We just got a new principal and she is wanting her name to be authorizd to write checks on our account. Has anyone heard of this being done?

There seems to be a debate on that with different organizations taking different positions. At our school, it's standard procedure. The Treasurer keeps the books and controls the account, but the President and the Principal both have authorization to sign the checks.

Our policy is that every check have two signatures. The Principal FREQUENTLY acts as the second signature for us. I think that once (maybe the treasurer was out of town??) that the Principal initiated a check - but it was for a routine payment that had already been approved.

For us, it works just fine.

Our procedure is identical to JHB's. So far, so good...never had problem. In fact, many times, the principal has come to the rescue when I am unavailable. For us, our treasurer is an aide at the school and I (current pres.) am at home. So in a pinch, our principal is the second signer needed. I think it is a good fall back plan for any PTO.

I think that it is bad move. If the organization is separate from the school (tax-id number), then it should be separate. I don't think that our principal can even sign on our school's account. They have special book-keeping people that take care of that. I can't imagine anything that would have to be done in such a hurry that there wasn't two officers present. Almost all of our checks are written out at regular meetings. People just hold their receipts. If you know that you have a program or something that is not going to be billed, then you get it at the meeting prior. Most of our bills come in the mail and are handled directly by the treasurer. What would the school be paying for directly that the principal would want to write a check for? She would still need to go through the treasurer to get the check.

I appreciate your point of view, but we find it works very well for us. While the PTO and school are two separate entities, obviously they are closely entertwined. In our situation, it's a very close, very positive relationship with little (if any!) conflict. Also the Principal is a valued, active member of our Executive Board, so he is very much part of the PTO. He is at every meeting, every work session and puts in as many "volunteer" hours as we do.

Also note, the Treasurer physically controls the checkbook, the Principal primarily acts as the SECOND signer. And this is on things already approved by the Board. The one time he initiated a check, the Treasurer had brought him the checkbook because something had to be paid, they didn't have the exact amount (i.e., shipping or something was estimated) and the Treasurer was going to be out of town. And still - the other authorized signer had to sign the check. It's not like the Principal can just whip out the checkbook at will. It's not kept at school.

In our case, most of the checks are NOT written at the meeting - especially this time of year. We have funds allocated from last year to kickstart this year and things have to paid for as they are ordered, they can't wait a month until the next meeting.

I know many of the Forum members do not have as close a school/PTO relationship as we do. In those cases, I might not want the principal on the account. In our case, it makes perfect sense.

[This message has been edited by JHB (edited 08-19-2001).]

Ok - I've reserved my thoughts until now. In our local units the principal does NOT sign the checks and has no desire to do so. They have far too much else to do in their busy schedules - than to be tracked down for the second signature.

Our standing rules of the Bylaws states that the President, the VP -Budget and Finance person, and the treasurer all are signatures at the bank. At any given time any one of those two can sign the checks and this is not a problem.

With this being clear in the bylaw / standing rules we have no issue and the mixture of school and parent organization remains as is should - partners with separate financial issues.

We support the school in many ways, and to have the principal on the acccount is not always the clear picture we want to represent.

Don't get me wrong - we have full support and the principal sits on many committees that we establish - but is more than happy to say "That's PTA business and I'm just one voice - the voice that speaks for the staff - not the voice that speaks for all." That's a very positive message that is sent to many.

Please do your best to keep the principal as a friend and a clear message out to the membership. The PTO/PTA is an organization that helps and supports the school and staff in many ways - and is not mixed with financials. What's the schools financials is the schools. What's the PTO/PTA is the or organizations financials - clear and to the point.

Sorry if this offends - but this can be a delicate matter and needs to be clear to all the membership of the organization.