We too do not have a teacher involvement, but recently at an event we had a contest where we asked if the teachers would participate. Much to my surprise we had 12 teachers participate by making an item for the event. However, the teachers did have an incentive. We gave the winner a gift for their classroom. We are trying to accomplish receiving their participation without necessarily having to constantly provide monetary benefit, but in reality we are constantly doing so. I have suggested to the board members that cut back but the argument is always 'they are with our kids for the entire day - careful what you do'.
So someone mentioned canceling teacher appreciation week? Well, this year it will be canceled due to testing in our state. Not too sure how that will fly!
We hold our PTO meetings immediately after school, before teachers have left for the day. We maybe have fewer parents, but the teachers are then in the room to assign tasks to. We are very fortunate to have the help of our staff. Our principal also helps reinforce the idea that a large portion of our PTO earnings are for the teachers, and I try to always state what is NEEDED from them, not want is WANTED from them. We combined schools this year to a 3th - 5th school, and even the new teachers seem to be getting on board.
I wish you luck and can sympathize. We have few parents that seem to want to help with the decision making. I seem to end up with enough volunteers for events, but 2 of us have to plan most of them!
I can relate to this too. I totally understand that teachers are there to teach and often are already putting a lot of money into their classroom already. However, the support we need is for them to 'talk up' our fundraising efforts. For example, we had a jog-a-thon and there were several classrooms that not a single student turned in a sponsor form or any money. We also tried for one of those contests where the most online votes win and after several weeks of advertising via all means at our disposal, there were still parents that had never heard of the contest. I would think if the teachers 'sold' the kids on voting to get new playground equipment that they would be bugging their parents to vote. We ended up with less than 10% participation.
I came here looking for something else - but since I came across this - I can empathize with you - I read the article about not worrying if the teachers came to your meetings or not - to support them in their teaching - and that's great - but it is hard to keep doing all the supporting and get nothing in return. The T is missing in the PTA at our school as well. I know they are busy, underpaid and overworked - but so am I and I make time for the school and the kids - hopefully the tides will change. Wonder how they would feel if Teacher Appreciation Week got cancelled due to lack of interest? Sorry, I should not have said that ......but thanks, I feel better. Keep up the good work - your schools are lucky to have you!
Your are not alone, me and my co-president were dicussing this morning about how we can get the teachers and the principal to support what we are doing. We feel that the PTO is a seperate part of the school and if we have things to do during the day we have to accomplish them without disturbing anyone at school. We have the problem that we don't get a lot support from our principal. They don't communicate with us about things going on at school that we could be involved in. We want to create the feeling of community but right we just feel like a fundraising group that has to pay for a lot of stuff.
I don't know what the sollution is but we are going to start by having a meeting with the principal. My co-president and I are in our first year as officiers and have a lot that we want to change, but we feel that if can create the feeling of community other things will fall into place easier.
Good luck and keep fighting for your school to be the best it can be.
I apologize to all - I'm sure the basics of this post has been asked and answered many, many times but I'm new here and I don't have 4 hours to look back in archives!
I want to get a feel for what others are experiencing with their own PTA's/PTO's and see if I'm alone or if many struggle with this issue - lack of teacher involvement.
Our PTO meetings are attended (I feel) by about 10 parents, the Principal and one first grade teacher (she attends all of the meetings) each month...give or take a person.
We fundraise throughout the year for project funds (for various teacher requests), we provide $200 at the beginning of the year for teachers to use for their classrooms, we do teacher appreciation lunches, snacks, cards, etc. I think we bend over backwards to help the school and the teachers in any way we can.
At our school, there is zero teacher involvement or support of the PTO. We just finished our annual Harvest Festival in late Sept. and we raised over $4,000 for the school needs. We asked early and often for help from teachers - an hour of their time, an extension cord to borrow, a doz. cookies to sell, etc. and received no help. Zero help. With all the fundraising, family, staff & fun activities we do, there is no help given in any form.
I'm feeling pretty frustrated and annoyed that we PTO volunteers accomplish so much....and what we get in return is more things at each meeting that one or a group of teachers want us to pay for. I just wish we would either be a School Parent Organization and not expect any help or get even just a little support from the teachers. I have sat in on their unit meetings and have gently spoke about what we could accomplish if we work together but it all falls on deaf ears.
Am I alone in feeling this way? Am I out of line? Oh...and I'm a former teacher too!
