It sounds like you fugured it out already but just a note we run a giving tree every year and donations are given by anyone who wishes and we have just a couple people to collect them, the flyer sent home lists the items wanted. no money passes through our accounts and parents think is teaches kids a good lesson about giving during the holiday season.
hI...THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN RAN BY THE STAFF SO WE REALLY AHD NO PRIOR NOTICE THAT WE WOULD BE APPROACHED BY THIS. THE STAFF DONATES ALL OF THE KIDS GIFTS,IM NOT SURE WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST AS FAR AS GROWNUPS.MY PRINCIPAL TOLD US LAST YEAR THAT IT IS TOO TOUCHY AND THEY WANT IT VERY CONFIDENTAL.iT HAS ALWAYS BEEN RAN BY STAFF ONLY.TALKING WITH PTO MEMBERS THEY HAVE NO PROBLEM HELPING DO THIS NEXT YEAR.THIS YEAR WE JUST CANT, WE ARE ABOUT TO KICK OFF OUR HOLIDAY SHOP, FINISHING UP A CANDLE SALE, DOING A GAME/BOOK DRIVE AND A FOOD DRIVE.AS WELL AS COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS FOR THE LOCAL NURSING HOME, AND SETTING UP A COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT PARENT INVOLVEMENT AT OUR SCHOOL. THERE IS JUST NO WAY WE COULD DO ANYTHING IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS.IF WE HAD KNOW WE WOULD BE APPROACHED WE COULD HAVE MADE THE GAME DRIVE FOR FAMILIES IN OUR SCHOOL AND NOT TO THE LOCAL CHARITY PLACES.THERE IS JUST NO WAY I CAN ASK FOR MORE FROM THE GROUP, THERES A BAD HABIT THAT WHEN WE WORK WITH OTHER GROUPS IN OUR SCHOOL WE GET THE PROJECT.MAYBE AFTER THE HOLIDAYS WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SET SOMETHING UP=)
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
Have you thought of asking your school community for donations to support this idea instead of the money coming out of the PTO budget. Your pto could organize this or you could have the school put together a committee of staff, pto ppl, teachers to run it.
Hi everyone..thanks for the great advice. I know in my heart that we have made the decision that is best for the school.For this year we can not support this project and we have two service projects going on right now to help our community. We also have received alot of great ideas on the forum and can really see us adopting our school in some way next year. We do alot of stuff that goes outside the community but now we are looking at keeping it in our school.We feel comfortable with knowing that our goal is to start a outreach program...
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
Sometimes it is hard for principals to hear that an organizations by-laws have limits. As pointed out previously, a PTO is not a charitable organization. Our thoughts have been that it is important to use funds raised to benefit the majority of the students. That does not say that you can not organize parents and students to help those in need. In our K-8, the student council, with aid from the nurse and staff, put up a mitten tree. This especially comes in handy when it is in place for the winter book fair and conferences. As parents, it is hard to pass up the mitten tree, as it sits in the entrance. At the high school level, the National Honor Society and Student Council work hard on the mitten tree, toy [img]smile.gif[/img] and food drive. The Enrichment Committee, a group of caring parents, work hard with the high school principal and staff to make certain every high school student in need receives things for the holidays. The call goes out to all the parents in the school to help where needed, and parents come through.
The bottom line is there are other ways of meeting this need, without spending the PTO's money. As parents and volunteers we do our very best to help where we can, but we can only do so much.
Sometimes it is hard for principals to hear that an organizations by-laws have limits. As pointed out previously, a PTO is not a charitable organization. Our thoughts have been that it is important to use funds raised to cover benefit the majority of the students. That does not say that you can not organize parents and students to help those in need. In our K-8, the student council, with aid from the nurse and staff, put up a mitten tree. This especially comes in handy when it is in place for the winter book fair and conferences. As parents, it is hard to pass up the mitten tree, as it sits in the entrance. At the high school level, the National Honor Society and Student Council work hard on the mitten tree, toy [img]smile.gif[/img] and food drive. The Enrichment Committee, a group of carring parents, work hard with the high school principal and staff to make certain every high school student in need receives things for the holidays. The call goes out to all the parents in the school to help where needed, and parents come through.
The bottom line is there are other ways of meeting this need, without spending the PTO's money. As parents and volunteers we do our very best to help where we can, but we can only do so much.
