I also do publicity and am the PTO Secretary. I just use a general PTO logo that is also at our website at the top of our letters that go home. If I send out actual donation letters to businesses, I usually use the school letterhead because it is official compared to the one I just ran off of my computer. Some CEO might look at my handmade letter head and think I wasn't "real".
I am a Kindergarten parent and am taking things slow this year, just testing the waters. I volunteered to type up the letters that are sent home with students about upcoming events when I saw that the President had them handwritten on looseleaf paper! I told her it wouldn't be a problem and she was grateful for the help. She just asked that I leave an inch and a half at the top so they could be copied onto the school's letterhead.
I asked if the PTO has their own letterhead. I was immediately told that we are there for the school and are part of the school, so we would keep it the way it is. There are a lot of 5th grade parents who won't be around next year, so maybe I will bring it up again then.
Here are my thoughts: The PTO is not for the School, it is for the Kids! We are not part of the School itself, we are an organization of parents and staff members. Why should we HAVE to use the school's letterhead? If I were a businessperson and received a letter from the school looking for a donation, I might toss it thinking that's what my taxes are for. But if a group of parents and staff wanted me to help them raise funds for enrichment programs, I would listen.
What do you guys think? I value your opinions and have been reading them for quite some time. I just now got up the nerve to ask for them myself. Thanks!
