Originally posted by Julie Stutts: Need more advice - Do you do all your voting/business at Board or General meetings? We have always done most of it at Board meeting but new principal is saying it is wrong. Our By-laws are very old and some times hard to interpret.
Thanks for your help
Hey Julie welcome to the forum!
Okay, an election can be held whenever itwould work best. Right now the PTO BOard (What's is left of it really needs to met with the Principal and figure out what and where is all this tension coming from. Now our best year as a PTO was the year a teacher served as President BUT she also had a hard time seeing eye to eye with the Admin and left the next year. THese are things that need to be talked about, and a solution agreed on....really!
I agree with Scottsmom, there needs to be some sort of agreement regarding elections etc.
Oh, I forgot to mention our current President resighned last night because of the tension. I have been involved in PTO 10 years and never seen the hostility before. I agree with some of the things the new principal is saying but her methods are way off. She forgets I think that we are adults and also not her employees.
Holly - Do you only have a Pres., secretary, and treasurer on your Board? Do you do other business at Board or General Meetings?
ScottMom - That is what the principal is saying that it is inclusive. Although anyone can come to meetings, most are not interested.
We hold nominations in April at our general meeting and hold voting in May at our board meeting. Our bylaws state this and what to do if more than one person is nominated for Presdient, secretary or treasurer. If there's only one person nominated for a position and there are no objections then we just do a show of hands vote, but if there's more than one person nominated then we do a ballot vote.
After all this is over, y'all should think about revising your bylaws to make things go smoother in the future!
Voting is one thing I have learned that every school has very different opinions about. Our bylaws say voting is done at the board level as these people are supposed to equally represent the school:4 parent positions, 4 teacher positions and up to 2 admin positions. I can see how this set up would be fair and keep a handle on voting but we combined these meetings 2 years ago and have not had anyone come and try to over throw the meeting with their agenda and it has reduced the number of meetings we must have. At the same time, I see how this could be viewed as inclusive. It sounds like your group is at that growing pains stage where it is going to take some discussions or maybe trial and error to get where you want your group to be. We are currently adding more checks and balances so that board members won't purchase Valentine gift items for their daughter's class with a check given them to purchase chili feed supplies and other similar items. You should voice your opinions and have good reasons to back them up as well as being somewhat open to change-but question it every step of the way-and then write it down in your bylaws so the next group doesn't have to go through it too.
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
The vote was postponed. Very tense and hostile meeting. Need more advice - Do you do all your voting/business at Board or General meetings? We have always done most of it at Board meeting but new principal is saying it is wrong. Our By-laws are very old and some times hard to interpret.
Thanks for your help
Thanks for the input. We have our meeting tonight. Our By-laws do not specify that a teacher can not hold office. We also have teacher reps. I will keep you posted.
really needs to met with the Principal and figure out what and where is all this tension coming from. Now our best year as a PTO was the year a teacher served as President BUT she also had a hard time seeing eye to eye with the Admin and left the next year. THese are things that need to be talked about, and a solution agreed on....really!
