I agree with mykidsmom definetly, I've have seen it as well. And I've heard the following saying
"The school is the Queen's or King's Castle. They will guard it. The children are theirs to protect and look out for their welfare while they
are on the castle grounds. I was told that about 4 years ago and I've seen it. Include your principal in on the board. Any board that I've served on the Principal is always there. Regardless, of what decisions are made you have to get clearance through them anyway. So, I would change my By-Laws to have a smooth year.

I like what Susie has to say but I guess I would take it in another direction. A meeting is a meeting weither it is your Board meeting or the general membership meeting and excuding your principal (I have seen) can be the kiss of death!
I'm wondering if you give her the time, date, and the adgenda in advance if that would help. May be she feels excluded because she isn't on the board...don't go changing your by-laws just for her but it is a thought to consider. I had to remind our Prez last year, whatever her feelings are to the principal- we are in her school and she is accountable to the parents as well as the school district. I have also learned that most control freaks are afraid they are missing something or think they know how it can be done better etc (my mom could do it better- I'm recovering, slowly)
Try this, see if she had a 'detailed' minutes from your meetings- this committee is doing this, we budgeted this much for this etc. It's like micro manageing. She wants to be involved but is doing it the only way she knows how. On the bright side, it's January--May is only a ways a way!
I hope I'm making sense...and this helps...hang in there! You've come this far!!!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

She has control over what happens in her building (school.) Even though she may not be a member of your Executive Board, she has every right to attend a general mtg if it is held in a public school. What she can do and can't do if she is not a member is up to your organization.
You may have no other choice but to move your executive meeting outside of the school building to avoid this conflict. Try your library, or you may elect to have it at someone's house. It will be harder to do it this way, but then you don't have the power struggle of the principle using her building as a weapon for your executive Board mtgs.
We have our principal on the Executive board, but she has no more control or influence over any of the other Board members. And we are very quickly and nicely to point that out if necessary.

Our principal says we can't have a PTO meeting without her (she has serious control issues). She has already had severe run ins with some parents and many have a negative opinion of her. She is not on our board and we assured her the minutes but she insists no meetings without her and her approval. Do we have ANY rights to make these decisions? She needs to control everything and yet she is not on the board (only 1 teacher goes to the meetings and she's the only staff on the board) and she is starting to make it hard for us to function properly. She doesn't want to work with us and she continues to put obstacles in our path (we even caught her lying about issues so we wouldn't know what was happening!) I'm at a loss... Any suggestions? :confused: