How sad that a principal won't be suppotive!! I'd talk to the teachers & see if they have any suggestions, wants, needs,ideas.... You should find a lot of support from them. Good luck!!
Yes our school is new and she has handpicked people but she has told the PTO she will not help them in any way regarding the school. They have tried to get together with her to start the ball rolling on what the school needs and she has refused meetings. It is very chaotic at the school and the PTO president is very frustrated. I have only just found this out because I called the PTO president and she just unloaded on me. Very sad situation.
my first thought was "are you a new group?" when we started out in 2001 the principal did "pick" me and a couple of others to run the show. Now four years later I am still running it and two of the other moms have also maintained their rolls through elections.
I am just wondering if your principal has parents that she doesn't want in that role so she picked them all rather tahn rocking the boat. How long has she picked the board? Is it something that "has always happened?" Is your group working under the school's wings (checking account is school shared, using their tax id number, etc) that may add to it as well. Find out a little more and maybe you will see why it is done this way. If you dont find any of these concerns then I would just point blank at a general meeting!
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
It's not unheard of, but rare. If left to her own devices I know our principal would LOVE to hand-pick our board. She does that sort of thing with any non-PTO based projects in the school and it's always the same people in charge. Unfortunately while she has her "yes-women" stroking her and obeying her every command the projects generally turn out disappointing.
I'm assuming your PTO is not separate from the school. If this is the case changing things would take a LOT of diplomacy and hard work--I'm getting sort of burned out from fighting the good fights, but if you have it in you --go for it!
No,not normally. Be interesting to know the thinking behind this besides wanting only people that will agree with the principal.
What I have seen is cases where the PRincipal would express likes and dislikes and rathers about Board members but not out and out hand pick.
Are you in a position to that you can ask the Principal about this? I wouild also take the "high road" and not be offened or conserned but just wonder why the Board is chosen this way and ou would have loved a chance to be involved at this level. Just remember not to take this personal. It's not you... it's your Principal!
