Well I know it may seem a bit early for this question but I'm the new PTO president and I found that one of my hardest jobs yet was to pick a Chairperson for every committee, keeping in mind they will be in charge and also sit on the Executive Board. So I picked them, and thought I did my best. Well the lady for the 6th grade banquet (our school is K-6 and we always have a little something for our 6 graders) decided that she didn't like the VFW where it has been forever (and it is free) she would rather have it at this restaurant which is very expensive. I don't want to shoot her idea down but after her committee meeting I had 6th grade parents calling me and stopping me in stores to talk about how much they hated the idea, and thought this lady was thinking a little to big. I have no clue how to bring up this subject without hurting her feelings? Any comments on this one. I'm stuck.

Is there an amount set aside in the budget for this event? Make sure she knows how much money she can spend and then let her decide what to do.
We came up with our budget figure by going back 3 years to see how much was spent at each 8th grade banquet and then broke it down per student since the class size varies. There was a big jump spent one year and we wanted to make sure this didn't happen again. This year's chair knew last May how much she has to work with and can plan accordingly.
Maybe it is time to change the tradition of the VFW. Sometimes change is good.

Any plans for anything should be reported by the chairperson of a committee to the membership for approval. That would enable discussion by the memberhship. Does she expect to stay within her budget?

Well the thing with the 6th graders at our school is there really has never been a so to speak budget set, becuase the 6th graders always have just had their own fundraiser to pay for what ever they decide on. And the PTO would buy them T-shirts with a design that the kids made themselves. So she suggested at her committee meeting to sell tickets and the bad thing is these tickets are $20 a piece and she would like each child to sell 8 of them. I just think that is way to much for 6th graders and our school is mostly low income families so these parents are saying that the have no clue how they will sell the tickets. And i think change is a good thing that maybe the VFW isn't the best idea but I also on the other hand think that maybe she should think in our price range. You know what I mean???? We have nothing to go on from the past because I wasn't given anything when i took over the PTO I do know from being on the board last year that the 6th grade parents raised enough money to buy the kids yearbooks, t-shirts, pay for everyones dinner, a D.J., and just anything that was needed. It was a huge success. And this lady is asking them to sell these tickets and still pay $13 a parent to attend the banquet and the PTO would buy the shirts and if they want a yearbook they have to buy them theirselves at $12.

You wrote-"So she suggested at her committee meeting to sell tickets and the bad thing is these tickets are $20 a piece and she would like each child to sell 8 of them."
Do you mean they have to sell tickets to the banquet itself? Who would they sell them to? I have seen where the money for these parties are raised specifically for it usually by the grade party committee. Hmmm... Do you know how they raised their money last year? This sure does not seem like it will fly. Are there other people on the committee? Is the principal involved or would they become involved? I am sure this woman has good intentions and does not realize what she is asking.

I guess I should have worded that better LOL The money that is raised from the tickets will go toward the banquet. And the tickets are calendar tickets that have numbers for the daily lottery. I think it is way to much. Our principal isn't involved at all. She has a committee of 15 volunteers that signed up out of 65 6th graders. Last year the committee started in October setting off a strip ticket ( $1 and has 5 numbers on it)for 6 months they did this and they sold tickets on a Valentine Getaway Basket and also the PTO members donated Valentine stuff and they made up cute baskets and sold chances on them at the school. And I think they may have had a small Avon party ??? but when I told the lady what they did last year she said she would rather do all her fundraising at one time and if the parents didn't want to sell the tickets then they would be asked to donate $45. I'm just at a loss with this lady! Half the kids at our school get a free lunch!!!!! I just know they will not sell these tickets and I think every child should be able to attend the 6th grade banquet. I'm going to call and chat with the co - chair tomorrow and see if I can get any where with her. Our FIRST Fall Festival is this Saturday and I'm stressed enough about that and this lady is driving me crazy. I called her twice this week and both time she cut me off nicely! and said she was busy with her 18 month old baby ( I have a baby the same age I understand but I make time) she would get back to me and I still have not heard from her. I'm starting to feel like I may have to bring the principal in on this and I don't want to hurt her feelings.