our bylaws state that the executive committee meets once a month outside the regular meeting to oversee regular business and to review finances. We do this a week before the regular meeting to see how we stand and make the agenda for the meeting. No one has ever said a word about it and the minutes are hung on the bulletin board with the regular minuutes for all to see. It is not secret just business as usual we are also not allowed to spend funds beyond the already budgeted or over $200.00 at these meetings. Hope this helps ease your mind.

In our group's situation, MetzyMom has the idea with the second and third case scenarios. Without everyone's side of the story though, it's too easy to make judgements. PTO Mom of 3--is the situation with the home school mom as president a real one or an example? Either way, if the person was elected president, someone must think she has something going for her to elect her to the position, or maybe there's a reason for her doing it that way. Experience can be a great tool, but just because one has it it doesn't mean it's always used wisely. And in our school's case, "experienced" reads as "we will never consider new ideas because it's too scary and defies my authority." But being a new leader and NEVER solicitating or listening to advice is foolish too; a lot of time and potentially money can be wasted.

I used to think the same as PTO Mom of 3 and PTO Mom 62, and like I said, I can see how people would think that way because all too often some people like to rule rather than lead. BUT--why have a board at all if EVERYONE needs to be included in EVERY decision to be made, or if people are going to feel angry and resent the authority and responsibility that come with the officers' positions? Teamwork means everyone works together, but without clearly defined roles it turns into a battle of wills. I would hope that no one is trying to reinvent the wheel or hide anything in a "closed" meeting, but just trying to move things along faster. It's way too easy to spin the organization's wheels and get nowhere by being caught up in trying to please everyone. My town and state governments have closed meetings (though Sunshine Laws allow me to get the minutes after)--should I demand to sit in on those because I'm a member of their community? (Now that I think about it, I think someone else may have had this conversation or something similar on another posting). Experience is what it is; if you never let anyone but "experienced" people do things, how will others ever get to be the "experienced" ones? Like I said, I see it both ways. In our group's case all we've ever had is "closed" (for lack of a better word) meetings because we're still in the set-up phase. But we've been conferring with the "experienced," and actually, they were the ones who told us that from their experience, it was the only way to get anywhere at first-LOL ! You can never win!

[ 02-24-2004, 05:31 PM: Message edited by: kmamom ]

Conducting Board meetings in private can be good or bad, depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

First, the bad: Everyone thinks they should be included and this may tend to make some members feel excluded. Some folks want to be in on all the decisions, no matter how trivial. If Board meetings are where final decisions are made, you are going to have some problems because it isn't up to the Board to do this. This is why you have voting members.

Second, the good: Board meetings that are used for the purpose of cutting down paperwork and choices so that only the realistic ones are presented to the members for final decisions would be a good thing. The reality here is that most members don't realize how much bulk rate mail comes in to any organization. So a Board that 'sifts' through the offers and picks a few to be presented is really the way to go.

Third, compromise: If the members think they want to 'see' everything, let them. Put the offers that your Board rejected on a side table at the next General Meeting (it may help to put post-its on the rejected offers so that members who choose to sift through will know why something was rejected, for example, like a lollypop ad that you don't ever use because Student Council sells suckers at various times throughout the year). Show them the choices the Board has chosen to present and then let them sift away! Who knows? They should figure out why the Board chose to do what they chose to do. The worst case scenario? Someone may find a 'do-able' ad in all the rejections. In that case, look again at the item with an open mind.

Good Luck!

I am the President of our Parent Group and have been in the volunteer world for more than 6 years. Being elected to a board member position does not give me the right to decide that others (non-elected persons) have nothing to contribute to meetings. I feel "closed door meetings" do a great deal of harm. Your new organization (as should all, no matter how long they have been established) needs to do all in its power to attract, not detract volunteers. I'm leary of a board who thinks they "know it all" by excluding any parent who wants to be involved, much less those with prior experience. Why are they trying to re-invent the wheel? What are they trying to hide? What are they trying to accomplish on their own? Teamwork is right 'PTO Mom of 3'! This new organization of yours is not going to last long with leadership and thinking like this.

What happens when your PTO Executive Board wishes to have closed door meeting (the four board members only and not include the principals) and there are those in the PTO community who object? This brand-new organization's president comes new to the school system from a home school environment and two of the other four board members have never served on any PTOs. There are other people in the community who want to help and these people have board experience at other schools. This type of "secret" meeting is sending red flags to all in the parent community. What does the board have to hide? Althought, it is nice to have fresh blood, but why can't the new blood (board) even accept those who have years of experience, who still have children in the schools, who really want to help, etc. This is about teamwork people! If the president of the board thinks that the discussion will be bringing up too much history, then it's the president's responsibility to nip that discussion. Turning away volunteers (any volunteers) is wrong.

I was the opposite! I was seen more as hard nosed in the office, and here my friends are always telling me to quit worrying--you can't please everyone, so don't even try! And I left the corporate world to stay home with my kids and get away from the "politics!" [img]tongue.gif[/img] It is a fine line to walk, and I unfortunately am very clumsy. Realistically I know that you have to follow your instincts, and even though I believe in the actions I take, it doesn't help to have those nay-sayers always finding fault. When we met with our BOE last week, a couple of the members warned us that someone is always going to be that PIA who'll make your life miserable, and I certainly have already found that out!

We have the same sort of problem with pleasing the old while attracting the new, only ours is a bit more sticky. We have a PTA, the same old same old with a school group--cliquey, afraid to do something new, don't want to fix something that isn't broken AND they stated they can't be party to building a new playground (it's a long story). We started our own nonprofit to take the cause on, and found along the way there's a lot of things the school could use that we'd like to help with once our playground is up. So now we have to be very careful in not antagonizing the old guard, while attempting to get the new faces enthusiastic to help us! Needless to say we don't want to be accused of doing the same things our current PTA officers do, so it's been tricky.

I'll be very happy when it's 20 years from now and I look back on this and laugh!