But practically speaking, there are better times and worse times.
For me, I feel that the back-to-school time frame is so importnat for setting the involvement stage for the whole year that I'd hate to get a whole PTO v PTA dust-up going during that key time of year. The vast majority of parents won't/don't give a hoot about your acronym and the debate will just confuse them (and confusion is a huge turn-off) at a time when your most trying to connect with them. Ouch.
Secondly, there's a lot of gray about who exactly is a PTA member to vote at that time anyway. Your membership year likely ends June 1 or July 1, so you probbaly have very few, if any, technical members right now. Are you supposed to have a membership drive in order to disband? That's crazy (and not covered in PTA bylaws).
If you're fairly certain that your group is going PTO, then my advice at this time of year is to: 1) spend the PTA dollars down to near zero; 2) start a PTO and have it be your public-facing parent group for back-to-school (seamless to all the parents who don't care/don't want to hera about it); and 3) don't have a PTA membership drive this fall.
With no members, the PTA will in effect be gone. It's a simple way to go. It's not always what I recommend, but if the choice is a) sour your whole year by dragging a confusing PTO v PTA debate into this key timeframe; or b) running a PTA membership drive and paying big bucks for a membership that you guys don't want just because the bylaws are kind of wacky; or c) getting on with your good work seamlessly -- I choose C.
You have to check with the disbanding rules of the PTA. There are more qualified folks that can discuss this but as I understand from reading these boards (and you should do a search on disbanding) you must do specific notifications, hold a vote and yada yada....do the search and see what other folks have determined to be the best way to disband...d
I was wondering can you change from PTA to PTO anytime of the year? This will be my first year as president for the PTA at are school. I have been talking with members this summer about switching to PTO and everyone is on board. Can we have a vote this fall at our first meeting or do we have to wait? Please help!
Thanks,
Karen
