Yes - absolutely, join and get involved. It should either be free or just have nominal dues.
As DLF said, a PTO's role can vary from school to school. With elementary schools it is normally the central (or only) organization that focuses on supporting the school in terms of parental involvement, volunteer recruitment, teacher appreciation, and fundraising.
Yes, raising funds will undoubtedly be part of this. But focus on WHY the money is being raised and WHAT is accomplished, not simply the act of fundraising.
How much you choose to do is entirely up to you. You can volunteer for one activity or take a leadership role. However, getting involved will benefit you, your school, and your child.
Hi Dominique--well asking what a PTO is and what it does is somewhat akin to asking what colors are in the rainbow. Each PTO is unique and the programs they offer are also varied. The best thing to do is to contact your PTO President and ask them what it is your PTO does to enrich your children's education experience. If there are dues involved; you can ask where the dues go and what they contribute toward the school. If there are no dues involved then you can see what it is your groups organization as a whole does to bring together the talents of the parents and the teachers in order to make the children's experience at the school the best educational experience they can have.
I have lofty expectations of a PTO and believe they had so much to offer your school. In our school, the PTO has done amazing things. That word amazing includes offering school programs that aren't paid by the budget process, family programs that are offered outside of school hours to bring families together to support one another and our children, charitable programs to allow children the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves and personal enrichment programs that allow each child to be the best they can be.
You have the RIGHT to see the bylaws of your group, the budget of your group and the audits of your group. If they are 501c(3); i.e. a federally recognized tax exempt group, they should be operating within the relms of an IRS accountable charity.
More than that; a PTO is a great place for parents that are sending their children to school, to support their children in a way that make learning fun and exciting. If you teach them how to learn; how to love to learn; and how to feel like school is a place they want to be, at least half of the education process is a success.
