A few years back our PTO always planned and paid for the volunteer appreciation dinner at the end of the school year. As the years went on, it became more and more expensive (over $2000), we even had entertainers for the evening and gave out awards. After some discussion with the Board, it felt like the PTO was thanking themselves for volunteering, so we asked the Principal to take it over, the planning as well as the expense.
It worked alright for a few years, the Principal sponsored a luncheon rather than a dinner - slight problem was that many of the volunteers were unable to attend because they work during the day.
This year however, the Principal decided not to have a volunteer luncheon - she will be taking out the Board only for appetizers and soft drinks at a restuarant. While I appreciate the gesture (since I'm on the Board), in the long run, I think she'll be offending many of the volunteers who are not on the Board.
Throughout the school year, the PTO Board has tried to recognize and thank all of it's volunteers with cards and being mentioned in the monthly newsletter. But we don't formally thank the parents who help out in the classrooms - we don't really have any knowledge of those that help since they volunteer for the individual teachers and do not go through the PTO - these are the parents who are going to be left out. Hopefully the teachers will them some type of gift or other recognition to thank them.
Our Principal is retiring this year, with any luck our new Principal will realize the importance of thanking all the volunteers for the school, PTO, etc. and will either reinstate the luncheon or dinner.
Our principal takes the PTO Board out for dinner as a thank you at the end of the year. We also have a volunteer appreciation for the rest of our volunteers. This year we're serving pizza, and the teachers will provide dessert.
Luvmykids, it's amazing what people will find to complain about! Anyone who would begrudge a thank you in a newsletter has a small and petty mind. Tim is right, people who volunteer deserve to be thanked.
We are having our Teacher and Staff Appreciation luncheon on Wednesday and have only had a total of 10 responses to bring a salad or dessert or to help out on the day. Even sadder, two of those responses were from teachers who have children attending our school! I know everyone is busy, but our PTO members are far busier than the people I know who sit back and complain about the PTO and the school, but never lift a finger to help out. One mom told me this morning that she's had parents tell her that she shouldn't join the PTO because she's too busy and that they would never join! How do we begin to deal with that type of thinking?
I'm wrapping up my 4th year as PTO president with the same VP because no one else would take on the job until now because my youngest is moving on to middle school. I think every PTO and school needs to find what works best for them as a thank you to all of your dedicated volunteers. There are a lot of creative solutions out there that don't cost a lot of money.
Lauri, let us know what kind of feedback you get about your party. I think it's great that the superintendent and the principals will be serving!
Our volunteer appreciation is handled by our Volunteer coordinator and the school staff. A school wide invitation is sent out in our school newspaper and signs are posted throughout the school. Individual invitations are mailed only to our volunteers that do not have children in school. This event is usually not very well attended but daycare is provided and the food and drink served are usually donated by the staff. I agree that you should not pay for this out of PTA/PTO funds, our board usually meets once a year at a resturaunt but we pay for our own meals. It is true that only a handful seem to do the majority of the work but you just have to keep on trying to include new people. It is important to uphold the image that your organization is all inclusive! I enjoyed reading all of the responses!
We are trying something new this year. The TEACHERS are planning a pot luck for the school volunteers this year. We haven't really done anything in the past and I expressed some concern. The problem is that no records of who volunteered were kept. I think a school wide invitation is going to go out to anyone who volunteered to come to the lunch before our end of the school year "fun day".
We traditionally hold our volunteer appreciation lunch during field day activities. Our goal is to invite the majority of minor players (they are usually a 35-40 group that do a few things a year-cashier at book fairs, set up for family events, and field day) We keep it simple, cold lunch and dessert platters from a local grocery, not alot of work for the major players. Then after a very brief last general meeting we head out to a local restraunt for appetizers & drinks (which we need by then), but usually it is just those 10 major players that attend the meetings regularly (this is not paid for by PAC funds)
Rockne--so true--I'm starting to realize that it is the year 2003 and people are just BUSY! I've been working on breaking things down into 1-2hr/mnth jobs (i.e. boxtops,newsletter,PR,etc.) that parents can take on and do from home. They will still be helping their child's school yet won't be in over there heads and if we get enough people willing to do each piece of puzzle the puzzle will come together(I say with great HOPE). The challenge to the board next year will be to follow up on all this and "guide" instead of just doing it ourselves because we know how and it's easier.
