PTO Today

I was voted in at the end of last year as the vp of our group. Our pres. had left and as such the vp then stepped up and then it left a hole. I was a kindergarten parent at the time. This year all started out well until school actaully started. Our principal started talking to unhappy board members and started to treaten to shut down PTO. ( i later found out he has been treatening this for years)
IN the after math of all the drama the pres and i were under the impression that things were fine and that we could move on with what needed to be done. We then got an email from our principal stating that he was giving PTO a time out until Jan. he also sent home a note to parents stating that due to unresolved issues with board members there would be no meetings until Jan.
The weird part is that the pres and i really thought all was ok. The day the princpal did this i went in to talk to him to let him know exactly what he was stopping. He had not thought about all of the events already being planned actively by volunteers.
I am in shock and am trying to make sure all happens that needs to so that the kids are not hurt by the adults not "playing well together". I get no help from half of our board unless the principal tells them it is ok. I have one devoted parent who helps me do anything I ask or need. She is the only person i know i can count on for support with everything that has to still happen. We are now trying to accomplish several things without PTO funding since we can not go to the PTO and ask for funding since we have no meetings right now.
The real kicker is that this is an election year for us and also the year we planned to re write our by laws. Our principal is now stating that we can not have a by laws committee meeting unless he can be present b/c he wants to make sure his opinions are in there.
What do we do now? I have no idea where to go from here. I am holding on by a thread to something I thought I could do to help my son and his school.
I have never done this before and I have never been up against so many people that seem to be driven by pure self need or want and no real desire to help the kids, which is why I thought we were all here as volunteers.

At first I thought you had not given me anything that I could use to understand what was going on, because it lacked details. Please let me "Play back" certain parts of what you said....

Unhappy board members,
Unresolved issues with board members,
i really thought all was ok,
adults not "playing well together".
I get no help from half of our board,
We are now trying to accomplish,
I have never done this before

This sound like you have a divided board, and you are in denial. You need the rest of your board. Something has caused them to receed into "the Principal shell".

The principal has said, "STOP and work out your differences". I looked for the evidence that you stopped to work out your differences. You said, "We are now trying to accomplish". This says you aren't stopping to work out your differences.

I know that likely, another opinion exists that will tell you, "Are you an independent organization?" Yes, it is correct that if you are an independent organization, you have the right to autonomy, but it almost always only exists outside the school. You need the good graces of the Principal to work effectively inside the school.

The principal has said, "STOP and work out your differences".

January is only a little over a month away. Spend time being thankfiul for the other board members. Get in the Christmas spirit toward the other board members. Before you know it, January will be here.

These issues will not be gone in January, though. It's only through getting to know the other board members will you learn what makes them happy.

What will you do next?

As always with these kinds of issues certain questions need to be asked before we can provide our thoughts...

Q: Is your group independant, possibly 501(C)3, or are you under the umbrella of the school?

The reason why this is so important is because of the dictatorship that the Principal seems to be trying to put in place. If you are under the school, then you are under the Principals "control" and he has "the right" to do everything that you say he is doing. On the other hand, if your group is an independant, 501(C)3 non-profit organization, then he is, IMO, over stepping his bounds. Mind you that for groups like ours to be successful we need the support of the Principal. Why a Principal would work against a PTO is beyond me as our whole purpose is to make his school better for his students and his staff, as well as the parents and guardians of his students. "Shutting down" a PTO is just plain stupid. If you are a non-profit, independant group then likely you control your own funds and make your own decisions, with the Principal's guidance hopefully, but not by being controlled by him.

For he to say "no more meetings" would be over-stepping his bounds.

For he to say "You can't have a By-Laws Committee Meeting" without me there is again, over-stepping his bounds.

If you are independant these decisions should be controlled by your group and your Executive Board. So, this first question is very important.

Q: What does your current Bylaws state regarding ammending the Bylaws, control of funds, Principal involvement, etc.?

This is important because even if you are an independant group, if your Bylaws give the Principal this much control (which would not be "normal) then he would have the right to do what he is doing.

Now, lets get beyond these questions...

I believe what you have explained is that the President that was voted in last time left, so the V.P. that was voted in last time stepped up and took on the Presidency, as per your Bylaws. You were voted in as the new V.P. Being a Kindergarten mom I assume that you are pretty new to this whole PTO "business". What about the now President?

The reason I ask is that it sounds as though she is possibly part of the problem. It sounds as though the Executive board is devided on supporting her and have possibly complained to the Principal.

Has the Principal discussed complaints with the President, as far as you are aware?

It almost sounds like the Principal has received numerous complaints about something and that it has finally gotten to this point.

From what I can gather though it sounds as though your President (are you the President now?) and the Principal are having issues. As a PTO President, if the Principal made decision of this nature without discussing them with me first I would be livid, and would schedule a formal meeting with him to discuss. If someone or someones have issues with me, my group or our endeavors, and brings them to the Principal I once again would be very upset with him if he didn't bring them to my attention before making any decisions.

So, let us know the answers to these questions and maybe we can guide you from there. In the meantime know that all of the volunteer are there for the children and sometimes things go further than they need to. More than likely this all can be woked out.

Thanks and good luck,
PresidentJim

If your Principal is an Executive Board member and it clearly states in your present bylaws that the Principal must take part in any changes to the bylaws, then he does not have this power. The PTO is its own organization separate from the school. Although he can state that PTO activities are not to be performed in the school, he cannot stop parents from meeting outside of the school.
I would make an appt with the Principal and all board members to hash out what needs to be. For the sake of the kids (the PTO IS SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT THE KIDS; NOT OUR EGOS) all those involved need to come to an understanding or this could be the end of the PTO and school activities and financial support as it's known today.
It was wrong for your Principal to make the announcement without your knowledge. He does not control the PTO (unless stated in your bylaws); only the PTO activities taking place in the school. If he is abusing his power as Principal by trying to control the PTO, then take it to his boss.

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Doing it for my one and only ~~ my son!

Gthank you all for responding. i just found out today that our secratary, treasurer and principal went to the superintindent of school here about what they see is the problem. Our principal is trying to shut down PTO in this school. I do not know what to do. The pres. and I have a mtg. tomorrow with the super and asst. super of schools. I do not think that they will see what is really going on because in the asst. supers eyes we are not the right people for the job, even though we are the only ones that have shown we care enough to fight to make this work. we have tried everything we know to help our board not be divided, but nothing has worked, so they have gone to trying to take PTO out of the school al together.

the truly sad part is that i have discovered that this principal has been trying to do this for about 4 years now. It breaks my heart that a principal does not want a group there to support the school.

to answer the biggest question, we are an independent group. the principal should have no standing other than to allow us to use the building or not. We have tried to work with him. we have canceled many things at his request. basically he wanted our money, but nothing else. I do not think he realizes what he doing by trying to take a way PTO.

we will try our best. if anyone has any ideas, please let me know.
thanks!
lizmc

I would recommend having details for this meeting to show the Superintendant how important your group is to the school.

Provide details about everything that your group does and has done in the past.

If you bring in Enrichment, then have the details.

If you provide funding for Field Trips, provide the details.

If you have made purchases for the school, explain that to them.

You still haven't answered whether or not you are independant, but if you are you should make a point of explaining that "As an independant group, our sole purpose is to make this school a better place for our children to learn and grow" and that you "Want to work with the Principal to make this happen, but we need his support and understanding".

I would also make a point of explaining that your group has Bylaws that provides specific rules regarding the elected positions and that these rules have been followed and that you are running the group in accordance with these rules.

Effectively, make them understand that the Principal does not control the group, you do, but at the same time, in order for your group to give all of the things that you do to the school you need his support.

You may need to make them understand, again assuming, and hoping that you are independant, that the process of becoming an independant organization is not a quick, inexpensive process. That this group is an independant organization, and as such you legally can fund raise to provide these activities for the school. That way if they are thinking that they can just replace you or your group, hopefully you'll get the point through that it doesn;t work like that.

Effectively make them understand that for the school to benefit from the $ that your group has and from future fund raising, that they'll need to make the Principal allow you guys to run the group.

I am confused about one thing...

Why did the Secretary and Treasurer go with the Principal to the Superintendant?

Are you the President of this group? If so, are the Treasurer and Secretary against you running the group?

Something doesn't add up here. I don't understand why the Treasurer and Secretary would be "conspiring" with the Principal when someone (is it you) is the President and was put there in accordance with the Bylaws.

We really need more info on this one...

PresidentJim

As I am finding out, it is difficult to be a president of an organization, with out a mission or structure. Even if we as presidents feel every one is on the same page and its all about making the school better for our children.
Hang in and do not give up. Try to do a board of directors retreat, try to have a team building training, so that in January when you are able to meet your pto can comein with a new attitude and a new mission.

Good Luck,
Vernia Carter PTSO President
Veterans Elementary School
Central Falls , Rhode Island

That is what i am finding here as well. There is no set of bylaws, no mission statement and no focus. It has been pretty seat of the pants. we are now trying to come up with a nice set of bylaws, and a real set of mission goals to focus on. I think with those things in place it will be easier.

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Parish Tanner
Ocala, Fl
Dunnellon Elementary PTO Vice President
Angels In Arms Board of Advisors