Question: Meeting/Lounge area suggestions

We are a private school in an international setting. We have gone one year without a PTO/PTA/PSA meeting-lounge area for parents and board. This area will be returned to us in the next school year but guide lines need to be established for use of the meeting-lounge area. We need it to be a welcoming area for all parents but respected as a meeting area for the board and committee groups, not a playground for the toddlers. What are your suggestions for what might work and some proactive conflict resolution tips for this meeting-lounge area?

Asked by Davispcm

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
You might send an email to all parents and staff, saying the PTO is excited to have its room back after a year's hiatus and state the purpose of the room as a meeting place for adults. Create some specific rules about use of the room, and establish a sign-up sheet for when the room isn't being used for PTO functions. One suggestion would be to establish it as a quiet space for parents (only) when it is not otherwise in use. Regarding conflict resolution, if the rules are clear and well advertised, they will be easier to enforce.

Community Advice

jleesiordia writes:
I'm looking for feedback in this area, too. I'm trying to figure out how to talk to my volunteers about their unruly toddlers that they bring without losing them as volunteers. They are vitals parts of our PTO, and I want them to feel free to bring their kids, but I'm *this close* to forbidding their kids from coming as they disrupt the neighboring classrooms.
I don't know how to address this without being mean.