I AM THE PRESIDENT OF A NEWLY FORMED PTO. WE ARE A SMALL SCHOOL, ONLY 225 STUDENTS. MY QUESTION RELATES TO WHO EXACTLY SHOULD HAVE CONTROL OVER THE FUNDS IN OUR ACCT.? WHO SHOULD MAKE DEPOSITS, WRITE CHECKS, DELEGATE PAYMENTS FROM OUR FUNDS ETC..? OUR PRINCIPAL HAS THE FUNDRAISER MONIES WE RECENTLY ACCUMULATED AND HE SAID HE WOULD CONTACT THE TREASURER TO DEPOSIT THE FUNDS, SO I THOUGHT O.K.. THE NEXT THING I KNEW WAS THAT HE HAD TAKEN CASH FROM THE UNDEPOSITED MONIES AND PAID A SUPPLIER OF OUR FUNDRAISING SUPPLIES IN CASH. I AM NOT FULLY COMFORTABLE WITH THIS AND AM IFFY ON HOW TO APPROACH THE SUBJECT WITH HIM. I HAVE 5 CHILDREN OF MY OWN AND AM ON OTHER BOARDS, I CAN'T BE AT THE SCHOOL 24/5 TO MONITOR WHAT HE IS OR ISN'T DOING. ALSO, I HAVE RECEIVED PAPERS HOME WITH MY CHILDREN WHICH HAVE BEEN SIGNED OFF AS THOUGH THEY ARE FROM MYSELF, WHICH I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT TILL THEY CAME HOME WITH THE KIDS. HOW DO YOU GET THE PRINCIPAL TO NOT INTEREFERE WITH SUCH THINGS AS CHANGING THE PTO'S DATES FOR SPONSORED EVENTS SUCH AS SCHOOL SPIRIT WEEK ETC..? ANY SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKS.
LORI

As PTO Pres. you should have a board. The treasurer should do the disbursments. If the principal wants cash he should ask for his reguest to be brought up at the meeting and the PTO should vote on the spending. There could be thing he wants and doesnt want to use the "school" money for. As a PTO you should make sure the funds go to better education and needed things in the class room. If the PTO works hard to raise money, they should also be able to vote on where it is spent. BE CAREFUL!!
Remember PTO is volunteers and they are there because they care.

Your treasurer has control of all pto funds no one else, if the principal needs something he should request it to the board and everyone must vote on it. The treasurer also needs to account for all the money so receipts are very important too. President can ok a purchase up to $50 without board approval. Maybe you should sit down with the principal and work out rules together , bring your list and he brings his . He must also realize there is a pto now and changes will come.We send out a teacher wish list in the beginning of the school year for supplies that the BOE may not pay for and pay for them throughout the year.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. WE DO HAVE A BOARD BUT THE PRINCIPAL WALKED AROUND US ON OUR FUNDS. YOUR ANSWERS WERE THE ONES I WAS LOOKING FOR. I SHALL BRING THIS INTO FULL VIEW WITH OUR MEMBERS AND THE PRINCIPAL, ASAP.ONE OTHER SPECIFIC QUESTION WHICH COMES TO MIND: WHERE/WHOM SHOULD THE PTO FUND BANK ACCOUNT INFO AND DOCUMENTS BE KEPT? MY NAME IS ON THAT ACCOUNT WITH OUR TREASURER AND VP,
WHEN DELIVERED TO THE SCHOOL THEY WERE HANDED TO THE PRINCIPAL, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S WHERE THEY SHOULD BE. SORRY, BUT AS A NEW PERSON AT THIS I NEED SOME REASSURANCE THAT MY THOUGHTS ON SUCH MATTERS ARE FOLLOWING IN SUIT OF WHAT IS CUSTOMARY. THANK YOU.
LORI

Sounds like your group could use a good look at your by-laws. or if you don't have any, now seems like a good time to get some. Rules like preskaren's $50 rule can vary by PTO, but it is good to have those rules in place to avoid the kind of things you are talking about here. I don't know any reason why the principal should be involved with your funds in any official way.

In our by-laws, the treasurer has responsibility for the books. Two officer signatures are required for all checks over $300 and we also have an audit every year before the new treasurer takes over.

I'd say your principal is doing things the way they've always been done, but that doesn't mean it's not a good thing to change them.

oh and about that thing you said where papers had your name on them and you knew nothing about them. that just sounds wrong.