Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was involved in several different PTA's/PTO's as we have moved around. The principal really has a big say in how the organization is run. At one school, the principal micro-managed everything so much it was almost impossible to get people to serve on the board. At our current school, the board is a very tight knit group of friends who do not even pretend to want any other parents helping.
The best school had a principal who would stick his head into the board meetings to give a list of wants and thanks, hear our list back to him, and then leave it up to us. He felt we were intelligent people who cared about the school and could be trusted. He stressed our supporting his goals and vision for the school with certain programs (such as targeting students for intense tutoring). He also tried to personally talk with every parent during the year and expected the same from the board as a whole. There was also a short monthly meeting in the evenings for everybody in the school which was followed by a fun night out. It was fun to participate and everyone was incouraged/begged to join. Just writing about that great school has me really unhappy about how our current school PTA treats people...
OK, so I've been to them on and off for years--my DD's are in high school right now. They drive me bonkers, so I stay away for awhile, and then I feel guilty so I try it again and then I remember why I hate them so much. Last night they just "discussed" something, I don't know what for 1-1/2 hours and then called it a night, but only b/c they'd set a limit on the meeting. Otherwise I think they would have been at it all night. Half of that time was spent abusing those parents who don't go to the meetings. Half of it was gossiping about what a bad job our concessions magager does, and half was about , well I never did figure it out b/c I am clearly out of the loop. And it was just the president, the VP, and the treasurer--no one else was allowed a word in edgewise.
The last school my kids went to was in a small town and I was gung ho to begin with and when the (lifetime) president said she was looking for a new kind of fundraiser, b/c product sales were getting old--no kidding, we were all sick of them--I stepped in and said how about a trivia night and I'll plan it so you wont' have to do it, so she basically told me to sit down and shut up and the product sales will be just fine after all. She seemed very angry about it, though several others thought it would be a great idea.
So, if some of you are heads of PTO's and wondering why you don't get more parent participation, look at your behavior and try to determine whether you're chasing people off. I'll do concessions and help any other way I can, but dam$ed if I'll go to another meeting.
Yup! They ask for parent help and then don't use it, unless you're in the "in" crowd. They go crazy with the fund-raisers. They're cliquish as heck. I'm too through, and my kids are still in elementary school!
Elementary school sports programs? Our schools don't have any sports until middle school and that's 7th grade. We only have independent sports programs around here like little league. Our PTA at elementary and the Parents group in Middle School never spent any money on sports. A large part of the fund raising was for field trips. Even in HS, the parent booster groups only raise funds for their own kids sports.
Elementary school sports programs? Our schools don't have any sports until middle school and that's 7th grade. We only have independent sports programs around here like little league. Our PTA at elementary and the Parents group in Middle School never spent any money on sports. A large part of the fund raising was for field trips. Even in HS, the parent booster groups only raise funds for their own kids sports.
Yes, well this one just turned down a request for a field trip b/c they didn't want to "set a precedent." The one comment I managed to squeeze in was about doing matching funds, and that's when I got the "who in he!! is this alien person?" look. Can you see why I'm disgusted? And the one loud mouth lady kept going on about how she's all for academics, but we have a responsibility to our sports dept and the tension in my head was about to make me pop. The interesting thing is that my girls, who are on sports teams, have to do their own fundraisers, which means all of the PTO money goes to football and basketball apparently.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
, well I never did figure it out b/c I am clearly out of the loop. And it was just the president, the VP, and the treasurer--no one else was allowed a word in edgewise. 
Yup! They ask for parent help and then don't use it, unless you're in the "in" crowd. They go crazy with the fund-raisers. They're cliquish as heck. I'm too through, and my kids are still in elementary school!
