Soccermom, it is really easy for parents to feel that they aren't appreciated and that the teachers are constantly asking for more. I think it's funny that we tell the teachers to let us know when they need something but then get upset about always handing out to them. That's alot of what our groups do-filling in the gaps for the school, teachers, and students and a lot of this is done with money. When it seems people are starting to feel like this, I just get out my file of Thank you notes from various staff members and even classes to remind people that they are appreciated. I have never felt like Volunteer Appreciation events really did anything especially when the volunteers have to help. I do agree with boysmom about the lack of communication and can greatly agree, from experience, that this is more likely the case. You wouldn't believe how many times someone has seen me doing something and said, "I didn't know you did that or PTO did that." As planning for next year, you might see if your group can get a few minutes during inservice before school starts to introduce your group and it's activities to the staff to start off on the right foot.

Thank you so much for your advice! I would like to add that our staff does help at PTA meetings, and they do show up to events that the PTA hosts. Its just that parents feel that the teachers have a "gimme more, gimme more" attitude...not to mention that several of the staff members mentioned directly TO ME that parents should be grateful for the jobs that the teachers do! Hellloooo....they voluntarily went to college to enter the profession....and they get paid VERY WELL, I might add. I don't want to sound ungrateful, I admire ALL teachers and the jobs that they do every day. I don't think that the job is easy in ANY sense of the word. But our job isn't always EASY, either. Alittle respect can go a long way...and people need to feel like they are appreciated. I do everything that I can to make our board feel appreciated....but now they want to feel it from the staff, not me.

At our school we've found it helpful to address problems like this as weaknesses in communication rather than lack of support. If you can approach the problem with the assumption (or at least the attitude) that the staff is in fact grateful for the volunteers but just needs guidance in more effectively communicating that, it might get you the results you want. Some of our board members had been more inclined to go into attack mode, which just made the staff defensive and got us nowhere.

For example, perhaps your principal would be more receptive if you presented this as a morale problem you're having with the parents, rather than a support problem with the teachers. Suggest that the parent volunteers need some encouragement and don't seem to be responding to the traditional Volunteer Appreciation event, which they see as coming only from other volunteers. Ask her if she thinks it would be possible to enlist "more visible" staff participation, or if she has other ideas, perhaps for something sponsored entirely by the staff.

That might mean scaling back the event, but I would think an afternoon cookies & punch reception sponsored by the teachers would mean a lot more than a sit-down dinner sponsored by other parent volunteers. Or perhaps your principal could suggest some entirely new ideas for ways the staff could encourage/show appreciation for the volunteers, maybe things that could be done during the school days of the week leading up to the evening event.

If it's any consolation, we have struggled with these same problems, so much so that last year I asked to create my own job with the PTO for this year as a sort of teacher-parent relations booster. We've seen some pretty good results just from having focused on the problem, rather than continuing to gripe among ourselves at board meetings.

Enlisting the principal's help was vital, and I think you're right to head off your board members' complaints and approach this with your principal in a diplomatic, positive way. I've found it helps a lot if I can remain RELENTLESSLY positive, no matter what cynical comments may be running through my head!

I would talk to your principal and gently explain the situation. Be ready to lay out the value the PTO brings to the school and the way the PARTNERSHIP should work.

Here’s how it works at our school. (I don’t know that I would present this as a written list, but I believe it’s a reasonable set of expectations.)

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• Teachers are supportive of PTO events. They help in an on-going way by making sure flyers get home, making reminder announcements, mentioning upcoming activities to children, collecting forms in the classroom.</font>
• Teachers are encouraged to express their appreciation for the efforts of volunteers and PTO leaders.</font>
• For the big Spring Fling event, every staff member is expected to attend and to help in some way – primarily signing up for a shift that night. Those who can’t attend speak with the principal and sign up for some task such as prep work or writing thank you notes.
  
  Note – this is a set expectation by the principal and the PTO. We have lots of events and welcome any help during the year. But this one is not “optional”. It’s our biggest school event and everyone needs to pitch in.</font>
• Volunteer Luncheon – this event is totally arranged and worked by the school staff. The PTO (or any volunteers) are guests. Typically, they buy something like big trays of lasagna and then the teachers bring salads and desserts. The principal has some nice things to say and they usually give out a certificate - often one of those cute checks for "a million thanks".
  
  Could you raise the idea of the school taking over this dinner or adding a volunteer event that THEY run?</font>

Anyone should be able to empathize with being taken for granted. Find a way to enlist her support.

Do you post a teacher sign up list in the staff lounge? Maybe they just don't realize that you need and want their help?
Our VP is also a spec-ed teacher so we use her as much as possible to pass along info to teachers. The principal gives her time each staff meeting to share what's going on with PTA. Maybe you could ask your principal if you or another board member could do that at their staff meetings? I don't know that they would want you to stay for the entire thing, but perhaps they can put you first on the agenda.

Tell them exactly what is needed: this is what we're doing, this is what's coming up next, we need vol. for this or that, etc. Bring a sign-up sheet to pass and then put a thank you(reminder) note in the mailbox(es) of any who do sign up.

Hope these help a little.

Hello all! I'm having a bit of trouble with our school and would be thrilled with some input from all of you!
Here's the deal: Our PTA supports the staff and teachers of our school tremendously (as do all of you!)...with paperwork, copying, office tasks, phone tree, class parties, you know the song and dance. We also try to show our support of the teachers by having a "who's who" column in our monthly newsletter (this allows the families to get to know their teachers more outside of school); and we also do the "usual" teacher appreciation-type of things: luncheons (4x per year); every single day of teacher appreciation week we do something for them...yadda, yadda, yadda. I'm very pleased with how great the teachers are with the children--that's the number one thing. With all that being said....
Here's my complaint: The teachers take the volunteers for granted, and to get them to show any sort of support is like pulling teeth. When there's something extra that needs to be done, there's never a hesitation to "ask our PTA"; when something is needed to be purchased they don't mind "asking the PTA", you get the picture.
We have a VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION NIGHT every spring--guess what the teachers do? Show up and eat. They don't help to set up, certainly would never THINK of staying to help clean up...they never do. Many of our board members are getting more and more bitter about this...they feel entirely used by the staff. What's a girl to do?
How do I approach this with our principal? She's very protective of her staff, and dismisses any "negative" comments. I have to bring this up to her diplomatically before my board gets ahold of her about it and things get ugly.
Any suggestions would be GREAT!
Thank you all so much for your help!