How is your president selected? Our PTO decided last year that instead of the President serving a 2 year term. That the president would serve 1 term as president and the next year be VP. This way the new president is left out in the cold. For all the other committees you can chair them until your kids leave. We are a private school of prek3 - 5th with approx 144 students. We have a very active PTO and basically our president lets the chair of each committee run their committee and the president is the go between the director and board of directors. We are very lucky that we dont' have a dictatorship. I feel very blessed with our PTO.
No you aren't. This is suppose to be a team effort. Eveyone should be able to voice ideas and opinions in a manner that is respectable to all. Maybe your president needs to be reminded of this. Hopefully all will go well. I'm cheering for you.
Hi. I'm realitively new to the PTO/PTA life. My oldest just entered Kindergarten and I started to attend the PTO meetings when they started in the Fall. Now I'm the Secretary and I have done exactly 3 things so far since taking the post in October or November. I volunteered at a fundraiser, printed up reminder stickers, and volunteered once in school. I have to bring in NOVEMBER'S minutes next week (FEBRUARY!) but other than that I haven't done anything! I want to be involved and volunteer for anything but nothing seems to be happening. What do I do?
I had so many hopes for what the PTO would be like and instead I'm so disappointed. When we meet there are about 7 parents and 6 teachers (including the principal). It's a small school (160 or so kids) so the attending teacher percentage is pretty high but where are the parents??? I asked one parent about an upcoming meeting and she replied that she doesn't come anymore because the president dictates everything and nothing anybody else says seems to have an impact. I'm beginning to agree. Meeting nights change whenever she feels like it. Activities are decided solely on her whim, if they even happen. There's nothing going on for parents except the occasional fundraising. There are no family nights or activities. I don't blame the parents who used to attend for not coming. It's pointless to come to a meeting just to hear one person tell you what the "committee" is going to do. We can read about that in the newsletter. Incidentally, as secretary, I find it odd that I don't have any involvement in putting the newsletter together.
Does anybody have suggestions for what I/we as parents should do with this PTO?
Here was my idea of what the PTO should be about - A place for Parents and Teachers to get together and discuss what is going on in our school. A forum for teachers to tell us what they need in terms of parental support and supplies (our town joke of a budget leaves a lot to be desired). A place to get to know other parents and teachers. A way to show our kids that we care about and support their education, this would include family activities. I know the PTO is about fundraising.
Am I way out of line?
