Me?
First thing I'd do is take a deep breath, count to 100, etc.
Then I'd remember something I was big on when I was coaching basketball (warning: sports analogy ahead): you can't run any big offense or defense if you can't do the fundamentals right. In coaching, that might we never worked on anything until we could dribble and make simple passes and simple shots.
In PTOs, the basics are good bylaws, a desire to follow them, basic/smart management policies (handling funds, for example) and a general understanding between PTO and principal about why parent involvement is importnat and how the PTO-principal relationship should/will work.
In kym's message, there's so much talk of this event and that event and newsletters and the like, when -- in reality -- the group should probably be thinking of none of those things until the group can get its basics in line.
Our feature story on PTOs and Principals (
www.ptotoday.com/0802principals.html
) is one place to start.
Even if it means some things/events don't get done in the short-term, you have to go back to basics before you can move onward and upward.
It's not easy, bit it's worth it. For your kids and the kids who come after you.
Tim