My personal experience with PTO - you MUST have a good relationship with the school secretary and the principal. If the principal is adamant about not having this person serve - then I would ask the principal to help you in your search, to suggest others and to help with the arm twisting (I mean persuasive convincing) to get someone in the position. I don't think the fact that the person has a kindergartner is necessarily a bad thing in and of itself. Here's my gut - ask another officer to step in to the presidency and have this new person take their board position (if that fits in your bylaws). They'll get their feet wet and have an opportunity to smooth things over with the principal over the next few years. If that one doesn't fly, and if principal is able to swallow this - then have new parent be president with the understanding that the other board members will take on some of the presidential responsibilities until all are comfortable in their roles.
O.K. - this is serious stream of consciousness on my part. If this new parent is not "permitted" to take a board position - candy coat it. Find a committee that needs a chairperson or a strong co-chair and flatter this mom - tell her how much you appreciate her willingness to step up, but that you feel it may be too much too soon for a new mom with the changes already in her life - i.e. her baby going to school for the first time - and that you could really use her talents to co-chair the ___________ committee which will help acclimate her to the PTO, and to the school. Hate to say suck up - but don't loose someone who is willing to take on a leadership role.
See previous issues of PTOToday on how things get clicky and then we have a hard time getting rid of the stigma. If we turn parents away this is how things turn out. As for the pres who can only serve two years and is now VP - every once in a while new blood is needed. I know (first hand) how hard it is to get volunteers, especially for chief positions, but if we don't circulate new people into the visible positions - the stereotype of clicky PTO moms is promulgated. I am NOT attacking the parent who has dedicated two years to the presidency and now is VP - not at all - those hard workers are so much needed that you can't count how many of them you need. I am just saying that we need to do everything possible to let everyone know they are most welcome.
We had the same experience last year. Our VP left and someone offered to fill their shoes. Some of us thought it was a good idea, some of us not so good. When we had NO ONE else apply for the position, we accepted him on board. He and his wife ended up losing(?) over $6,000 from a fundraiser while being on board less than 6 months (they are currently paying back!). We currently do background checks on all of our parents coaches and thought that maybe we should have everyone on the Board go through the same state or federal background check. It only costs $10 and it would be worth it. It's not to say this would have been prevented but it's one more preventative measure fpr people that are handling thousands of dollars every year. Good luck.
The President position for our PTO was never filled at the end of last years elections. Our past president had already served for 2 years and is limited by the by-laws to a 2 year term. She is currently our Vice President. Our by-laws state that we can appoint a person after the election is over if someone steps forward and we have been actively advertising the open position. A new kindergarten parent to the school has since volunteered to step in as President. Several current board members have expressed their hesitancy with a person new to the school stepping into the position without having been around or knowing how things work. Other board members are ok with it and willing to be patient while she gets on board, literally. The school principal just found out about it and has asked the current vice president not to appoint her as he has already had difficult dealings with this potential new president this school year. The principal does not have voting priveledges per our by-laws. My question is, does he have the right to do this? This is very political to me. She doesn't know anything about this and none of us know her well enough to even ask her side of the story or I don't know if we would get in the middle of it anyways. Very awkward. What do you think?
