d Thanks! x a million!

Oh forgot to say--set a time limit at each station and then rotate amongst them....d

Hi Kel -
I'm cutting and pasting the info below. It comes from a site I've found here...

The estimated dollar value of volunteer time is $18.04 per hour for 2005.

If you go to the site there is a table that provides a historical look at volunteering and its estimated dollar value. Assuming that the same number of volunteer hours was served in 2005 as in 2000, the total dollar value of volunteer time for 2005 is estimated at $280 billion. Could be a HUGE point if you track your volunteer hours like some schools do.

www.independentsector.org

As to the "getting things going" stuff...I held our first PTO meeting as a round robin with 5 different "stations" that folks rotated through. Once the folks were in place I had them count 1-5 and all the "1"s went to station on and discussed "ideas for teacher appreciation", 2's discussed "fundraising ideas", 3's discussed "family fun ideas...well you get the idea. Also you can get name tags and have folks write their names and their home towns (or something else you choose like number of children, or favorite restaurant--anything but make it the same thing so everyone has an icebreaker line "oh--you like Starbucks--me too"). It got everyone involved and really broke the conversation ice--plus we got some great ideas!...

Finally--at an event like you did, have a microphone and know something about the "helpers" and introduce them. At our first lunch for the teachers I made it a point to introduce the 2 ladies that led the planning and told the teachers how active they've been in the PTO and how much fun they make the events. Just gets everyone else a bit more chatty...
Finally-stop and introduce someone in a small group if they walk up to speak with you about a PTO issue. Gets everyone knowing one more person and keeps the conversation flowing. If I'm speaking with someone, and another walks up I'll usually take my hand and touch the person's arm that has walked up so they feel welcomed and then break and introduce everyone. As I depart--I'll say something like "Sue, did you know that Ann works with the same company as your hubby does." Just makes it that much easier to move forward.

Hope this helps....they are just ideas...but every new person that comes in knows a friend they can bring the next time....d

d, Where can I get the info on the 18.04? Sounds interesting! Also any suggestions about the organization not clique thing? At koffee and kleenex it seemed like the PTO was all together standing behind a counter and noone wanted to go out of that comfort zone, I didn't like it. I said to please come out, one lady's comment was I'm not on PTO yet. She is planning to be though. I need that info on how to change things and change things now with out sounding like the drill sgt. D I NEED YOU AGAIN! I love ya! Thank you for all the help! You are wonderful!!!

WHEW!!! I made it! I didn't know how simple of an event this was. I was drivin' myself crazy. We set out bagles, juice, coffee. On the actual tables were tissues w/ poem attached and a bowl of hugs & kisses (hersheys). The principal did all the speaking except for the officers introducting themselves and listing a couple of our big events we do throughout the year. I'm so glad I made all that stink over nothing. Geez silly me. Then curriculum night all we did was set out a table in the lobby and try to look pretty, kind of a waste of time in my opion. I really want to say this is what we are going to do we have to try out these new things and new ways but my other two board members seem to really be set on what has already been done at our school, and they want to keep doing the same stuff. Ughhh. Time for the new!!!

Look, d! It's already working!!!

I believe $18.04 is the going hourly rate for a PTO volunteer - if we got paid, that is......