We, like the previous 2 replies, incorporate the feedback from the principal & faculty into our decision-making. The principal attends all monthly PTO Executive Committee meetings (officers, committee chairs, anyone else who wishes to attend), as does a faculty representative -- so we are able to consult the master calendar at that time & also receive their thoughts. As we are laying out plans for the school year, we also build in enough flexibility that we can shift the dates of certain events if a conflict arises.

Our PTO always clears any activites with the principal...who at the teachers meeting asks their input. We would NEVER tell them when we are going to plan an activity...their schedules are very complicted. Luckily we do have one day a week when none of the classes have "specials" (library, music, computers or gym). It has always been my own personal opinion that the stuff our PTO does is the icing on the cake...the fluff so to speak and we never want to infringe on the kids learning time [img]smile.gif[/img]

We absolutely ask the advice of the school administration (and, indirectly, the teachers through the 2 teacher reps that serve on the Board). The school calendar is very complicated. We don't want an event to compete with another activity or interfere with a key testing or assessment cycle.

Some small items that sound perfectly reasonable when we are just discussing it have factors we aren't aware of that need to be considered once the school admin is consulted. We find their input invaluable.

Do most PTO's ask the administration and the teachers for there advice on PTO functions held during school, ours just informs them after the activity is planned.