Hi all! I need some advice and/or suggestions on a situation.
I am the current PTA President at my child's ES. We just brought on a brand new principal, and a few board members changed (some by leaving the school, others just in position). We had our first official board meeting with our principal and AP yesterday, and in the middle of the meeting the treasurer starts in. Now, we had issues in the past with other boards and members, and when we all became elected we voiced our concerns and said that was not the way we wanted to move forward. To add insult to injury, she starts in on something entirely inconsequential in front of the new principal, and the rest of the board. You could have heard a pin drop. I politely said let's move on. We did so, but the minute the meeting was over she decided to take it to the main hallway in the school. She was asked by us to lower her voice because she was getting loud in front of students and teachers. We tried talking, but she seemed unreasonable.
Now, I am not the type to be confrontational and it takes a lot to make me mad. Durng her explosion in the hall she made it clear to all other members that our last principal didn't like people meeting outside of school....again, this boils down to things past boards had done. Now, I am trying my hardest to keep a level head with all of this....I truly am. She called me and wanted to discuss what happened. At the time I was making calls to everyone known to man because we have a spur of the moment welcome back event. Instead, she sends a lengthy text saying she wants to meet with me one on one. In my reply, I stated that doing so would not help anything as what happened was done in front of the entire board, therefore, the entire board needs to resolve this. I felt what I had said was appropriate.
I sent an email out to my board thanking them for their immense help during the first week, and that a meeting had been requested.
No sooner than I send out that email do I get bombarded with texts from this board member telling me she refuses to meet with everyone until she has a one on one with me. She called another board member names, and then proceeded to say we don't have to sit around and sing campfire songs. I've never used my status as a president to go above anyone, but I almost feel like I might have to. She expressed that she has one foot out the door, and she wants to know how she is going to be treated moving forward.
I feel that if we are to act cohesively as a team, and as adults, then we all need to speak. Get it all out, and resolve it so that we can move forward. Can anyone offer suggestions as to handle this so that she will meet with the group, and not insist on a one on one?
