Our Principal is great - we are very lucky. Nevertheless we have a defined role for the Principal in relation to the PTO - it's in our Charter.
The main role of the Principal is in running and overseeing the school. With regard to the PTO, she is a liason to the administration, sure, but also more than that. The Principal has to approve any PTO flyers being sent home with the kids, has to be notified about certain volunteers (there are state laws about running background checks that she needs to meet), and chairs the Nominating Committee.
There is a Principal's Report (as well as a Vice-Principal's Report) at every regular PTO meeting - it is a standard part of the agenda.
The Principal also has some influence in the things the PTO does, but no more than any other member. For example, she had a concern over an item of clothing we were going to be selling this year - she expressed her concern and the rest of the group talked it out and in the end we decided to sell it.
Sergeant-At-Arms, huh? Sounds like something out of Animal House! I doubt the PTO needs one but if there is a good reason for it, the eligibility and responsbilities are well-defined and the organization agrees to add it to the rules (by-laws) then OK.
You need to give your principal a spot in your agenda to discuss his/her business (after you take control of your agenda for yourselves, that is!!).
I agree with the posters above. If it's not in the bylaws and this person has not been elected by the membership like the rest of the board, then it sounds like they made up the position for selfish reasons. I like the "liason" term for the principal.
okaymom2 if she is doing the agenda and explaining things to the president why items are there , that is wrong! There needs to be a meeting of the minds BEFORE your meetings, our principal meets with me twice a month and the other officers once a month so that we are all on the same page and no surprises!
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
I have recently found out that she even does the agenda for the meetings-The last meeting there was certain items on the agenda that she had to explain to the president the reason they were there...
Legislative bodies that have legal power to compel the attendance of their members have a sergeant-at-arms. He is the person who compels (by force if necessary)absent members of the assembly to attend. He also can remove (by force if necessary) any attendee whose presence is disruptive to the assembly. In other nonlegislative bodies, the role/position is ceremonial at best.
Your PTO needs one???
Well, I did a little poking around on the internet and it sounds like your principal has appointed herself the chief of police!
Type sergeant at arms in a Google search window. Also, check out the Toast Masters link below to see how they define the role within their structure. I couldn't find anything in Roberts Rules ( www.rulesonline.com/start.html
) but that's just because I got impatient with their search engine.
Acutally, the more I read about this position, the more I wish we had one! But I definitely agree with Renee S. The role should be clearly defined in your bylaws and should be an elected position. At the very least, it should be a non-voting position assigned by the executive board.
