Perhaps you should open a PTO checking account as well and be sure not to have any of the pricipals or secretarys from the school on this account. We have our own account and then we write the checks to the schools.
Ya know, I've been aroung these boards for quite a few years and this is not a new issue by far but the same reaction is seen each time.
THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you need to do right now is to take this issue and put it away. You need to mend bridges and work together with the school to make your group amazing. You bet this won't happen tomorrow or by May...all good things and healing take precious time. Trust needs to be rebuilt from all parties and once that can happen a better relationship can be so rewarding.
Yep, I have seen some ugly times at our public charter school with Admin that did what they wanted-- example, a $5 million parking garage was built with offices on a lower level. Now the city have informed the school we need to add a sprinkler system to the entire garage becasue it wasnt done and the offices were not apart of the original plans. As far as PTO issues, we were completly ignored for six years and restricted from fundraising! Last Spring a ton of changes were made and this has been the first year I have ever been asked, encouraged, and thanked....
Bylaws are in the works, to be adopted soon. They have been running without bylaws for the past four years with open-checkbook and don't like that anyone would question anything about it. Even if they apparently have the right to do this, it makes the parents feel used and definately not appreciated. Does anyone else have thoughts? Thank you.
Sounds like it's time for some by-laws! I feel your pain as far as a private school goes. We're not really a separate entity and the school has the right to deny us to become one. They control our money although WE control how it is spent via a vote of the parents.
You probably ought to do some research and come up with some sample by-laws or appoint a committee to create some by-laws. Perhaps you can become an independent PTO, as I'm sure they exist in some private schools.
Who controls your checkbook? Sounds like it must be the school. Our school also controls our checkbook and the money is mixed in with the schools in one account, although on paper we are separate. I did find out, though, that last year our school "used" our money when cash flow was low and that REALLY irked me. Of course, they don't publicize that.
There are experts on these boards who are alot more knowledgeable than I on the "structure" of a PTO group. It sounds like it's too late to do anything about what just happened but I would start working on some by-laws.
Question: I am the vice-president of the PTO since January when I was elected. This is a church school (private education). Since I have come on board, I have tried to help improve the PTO in such ways as family building, newsletters (non-existent before), fundraising opportunities.
Here's my concern. The school is only four years old. They don't have bylaws governing PTO funds yet. However, the school administration chose to purchase $5,600 worth of software for the school (we only had $4,000 in the bank) out of PTO funds WITHOUT a vote by the parents. When I started raising questions, I became enemy of the state to the point where the school administrator told me "If you are waiting for minutes to know why CFA ordered a new software program you will not receive them they do not exist. It was a decision made by the administration here at CFA and we did not need anyone’s permission to make that decision contrary to what you believe."
Granted, they are not operating under bylaws for the PTO, but is this still legal? Let alone ethical spending parents money without their say after it was the parents who raised it. Did I mention our school doesn't even have a library yet or ground cover on the playground and the children are required to wear uniforms.
