I have to agree w/ Adele. The reality is that school budgets are being hacked to shreds while governments pay lip service to education. There's no point paying for field day or assemblies if the kids don't have ink for the printers or supplies in the bathroom.
And what do you do, if there's no money in the budget for those items? Cut the music program, or art program, or ask the PTO? I would rather see them ask us for those things. Our school's budget is a joke. We pay for field trips, supplies, janitor carts, soap for the bathrooms, you name it!
We are there to help fill the needs of the school, and if it's furniture they need, it's furniture they'll get!
Your group should have a mission statement in its bylaws. It's really up to you. I agree with dremal. You need to make sure that you aren't looked at just as an open check book. I'd even go so far as to make a point soon by not funding something the district assumes that you will. I don't think a PTO should be buying furniture for school. That's a budget item.
Can you get some of these gifts donated? I would even go as far as paying half the bill and making the school pitch in the other half. Make it be known that you can't afford everything only things that curriculm based and will benefit the children. If you foot the bill now they will always ask. Trust me I have been there.
[This message has been edited by dremal (edited 03-20-2001).]
Okay, last couple of meetings, we are being asked to foot the bill for sports and gifts
for end of year dances , furniture, which is okay to a certain extent. However with a off the record coment from a school board member ( ask the PTO for that ,they can afford it...) Is there a Mission Statement for why the PTO exists...????
