I agree- that was a lot of information-- but probably felt really good to say out load in words-- tough to keep things in---
If you really like doing movie days-- invest in a good projector and player--- with external speakers-- sounds like there's a parent that can get you a good price on speakers-- schools do get to be tax exempt- so maybe purchasing a projector through them would be good- but get 3 quotes before you make any decisions... and get together with the key players to decide about purchasing these items.
I agree with Tim about teachers working to earn their shelves-- I would like teachers to help with all our events-- doesn't happen-- we know they are busy-- have kids of their own and are just busy in general-- put it out as a vote at a PTO meeting- double checking before hand that your budget can handle this additional expense-- as this would be something that you hadn't planned for when your budget was made in Sept.
Good luck- I know you want to stay anonymous.... but please post what you decided to do-- it's nice to hear how things turn out when there is discussion-- could help another school going through something similar.
First, thank you for taking on this role. It's not easy.
A few somewhat related thoughts:
1. It sounds like the first issue is communication. All these questions about equipment and the like -- has anyone set up a meeting of the pertinent people and had a full discussion of how this should work? Go for less "maybes" and "then we heards" and more clear discussions of expectations.
2. You might be doing too many movie events. If you're having all this agita and your low on volunteers -- it's OK to gear back. I'm a big fan of fewer things (each done better) being better than more things (each done kind of just OK).
3. Finally, I think you'll find that making (or virtually making) the teachers "work" for supplies will not create the kind of atmosphere you want between the teachers and your PTO. The teachers do work for the shelves -- it's called teaching (hopefully passionately and well) our kids all day. If the shelves are needed and your group has the wherewithal and desire to provide them -- then great! I don't the teacher should have to chaperone 3 of your events to get a shelf. Just sets up the wrong spirit.
Glad to continue the discussion. It's not easy, and I think your getting dumped right in the middle of things can definitely make it harder. I'd recommend stepping back with those other 7 to 10 leaders and starting with a discussion of what it is your group is really all about/goals. For most groups that's something like: "we want to make our school a great place for our kids, foster a community, help grow parent involvement, support our teachers..... What is it for you?
I am trying to include relevant details-and bless you if you get to the end and had made sense of it all.
HI!
I am new here and new to being a president of the PTO as of this past fall (into the school year as the president that started the year new, had to resign.) Our board has come to a total revamping as of last year. None of us were really groomed for our VP or P etc. roles. It is a really small group that comes to the meetings regularly 10 or less including principal and teacher liason. There are an arsenal of bakers and people who do other things but can't attend meetings.
I really wanted to wait to accept this bigger role but no one else was going to do it- or there still would have been gaps left in the board of 4.
Last year as my son was in kindergarten I helped come to the events and made popcorn for the movies. It is one of our best fundraisers. We would either use a tv/dvd player combo and then we had a pull down screen and a dvd projector. I learned later- just a few weeks ago that av equipment was bought last spring and used during the PTO activities. There was no protocol with the principal or school created in use of this equipment.
So not knowing any different- we (I) filed a use form- and described the activity- being a movie- and of course needing the equipment. But upon being at the evening movie activity the equipment was not set up- so a janitor helped us get it. We put it back in working condition in the equipment closet.
For the next after school movie over a month later we were told that speakers had been broken due to overuse and were being fixed. We used the projector but one of the teachers came up with speakers last minute. The speakers did not emit enough volume for the space but we got through it. Then the next day, as we do the boys and girls separately- we just used the tv/dvd player to show the movie so there would be more volume.
Christmas break goes by and of course several PTO meetings where something could have been brought to our attention. We were planning another movie and submitted requests- noting the equipment.
Simultaneously- at that last meeting a certain grade level of teachers requested shelves being made for their rooms- they have to conform to a new RSU standard or another city's school way of doing things. We have a usual $25 monthly teacher request- I think 4 at least at each meeting we will fill- but this was for $312? for 3 individual shelving units. I said we would like it if they could help us work the movies- as the boys had poor behavior last time and we were hoping that if at least one teacher was at a movie- things would settle down. We would grant them their shelves if they came to work the movies. Well they had all ended up volunteering for the same movie. We were not happy about this as a board but really did not complain as the principal had broached it with the teachers in question. There were 4 movies already set up in the works.
We scheduled our volunteers as best we could for the upcoming January movie(s) that Monday night at the meeting.
We, (I) got an e-mail (just after that PTO meeting a few days prior) from our principal telling us the equipment was delicate and we needed training if we wanted to use it. A week before a movie is supposed to be put on- but hey I will jump through whatever hoop. We were then told we could not use the equipment at all by the principal- But then oh, it was ok because the teachers would all be working that one movie... and for the girl movie (the day prior) another parent volunteered to bring in some other equipment from another school to use for our movie- this all happened in 2 days -it was amazing- the support from parents shown) But the next day the boy movie where the teachers had all volunteered to earn their shelves there was a snow day.
There were several misunderstandings and still some unanswered questions. Apparently a parent at the school owns a speaker business and had fixed these speakers for free. The principal insists they still need more work done on them but now or still will not blame us for using the equipment as he did not have a protocol in place. We did want teacher initiative or help /involvement so we proposed that the teachers could earn $20 per movie/2 hours to run the equipment and they could then spend that however they wanted. So everyone wins, right?
The principal worded an e-mail in a way that it was an idea- but not that we NEEDED the teachers to run the equipment. I waited over a week for a response from anyone. Meanwhile I am trying not to form an ulcer over when to make up this movie.
So one of the teachers that wanted to earn a shelf volunteered to run our make up movie. I heard nothing about any of the other proposed movie dates so I sent out an individual letter from myself saying that we would either have to have some involvement from the teachers or consider buying our own projector/dvd player equipment which would in the short term mean less money for the student things/activities. It also puts a damper on the teachers earning their shelves. I had several dates to choose from and We were covered for the make up movie.
So I get an e-mail from another same grade level teacher saying she was going to work the same movie her friend/co-worker was. :/
So do they think they are just earning the shelves? Do they think they are earning $20 each plus the shelves? How do I word this so I don't look like a parsimonious 'you know what?'
The board members- we have discussed the waiting to know is stressful. The principal has said we could use the screen if we had our own equipment or projector/speakers. He even had one we could pick from from one of their vendors. So convenient.
Showing up to make popcorn was so much easier.
I am anonymous because I don't want to be tracked down.
