Thank you elvee and mykidsmom. I needed some supporting words! elvee do you mind if I use somes of your post in our monthly news letter? I like the way you worded a few things.
The PTO entered our towns Christmas Parade. We had one teacher, three parents and seven students show up to the work night! However, we managed to put a very nice float, the theme was "Patriotic Christmas", together. We made Books with History, Reading and Math and Crayons that said Scholars on them. We mada one GIANT No. 2 pencil and attached an American Flag to it and four of our kids wore their "camo" and posed like they were raising the Flag. The three kindergarten classes made red, white, and blue chains that we decorated the tree with. We told the judges "our PTO had taken on a new look this year, we were in the process of reorgnizing and that our Banner (that we ordered for this site) showed that the key to education was Students, Teachers and Parents. The books, crayons, pencil and ruler represented the tools needed to aide in obtaining a good educataion.
The red white and blue chains display the unity of our great nation. Some students were showing their Patriatisim by holding up the American Flag, showing that they are proud to live in a country where they are free to choose the path of their education. Other's were displaying their patriatisim by holding candles in rememberance of those who lost their lives fighting for our freedom and for those who had their freedom so horrifically taken away."
We won $15.00 and the Appreciation Award!
Just when I'm ready to throw in the towle, we make a little head way!
We have been collectin BoxTops since the beginning of November, I think we have a
total of 5!!!!!!
You have just said to one person everything I have ever wanted to say to two members for two long years! Like you I would have stepped back and said "HOLY COW I said what!!!" but yet you would not have said it if you didn't feel that way! I do have the same issue with one mom, when her daughter finally graduates in a year things will be different for the better.
Keep on Keeping on!
Well I had a meeting with the MAD MOM and the principal. Needless to say it still ended on a bad note! The mother said I embarrassed her in front of teachers and friends! The principal agreed with the mother saying I should not have addressed it at the meeting! I explained that when things are brought up or comments are made that I feel as president of this organization it is my place to address them in that meeting! As for the mother I explained that she embarresed me in front of a company that was kind enough to donate a chair to our raffle. I had to explain to that company why one of their employees was returning money to people after selling tickets from our schools raffle that were for chances on the chair they donated to us! I was hit from all directions with comments and acusations of going to that meeting specificaly to humilate her and she couldn't believe the person she wanted for president was pulling the rug out from under her! She had a list of people who told her their version of what went on at the meeting, I listend and listned and listned, then I got testy. I said I was at the meeting, you were at the meeting I don't recall seeing the people on your list at the meeting, how do they know what went on at the meeting? I finally told her that several parents have told me they would get involved with PTO if they didn't have to deal with her! It came out in the heat of the conversation and as soon as I said it I could tell by the look on her face I had shocked her! I told her that she needed to go home and take a good long look in the mirror! The way you come across to me is that if your not in charge,or if it is not your idea it is a bad one! When help is offerd to you, you don't accept it, you make the person who offerd their help feel like dirt for offering! I,m sorry but that is how I take you!
She started to cry! I felt so bad! I wish I could take it all Back! This tough, rugged, hard person wasn't rock solid at all. She resigned and I gave her a hug and Appologized for hurting her and explained that I was not trying to run her off, I was just trying to be a good leader and follow all the rules. I went home that day and looked at myself in the mirror. My husband asked me if I liked what I saw? And after a lot of thought I answerd yes, I do. I don't think I did anything any other president wouldn't have done. I hate that I hurt her feelings and made her cry! My husband said, "sometimes the truth hurts." I know I shouldn't have blurted out what the other parents said to me. I try hard not to repeat "gossip" you know the rule: You can't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. I thought about the principal telling me that I don't understand the hard work involved in it. I wrote her a letter and pointed out that she keeps telling me this. I told her that she doesn't know any thing about me or what I'm capable of so I told her about myself, I'll spare you the details but the point I was making to her was that I know what it takes to set goals and how hard you have to work reach those goals and that I try to instill that in my children. By my participation in PTO they see that I feel strongly about getting a good education. I tell my children not to form oppinons of people by what their frinend tell them. Don't judge a book by it's cover. Talk to the person, get to know them then form your own oppinion. I ended the letter by saying now you know something about me, now you can decide if I know what kind of work is involved in it or not. She hasn't said a whole lot to me since and last night was our PTO meeting for this month however we combined it with a work night on our Christmas float so we didn't actually have a meeting,but neither one of them attended!
Sorry I have taken so long to get back to you, we had a virus and my computer was a little under the weather! I am going to meet tomorrow morning with the MAD MOM and one of the principals to try and clear the air and get on with PTO! It is just like you said centralpto, several people have told it was about time someone put her in her place! I didn't "put" her anywhere, I simply quoted from our bylaws! It has caused such a mess, people talking and spreading rumors. I finaly had to write a letter to all parties involved. I told them that when they go to store and load their cart full, before they can leave they have to go through the check out line. They can't just go to their car and throw the items in and take off, because the law says they can't do that. Those are the rules. PTO is an organization with Rules called Bylaws, in order to function properly we have to follow those rules. The person who gave me a copy of the Bylaws just so happens to be the lady who walked out mad. You would think that if someone was going to copy and pass something out would have at least read it! Any way I told them PTO wasn't about the person who walked out, it's not about me, or them rather it is about the students that attend our school and some how we have lost site of that! I'm confident that our organization will not crumble and fall because one person got mad and walked out, but on the other hand we don't want to push anyone out, we need all the parents and teachers we can get! I'll let you know tomorrow how my meeting went. Thanks to all who listen and help with these difficult situations with your feedback! I just love PTOtoday!!!!! I could't do it without this site!
WOW!!! Ironically, now that she's gone, you may get some more parents to volunteer. We had a volunteer, actually she was the president, like that once, and nobody wanted anything to do with PTO. The minute she was gone, several people came up and said they DID want to help, they just did not want to have to deal with this one particular mom. I would get the word out that she quit and try to see if more people are willing to be involved now that she's gone. Wow, I can't believe she wouldn't take the tickets for the raffle! Truth be told, you're probably better off without her. I hope everything works out! Keep me posted!!!
