Thank you for giving me some direction. I really have learned a lot from this website. I have recommend it to another school who is starting up a PTO. Thanks again!
Originally posted by raesmom: Since there are no sign of the bylaws to be found do we start new? This parent group has never been very very straight on how it was to be ran. It has been up to a few ladies to say how it goes.But do to some misunderstandings We have decided to make this a orderd PTO. All help is welcomed.
Hi raesmom -
Allow me to get a plug in here. Your post describes almost exactly the kind of emails and phone calls we receive so often that prompted us to start the National PTO Network. The first "Expert Guide" (that comes with NPN membership) is called: "PTO Start-Up" and it covers your questions in great detail. I know it will be a big help to you.
Ok I am going to address this in two parts since I see two problems being rolled into one.
First the issue of by laws. You dont have any so you dont have any rules to work from. Create a document. Again read my post on Charter vs bylaws. Which ever way you go the by laws shuld only adress the way the organization is organized and high level of operations. Use board approval and voting to address the day to day operations.
The next issue is a calendar. We build our activities calendar at the beginning of the year. It includes everything we know is going to happen and when to include all non PTO events! This prevents conflict. School sponsored events have priority for dates! These are commonly mandated by the district. Then PTO events have next priority. Finally other organizations! Once this calendar is built it is reviewed by the Principal and the PTO president for completeness and approval! It sounds as if you dont have one of these [img]smile.gif[/img]
The calendar is a planning document to be used and can be modified or added to as needed. It is not written is stone, cancell and sub items as needed but always review it and make sure the principal goes along with those changes. Surprises are the worse thing in the world to try to deal with.
Last year after myself and old members had a disagreement on a date to plan a event I was told that it was against the general feeling of how the PTO was ran.the date conflicted with an event that was ran by some members but it was not a school event by did include a few students from our school. (I was New as president and to the school) I had asked if there were any rules that I should follow and I was told yes but given none.What we did was formed a committee and I am the only one left.I was given ideas from other people but that was all they wanted to do.So I and some new officers are working on them. I have gotten samples for the web site and have adjusted them to our needs and wants.
From what I am getting, I need to have them done and approved at a general meeting befor we can apply for an id#.Can we have just the new officers ,teacher reps and pricipal approve them?Then post them befor our general meeting and then vote? vote?
As you can see I am very new at this and I don't want to continue this year with out Bylaws.
When we revised our by-laws we first brought it up in a meeting, it was approved, we set up a committee that same meeting that it was approved, it consisted of 3 teachers, 2 parents, myself and the treasurer, and the VP chose not to do any committees but she was welcome. We skimmed our by-laws and other by-laws made the changes needed, took the revised copy before the general members got them apporved and sent the approved copy to the IRS.
You have to have by-laws in order to get a tax id #. If you make any changes to your by-laws then you have turn those in to the IRS also.
What exactly do you mean "start new"? Are you already having meetings? Do you have your by-laws in enough order for a committee or the members to review? It sounds to me like all you need to do is get it all approved and contact the IRS. I don't see any reasons for re-elections and such if that is what you mean. You'll just keep going forward, but more organized. Good luck!
We have been looking for the bylaws for about 6 months and they are no where to be found. Even the old president doesn't know where a copy could be we think that it went with the old principal. I just found out that the tax id # is the schools that we have been using so we will have to apply for our own. Since there are no sign of the bylaws to be found do we start new? This parent group has never been very very straight on how it was to be ran. It has been up to a few ladies to say how it goes.But do to some misunderstandings We have decided to make this a orderd PTO. All help is welcomed.
