Wow! That is really unsettling. I hope we don't end up there! What I was mostly thinking about when I responded was when mykidsmom said the district actually hired someone as a "Social Event" person. I just feel the money that was spent to hire this person could have been used somewhere else. I know the coming years are going to be rough for everyone. I live in PA and I know there has been talk about raising our taxes to make up for what the teacher's retirement fund lost in the whole stock market fiasco. I feel that is completely unfair myself. A lot of people and organizations lost funds. Why should the taxepayers have to make up for their choices in investments. They should have to suck it up and deal with it just like everyone else.
Sorry I tend to ramble on at times
Getting back to what we were talking about........I know times are going to be a little rough for almost every school district and I know it is impossible to be expected to pick up the cost of everything. Just do what you can and try not to stress out too much! [img]smile.gif[/img] I know....easier said than done! I know it also can be hard to get volunteers, but just let it be known that if you don't get more help within the PTO then certain activities will have to be dropped. It may not work, but at least they will be aware of the circumstances.
Good luck and hang in there! Hopefully things will work out for the better.

Tamilyn...in our school we do all that ...it's not about freeing up funds for "edicational Essentials" its about cutting those funds. Yet still talking a double digit increase in school taxes. How can we take that big of tax increase and then ask families to buy more from our fundraisers...we raised 30,000. They would be getting hit twice...we are a very low income district .I truly feel that its way out of control in new york.... I truly don't see how we can increase financially what we do. Well see what happens but right now in new york they are talking drastic measures...some schools might go four days to cut cost.

Well here's my two cents.
I am really very surprised that you don't do these things already. Truthfully, don't you think the district could use the money spent on these salaries elsewhere? Maybe your state has different rules and such as ours, I don't know?
I am pres. of our elementary PTO. We run all the fundraisers, pay for field trips, assemblies, field day, Fall Festival,holiday parties, student incentives, so on and so on. We are a fairly small district (600 k-5 students)compared to other local schools. We raise annually around $45,000 per year. We also have the same problems as everyone else, in getting volunteers, but we do it. It may just be my personal opinion, but I feel I would rather have the PTO do what they can, than raise everyone's school taxes every year. We have a large number of elderly residents that really can't afford much more. Either way, the money is going to have to come from somewhere. I would rather the PTO pay and do as much as possible in order to free up funds that could be used for other "educational essentials".
This is just my opinion of course! [img]smile.gif[/img]

This very topic came up at our last meeting. Last year the school hired a Social Events person and while she did a good job, there were several issues the school had with her so she was let go. So this year they were 'spreading' the fundraiser resposiblities around the offic eto get them done. Problem is the parents that don't come to meetings (otherwise they would know we are allowed 3 fundraisers per year) are assuming the PTO is doing all the fundraising. Those of us at the meeting thought "Huh, maybe we should help organize and advertise or at least ask the school to clairify somethings." Otherwise our PTO is small enough that if the school trned the tales on us like that we would have a good laugh! Last check we had $2000 in the bank!!

Sounds like some meetings are going to need to happen (oh great more meetings ) but one thing to consider, put whatever is decided in writing and you might want to check with the school district (or even state laws ) on how much you can and can't volunteer. It may be leverage for you and an eye opener! Just for your protection, a lawyer may not be a bad person to have on speed dial, never know. It can't hurt to say "We can do this and this but that is too much."

Hey, let us know how this ends up!!! Good luck!

OK my turn. We are a Central New York school and we are going to be heading in the same directions as others. The district has already this past November come to us and asked us to help out with the DARE program at school and then we were told if we wanted to keep our agreement with BOCES where as for every dollar we lay out for ARTS IN EDUCATION they will pay us back for the coming year 50% of what we have laid out but inorder to do this we (the district) as a whole had to pay a certain amount per school and then now for every program we have come to the school there is an additional 9 1/2% administration free that we have to pay. So this will be an added expensive for us to add to our budget if we want this program to continue. The district will not pay it. As far as the other programs that we do at school for the students the PTO/PTG pays for most of them but if the school buildings lose funds then they will have to come to the PTO to help out more but what they do not seem to realize sometimes is that if we do not do at least 2 fundraisers per year and if they to not meet what we hope to make then we do not have the funds to help out anymore. Middle School- Teacher Requests, Breakfast for honor/merit roll - 7th grade field day - safety festival - yearly agendas for the entire school students and staff that we pay for. The list continues - as far as the elementary scool - teacher requests, arts in education programs - appreciation days, family nights, and the list goes on. We have teachers for both schools that we have listed as teacher reps the problem is that they don't always show up. We have our treasurer from the elementary school who is a 4th grade teacher and that helps alot. We do have two teachers that show up most times from the middle school - I have brought up
many times how it would be nice to have at least one teacher from each grade level come to the meetings to put their input in and to be a part of things but its like pulling teeth. Parents well
the same all the time and once in a while a new face. It would be nice to have more parents involved and as a board we are always trying to get more parents involved but its hard. I wish I could come up with something that would get not only more parents involved but the teachers in both schools. Everybody wants but they only show up when they need. We need them all the time. Well this was just my thoughts on the issue again
if anyone has any great ideas pass them down I know we could all use some good ones.

Just thinking out "loud" here - so to speak. What if you went to the principal and said, o.k. - we can HELP with these things - but you need to ensure that the "T" is in PTO - i.e. - you need teachers to take board positions that will free up parents to help more (if your bylaws allow teachers/administrators to hold board positions) and/or - you need a teacher, administrator, paraprofessional or staff member to chair these things. I would not simply let them assume that you'll pick up the slack - I realize that there are tremendous cutbacks in most schools these days, but the same people can't do everything.

Good luck.