Sure, put it in the bylaws. Until then, if the wording is vague, you can still implement what ever process you want.

that sounds really good. do i need to put this in our bylaws for the future? i know we can't change things until march, (bylaws say so) but do we need to change this then?

crewchief, my thought was the same, however, i didn't know how to tactfully approach it. thanks!

CrewChief, you have a diplomatic calling! I agree that as prez M2gymmom needs to steer her volunteers in a direction that will benefit the school organization. Our group trys to limit each chair to a 2 year stint so we can stay "fresh". It does not always work but it's worth a try to let people know that they can make a greater impact on the school and benefit the kids by allowing new ideas to flourish. It's also helpful in keeping volunteers from burning out on your HSA.
Gotta hate the burn out!

Well, guess what, their reign is over. YOU are president next year and YOU get to say how it all gets done. I know, I know, that sounds snotty. Let me soften it up a bit.....

Tell them, "Wow, you two are so energetic and committed to the success of this group. Lucky for us, we have so many other parents who are just as energetic and excited about getting involved. Let's work together to find a place for everyone. With the two of you here to teach all of these new folks the ropes, we're sure to be a great success!"

I think you and aOK are definitely on the right track with the lottery draw and co-chair systems.

I'm sure your two energizer bunnies have good intentions, but it's that kind of behavior that causes the 'clique' mentality.

our bylaws say nothing about comittees or chairs. it's always been first come first serve. that's the problem. i had a committee sign up sheet that i wanted to go home with the students, so everybody got them at the same time and had the same chance to sign up. my principal didn't have a chance to approve it at that time. After it got approved, then i was going to pick out af a hat or see about co-chairs if they were willing to do that (no more than 2) if i would have got more than one to sign up for chair. however, at the last pto meeting, the current pres and v-pres passed out a couple tablet sheets with some committees written on them and had people sign them. These two are the "mom's" that have been doing this. out of 26 committees 9 of them they are a chair. and these are major committees.

First of all, what do your bylaws say about appointing chairmen? For example, mine says:

Section 10 – President
The president shall preside at all PTO Board meetings. The President is an ex-officio member of all committees, except the Nominations Committee. The President shall appoint all committees and shall designate a chairman of such committees subject to Board approval.

What we usually do is ask current chairmen if they'd like to continue to lead their committee next year. If yes, it's theirs to run. If not, we actively seek replacements.

In your case, it seems odd to have the same few people appoint themselves chairmen of all of the committees. (Control issues?)

My advice would be to explain that, "In an effort to welcome new parents to the board, individuals will be limited to one chairman position."

You are absolutely right that everyone should feel like a welcome and impotant part of the team.