field trips for the whole school k-5th grade.We are a school of about 370 students.
By the way, prior to this incident, we did discuss with one of the disgruntled moms the possibility of doing a grade specific fundraiser to supplement the trip funds. She was all for it and even had a meeting of 5th grade parents, but that was the last we heard anything. My guess is that someone poo pooed the idea and that was all she wrote Last year the 5th grade went to the Bronx zoo, on which $1600 was spend on charter buses. The trip was terrible, because teachers didn't want to be gone much longer than a regular school day, and the bus got stuck in traffic and it was "free zoo day" which made the zoo really crowded, the time actually spent at the zoo was about 2 hours. It was a disaster. We usually leave it up to the grade parents and teachers to decide where to go, but that clearly isn't working and we're spending alot $ for not much trip.
Thanks for the quick responses! Just out of curiosity, what does everyone else do for their fields trips in terms of $$$? I'm getting the impression that we've been WAY generous!
WOW---like unreg said I don't understand why PTO business was even discussed without the PTO or an officer present.
Our PTO pays for the bus usage(gas) and driver wages for k-5th grade for field trips--nothing more(averages about $200 per grade)--its up to the parents to pay for the actual field trip costs. Our 8th grade students go to Washington DC--its an optinial trip and the parents pay all expenses--but to help the PTO is using some of the 8th grade students to help with things like market day, breakfast with santa etc and we are going to "pay" the students for their time worked--its a win win situation--we get volunteers they get spending cash. Its not like they are getting rich off us LOL!(One of our market day profit checks is enough to pay for the 8th grade volunteers for the year)
Anyways I can't believe this has been done--may I ask where the students go that it costs this amount of money for a field trip?
Anyways--I would as a group go to the principal and explain that you are not happy with this situation and the way its being handled--aslo that you feel this is something that should be brought up at a PTO meeting ---where at least pto officers would be able to explain what such and such money is being held for and to explain to these parnets what your PTO stand for--the whole school and student body not just 5th grade!!!
Keep us posted
Last year the 5th grade went to the Bronx zoo, on which $1600 was spend on charter buses. The trip was terrible, because teachers didn't want to be gone much longer than a regular school day, and the bus got stuck in traffic and it was "free zoo day" which made the zoo really crowded, the time actually spent at the zoo was about 2 hours. It was a disaster. We usually leave it up to the grade parents and teachers to decide where to go, but that clearly isn't working and we're spending alot $ for not much trip. 
