CrewChief;128835 wrote: Wow! I've been part of groups that asked the president to remain neutral and to vote only in case of a tie, but the whole board not voting? I can't imagine less incentive to run for a board position than to tell the candidates, "Oh, by the way, you'll have all of the responsibility but no voice whatsoever."

I know you're in a transition phase so I don't mean to pick on you. It's all a huge learning process. But I would also alter the way you do absentee ballots. If you're still intent on using them, consider adding a bit of history so the voter is informed. Such as:

To date, during the 06/07 school year, the PTO has allocated $xxx to the Art Department for a, b, and c. Should the PTO allocate an additional $1000 for a kindergarten assembly?

OR

Should the PTO allocate $480 to upgrade software that we purchased for the library for $xxx during the 05/06 school year?

Also, it sounds like you have two very savvy ladies on your hands. I suspect that if you set a dollar limit on absentee ballot requirements, that they'll just make smaller, more frequent requests. Along with an individual request limit, I'd suggest that you set an overall total. Meaning, if the total limit is $1000 and they've met that limit but their next request is only for $200 then an absentee ballot is still required.

Dear CrewChief,

I completely agree with you about the incentive to run for office. That is why I asked the question do we have the right to say no, because I found it to be crazy that we do not have any right when we feel someone is taking advantage of the PTO. How uncommon is it for the board not to vote? We were told we could vote if we wanted to but it might not look good if we did. So we chose not to. We are shaking things ups and the old bored doesn't like it. We still do not know where half their procedures came from. That is why we are trying to change things and get them on the straight and narrow!

I love your idea of adding history to the home ballots. I actually like the way you worded it. I hope you don't mind, I would like to show the rest of the board and see if they would like to add that to our information to the parents.

Yes we do have to savvy ladies and that is why we want to make sure we stop this before it gets out of control.

I do have a question for you, when the request comes to the PTO can the PTO decide not to bring it to the members? I asked the last PTO Chair and she told me that every thing that came in as a request had to go to the parents(members) to be voted on.

I looked in our old by-laws and it does not state how to handle requests other that who is to vote on them. I tell ya, sometimes I feel like I am fighting a battle that can not be won!!

Thanks for listening and
for your great advice!!

My other question is

Maybe consider setting up a "teacher's grant fund" at the start of the year and mid year and vote the amount that goes into that (750 dollars each time or whatever your budget will support). Allow the prinicipal to prioritize the requests and then everyone knows the money is there and no one teacher can hog it all up. You can set submission times (like 30 September and 30 April) and then fund the requests based on the principals prioritization and you aren't seen as the bad guys. Also puts a finite amount on what is going out of your budget...

d

Wow! I've been part of groups that asked the president to remain neutral and to vote only in case of a tie, but the whole board not voting? I can't imagine less incentive to run for a board position than to tell the candidates, "Oh, by the way, you'll have all of the responsibility but no voice whatsoever."

I know you're in a transition phase so I don't mean to pick on you. It's all a huge learning process. But I would also alter the way you do absentee ballots. If you're still intent on using them, consider adding a bit of history so the voter is informed. Such as:

To date, during the 06/07 school year, the PTO has allocated $xxx to the Art Department for a, b, and c. Should the PTO allocate an additional $1000 for a kindergarten assembly?

OR

Should the PTO allocate $480 to upgrade software that we purchased for the library for $xxx during the 05/06 school year?

Also, it sounds like you have two very savvy ladies on your hands. I suspect that if you set a dollar limit on absentee ballot requirements, that they'll just make smaller, more frequent requests. Along with an individual request limit, I'd suggest that you set an overall total. Meaning, if the total limit is $1000 and they've met that limit but their next request is only for $200 then an absentee ballot is still required.

mommytlc;128802 wrote: I'm just a little confused here. Why doesn't your PTO board vote? Our PTO board votes on everything. We are usually the only ones at our PTO meetings. It sounds like you need to redo your bylaws.

We are a new board this year and we were told by the old board that our members (the parents) vote and we can choose (the board) to vote or not vote. They suggested we not vote, it was supposed to keep us in a neutral place. Well, we are trying to change things, we don't get a lot of parents sometimes 12 this past month it was two. So we reached out to the parents and asked them if they would like to haev a home ballot and vote on any request of $400.00 or more. Well, they loved the idea, we just had our first home ballot and it went very well, they were the ones that approved the Libraian's request for $480.00 for her soft ware. But they also didn't know that we purchased it last year for her too. So I think we need to revisit the new policy.

Reguarding the By-laws we just completely revised them, they were "sad" to say the least. That is why I say we are trying to change things but for the better! Our Principal is just thrilled with the new board. We even asked to go to the PTo Today Expo and he could't have been happier to OK the request!!

We have more staff than parents attend, so we learned a long time ago to give everyone a set amount to work with at the beginning of the year. We did set aside a certain amount for extras, but it was very small and once it was gone, we didn't spend anymore. We also noticed that teachers didn't mind spending the extra money for underestimates but if it was going to be spent because it was there, they wanted it split up fairly. Keep in mind, nobody wants to make someone they have to work with upset, and that's what these certain staff members depend on and they are working it to the max. Before I got really involved in PTO, I thought people wouldn't ask for stuff unless they needed it, but I learned that "need" is different to everyone.
Our principal would have told these teachers (and has at our school) to do their own fundraiser every 2 to 3 years and make do with what they raised.

Can you say no? Absolutely! Will it be easy? No!
The way we provide the extras to our facultyis through a "wish list" program. Every member of the faculty is provided a note approx. 10 days before a meeting.For the "wish" they ask for it has to benefit the classroom and the max. request is $25.00.Anything above that they have to attend a meeting and present the idea to the group.We keep a journal of requests and try to keep a $100.00 budget monthly.We try to grant as many each month.If someone is asking for $25.00 for Arts and Crafts we might only give $15.00 to give more wishes to all.Our principal does review them before the meetings and some he is able to take care of with his budget.
Good Luck!!