We give our teachers $100 a year - it's a line item in our budget. Of course, they have to show receipts, and then they are reimbursed but I can't imagine just cutting it out of the budget. How can you just cut something big like that out of your budget? I can understand why the teachers would be upset. As an executive board we set a rough budget at the board meeting in early September and then present it to the general PTA board the next week at the scheduled monthly meeting. At that point anyone can suggest changes. It's up for review for a month and then voted on in October. If you did something like that, then your teachers and staff would surely know what was coming and could perhaps figure out something. As it is, I'm sure they are frustrated.
It never even occurred to me to ask if this was a Board decision or a Group decision. I just naturally assumed (oh no, there is that word...lol) that the entire body of the PTO had voted on such a touchy subject.
I know our school budget took a $15,000 cut this year and of course, that makes it hard for them to even come up with the little things. Our teachers took a cut in pay as well, making it nearly impossible for them to go too deep into their own pockets. I am personally running a few fundraisers separate from our PTO just to cover the $15K. That way our PTO can go about its normal business of purchasing stuff for the children, whether it be through classrooms, teachers, etc.
Here is a suggestion when it comes to Teacher Money: If you normally give the teachers a budget, vote on continueing or discontinueing (OMG! How DO you spell that?) it before school lets out each summer. That way, teachers know if the money is going to be there (or not as the case may be). If your group votes to give teachers money, make sure that enough dough is left in the bank so that the new school year is already handled teacher-money-wise.
DadeMom, I can sympathize with you on not being on even footing with the teachers. Our group is recovering from a number of years of little to no communication with the staff. That being said, I agree with MetzyMom that you need to talk to the Principal about your organizations decision (As orange kittie asked - It was an organizational decision, right?) and how you'd like the teachers to rethink their decision.
Orange Kittie, My only observation is that a few that "control the checkbook" is not an acceptable situation. Control of the finances is an organizational function not an Executive Board function.
Thanks,
Jon
I think one of the key phrases here is the "group"
made this decision. Which group? The PTO Executive Board or all the members of the PTO at a general meeting.
We are going through the same problem right now at our school. The Executive Board made a decision of no longer giving each teacher $150 for the year, but instead the teachers must now earn their money for their classrooms by volunteering at PTO sponsored events.
I think the decision was made with the right intent - trying to encourage the participation of the teachers - but I think the way the decision was reached was wrong. The teachers were never included in the decision making process, and neither was the rest of the PTO member population, for that matter.
And now ,of course, the teachers are now angry. The teachers now would like to offer some sort of compromise - perhaps get a lower amount of start-up monetary support and volunteer a certain number of teachers for each PTO event to get them all covered, or whatever.
Unfortunately, we have a few members on our PTO Board that have completely closed their minds to the whole issue and most likely won't consider any type of counterproposal. And unfortunately the few that feel this way literally control the checkbook and are the loudest members of our group which makes it extrememly difficult for the rest of the PTO Board members to try to change anything.
I urge your PTO Board to try to find a compromise for your situation. I know it will be difficult for you since you are lacking the funds right now. But perhaps you could give each teacher $25 or so at the beginning of the year - and then ask them to donate a themed-basket from each classroom for a raffle at an event that you have early in the year - and let each class keep the profit of that basket from the raffle.
You really need the support of the teachers to make the PTO an effective organization.
We are supposed to meet with the teaching staff in a few weeks - if a compromise is reached, I'll let you know.
The money your group raised is money that your group, together, decides how to spend. It may have been nice if the teachers had gotten a heads up that they wouldn't be receiving it this year, but certainly it was not required. They know, as does every teacher everywhere, that the money is divided up as your group allots it. If there isn't enough for them to get $100, then it simply isn't going to happen.
In this case, since it is too late to give them a heads up, I'd say you need to meet with the principal and explain your position. You didn't decide, YOUR GROUP decided. The principal could explain this at the next staff meeting. Maybe there is $25 per teacher available, but you won't know until the next fundraiser is completed...
In any case, the teachers are wrong here. We all know that they can use the monetary help, but it is a gift, not a Right. When you talk to the principal, you might explain that. You might also explain that their nastiness and decision not to help with future fundraisers is like cutting off ones nose to spite their face. Where do they think the funds come from? The same people they are being nasty to now.
I may not have explained that as well as I would have liked, but I know the drift is there.
