Running a meeting and running a PTO will vary from group to group. You should have by-laws and a budget. If the PTO was in existence then these should be available. In our PTO if something is approved on the budget it can be spent by the person responsible for that project. If money is to be spent in addition to the budget the "idea" needs to be submitted to the executive board or at a general meeting for discusion. If the amount of money is sizable, lets say $500-1000+ then technically the president should put off a vote until the next meeting, all votes on spending need to be advertised a week in advance so that the parents can show up. This does not always happen but we always try.

As far as the meetings, come in with an agenda of topics that are going on in the school, again this varies from school to school. Every month we have a treasurers report, and reports from our site council and other year long committees. Also what ever events are happening that month or the coming months can be discussed. Finally we open the floor to other issues. Keep to the agenda and keep the meeting moving.

Also remember, you can not make everyone happy so do not try. Also some people will be against you no matter what the situation, good luck and have fun with it.

I just became president of my school's PTO and I have absoulutely no experience. At our last meeting, because I did not know what I was doing the group ok'd a request for funds by the principal. The next day, I received calls from the officers stating that they did not want to fund this request and that I should inform the principal of this. Am I able to cancel this funding? Also how is a PTO meeting conducted. Do the attendees(parents and teachers) make suggestions on how to spend the monies, or do I and the officers make the suggestions and the attendees give a aye or nay. Please help in any way you can. Thank you