I think that the biggest reason that some of us wanted to start a PTO was because we do want to give the parents a larger say on what happens at the school. Over the past years the school board has been occupied by the same people over and over again mostly because nobody else has wanted to run. This in its self is a huge problem- not just apathy on part of the parents but you also run into problems when the same 6 people run the school year after year (everybody has their own agenda) and I think things tend to get stagnent.
I have also found out that most parents just do not take the time to understand the process and are shyed away from board issues.
While I do regonize the need to help with fundraisers To get the school operating, I also feel that each classroom needs alot of items that could help raise the bar as far as the education that they are receiving. Keeping the school afloat is neccessary but making sure are children are getting the best education possible is a great concern of mine.
One of the goals that I want for our PTO --is to inform parents of the school board process, the importance of voting and running for school board positions and to increase communication with the school board and parents ( too many things are kept secret)
All in all I feel comfortable with how the group will work with the school and I think that we will get alot of things accomplished this year which should put their minds to ease.
Another one of my goals is to come up with fundraisers that reach beyond our school's parents and our community-- I am going to reach out farther.My sister is a popular radio co-host who will be helping me with fundraising- people go to events just to see her(go figure to me she is my sister I see her all the time)but people also love her and she is willing to help me (she is great)WE are going to do a sept. 11th memorial lunch at a local country club and have guest speakers ( I am also trying to get local artist to donate a memorial piece to auction off)

Sorry- I started to ramble on and on...
We will see what this year brings !!!

After thinking about this more, I find myself asking Just What Is The Job Of A Parent Group?

Our mission statement says our job is to "encourage fundraising" so that we can provide extras for the school, things that they either can't afford or things not in the regular budget (almost the same thing...lol...). I think it is possible for a parent group to be exactly what they are asking of you. If we didn't 'encourage fundraising', I think our mission statement would probably say more about volunteerism. I believe it should. A lot of groups complain bitterly that they are seen as 'just a checkbook' to their school. Sure there is more to it, but In Reality, that kind of sums it up.

We are currently facing an embezzlement issue that I am desparately trying to clean up. One of the items that the interim team I've assembled is doing is putting together a new Mission Statement. You can bet that it will read closer to what you are being offered than what it says now. I think that providing extras for the school is a noble cause, but I think supplying volunteers and tutors might be just a little more important. To me, paying for little Johnny to go to the zoo on a field trip is nice, but teaching little Johnny to read is more important. That is a little harsh of an example, but you know what I mean. I hope...

If your parent group didn't have to raise the funds, think of all the other things you could do. The only down side that I see is that you don't have to deal with fundraising so you don't get to decide where the money goes. And since the money is going to areas the school has previously approved, I think you have to trust that the school will handle the money correctly. At least you aren't being asked to raise the funds and then just hand them over for the school to spend as it pleases. Yes, that happens too.

There are other types of fundraising your group could do to support itself. Ink cartridges, Tyson Product Labels, General Mills BoxTops, Target Refunds, etc. Used wisely, maybe you can show your district just what your group can do. It won't be easy, but it can be done.

Just remember, lots of schools don't even have a parent group. Find a way for yours to work within the system provided and branch out from there. Volunteering to cover the events during the year, whether that event is a fundraiser or a field trip or a Book Fair, is EXACTLY what a parent group does. The only difference I really see is that your group doesn't personally get to decide where or what to spend the money on. You do get a member to sit on the board that decides and that is a good start.

Instead of looking at it like the district is throwing you a bone, look at it as a chance to make a non-monetary contribution to your school and show them what you can do. Think of it as a district wide parent/teacher/volunteer/district group. This sounds like a great way to get your group up and running without money hassles... Not a bad way to begin if you ask me.

Good Luck!

[ 07-02-2004, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: TheMetzyMom ]

One thing I've found helpful is to put myself in the role of the school administrator/principal and really objectively look at things from their viewpoint. And the following is a general view - not at all specific to private schools.

Remember - I am a huge proponent of PTO's. They do wonderful things and play an important role. But realistically view it in the big picture - say as a principal, especially over 5 or 10 years...

In the best years there are some terrific officers and wonderful programs. But even then, there are well-meaning promises that get made and not kept. Ideas that, in theory are great - but the school just doesn't have time or resources to make them a priority. No matter what, there are more meetings to attend and more interpersonal conflicts to sympathetically work out.

In other years, you might have to deal with embezzlement or an event that truly flops and embarrasses everyone involved. Periodically, there are years with flaky or confrontational officers where nothing seems to get done well or easily. Every year is a question mark.

It's all well and good the PTO is an "independent" entity - but YOU get the phone calls and parents vying to express their viewpoint about what's "wrong" with it. And if anything serious happens, like theft or injury - YOU are right out front taking the flak and making explanations.

Meanwhile - you have a school to run and not enough hours in the day. While the PTO programs are important, keeping the school going and meeting the never-ending expectations has to be your number one priority.

Such is the natural cycle of things with ANY volunteer run activity. I am not bashing PTO's. But any sane school administrator once in a while has to wonder, "Is this really worth it?" (Haven't we on occasion wondered it as volunteers.) It's not a huge surprise they might want more control over a group.

The point is, if you can understand both sides, maybe you can come up with a solution that works for everyone.

I could be wrong :eek: but sounds to me that they are interested less in a "PTO/HSA/PTA/PSA"--whatever and more of a booster's club--one that handles "regular" fundraising, and supplies the "hands" for the any and all events/teachers' aides etcetera. Is that it?

We are a private, Episcopal school (K3-8) and our group is called the "Parents' Club". All of our money is "managed" by the school's accountant and bookkeeper but every check has to be authorized by the Pres or VP of the Parents' Club so the principal can't just go write checks out of our account or anyone else for that matter. We do lots of fundraising and we help with recruitment in the sense that we created and staffed our very first school Open House, where prospective new families come visit the school on a Sunday afternoon. We put on a huge fundraiser every spring, plus a few more. We staff volunteers for and totally plan Field Day. We put on Teacher Appreciation, we recruit and organize room mothers. We also have a "School Board" but they don't really "tell" us what to do. Sometimes, they ask for money for special needs.

I think you might want to do some more research, like someone said, and write a formal "purpose" of your Parents' Club and come up with some by-laws and present it to your principal and board. We do not charge for membership as we do not have any national dues to pay. We meet monthly at noon and different families donate lunch, but then parents are asked to make a goodwill offering for lunch.

That's about all I can think of...I'm going to get our by laws and I'll post again what it says about our "mission".
Good luck!
Shelly

Allora - sorry, but I didn't see your note earlier asking why I would want that model.

In a private school, "keep the lights on" fundraising is usually not just an extra. This is usually key to the survival of the school. The administration has to control anything that affects its core functions.

Yes, it's true that you could set up separate groups - a school fundraising committee for the big stuff and then the PTO in the more traditional role. And that's fine if all roles are communicated and the two work closely together. After all, it's likely to be many of the same PEOPLE in both groups. Only so much fundraising can be done in a community, so they'd have to be careful not to compete and to give priority to events for school necessities.

But if the parent group is playing the role of primary school fundraiser, the school has to be able to control those actitivities and the money. In that case, the parent group is an extension of the school - not really separate. And-the benefit- that role relieves you of the huge burden of administering a non-profit business. Instead, you can focus on programs.

To me, communication is the key. You could also work a compromise where it's decided in advance who controls the funds from each event or that a specific percentage is left under the discretion of the PTO.

Actually, our public school isn't all that different. There are two sales fundraisers a year that "belong" to the school. Our PTO is separate, but we provide all the volunteer support to run these. The only difference (than if we owned it) is that the money goes into the school account at the end. No one has a problem with that because we all know our role from the beginning. It's not as if they "took" OUR money. It was always theirs.

As a parent of children in band, sports, church, etc. - how many events have you helped with where money was raised by volunteers, but not controlled by volunteers? It was controlled by whatever the organization was. Yet, often when we imagine the same scenario with PTO's the gut reaction is - if we raise it, it's ours to control.

As I've said over and over, it's a matter of setting expectations in the beginning.