Well, I guess the only other option I can think of and do myself, don't participate in the fundrasier. There are several, our school holds a fundrasier a month! Often the indivdual grades are not included in the mix. You know what, I send it all back to school. With three kids in school and two more waiting, I just can't afford to participate nor do I agree with what they are selling. Right now, I mean right now, I have 3 Entertainment books on my kitchen table at $22 apeice! I agree enough is enough with someof these but until someone is willing to listen there is not much more you can do or say before this starts to back fire.

If you have been talking to everyone GREAT, now if they would just open up and listen. Talking to the Super...I don't know. That sounds louder than stepping on toes, more like crushing.

You know, some of the best ideas take some time. Everyone thought the Wright Brothers were crazy! Now look!

Lost at sea says: "you could call the president and offer to start up and chair a Family Fitness Fun Committee"
The problem is, I've been in touch with the pres. for a year now on this, her interest is in squelching me. I email her, she ignores me. I offer to head up a committee for a fundraiser run, she says no way, not enough profit. too much work.
Lost also says:"This is your year to learn the system and make contacts. Then run for office - any office - next year."
Can't do that, this is the 3rd year of a 3 year middle school we came to last year. I did spend last year doing the above. I even volunteered for heading the refreshment committee, and was told my name would be given to the person who IS actually heading it. Not holding my breath waiting for that contact, I supply teacher's refreshments often myself so far this year.
Mykidsmom sez: "please take the time to talk with the PTO Board separate from the normal meeting time"
Done that, written to them, emailed them, they don't want to talk to me. Also, our pto is very "exclusive", all meetings are attended by officers only except me. So any meeting would be good to discuss this, if they were willing.
Michelle B has good advice: "You do know that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results?
Time to take action and try a different approach"

So, this year I am taking my complaints (with suggestions for improvement) straight to the superintendent with copies to the principal and even teachers when appropriate. I can't sit back and watch this small group of fundraising parents control the pto another year while ignoring my overdue suggestions.

I wish my farm were big enough to have something marketable, but the orchard is still young and the crops barely feed my family, friends, neighbors and hungry teachers. I have photographed the giant pumpkin and today will give a picture to a teacher who is planning a candy sale. I've been trying to convince him to change to a pumpkin based fund raiser!

Does anyone have any ideas on how to structure this? I've been thinking either a "pay ($5?) to guess the weight" or "sponsor the pumpkin weight" where donators would agree to pay (a dime a pound?) upon the pumpkin being weighed.

With the superintendent, I'm trying to get him to support and adapt as district regulation the language of a bill in this state that will soon be codified. It will end candy sales to students during school hours, which should have been done long ago. Of course it is not right to have kids and even teachers pressuring the students to buy candy at school!

So, I'm trying everything, all angles, listening to and loving your suggestions! Thanks!

Originally posted by mykidsmom:
p.s. you can't make someone follow Robert's Rules. you can try but trust me, we have better things to do with our precious time.

I have spent MY time trying to show our former Pres. how much better a meeting can go if run in this matter with no luck.
This whole junk food thing is really your platform than please take the time to talk with the PTO Board separate from the normal meeting time so you don't seem like you are on a soap box. This way you can have their attention, no distractions, and best of all you can show them first hand your pumpkins (I'm leaning towards a friendly invite to your farm) and other items (if any) you may have. I remember selling boxes of apples, oranges, and grapefruit in college.

Forgive us, we get in a rut without realizing it. I've been chairing a skate party fundraiser now for 6 years! But I keep the party ideas fresh and with the help of the rink owners, keep things fun. Some may have the thought, if it ain't broke... but on the other hand, change can do one some good!

I feel strongly about inviting the board to your place and showing them what you have in mind. Good clean country air always help one think.

right????

I will go ahead and speak out of turn if I have to, but I do so want to be polite and positive.

Of course you do, and as far as I'm concerned, you have the patience of a saint but polite and positive is not getting the goal accomplished and lord knows you have tried. But it isn't working.

You do know that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results?
Time to take action and try a different approach.
If you are willing to put in the time, who will it hurt?

Dear Farmer Mom,

You have a couple of options to achieve your goal of a more health-conscious PTO, but remember, you do not want to antagonize everyone, because you cannot meet your goal by yourself!

First, you could call the president and offer to start up and chair a Family Fitness Fun committee. I can't imagine her turning you down -if I had someone offer to start and chair an underwater basket-weaving committee, I would probably weep with gratitude, right after I fainted!

Or you may have to go into Patient/Subversive mode. Volunteer for everything you can. For everything YOU are involved in, volunteer to provide the prizes or refreshments (you can get donations or coordinate parent contributions.) Get to know the other parents and teachers. Continue to 'teach by example' and make your position known, but without actively criticizing the current officers. ("I wish they wouldn't do so much candy" rather than "They don't even care about the health of our children") This is your year to learn the system and make contacts. Then run for office - any office - next year.

No, it's not right that they won't recongnize you in meetings. That's a whole seperate fight, if you want to fight it. But being an officer would give you the opportunity to change this, and to impact so much more!

This is a long post, but I wanted to offer you both encouragement, and some practical hints that have worked for me.

One more hint: Although I need feedback and suggestions from parents, I would probably resent it if someone complained to the principal about PTO activities without having at least attempted to give the PTO officers a chance to hear their concerns.

I've already tried printing out my concern, Michelle, and left my pile alongside the other "official" papers at the start of the meeting. Everyone picked up my papers with their others.

The funny thing is, at all the meetings since then, the president started carefully going through the paperwork with all the members at the start of the meetings. I know she wants to make sure I don't try it again. But I will at the next meeting! I used a great graphing program to show that within 6 years over half the school's kids will be fat if they continue gaining at the rate they have been the last few years.

I will go ahead and speak out of turn if I have to, but I do so want to be polite and positive.