I am concerned about the upcoming year. I am supposed to be co-chairing our PTO this year but my co-chair pretty much said let me know what you need me to do. She dumps ideas in my lap. I know I need to find out our by-laws and if we don't have any that needs to be a top priority.

I know she means well but she is wanting us to buy some playground equipment to have in place when school starts. I don't think she really understands the mountains that would have to be moved. She also hasn't investigated the financial aspect. This is going to be a tense year I fear.

The only "membership" we have is the executive board. No one else does squat. They might come help at a party for their child's class but there is just so much more help we need.

We are going to try to create Committees for the basics. Yearbook, Fun Night and Book Fair. I just don't know how well this is going to go over and if we can even count on help for the many other things that go on during the school day such as Grandparent luncheon the last school day before Thanksgiving Break, help with pictures and 4th grade promotion events.

If you have any ideas or solutions please post or email me. adanderson@gcnet.com

Oh, there are so many ideas that could help you all over this forum! Hope you have the time to poke around. Here's my 2 cents:

Be glad your "co" has backed down. Look at it as an opportunity for you to be a strong leader, with a great built-in helper. I have found that in a real "co" situation, I spend an awful lot of time checking to be sure we both agree, and then pussy-footing around to make sure I don't offend my "co", so the simplist of decisions take FOREVER! Also, people aren't sure who to call with their questions/gripes. Who's really in charge...??

As the primary leader, spend some time developing an action plan for the PTO, and delegate specific responsibilities to your co (ex: she is in charge of developing a list of desired committees and creating "getting started" folders for each future chairperson).

Now, to the point about volunteers. A PTO cannot and should not run by only a handful of people. It burns out those vols and it alienates all the other parents who want to get involved, but just need a nudge. Call your first PTO meeting for shortly after school starts. Put on a "rah rah" pitch for helpers, send around committee sign up sheets and sit back. Make sure your parents know that projects A, B, and C won't happen unless people step forward to run them. Resist the temptation to do it all yourself, because I assure you there will then be parents who mutter about how "those officers don't let anyone else get involved...". Put the responsibility for a great PTO year on your members. Give them the opportunity to rise to the challenge. Good Luck!

Regarding the playground equipment - eliminate the tension: tell her what a great idea that is and then give her the name of 2-3 equipment providers in her area, along with a deadline for returning with the research of how much the project would cost. Then suggest a meeting with the principal to review the plan. Finally, work the $$ required into your 2001-2002 budget and present it to your membership for approval at your 1st meeting. If they like the idea, then it's up to everyone to raise enough $ to fund the project. No tension, just facts.

I appreciate the difficulties you face. You have all of the demands with only half of the credit. Be bold in your plans and remember that you only get half of the blame if they go awry.

But seriously, I wish our PTO had someone like you running the show. The last thing our PTO wants is membership drives. They have their own little clique, revolving around the local religious sect, and they haven't had a regular meeting in the 2 years since I moved to town.

Do I sound bitter? I guess it's just that I've been fighting for inclusion with no results. Please forgive the diatribe.