We are also a PTSO for grades 6-8 (350 student) This past year was our first year on our own (prior years it was a PTA with middle and elementary students). Our goal is to let the kids have fun! We are lucky enough to run concessions at all middle school athletic events (we have the kids work in the concession) , sell spiritgear, Spring Bingo, have dances, skating parties and have not had to SELL anything yet. We implemented parent ambassadors and parent tutors this past year. We are not here to be a bank - we just do the best we can and provide WHAT WE CAN for the students! We have the BEST principle to work with. He helps with any project and DOES not tell the PTSO how much to raise and how to spend it.
In fact. the district has brought in someone to review the their books this year and said that all PTO funds SHOULD BE kept separate from school district's accounts, which ours is. The only time money goes directly into a school account is if we order an item and they need a PO. The school will process PO, we give them a check and they either will mail it with PO or turn right around and write a school check and its mailed with the PO.

Does your group have it'S own EIN number or are you under the school's number. I would think if you have your own EIN, own checking account, Etc. YOU should be in control of your money? You would be a separate entity. Do your members have a vote as to how the money is spent? Does your treasurer write checks out of the school's account? Seems like the State would question the large sums of money in the school district budget?

For those of you who read my previous post, "Elected President last month almost ready to throw in the towel". I have decided to tie the towel around my head Rambo style and give this another shot. So here is the first order of business. Our PTO Responsibilities list has been ever so thoughtfully revised by our new principal.
Out of 14 PTO responsibilities :

8 involve fundraising
2 involve providing special events for teachers (which I am in agreement with)
3 are actually for the children or parent: Helping with vision and hearing test, honor
roll parties, and sending out 2 newsletters
1 Is holding a PTO meeting to pass the
principals PTO budget, one to elect officers
to raise money for the principal's PTO budget
and one in the middle at the principals
discretion.

These are not vastly different than PTO Responsibilities in the past. The difference is that in the past I spent my many hours in the school doing what I like best......helping with the kids, providing treats, making phone calls, coordinating homeroom moms and finding answers to their questions. All that time I was assuming that the PTO Officers were providing parent input to administration and certianly into the PTO budget....definitely not the case. So now that I understand that our school has our money in their account and therefore has full control over how it is spent and is not even required to inform us when and where it went, the only place I see to make a difference is to attempt to change the PTO priorities.

We are a 6th thru 8th school of about 600 students with a principals PTO fundraising goal of about 40,000. We are probably the most economically advantaged school in our area. I am quiet certian that our children would not suffer in the least if we cut back on fundraising this year to make a concentrated effort to start programs that have nothing to do with raising money and more to do with issues such as raising parent involvement. If you ask the average parent of a child in our school why they do not participate.... the majority of the time they all give the same answer. All they want is for us to raise money and we never even know where it goes.

So help me!!!!! What programs does your PTO run (other than fundraisers) that you feel really makes a difference in your child's middle school. Thanks in advance for all of your wonderful advice and because you never hear it enough......THANKS for what you do at your child's school! MEG