Thank you Jewels,
Love your advice...I can think of one person who might be "the" person to deal with her, I will enlist her help. I am one of those people who really was hurt when I thought, I really cannot get along with this woman and her agenda. But after a year of this, I've decided I just don't have the time, energy or patience to deal with her issues. We'd have to work on a project together, things would be going along just fine, then BAM, she'd turn on me instantly, either talking about me, sabotaging the newsletter contents, rewriting an article to make herself look better and to be the victim as well, tell me I missed the deadline, said she never got the e-mail, didn't have time to work on my project because she was busy working for the school (what???) I could write for hours on what she has done. Funny thing, I really never saw it coming when she attacked...now I know better. It's actually quite scary how good she is at what she is doing to turn everything in her favor and only to make herself look better, not for the good of the school. You hit it right on the head with her personality....I just have to keep reminding myself that I am above her games and that I really have the students, the school needs, etc. in mind while pushing through the personal garbage of hers. Thank you for letting me vent...

This is a terribly difficult situation. The secretary is a "loose cannon" with a lot more power than she should have, whose whims affect the outcome of the auction for which there seems to be no recourse since the principal is squarely in her corner and (apparently) feels she can do no wrong.

Where does that leave your committee? The adage that you get more flies with honey than vinegar is the only thing that comes to mind. There must be some member of your committee who can stomach having to put on a happy face and appeal to this woman's narcissism in order to flatter and coax her into meeting the committee's needs for this auction.

What happens after that for future events, I have no advice. It seems to be an untenable situation in the long run.

Hi Everyone,
I am hoping you have some insight for me...I love reading these boards, great ideas and thoughts. Sorry, might be long, but here goes:
We are planning our school wide auction, small private school. In years past, they have flown by the seat of their pants, only asked people who they got along with to help, used old forms, hold only one meeting three weeks prior to the auction, etc. The list is endless. We are new to the school, and have worked HUGE school auctions in the past, last auction we helped with brought in $50,000 for our sschool. We have presented all of our ideas, husband has donated the forms (he is in printing), brought in tons of sponsors/gifts for the auction, again the list goes on. Here's the problem: I have had numerous run-in's with our school secretary on many occasion, she is now on this loosely run auction committee. We do not get along, I feel she oversteps her boundries in many areas, has a child who is less than involved in school and she feels sorry for her and again, oversteps her bounds in coming into her daughter's 7th grade classroom, showing up for things where she shouldn't and so on. Besides the fact that she is loud, chooses favorites in school and is privy to many financial areas of the school and uses that knowledge. Just rubs me the wrong way because all of her efforts are strictly for her own personal benefit and not for the school. Oh yes, forgot to mention HUGE GOSSIP, the stuff that comes down the pipeline is unbelievable, confidential information. Yes, we are a Christian school as well. When I have had problems with her in the past, I have attempted to discuss with the principal, he defends her as they worked at another school in the past, together. What now??? Now you know the background, here's the problem: Because she has put herself in charge of the auction, she is now sabotaging any effort or ideas we have put in. How do I go around her? She picks and chooses what information will go out in our school wide information sheet, says I missed the deadline, says it's already taken care of, etc. Help...what can I do to ensure our schools success and get her to take a backseat to new ideas which bring in tons of money for our little school who needs it?? I'm open for anything...looking forward to hearing responses, Thanks again,
BB