I am replying as a BUSY mother AND someone who volunteers when I can. I was secretary at our schools parent/teacher group last year. I want to help this year also, but I stressed myself to the max last year. I am a nurse who works over 40 hours every week, has an active 7 year old and I am also a part-time student myself. I am not complaining, this is my life and that is the way it is. I get angry when parents,who I know cannot be any busier than I am, do not show for help in any way. But at the same time I know how a busy life can leave little time for anything else, or how easy it is to get resentful and tired of knocking yourself out. Times are very different than they were 25-30 years ago. Most households have both spouses working and this leaves little time in the evenings to get homework done, meals and just plain old quality time. I work day shift and it is difficult, sometimes impossible, to get the time off needed to help at functions....last year I used several of my own vacation days to help out with events, but I also have to use vacation time to go to other school type functions (Christmas show etc.)...if I use all my vacation time for all of this it could leave me with NO days for ANYTHING else. I attend the meetings in the evenings at our school monthly, but this can get very stressful also. Does anyone have an answer on how to squeeze extra time and energy when you have none? Or when you feel you almost kill yourself when others who could do more don't??

I am astounded at the amount of Money you got for your playground. I know that here we have been trying to raise $ for the playground and we have a good group of people who are working on it. We got the playground equipment via a Foundation loan and we have paid part of it back but the equipment has been sitting at the School since April 2002. I asked as to why it hasnt been put up and really didnt seem to get an answer. My worry is that because its been sitting there all this time and not put up before the start of school some or most parents who worked and donated will be disheartened and not want to work for the rest of the money to pay the loan off. See the Playground Committee was formed as a separate entity from our PTO and this was done before I took over the Prez last year. So the PTO hasnt really had a say in anything or been able to really make suggestions that havent been blown off to help rectify the problem. I congratulate you on your success I just wish we as a PTO could have combined efforts to raise money instead of the Playground Committee coming to us asking for funds from our own Hard Earned Fundraising efforts. Dont get me wrong we felt that having a safe playground was more important than quibbling over money but sometimes i think Its Too many Head Honchos and not enough worker ants if you know what I mean. Together we stand Devided we fall?? Suggestions would be appreciated.
Disinheartened

I would say we are a middle income school. Most parents struggle but do all right, and there are a few with resources to spare. The big difference it we are a public elementary school of choice. Our parents are involved, not just because they are required, but because they believe in it. As a choice school, we attract many parents who are paying attention and are willing to take a chance- go the extra mile. Our focus is the International Baccalaureate program. Again, parents who are attracted to that are supportive of multiculturalism and therefore flexible. It motivates us to work hard because the parents will support new ideas. Like I said, everyone pitches in somewhere in the school. The challenge is to provide a balance, fun vs. profitable. We try to make them both. Also, parents are motivated because we want our kids to have more (extra Spanish instruction) so we know there is a cause.

I would drop dead if I could get that much out of people for the things you did. May I ask if you are a low, middle, or high income school? Are you elementary, middle, or high school? I think these things make a big difference. We just hit a roadblock in our attempts to get more volunteers at our school. We found out yesterday that a TB test is required for ALL volunteers regardless of how many hours they volunteer. The school district will pay for them,but I don't think too many people will be willing to get stuck with a needle just so they can volunteer.

How did we raise that much money? We literally squeezed it out, bit by bit -- and many people helped with what resources they had, and everyone supported them by participating.

We sold Entertainment books ($1800) The spaghetti dinner ($1200) Holiday shoppe ($1700)
International Festival ($2000 plus another $1700 in raffles) Spare Change Drive ($5300) Sold Bricks at $50 each ($7200) Jogathon ($9200)Dinner at a local restaurant ($10/adult,they charged us cost for $1100). One parent sponsored a golf outing with friends and brought home $3600. We named the playground for a local matriarch and received $1000 donation from her family. Local businesses pledged amounts. Someone donated a piece art that we auctioned off at an art show ($1200, not money from our parents).

The long and short of it is that we had many activities, across the board that appealed to different people. If most people gave a little to most projects, it added up. We kept the goal in focus and the momentum going. A sister school raised $30,000 for their playground in one month when a single parent pledged $15,000 but said the other parents had to match it.

I can say the parents are sick of hearing about the playground, but no one gave a big chunk. It was lots of efforts all over the place and I think it's quite incredible. We also stressed that all our fundraisers are not about making money: some are social, some are educational, some are fun (Valentinegram $600)and amazingly enough, we made good money on them. We tried to space things out as to the kinds and when parents would be asked to attend, or come to the school. I think we were very fortunate.

I think those are all great points. I feel we need to emphasize that attending meetings is not the GOAL. Its the "getting involved" with the child's education/life. I went to a School Board meeting the other night and was so impressed with our superintendant. He was genuinely a nice man and has done such great work with our school district. We missed "exemplary" district by only a point or 2. He actually is going to look at changing the design of our school's proposed sidewalk due to our (parents') safety concerns. All we had to do was show up and offer our ideas. How many parents do you think actually know that our sidewalk was even proposed by the PTA? That the original design was flawed? That's only part of my point. My point is that the PTA is making important decisions/recommendations in our children's lives.

Good luck to everyone--hope your new year is a huge Success!
Lisa @ Tx