Embezzlement in a parent group is always devastating, but how a group overcomes it can determine its future. When the outgoing treasurer of the Parent Association of Lincoln School in Port Washington, Wis., stole almost $40,000, leaders kept their focus on the group: They went ahead with plans like family events and a courtyard renovation, and started new clubs and a fundraiser. Recovering from the trauma was a long and difficult process, but it also resulted in a districtwide revision of policies related to how parent groups handle money—as well as the 2007 award for Outstanding Effort To Overcome Adversity.
