Comments on: Tree of Thanks or Tree of Shame?

By: Melanie Pierce

Melanie Pierce — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:02:17 +0000

The countless hours that some of our parents put in volunteering at our school every year is far more valuable than a few dollars. They should, at the very least, be given a leaf on the tree. I get that no one meant to diminish what the volunteers have given, but that definitely needs to change for the next appreciation effort. I am so thankful to our parent vounteers. They make our school markedly better; their effect is without a doubt, significant to our whole school body.

By: Vikki Sterne

Vikki Sterne — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:49:13 +0000

I am the PTO president 2 years raining and I understand that while time is a critical element, money is the root of all things in this world. You should never thank or recognize only the ones who give time. I give all my time because I cannot financially back the PTO, but the ones who financially back the PTO cannot give their time so freely. We never differentiate them. Both considered volunteers.

By: debbie

debbie — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:31:54 +0000

hey, isn’t this just the same as going to the store, purchasing one of the $1.00 cards writting your name on it and it hanging there in the store. I don’t believe it is wrong to make this tree. It is showing support that helped the school. We have many parents that tell me I don’t bother with fundraiser because my child won’t be left out of event that it’s paying for, so why bother to help….

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:02:09 +0000

As PTO president at our school, I think I would of had to put all names of parents volunteering time,money or anything on the tree, without mentioning what they dontated. Parent involvement is what it is all about for the kids and the school. We could not make it without parents help. Not who has the most money to donate, Sometimes its easier to give money, but it’s harder to find the free time to give yourself and that is more important,Children need to see there parents care about there school and them.At our school we have fundraiser to raise money, and our parents are wonderful at our school donating there time and working hard on the fundraiser. I’m sure the PTO did not intentionally mean to hurt any of there parents, it is a good idea, just should of went about it in a diffrent way maybe… Better luck next time,

By: Melanie

Melanie — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:22:54 +0000

Beng a past board member of our elementary school pta I can tell you it is a tricky spot to be in. You need both money and people to get ANYTHING done. We always tried to thank everyone equally. If you were going to have thanks in your newsletter then just leave it at THANKS and list all givers or if you are going to put up an appreciation tree list all givers there is no reason to single out a group by monetary or not. It’s a fine line, parent motivation. You just have to be positive and remember when planning these kinds of things that children are involved. The parent who doesn’t contribute might have a reason. If you really do find a need to differentiate then do that by sending a Thank You card as mentioned in one of the previous posts. If it is going to be in the open for all to see then it should include all who give.

By: Beth

Beth — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:00:39 +0000

This is exactly the kind of thing that is causes burn-out in our PTO. Active volunteers having to constantly defend well intentioned acts. Both the cash and time volunteers got recognition albeit it different venues, what is the complaint? Remember that cash donation received no recognition until this point.

A true example of the saying: “No good deed goes unpunished”.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:52:24 +0000

WOW! First of all everyone’s child benefits from the money donated not just a choosen few. If the PTO did something along the lines of “donate and get your name removed from the list” that would be blackmail, this is saying THANK YOU, which more people could benefit from anyway. Maybe next time the PTO should do something like add a bird for each volunteer to the tree, a blue bird for so many hours, a red bird for so many, etc. But then again I think this is one of those times when you can’t please everyone. It’s really sad that this even made it to the papers, and makes you think twice about thanking anyone at all for fear of offending someone else.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:15:16 +0000

Although our family gives both to our school, as a PTO Board member I value volunteer time far more than money. However, volunteer time, money, and professional or trade expertise should all be accepted gratefully and with public thanks, unless the donor requests no public thanks. As an aside, I was disgusted by the PTO president’s statement that a family could give a dollar and the problem (of not having one’s name on the tree) would go away. That is extortion, no matter how the PTO frames it.

By: Roxanne

Roxanne — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:33:05 +0000

The giving tree is located in the hallway of the school. It is in the same area that all of the parents stand when they pick up their children.

The PTO did not ask for $1. They asked for $100 to $150+ per family. The PTO did not mention at any time “give a $1 and you will receive a leaf on the giving tree. That comment was published in the newspaper.

Many parents in the school volunteer their time. Hours and hours are given to the school. We help the teachers, clean up after the parties. Some of us can not afford to give money to the PTO. We give to the classroom, buy the numerous scholastic books orders, the school stores, wrapping paper sales,

Take the tree down. National attention is disgusting.

By: Christina

Christina — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:50:17 +0000

Adults role model for children. It’s not about receiving thanks but to be thankful for what others have to offer in either money, time or skill. This is overated. I am involved in our PTA not because I want recognition but because I love my child and want to instill citizenship in him. Adults let their egos get in the way of their doings. We are adults, we make decisions and have to live with those decisions. We are also responsible for our actions and the truth is I have learned you can never make everyone happy.