Question: Board Members on PTO

I was wondering how many PTO board members other groups have? Right now we have 10 on our current board. This is my first year on our PTO board and I am enjoying it very much. But we are seeing that 10 women on a board may be to many and the Pres. and Vice Pres. are thinking about cutting the board to 4 members for next year. If we agreed to a 2 year term is it possible for them to vote us out? I don't agree to the 4 member board but I think that 10 is way to many! Thank you for any adivce that I receive!

Asked by DaynaLC83

Answers:

Community Advice

NOSD PTR writes:
WOW, 10 is very overwhelming!! We currently have a 4 person board, which I feel is to few for a board, - there can be ties on issues etc... so we are moving towards going with 5 - this way you always have a tie breaker. Good Luck!!

Community Advice

DaynaLC83 writes:
May I ask what the 5 positions are that folks hold on your board currently? I think that 5 would be a good number like you said in case of a tie and then have sub committe's underneath the board. Thank you for answering my question!!

Community Advice

coyotes writes:
I think a four person board is standard. Although, depending on how your by-laws read "they" cannot vote out other members. All 10 members of the current board have equal voting rights. Typically, board members have to agree by 2/3 majority to vote another person out. The best thing to do is have the general PTO group vote on weather or not they'd like to make the change to being represented by four officers instead of ten. Once that has been passed, then just hold a standard election for the 4 positions.

Community Advice

coyotes writes:
We have 4 board members and we keep our outgoing president on the board the following year to help with transition and to be the tie-breaker vote. If you have a four person board, you can also ask the school principal to be the tie-breaker vote as well. We've done that in the past because the bottom line is that we are there for the school so his opinion is important.

Community Advice

pookey258 writes:
we have 24 parents on our board and not one committee assignment, help. I am a new co-president, how do I gently explain to these people that boards should be active and engaged.
not many even show up for meetings, I am unclear how they ended up on the board