Since my last reply on this thread, our PTO group has gotten together and found chairs for all our events (hope they stay for the long haul), we have prepared a budget for the PTO and PIE, and prpared forms for our financial transactions (yes we have a ledger this year!) along with updating our bilaws to include a yearly audit and many other financial guidelines. I really think we are much better prepared this year than ever before. On another thread "do you really put PTO first" I have asked the question again, "does the PTO board need to also serve as the PIE board?".
NMom,
It sounds like our group a couple of years ago- First mtg. a new board was elected, then whomever the previous board were, they didn't return to another mtg. The new board were all new to the school & no information was given or left on what or how things had been done in the past.
Our group had to "rebuild" and now have done an awesome job of revivng school spirit and introduced new and exciting FUNd-raising events at our school. It was accomplished by much communication with staff and continuous parent involvement pleas (to help just 1 hour at 1 event makes a difference) Sometimes starting over is not as bad as it may seem.
Sometimes you just have to face that 1 person can't do eveything- no matter how much you care. You need to look at the bigger picture- if you continue to do it all, no one else will ever step up. While you may have every good intention (and it's obvious you do)you have to draw the line, then hope for the best.
I guess my biggest concern is that I am a very controling type personality. I am the person the teachers and principal have called on when they need a job done, because I don't quit until it is finished. We had sooooo many volunteers last year who all dropped their projects in the middle of the year and now in the last week of school, I am running my butt off trying to fix everything!! I don't want the PTO to be my responsibility forever, I want to set it up so the next groups won't have to go though a rebuilding process when I leave. I hate the way I keep saying "I". It is as though I am the only one who is responsible for everything the PTO did last year!!! I was only the secretary!! Our first May meeting was awful, and our second was still very bumpy!! The parents took all their anger out on me because I was the only ex board member left!! I just want to try to avoid any problems I can next year with changing our bank account and name, I don't want to look like I am taking over both groups. But, I just don't know what to do!!
Wouldn't we have to change our name? We will have to be filing papers with the school and if PTO already exists at our school how could we start another with the same name? We also got more bad news this week, our Principal is quitting!! We won't know who our new Principal is until next year!! This will be the third Principal change going on our 4th year. I'm hoping the district will try to place an established Principal from the area next time, who has no intentions of leaving. Does anyone have any ideas on how to elect the board for the next group? We only had 3 people run for 4 positions this last election, so how do we expect to fill the board for the new group, or do we even have to until next April??
Our PTO group definately needs a major reorganization. Our money is totally run through the school district and we have very little control over how it is used and accounted for. I am the new Pres for 2004-2005 school year and have a great team to work with. We are thinking about starting in Sept. with the old PTO and then opening a new group like PIE (Partners In Ed.) in Dec. We want to spend our PTO account down to 0 and do our Spring Fundraiser to be the budget for the PIE group in 2005-2006. Can we do this?? Has anyone out here done something like this before?? If we can, could (should) our PTO board also be our PIE board for this year?? It kinda seems like this wouldn't be right, but we only want to raise the money to start an account for the next year's group. No money to be spent from this account this year. Please Help!! Thanks!!
