We are having the same problem with our Principal - she approved $1,000's of dollars of purchases after a secret meeting the President and Co-President without it going through the Board.
I was rebuffed when I politely asked the numbers for the purchases - then asked the Board to vote on the purchases - even though they were already in process.
My issue even goes further than the Principal - the President is just as bad. She accuses me of being "obsessed" with the bylaws when all I'm trying to do is protect us as a PTO and the school.
I just don't know what to do - - I've tried talking and gently steering them both into the regulations and TN state laws, but am always met with disdain and insults.
I've considered quitting, going on with things on my own, and reporting them for questionable financial practices.... maybe a letter?
I'm not sure if this will help but here is our proposed budget for the 2003-2004 school year. Please not it's not balanced Income Versus Expenses as we have no finalized it. But it might give you an idea of what at least one school does.
Rae
PS...We budget $1500.00 for Education Assemblies each year and $100.00 for Pat on the Back Awards those are to be used at the desrection of the Principal but of course for their intended use. Many of the other things on our budget also came to be at the request of the principal but only after the memebers voted to support them. And the monies budgeted can only be used for that purposed not anything else. So here it is...
Income 2003-2004
Fall Book Fair $550.00
Spring Book Fair $550.00
Applebee's Family Night $275.00
Marys Pizza Shack Night $275.00
Fall Camera Art $500.00
Spring Camera Art $150.00
Spring Festival $5,500.00
Cookie Dough $5,300.00
Gift Wrap Sale $5,000.00
Jog-a-thon $5,000.00
Membership Drive $800.00
T-Shirt Sale $350.00
Total Income $24,250.00
Expenses
5th Grade Culmination $200.00
School Beautification $250.00
Computer Lab $2,500.00
DARE Culmination $75.00
Donations $300.00
Educational Assemblies $1,500.00
Emergency Backpacks $200.00
Field Trips $3,600.00
Holiday Program $400.00
Insurance $400.00
K-Orientation and Social$100.00
Library Honorarium $4,000.00
Library Books $1,500.00
Miscellaneous - Off Budget Items $1,875.00
Music - Strings, Band & Vocal $100 each $300.00
Physical Education $200.00 $200.00
Office Supplies $200.00
Outdoor Education Scholarships
$600.00
Pat on the Back Awards $100.00
Scrapbook Maintenance $200.00
Staff appreciation $400.00
Summer Reading Program $250.00
Teacher Funds $1,800.00
Traffic Patrol Party $150.00 Xerox $2,000.00
Total Expenses $23,100.00
I agree with PRESAGAIN about the power of a well-developed budget. That should be the tool that carries you through a non-confrontational discussion with the principal. The budget can show her the goals of the PTO and where your organization is giving her some latitude (certain budgets that are at her discretion, for example), without relinquishing total control. I have some info that can help you put together a budget if you aren't sure how to begin, but I need your email id.
I have always found that there are two people whom the PTO needs to have great lines of communication with at the school in order to be successful, and that these are in order:
1. The secretary
2. The principal
My suggestions for anyone having difficulty with their principal is to schedule a meeting with them and your board. Be non-confrontational. Take a copy of your bylaws and your budget with you. First allow the principal to explain how she/he sees the connection between the PTO and the school. Especially when it is a new principal or a new school this is critical. Communication is everything.
Explain where your funds come from and how they are distributed (including proper protocol set up through your organization for disbursements). Some principals seem to think that PTO's are simply fundraisers and check books for them - this is not always the case, though some organizations do operate that way.
Practice your lamaze breathing and make a phone call to the school to try to work out the concerns that both of you have. Remember - these are OUR children, and their education is a triangle - the child, the home, and the school. No child can have a successful education without all three sides of the triangle being connected to the others.
Good luck and keep up the great work you are doing for the kids.
BOY OH BOY CAN I RELATE TO YOUR PROBLEMS!!!!
I WISH I COULD SAY THAT THINGS WILL PROBABLY GET BETTER BUT IF YOUR PRINCIPAL IS LIKE THE PRINCIPAL AT MY SONS SCHOOL YOU ARE IN FOR A LONG YEAR. IT SEEMS TO ME AFTER READING NUMEROUS MESSAGES ON THIS SITE THAT YOU NEED TO FIRST GET THE PARENTS (IN NUMBERS) TO VOICE AND DEMAND THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE! YOUR PRINCIPAL WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE OVER JUST AS MINE DID UNLESS YOU ARE ABLE TO GET YOUR PARENTS ON BOARD. IT IS TRUE WHAT THEY SAY--STRENGTH IN NUMBERS! UNFORTUNATELY AT MY SCHOOL I COULD NOT GET THE PARENTS TO COME FORWARD!!! THE PRINCIPAL WAS USED TO GETTING HER WAY AND PARENTS JUST GAVE UP, JUST LIKE ME! I QUIT THE PTO PRESIDENCY LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF MY PRINCIPAL! SAD BUT TRUE SOME PRINCIPALS ARE WILLING TO RUN THE PARENTS RIGHT OUT OF THE SCHOOLS SO THAT THE PRINCIPAL CAN DO WHATEVER SHE WANTS WITH THE MONEY! MY ADVICE TO YOU IS TO SET YOUR PRINCIPAL STRAIGHT NOW THE SOONER THE BETTER AND THEN MAYBE YOU WILL HAVE A CHANCE AT VOTING!
What do your bylaws say? Doesn't your organization have to conduct meetings, make motions, vote and approve any spending? The recommendations of the previous posters are very valid. No parent club should committ to providing fundd for ANYTHING that they don't have the money for. A budget should be prepared. A budget should include all income you will be generating for the year and all the expenses you have including the previous expenses you said you still have to pay. The projected income and the projected expenses should be equal in a "proposed budget". At the end of the year they never are but you always PLAN as if they will be.
It sounds like it's time to call a meeting with all the board members and get a handle on this situation ASAP. Including the principal wouldn't be a bad idea so they would get a clear understanding of where your coming from. It's not that you don't want to do anything specific. But that you have 1. previous debts to cover, 2. very little carry over from last year, 3. projected income to figure out that you haven't earned yet and 4. other expenses that need to be figured into your budget.
I wish you much luck and let us know if we can help you with any more questions!
