At the end of the year: The President and I (VP)go together on gifts to the Secretary and Treasurer. I give the President a gift. The board gives gifts/cards/flowers for retiring teachers, births, and deaths out of our own pocket as well as from the organization (if they so approve).

No, gifts for board members should not be paid for with PTO money. This money is for the benefit of the school and the students. I even hesitate at general gifts (b'days, babies, etc) coming out of this fund. These can be given out of pocket if the board members wish to give a gift to an end-of-term president. :cool:

Our PTO has done that in the past. But this year as President (I've talked to the other officers too) we don't think a gift should be given out of the money the school raises. We think that if a gift is given the officers should choose how they would like the money spent (we set a limit of $100)like a donation to the school. The outgoing officers get to choose how it will be donated to the school. We all agreed we are not doing this for the $30 GC at the end of the year and we would feel better if,the membership felt they had to give a gift, we got to choose how to give it back to the school.

Is it common practice for a PTO to give a president a present out of the money raised by the school for the PTO budget? Do most PTO presidents spend money out of the budget to buy gifts for the board members? Every other board I have ever been on collected from the board members for any kind of personal present buying.
Our board seems to think I am crazy for thinking this is not right. Exactly what should a president's fund in the budget be used for?