Advice from PTO Today

It’s great that your group is there to lend a hand and offer some expertise to the newer school and its parents. Elly doesn’t have all the details here, such as whether there are two different principals and what the relationship between the two is like. But Elly will try to give you the best answer she can.

First of all, there are some financial and organizational “kinks” that you’ll need to work out. You should have a budgetary policy in place for both groups before the year begins. For example, will there be separate fundraising units for each school, or one that will work for both and then split the fundraiser’s profits equally among the grades? How will your group decide among the types of projects and enrichment activities to run during the year? You’ll want to iron out a budget plan that’s fair and workable for all parents involved.

Also, it seems to Elly that at the very least you’ll need to make some revisions to your group’s organizational documents, such as the articles of association or constitution if you have them, the bylaws, and the articles of incorporation if you’re incorporated. It’s likely that your mission statement will require some new wording, too, to reflect the fact that you’re now serving two schools. You may want to choose a few parents from the new school to work with you and your leaders while completing the revision process.

Elly hopes she hasn’t given you a pessimistic or “don’t bother” message as far getting these groups to work together; she just wants you to know what your group can expect. Groups do succeed at this type of arrangement; when unexpected problems occur, typically it’s because of different goals for the two schools or different approaches to involvement by the two principals.

• Report Abuse Nonsense Spam