JHB has a great point with the Union piece, I just didn't want to touch it! Thanks JHB!!! It does make a big difference! Our school does have a block party that the school puts on and most of the staff is there, that is a nice "our" event!

The others already stated much of my own views. In our elementary PTO we were lucky enough to set expectations early in the year - both with our PTO parents and teachers to make sure everyone understood the teacher's role in supporting us and how much we appreciated that. (Like others said above - making sure forms got in backpacks, making announcements, collecting money.)

BUT we did have the support of our principal that the annual spring event (used to be a carnival, now sock hop/bingo/auction) was a PTO and school partnership and EVERYONE was expected to help for this ONE activity. It was handled in a nice way and those that truly had conflicts arranged to help with pre or post event tasks.

Barring a union situation where that might be considered overtime, I'd really push for that ONE partnership and that it become "our" event instead of the PTO's. But you do need the support of your principal.

I agree with pals. You certainly can't force teachers to volunteer because they are at the school to teach. They are often overworked and underpaid. Dealing with children all day is a very difficult job. Their only obligation to the school is to teach our children. Our teachers collect money for us, pass out PTO flyers, and collect Box Tops for us. I am grateful that they do that much. Parents should be helping more in our schools. Getting parents to want to volunteer is like pulling teeth for us.

This can be a heated question as I am sure you will find out! You will get responses from teachers have a life outside of school, to schools that is is required that their teachers volunteer so much a year at PTO events. When I first became leader this was a huge thorn in my side, my principal at the time was trying to make it 'mandatory' and the bottom line was did they really want to be there.

I now have seen that teachers can support a pto in other ways, such as collecting fundraising money and taking it to the office. That is one of the most common ways. Another way is you could be having a reading night and they helped plan the stations. I find myself being more appreciative of staff members who are there because they want to, forcing them is not going to make your relationship better. Find different ways to show them it can be fun, like a staff parent sports competition.

I think we all look at teachers and feel that we are giving them something, but are we giving it for them or for the kids? Who benefits? I know I may be lambasted for this comment but they do have lifes of their own, in my school alot of the staff lives out of our district and are involved in school groups in other districts, their children have dance, soccer, scouts, pto events, concerts, yada yada. In a perfect world it would be nice if we could get more involved but I don't blame them for wanting to be with their children. We do have some staff that will bring their kids to our events so that is nice...does this answer your question? No but it is really something that brings up alot of thoughts, don't let it eat away at you...

This is my first year as the PTO president at my child's school. I am proud to say that our PTO recently bought the school a new computer lab ($30,000), increased the start up funds for students and increased grade level funds significantly. Why is it that teachers can't find the time to volunteer one hour for our family fun night, carnival, or pancake breakfast? It's like pulling teeth! In addition, our principal does not "make them" volunteer. How can we get them to want to volunteer?