Does your current budget show a line-item account called "New School PTO" where all this surplus income was put throughout the year, waiting to go to the new school? If not, it seems very shady indeed that the surplus be split. I assume that in the past years, the surplus income has always carried over to the next year, for the benefit of your school. You better check out the minutes of the meeting and how the budget was presented (i.e. what documents specifically were the members given to help them understand the budget they were about to approve). As far as pre-announcing the vote goes, we only require that for Bylaw revisions. However, our Bylaws clearly state that our activity is for the benefit of XXX Elementary School, not some other place. Good Luck!
P.S. When our school was started, the other elementary PTO voted to give us $1000 startup money.
P.P.S. We have a controversy, too, but it's getting so late in the school year that we're just letting it slide...takes too much energy sometimes....
sah, I'm a little confused... In the budget vote back in Oct, EXACTLY how was it worded that money would be allocated to the new school. The first thing I'd do is check your minutes to see exactly what was approved. Next I'd check your by-laws to see if the vote was valid according to them.
When you say going over budget, I assume you mean that you RAISED more than needed in your budget, rather than SPENDING more. Our PTO tends to raise money for the following year, so it would be very difficult to even detect an overage. But the by-laws state that fundraisers are for the next year...
HI MAPLE BROOK-
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLY. OUR PRINCIPAL EARLIER IN THE YEAR ADVISED ME TO KEEP THINGS CALM FOR THE SAKE OF OUR SCHOOL--SHE ALSO AGREED WITH ME AND NOW CHOOSES NOT TO GET INVOLVED OR TAKE SIDES. OUR SCHOOL YEAR IS NOT OVER YET, BUT TIME IS RUNNING OUT. I WILL STAY AT THE OLD SCHOOL AND I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM NEXT YEAR HAVING A VOTE TO "GIFT" AN AMOUNT TO THE NEW SCHOOL. I DON'T BELIEVE THOSE WHO ARE LEAVING SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE THE DECISION OF HOW MUCH TO TAKE.
Hi sah,
We are also the result of starting a new school. Ours is because our area is growing so fast, we needed a new elementary.
Anyway, our PTO from the old school voted to give us $600.00 to help start up our new Parent Teacher Organization, the other school that would be sending students to the new school, voted to donate $400.00 to help out.
I think I'm with you in that that vote that was taken earlier in the year is not fair. The money that was raised for the old school needs to stay in the school that it was raised for. If the new school needs a fund raiser, then the Parents need to unite, vote in PTO or PTA like we did, and take care of their business as a new school.
As far as changing this now, Are you guys out of school yet? If so that vote may have to stand. If not, take it back to the board. Also, What does your Principal have to say about this disbursement of funds?
Maplebrook has lots of wants and needs, but we would not and cannot take funds from the old school to benefit our school. ( Except for the generous donations previously mentioned).
Are you staying at the old school or going to the new school?
Our bylaws state that our pto follows the Robert's Rules of Order. In my edition it states that "Everything is accomplished in the spirit of openness, not secrecy. Members have the right to know what is going on within the orginization by attending meetings, by inspecting the official records, and by receiving notices and reports of committees, officers, and boards."
When there is a vote on an important manner such as going overbudget at the end of the year and what to do with those funds--should the officers advertise this vote and make members aware that they have the right to vote on this issue? This particular issue was mixed in at the end of our proposed budget-- most members were unaware that it was being voted on. Like others our school also is going through rezoning and new schools.(all of our officers are also leaving to attend the new school)
Is this vote valid?? It took place back in October. Even if the vote was valid ---afterward the officers NEVER notified the membership of the decision to split funds at the end of the year. All year long we had fundraiser after fundraiser in the name of our school only--parents did not know that any money raised over our budget would not stay at our school.(1/2 will go to the new school) I feel that this is very unethical. What if anything can be done? Shouldn't there be someone we can turn to for help??
