I think the suggestion of preventing throwing out the baby with the bath water is a good one. The current group does have some useful information that a new group will need. Would it be possible to ask the current group what they would like help with and suggest that you will round up the volunteers they need? Maybe if they see multiple eager faces wanting to help, you will reignite their enthusiasm and continue to involve families in their children's education through the end of the year. Good luck!
you know what I don't understand about this...and a lot of things that get posted (about problems)Yes I understand we never get enough volunteers or that we have problems and can get burnt out to a point but its volunteer work. I see so many ppl complaining and it just amazes me if people like these people on the pto are so burnt out and whiny about everything why do they even bother.
I've been in two volunteer organizations where the core group alienated the majority of the prospective volunteers then were ready to give up the whole thing because no one was interested. They didn't realize what they were doing.
One group was seriously going to disband in a month. I had come for my last meeting (I was a teenager.) That night a very energetic 19 year old showed up and turned things around to the point that it was thriving ten years later.
Point? - a single person CAN make a difference. Plus she kept the current people involved so everyone was happy. That was a talented teen.
If you want my opinion, here it is -
I would see what you can salvage. You will need the current people to get to know the ropes - ie which bank you go to, do you have any outstanding contracts, what has previously been done and how, ect.
Try not to alientate them, you may resurrect their enthusiasm. Sometimes we all hit a wall and need a fresh point of view to help us out. It's hard to not get any help; it's harder to find out the problem was ourselves or our ideas.
Could it be that the others are sick of them and are just waiting for this to happen?! As LUV said, talk to others and see what you can do. Don't forget the Principal in this. He/she need to know there are intrerested and willing people, just time for a change.
Would be best to wait until nomination and elections to make it legal and right.
I'd say "HURRAY!!!". Let them go and then see if you can find some other interested parents and get it going with your group in charge. Nothing turns people off from an organization more than feeling unwanted. I'll bet there are plenty of parents who would love to help but got the same "message" you did when they offered. Find them and get to work!
LAST NIGHT I WENT TO MY FIRST PTO MEETING AT OUR NEW SCHOOL (WE JUST MOVED HERE). I PRACTICLY HAD TO DONATE MY FIRST BORN TO BE NOTIFIED WHEN THE NEXT MEETING WOULD BE! SO I WANTED TO MAKE A POINT OF BEING THERE. I'VE BEEN TRYING ALL YEAR TO FIND OUT WHEN AND WHERE I NEEDED TO BE TO GET INVOLVED. IM GLAD I WENT BECAUSE I REALLY LEARNED ALOT. THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 7 MEMBERS AND NOW I KNOW WHY. THE PRES, V. PRES, AND TRES. ARE A SMALL CLIQUE. I ASKED WHY IT WAS SO DIFFICULT TO GET A RESPONSE AS TO MEETINGS ECT. AND IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO GAIN SOME NEW MEMBERS, SHARED MY IDEAS, SHOWED THEM MY NPN BROCHURES, AND TRIED TO BE AS POSITIVE AS POSSIBLE. WELL, THEY MADE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD BEFORE I LEFT THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT WE COULD GAIN ANY NEW MEMBERS BECAUSE PARENTS JUST DIDNT WANT TO GET INVOLVED AND THAT EVEN IF THEY DID IT WOULDNT MATTER BECAUSE THEY ARE CEASING OPERATION FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST SICK OF IT DOING EVERYTHING THEMSEVES!
