Same difference: If you have parent volunteers who aren't thanked in the way you or they think they ought to be thanked, it's up to each of them individually to examine why they volunteer: to be lauded or to make a difference for the children.
Secondly, there is a large body of thought that indicates "happy teacher/happy students". Given that teachers are amongst the lowest paid given the requirements of the job, PTA/PTO staff appreciation events helps bridge the gap between what they're paid and what they should be paid.
Given your numerous obviously bitter feelings about your school and your PTA, perhaps it is better if you step down.
Jewel;149107 wrote: It seems to me that you ought to reconsider what your primary motivation is for being involved at the school: to be lauded or to make a difference for the students. You have to decide if your desire to be thanked in the way you want to be thanked is actually more important than the benefits you can provide the school as part of the PTA.
For me, there's no question that I'm in it for the kids and not for personal acclamation.
I'm not the one who needs to be thanked -- it's the parent volunteers. If a school can't show its appreciation to the parent volunteers, it's missing the point. I am SO SICK of being asked to get volunteers for this thing and that (including plenty of staff appreciation events). How exactly is THAT "for the kids"? These people are PAID to do what they do.
This school has an agenda that doesn't include parental input. I thought I could make a difference. Now I see that I can't. They are on their own next year. There are plenty of other places to make a difference.
I'm not so sure it's always "for the kids." I think the school is more "for the staff."
That certainly is your choice to make, but the only ones to ultimately suffer from your decision will be the children. It seems to me that you ought to reconsider what your primary motivation is for being involved at the school: to be lauded or to make a difference for the students. You have to decide if your desire to be thanked in the way you want to be thanked is actually more important than the benefits you can provide the school as part of the PTA.
For me, there's no question that I'm in it for the kids and not for personal acclamation.
I come from an elementary school where the school put on a beautiful breakfast just for the volunteers each year.
Now at this middle school the school's idea of volunteer appreciation is to give out certificates to volunteers at the school's academic awards assembly. The PTA has to purchase the cake and provide the volunteers to serve.
Some volunteer appreciation, huh? Yet the volunteers are constantly being asked to do this, do that in appreciation of staff.
One of many reasons why I will not continue to be the volunteer chairperson for this PTA any longer...
Does seem kind of silly to go to the organization that coordinates the volunteers to have them pay for their own gifts, but many groups do it because the leaders feel it's important to give a little thank you to those parents and others who have given of their time. At the elementary where my children attended the principal and teachers coordinated a little volunteer party. They served refreshments provided by the staff and usually had some little thing that the students put together as a gift. I still have a handmade bookmark I got one year!
