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PRINCIPAL WOES--I know I'm not ALWAYS right, but....

20 years 1 month ago #65394 by mykidsmom
Beavis and Butthead laugh... huuhuhhh you said brainiac! LOVE IT!!!

And her boss was there to hear her say all that right?

I guess all you can do now is document everything.

uugghh we didn'tknow their names would be on it...Then why the h#ll ask for the class participation! Wouldn't it be great if the reminder could say
Hi moron,
We need something nice to put your name on to use for the auction. Unless of course you believe the lack of sense of humor you used for your first basket is fine, okay. But, just so you know we will use your real name, cheese head.
And yes our legal approved this memo...
the PTO :D


to think I left a paying job to be treated like this.........
20 years 1 month ago #65393 by kmamom
I see--children not being able to eat their lunch is NOT a PTO issue. Thanks for the update, brainiac. I'm sure those scary great administrative skills are a real comfort to you when you go to bed at night. :rolleyes: I'm sorry, but that is SO ridiculous I honestly can't think of an actual response to that.

I see--doing a good deed means you're an ass@hol@. Isn't it great to be committed to being involved to make things better? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

(This is a copy from my posting in Free for All) Well, we had our meeting to which we invited the super today. See the finer points under: TORMENTING OUR STAFF AND PRINCIPAL? in Day to day.

The more I reflect on the meeting and the things she said and her responses to our feelings and opinions I am, as a parent, alarmed by her behavior. On the surface she sems affable and reasonable. However it became obvious very quickly that she seems to hold grudges, opinions differing from her own will not even be reflected upon, she is loyal to her staff to a fault--she refuses to acknowledge that any of them could possibly have issues or faults, she claims that all groups ARE held to the same standards, then would immediately make a statement that proved they are not. I came out feeling that we received a lot of mixed messages, which I can deal with because we're going to have the approved "rules" to go by, but I wonder how she will react at the first comlaint from a teacher or "concerned parent."

Don't get me wrong --this isn't about us not getting what we want and now focusing on ruining this woman's good name. But I have real issues with her OBVIOUSLY not reading the material we give her, nor writing it down. We were in this meeting WELL over 2 1/2 hours, and I swear the Vice didn't write ONE, not ONE thing down, and in fact didn't even come in with a pad or pencil! :rolleyes:

THANK YOU for your support! The issue of the "crappy" basket(pun intended) came up. When we asked what we were supposed to do with this, the principal said, "can't you just toss it in another basket?" to which we replied, "Sure, but then her class will be the only one not represented." Well--was THAT a shocker to the principal. "Their NAMES are going on these?! I had NO idea, and I'm sure they didn't." We didn't even bother too express our dismay. I instead replied," Well I guess that's our fault--at the risk of sounding mean I guess we overestimated their inference skills." She continued on with had they known that she's quite sure they would have made sure their classes had a better showing, even if it meant they had to chip in themselves. Yes--she actually said this to parents--out loud, and with NO shame. So in other words had they known they wouldn't be anonymous, lazy cheapskates, they would actually have bothered to do a good job and encouraged the children to do the same. The whole thing, plus some other things she said blew my mind.

BELIEVE ME, we were of a mind to put the crappy basket out there--hey, she was comfortable giving it to us that way. Because of the new "knowledge" that people are actually going to identified with baskets we were told to reissue a gentle reminder notice to the parents.

And I used to hate working in a "real" job because I suck at politics!

[ 10-19-2004, 04:07 PM: Message edited by: kmamom ]
20 years 1 month ago #65392 by mykidsmom
kma- you will love this! Last week I sent an e-mail to FYI the Admin (we have three Principals and a Executive Director- school founder and ex-principal, I call 'em 'Fab 4') about a real situation (past issue) in the lunch room. We have a new "lunch czar" that is doing a sh@tty job at best! The kids go to the lunch room and are asked to wait until THEIR appointed time, they do it, the other kids line up, this new class then is expected to get their food, pay for it, and eat in about 10 minutes! NOT KIDDING! The mom that called me I have known for a few years and was upset because her daughter brought home her lunch AGAIN uneaten!
SO I did what anyof us would do and e-mailed this concern to the "Fab 4". Left for the afternoon and came home to five messages. Two asked who the parent was and wanted me to direct them blah blah blah (she has left messages, e-mailed, no one will call her or respond). Then I opened the message from the Elem. Princ. OH MY GOD! Not only did she ask the same questions but proceeded to tell me this was none of my concern OR nor should the PTO try and solve this issue....what the!? I responded that this was simply an FYI to an issue with the fifth grade class, I don't know names of students and don't concern myself with names. It has never been my perogative to resolve this issue but to inform you of this serious problem.

If you are putting money on the no response card, by gosh are right but you know how this works! The ones I did get a responce from was my fellow board members that not only backed me but were furious that such an e-mail was "okay". The e-mail had such a nasty tone to it.

That was Tuesday, Friday I went in to drop off flyers and pick-up uniforms etc and met the same firm "uh, it's the PTO" snobbish attidude. What hurts the most, I was dropping off clothes for two families in need and a coat for a needy student AND a jacket from the lost and found with a child's name on it but it smelled so bad I washed it and brought it back for him. No thanks just a sigh and roll of eyes. I don't know.
The sentament of the "Fab 4" is now "well we are a school of choice and if you don't like it...BYE!" Something is just not right and the last thing I want to give them is the satifaction of filling out 6 forms to withdraw my three children.

oohh kma, you opened a can of worms on this one ;) :rolleyes:

how did your meeting go...did you sleep at all last night? Please tell me you didn't stay up watching the ball game. ;)
20 years 1 month ago #65391 by kmamom
mykids--you are too much! :D I certainly hope you're not at my school--I wouldn't wish this BS on my worst enemy! (Well, MAYBE my worst enemy, but certainly not anyone I liked)!

Scottmom--I have been keeping records as best as I could--I'm not exactly the best at record keeping (which is why I was specifically requested to NOT be the treasurer!) but I actually managed to find notes from a meeting in MAY--even back then this was an issue--where I actually scribbled her responses to specific requests we had, and now I have "proof" that she agreed to things and not only HASN'T done things she said she'd do--in some cases she's even doing the opposite of what she said she'd do to help us! :mad:

I REALLY didn't want to have to bring the super in--the mere fact that I called him in is going to drive a most permanent wedge between us and our school's administration, even if I was right in doing it. And I hate being seen as one of those parents that "didn't get their way so now they're going to be the eternal annoyance.' But I just cannot keep this up--it's draining, and to be quite honest it's insulting and offensive.

And YES, mykids, at 39 I am FAR too old and tired to put up with this. Just when I was feeling somewhat competent and GASP--adult-like, this principal and her issues are really giving me a pain in my as@! What really makes me laugh though is that by nature I am SO lazy, and now all this stuff (my crap plus how I'm alarmed at how the teachers and curriculum in our school just aren't up to snuff)has me so crazy that I'm even contemplating a run for the BOARD OF ED at some point. This whole thing has driven me to the brink of insanity....there--now I am insane! [img]tongue.gif[/img]
20 years 1 month ago #65390 by mykidsmom
kma-are you sure you aren't at my school?!
I would go in over prepaired and carry in a bottle of Holy Water! HA! It worked in the movie Excersit(sp?) :D
Do you feel like creating a form for handing out flyers? Hear me out. We were going throught the same BS and a form letter was created that has helped. All the letter states is premission to distribute the flyer to the school's students. The Principal or her Asst. approve the flyer and I sent it home. Last year a flyer was sent home by mistake that said we had Monday off (Federal Holiday) but we didn't. Five people proofed it and it still went home BUT guess who got hte most guff....THE ASST! She didn't even look at it ! OOOPS!

Gosh, do you think you would be able to get a few minutes with the Super afterwards? THAT would be worth it! You and I both know she is going to be a totally different person at this meeting and you are going to be plotting her retirement! (change of wording :D )

Sometimes don't you wish you could just say "You know, I'm too smart for this crap and to old to be treated this way."

you know you can vent here, Tim hasn't put a stopper on that! Let us know how it goes. You will be in my thoughts :D .
20 years 1 month ago #65389 by ScottMom#1
Make sure to go to your meeting prepared. Think of every classroom note and what she said was wrong with it, think of every conversation you had with her and exactly what she said to you, take the input from all of your members and when this meeting is over be rid of it. If you feel you need to, keep a journal of every issue you address with her and her response so you can say to her face, on X day you told me I could do this, and then you can keep reporting what is going on. Be prepared for things to get worse before they get better though, because I've been there and it will. Just keep your chin up and shrug off every negative thing she says to you. Is she actually going to stop you from fundraising in the school? Most schools can't function long without it. Hang in there.

The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
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