Your situation is fairly common. A group of parents runs the PTO for several years. Eventually they move on to a new school, but they haven't done anything about recruiting/training people to take their place. So the PTO is more or less nonexistent until someone is interested enough to get it going again. I don't think you need to start a new organization. Just get a group of parents together and take over the existing one. Hold a "special election" and fill the vacant offices. You can even write new bylaws, if you'd like. If you're bringing new energy and new direction to the existing PTO, I don't think you'll have trouble convincing parents that your group is "as good as new." Good luck!
- Craig
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