When I first starting coming to this site, someone addressed this issue like you are about to. Instead of sending home a letter that said what was going to be done for the year, she sent home a letter that told of all the things that wouldn't, couldn't be done without enough parents help. I thought it was great! Sometimes tact is not the way to go. Sometimes you just simply have to tell it like it is!

That is exactly what I told parents in my newsletter in the beginning of the year that PTO programs will continue as long as we have parent involvement. I made the comment in the newsletter that we are parents that work full time as well and that we also have family needs that need to be met. The PTO organization is here to serve you and your family. We need to work together as team and colloborate together in bringung great programs and events to the school. It is important as a Parent to be involved. If you are able to give just 30 minutes at any activity or do home projects this is great. We can use all the help we can get. Remember, when your involved your child is more likely to like school and you as a parent are setting the example of community involvement. I asked the teachers to give me leads on parents that they knew were potential in leadership and parents that they knew wanted to be involved. It worked out great. We had several new parents help and join in and it was funny that some said that they felt that it would be big committments.
I told them that is why we work together so not everyone is overloaded and it avoids getting burnt out.

I am sure you have all heard this one before - parents who volunteer and never turn up, or parents who just don't care. We have worked hard this year to provide programs for the kids and I have decided that I am going to tell parents that we are simply not going to do this anymore unless more parents step up to the plate. I am concerned that myself and my board members will be burned out before December. Has anyone tried this tact before? What was the fallout?