Hi Lisa,
Oh yes, we always do the meeting before hand, and we indicate that on the printed agenda too - that we have on the chairs in the audience.

The PTA has invited the students or whoever, to come and do the program for us, and we always make sure to tell the teachers too - that even though the meeting starts at 7pm, the program will not actually be presented until the PTA business has been presented and finished. Of course we try and have a quick inspiration that evening, the secretary reads a report of the executive board meeting, and then we have the minutes of the previous general meeting, printed on the backside of the flyer that went home reminding people of the general meeting, and it's also printed on the backside of the agenda that was sitting on the folding chairs in the audience. So we then say that the minutes are printed, if all will quickly review them and raise their had if there are any changes. With none - they stand approved as printed.

Next the treasurer takes care of that business.

Next the principal gives a very brief report.

Next we address old business, then new business - and hopefully we have very little - since most is addressed in the executive board meeting.

Then we thank the audience for their time and patience and for coming to the meeting and welcoming the wonderful program that we are fixing to bring in - also I kindly remind them to shower them with kindness and remain seated until the entire program is over, and I'll come up and adjorn the evening.

dcd- Do you do your meetings before or after the programs? We decided to change it this year so that the quick meeting was before. We let the parents know ahead of time thru sent home letters that it would be a quick meeting. So far we haven't had many problems. We do have a few that wait out in the hall until the meeting is over. But I noticed that our attendence has improved slightly and that more people are interested in PTO.

I can only hope that you set the stage for the parents and took a moment to Thank Them for their patience and their manners.

So many meetings I recall parents getting up and leaving as soon as they saw what they wanted to see, and did not have the courtesy to stay until the end.

Even today I see that at my daughters choir programs. When the program consists of only students doing their mini programs, the songs they have practiced for months and perfected so well, some of the parents hear their child's performance, then get up and leave - how sad and what a bad impression they are setting.

This happend way to many times when the parents came to see a students performance at the PTA meetings too - and I always made it a point to say in a very kind way, that the meeting would be done in a quick manner and then the students would be invited to show the portion of the program that they were asked to be apart of, and to please show all the student the courtesy of staying seated until the meeting was adjorned and all the children were dismissed.

Some parents even thanked me for this smalll request, and yes we stiill had a few that did not think this request applied to them - so they still left - and that was sad but refused to reduce myself to the same rudeness.

Instead I always thanked the parents for staying for the wonderful program, and thanked the students for coming and presenting their program to the audience. Manners and appreciation would go so much farther than rudeness, that's my motto.

We just had our first PTO meeting and it was on September 11. I was really worried about having it on this date but it went fine (we did red white and blue flowers and paused for a moment of silence). I wanted to tell you that the door prizes were well received! I had someone come up after and 'VOLUNTEER' to give next months!! We had a huge group. A couple of do's - (1) do door prizes, (2) I went up to school on Monday and made copies to send home as a reminder of the Wednesday meeting (3) We put out a sign as parents drop kids off saying PTO Meeting Today at 8:30 (4) Our Hospitatlity committee provided donuts, breads and juice/coffee plus I had mints and Hersheys hugs and kisses!
Now for the don't - Don't assume each committee chair will only speak for 2-3 minuts. Find out how much time they will need! The meeting was going great until the last committee chair stood up and had a 20 minute presentation. At that point the meeting had gone on for 40 minutes (with all the other committee chairs speaking). I had no idea she needed that much time. It was no one's fault but my own - I need to make sure I know how much time each person needs. Everyone stayed though - we did the door prizes at the end!Sorry so long!