Way to go highlandmom!!!! It sounds like it went great and - I PROMISE - all the meetings will get easier from here on out. I was actually suprised at my lack of nerves for running the first meeting this year.

Keep it up!

The meeting went great. I was shaking like crazy before we got started but I had my agenda and my vp and secretary were sitting right next to me. By the time it was over I had forgotten my nerves. Thanks for all the support and advice.

By the way I emailed everyone personal emails that night thanking them for coming and my secretary and I worked on putting her notes into a news letter for the staff that was in their school mailboxes the next morning. Both ideas were from these message boards. The staff can't stop talking about what a great team this years board is. I love PTO today. Thanks everyone.

I can understand being scared to death. Not only am I a new President but we are just forming our middle school PTO. We have had one meeting that only 5 mothers attended. It is a scary thing. Our elementary has an awesome PTO. The parents who run it still have elementary students. The President of the elementary PTO has been more than willing to work with our principal and I. We are in the process of getting fundraisers in place. We are doing a sub sale starting the first week of November and are looking at 2 or 3 others. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Remember this phrase: I'd entertain a motion to . . . (approve the minutes as written, approve the treasurers report as presented, accept a 1.5 million dollar grant from Sears...ok we can dream)

Then you recognize someone who will say so moved. Then find a second. Ask for discussion. (Keep a speaking order) and then vote on the motion.

Write it down. Give everyone an agenda. Have treats-it keeps them happy. Have name tags on everyone. And try a drawing for those in attendance. (It keeps them there to the end.)

Always remember to invite people back and then make some personal connections with new people as they mull over your treats and marvel at how quick the meeting was and how prepared you were!

Good Luck.

my advice have your agenda written down with lots of notes to make sure you cover everyting. The first one is the hardest I was a nervous wreck last year at mine too. After that they get so much easier. One thing to remember is take deep breaths so you stay calm and it helps with talking too fast. (which I can tend to do)
Also if your welcoming everyone when they come in its not as intimidating as when they are complete strangers.

I told them right out this is my first meeting cut me some slack I am new to this but I love doing it for the kids. They all smiled and it was all uphill from there.

Good Luck let us know how it goes.

Cindy

We had our first meeting in early September. Our Pres was terrified of speaking and worried for the entire week before. So, we get there early to set up the consessions, t-shirt table, membeership table, blah blah blah. Her son comes in and needs to get in the car. Her chin hits the floor. She locked her keys in the car. WITH the hotdog buns that we were going to use, with the candy we were selling left over from a Luau, and with the t-shirts we were going to sell. Her husband was an hour away at best and we had less than an hour to start. She calls every locksmith around, none could get there till after 7, we started at 6:30. One of the new ladies in the media center comes be boping in and lo and behold, her husband is a locksmith and can be there in 15 minutes. He opened the door to her car at 6:29!!!! After that, talking in front of everyone was downhill from what she had just gone through.

I doubt this curbs your fears, but it could always be worse!!! [img]smile.gif[/img]