I know how you feel. I just started as the president of the pto at my son's elementary school. Well, two years ago the school was divided into an elementary a school and an early learning center. Now instead of having two ptos now we only have one. At the schools it seems like no one knows what the pto did or what there purpose is. I am lost because after the divide and loss of our principal and the gain of a new we just seem to have fallen apart. It bothers me as a parent because I am not sure where to start the rebuilding. Like you I wanted to quit but, I stayed for the kids. We have no membership applications, bylaws, teacher, participation, or fundraiser committees. I am so lost and am having a hard time finding the help I need. We have a long way to go to try to get back to where we were before the divide. I know that it can not all take place during my term but, I am going to try my best to make some kind of a difference. I know how you feel and just want you to know that you are not aline. We just have to try our best and remember it is for the kids.
Thank you so much ScottMom#1 and Lucella for your insight. It really helped alot. I know this year is going to be tough, but I'm going to stick it out.
First of all, I'm sorry to hear that schools are closing in your area. Forced consolidation and restructuring is always hard. I want to say that I really feel for what your school going through, and I hope we aren't ever in that position. It really is too bad that these traditions have gone by the wayside, and I, too, encourage you to keep trying to bring back the extra special ones. Just to play devil's advocate for a minute, I want to remind you that there are 150 students from another school that are probably already feeling out of place, missing their old school & teachers & had traditions of their own that they will no longer get to continue. It must be hard, too, for this new principal to come to a new school, where he/she knows the old principal is missed, the school is overcrowded & he/she might just have wanted to stay at his/her old school. It is very sad that this has happened to the schools in your area, but instead of dwelling on the bad points, maybe look at it as an opportunity to start fresh-to get some new families involved in your school-to start some new traditions that everyone, old & new can look foward to year after year. This first year will be a transition & most likely be kinda tough, but by next year, there won't be the old & new, there will just be your school.
Not trying to offend or dismiss you, just trying to present another side.
Mommytlc,
We went through this about 4 years ago. It took that long before another principal would agree to come "fix" our school. To be honest, it's hard. Our group did it's best to try to keep the communication open and teachers even told us we were the reason they stuck it out.
Personally, I spoke with the principal, then her supervisor, and, at some point, every person on up to the school board. Eventually, with almost all 25 classrooms having to replace at least one teacher in her four year term, they decided to find someone to stop the extreme turnover rate and make some parents happy.
Hang in there. Stick to your guns without making the working environment impossible. At the very least, smother her with kindness and offer to help her with understanding the old while maybe helping her try to find something your new families and new school can start together, bond you, and keep you all happy, sort of.
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
I just need to vent for a moment. I am the PTO President at my son's elementary school, and this is my second year serving. Many schools in our district have been closed and our school had to take in over 150 new students from one of the schools that closed. To make matters worse, the school board reassigned many principals to other schools and our principal was one of them. Our new principal is not very organized and she has already changed some things that have been a tradition at our school for over 10 years. We are not permitted to have our annual Halloween parade this year and she made the decision to add another color to our uniforms without allowing all parents to vote like we agreed upon. We also had to cancel our annual Santa Shop because we have way too many kids in the school now. Our school used to be organized and we were a tight knit community. Now things are chaotic and many teachers and staff want to quit. Our school has changed forever and there isn't a thing I can do about it. Thanks for listening.
