should i sign my name to papers going home with students?
i personally don't have a problem with it, but i'm wondering if perhaps i shouldn't for some reason? at one time a "bad" pres. always signed their name, when the new one took over they didn't sign their name. come to find out no one realized we had a new pres. i can't say that if effected anything, but i do know a lot of people were not willing to help with that "bad" pres. still there. so,...i guess i figure if i do put my name on things people will realize there's someone knew and maybe getting help will be easier.
any help for the new comer would be appreciated!!

[pzettler]

I think it's good to let them know who you are, and how to reach you.

[Holley_richardson]

I am up for pres this year, and IF I am elected I plan to send a letter to the parents introducing the new board and welcoming them to join us. I think the parents need to know that the PTO has changed, and that we are working on projects for next year! Tech. speaking our pres this year does not step down until July 1! So it will have to be approved by her, but she is awesome, and I know she would see my view here! So talk to the pres and the principal about sending out something to the parents from the 07-08 PTO Board!

[dlf]

I think a letter of welcome is always appropriate to sign and I write a column at the beginning of our newsletters that I always end with "Have a Brilliant Day" and put my name afterwards. Most of the general stuff is not signed because it goes out in the form of fliers.

Thank You so much for you insight(s). I am going to sign my name to everything, I too think it would be best. I had thought about sending a letter of introduction too, and now I know I will, thanks for mentioning that.

[CrewChief]

Congratulations on being the new president of your team. You're sure to have an exciting year!

I agree that it's good to introduce yourself to the school along with your fellow board members so they know who's leading the team.

I was always careful to not sign my name to [I]everything[/I] that goes out because it's such a huge team effort. I worried that my name on everything would make it look like a one man show, or at least a one man taking all the credit show.

When speaking for myself, I'd sign my name and title. When speaking on behalf of the entire team, I'd type the name of the group.

Like dlf says, many things go out with no signature simply because they're information fliers.

[WFS]

New President: First, Congratulations and I hope everything goes smoothly for you in office.
I just want to share my experience with you. I sent a letter home to parents and announced our new board as well as a welcome letter at the start of the new school years. When memos go home, as President I review and approve them for content, grammer, etc. & then the Principal does as well. Any committee that is sending a memo home, puts their name on it as the contact. Parents know who is running the event, but it's their own little "kudos" for stepping up. However, there were many, many little things that went on during the last 2 years that I ran myself due to no one stepping up. My name went on the memo. Some uninformed parents took it as I was trying to "run everything" "control everything" "not let anyone else do anything" when, in fact, it was the exact opposite. These events would have been cancelled if I didn't run it and the little fundraisers that I ran made enough money to fund our budget for the year! So, depending on how the memo is worded, you may want your committee persons to put their name on it, maybe you just initial it in the corner or let it go out without your "stamp of approval" on it. I just wanted to let you know that putting your name on everything (on purpose or out of necessity) could be a negative.

[Holley_richardson]

I have to agree... We actually sign everything with Your ____ PTO, then the coordinator. Now on ALL the donation requests, the Pres and VP sign! It is more official!

[PresidentJim]

As my group's PTO President I also always sign anything going home that is personally from me. For example, I provide all of the new Kindergarten parents a welcome packet that explains who we are, etc. It is written in the first person and as such I sign it. Same with our new Newsletters. At the top of each one I write up a general info section on how things are going. For example, here's the latest one:
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May is here and the end of the school year is coming fast. But there’s still so much to look forward to before the summer arrives. The upcoming “Drive For the Future” golf tournament, playground cleanup, Field Day, the Family Barbeque and the Buy-One-Get-One book fair to name some.

This year the PTO has been very fortunate to be able to support Mr. Principal’s technology integration initiatives. Throughout the year the PTO has purchased Britannica Online for the entire school community, allocate funds for the laptop cart, assist Mr. Principal with the golf tournament and run the Market Place fundraiser in order to support the school’s involvement in the 2007 National Computing Conference.

On that note it is never too late to get involved. With the upcoming playground clean-up and Field Day/Family Barbeque we can use all the help we can get. Fliers will be coming home soon about both of these functions, so please get involved if you can!
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At the bottom I put my name, PTO President; so it is more personal. At the same time the newsletters and the new website have been great tools to get the word out about all of the involvement from the committee. By naming committee members in the newsletter and on the site it gives them credit for their hard work, promotes getting involved, and would help promote that the PTO is not a one man (or woman) show and that it is a team effort that makes all of these things happen.

Good luck,
presidentJim

[volunteermomo3]

I always sign my name, and add PTO Leader (as we do not have a President or other officers).

I also include at the very bottom of all papers going home our website address.