We had our second meeting of the MONTH this evening because the principal felt it was imperative that we have a family night ASAP. Our fundraiser was earlier in the month, so here we go. I brought two well thought out family night ideas that required "too much work from the teachers." I had teacher schedules in mind, so I totally disagree about the effort required. Also, we have almost no money in our account and they were inexpensive. We then spent an enormous amount of time listening to an idea from a teacher that would cost the PTC way more money than we have. The meeting concluded..or dissolved..into the principal suggesting we call an author who volunteered to come to our school for free. The "author" doesn't have a web site, face book page, or her book for sale anywhere online that I can find. I was looking at great ideas that would bring in parents. It seems the staff was looking at the easiest way to say "we tried to get parents involved and they didn't come."
I sound bitter, and I guess I am. I'm just looking for a way to move forward without compromising what our PTC should be doing as opposed to the minimum we can do.
Thanks for posting this message and I'm hoping lots of folks read it because it's packed with great ideas for working with teachers.
One of the things I really like about what you've said is it shows that you really have to work at this (like most things, right!). Good relationships with teachers don't just happen. Your persistence in checking in about those staff meetings is great. I know I would have stolen that idea back when I was still a PTO leader!
Thanks so much for contributing to this discussion!
We do have a special school situation, I think, where the teachers are very committed to our kids and our community. But still, we have had years where we didn't get a lot of help from teachers. I think there are a few ways that we have improved this situation:
1. We worked hard with the principal to get permission to go to the monthly faculty meeting for 5 minutes and just tell the teachers what's up and find out from them what they need. Even so, we're not regularly told about the meeting, so I ask every month and get the 5 minutes.
2. We try to approach specific teachers and build on their strengths. We have a few teachers who are great entertainers, and they are the ones we regularly ask to MC big events. The musically talented are asked to provide their services that way. PTO members get to know their kids' teachers personally, and bring this info back to the table when we are planning events.
3. We do try to be mindful of their time. I feel that our teachers already work crazy hours just to provide our kids with a great education, so I don't get mad if they're not interested in attending yet another evening event. I just always make a point to celebrate when they do come, and again, build on their strengths, not look at them as just another warm body.
4. We are considering a few incentives for our teachers -- we can tell who is extremely supportive of our work not only by what they say but what they do -- whose classes are strongly participating in a fundraiser (like, say, boxtops) and whose classes hardly participate at all. We give small gift cards as thank you's from time to time, but we're considering more formal incentive programs.
5. The teachers like to see more parents around! Money is not the only thing they appreciate us for, but also how many parents are joining in. This year, it's a central goal of ours to increase parental involvement, and we're doing that, and the teachers are noticing!
I see what you are saying. What we hear many groups doing is setting a budget ahead of time and, if someone comes in with a last minute request, you can turn it down if you simply don't have the funds. Usually there's money in the general funds for unexpected things, but you have the power to say no to that.
I re-read this entire thread and thought there were some upset folks here talking about "feeling like a bank.'' It stinks when it gets to that point. Best to avoid it ever getting that far off track by working with the teachers more closely.
Love what you said about staying focused on the fact that we are working for the kids and have to expect some bumps along the way!
Same thing at our school. Same 10 people at our meetings. Get requests monthly for hand outs coming from some teachers and grades that do not wish to do much fund raising on their own. This year, we are attempting to nip it in the bud. My suggestion is to match funds up to a pre-determined dollar amount to ensure we are not just passing out funds to anyone that ask. Can be very frustrating when we have a student body of about 700. Hang in there, it is worth it in the end because after all we are working for the kids we just have to tolerate some bumps along the way.
