Are you involved in PTO?

[kasar]

Just back from a PTO meeting at the elementary school and was wondering about PTOs in other schools. Seems to be the same people that come month to month (fine with me, I like these folks and we have fun) but they're always trying to drum up new faces. I thought I'd post a poll to see how others feel about PTOs. Please share your thoughts! (Please, let's not judge anyone - this is just my own curiousity)

A. I'm involved in PTO meetings
B. I'd like to be but time/family constraints prevent it
C. PTOs are too "cliquey", I'm not comfortable joining in
D. Not interested at all

 

[ByTheSea]

I'm not as I travel frequently and can't make the meetings, but my Spouse does make it a point to attend.

Our PTA is pretty large, we have a pretty active community, which is good.

 

[CJMickeyMouse]

We are not involved because our school does not have a PTO.

 

[disykat]

I was President last year, but am pretty minimally involved this year - though I have volunteered for a few things. I wanted to stay out of the way for the new folks. We have a very small group and my time in leadership was made miserable by all those who've held leadership positions in the past - I didn't want to do the same thing!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I was very involved when my kids were in elementary school. They went to a Catholic school, and I told the board I was interested in getting involved. I ended up as secretary for three years, president for four, and Director at Large the last year. I really tried to delegate more the last two years I was there to encourage more "young" parents to get involved.

From there, I got involved in our church as a Lector, then the Fiesta Committee, Parish Council for a bit, and now Finance Council for a few years.

Both kids go to two different Catholic high schools, and I just don't have the time to be on the PTO in their schools. So, I pay since I don't do the service hours there.

It was fun for me, though, when I was involved with the elementary school.

 

[CamColt]

This is only our 2nd year at the school, but we are getting involved a little at a time.

DH goes to most PTO meetings,and I try to go to every other one if I can get a babysitter.

I volunteer at the PTO run program where I get assigned certain days to go into school and do stuff for the teachers like make copies, tear papers out of workbooks, put things together for projects, etc...

DH sort of got volunteered to head up the fund raising committee. We have a meeting at our house once a month. Right now we just started a cookie dough sale(I went and passed out the flyers Monday), and we are planning a pizza/bingo night with silent auction for March.

 

[tiggerlover]

DS is in second grade and I have been actively involved since he started first grade. I was the VP of the club last year and this year decided it was too much work so now I am just a general member. I am still very active, right now I am currently the head chairperson on the school picture committee, the Scholastic monthly book order club and the Book Fair.

 

[believe]

What do you mean by involved? I volunteer for activities for the PTO but do not attend meetings since DH works nights and I need to be with DDs.

 

[Serena]

LOL, the last time I volunteered for the PTO I ended up treasurer for 4 years, then vice president for 3. I was at school almost every day and some days all day. I don't have the time anymore.

 

[princess lovers mom]

It is interesting to see this posted this am as I went to our PTO mtg last night and there were 6 of us there and 3 were the oficers...I was wondering how people feel about them too.

Also was going to ask myself what make a PTO worth going to and why parents don't attend...if you are not involved why not???

not to hi-jack the thread...just a more specific question...

 

[justjulie]

Up here we call it the School Community Council and it's mandatory that every school have one. I got involved when my boys entered school (they go to two different schools so I am quite busy jockeying between schools). I am the secretary on both councils and I find the same thing - it's always hard to bring in new people.

The other thing I find very interesting is the difference in the two councils and the ways the schools themselves run. I get certain information from one council and not the other so I'm lucky enough to be fully informed by attending both meetings. It gets hectic but that extra information received at those meetings lets me really know what's going on in their schools.

 

[luvmydogs]

I like being involved in PTO. I'm never an organizer of anything, I just let them tell me what to do, and I do it! I think cliques do exist and have been told by more than one person that it makes them too uncomfortable to get involved--I wish it weren't that way. I try to just smile and talk to everyone, get my job done and ignore some of the pettiness that goes on. I'm a stay at home mom with only one child, so I try to be as active in his school as I can. It's a way I can give back and it's something I enjoy.

 

[believe]

Originally posted by princess lovers mom
It is interesting to see this posted this am as I went to our PTO mtg last night and there were 6 of us there and 3 were the oficers...I was wondering how people feel about them too.

Also was going to ask myself what make a PTO worth going to and why parents don't attend...if you are not involved why not???

not to hi-jack the thread...just a more specific question...

I would attend if DH was home. The issue is that he isn't home and I don't want to add 1hr of driving time in order to attend the meeting, I would have to drive 30 minutes each way to take the kids to family, there isn't anyone close I trust to watch them. It also would get everyone home too late for school the next day.

 

[Pembo]

I went to the first couple meetings. I felt like a huge OUTSIDER! They didn't try to include the new people. I was the only one. I did comment that they needed to explain things clearly for us newbies. The president agreed but never did it.

I'm a room parent for my ds's class but that's it. There wasn't even anything to sign up to do. It seemed to me that each of the "committee" chairwomen had her clique.

 

[caseylouandtyler2]

Originally posted by Pembo
I went to the first couple meetings. I felt like a huge OUTSIDER! They didn't try to include the new people. I was the only one. I did comment that they needed to explain things clearly for us newbies. The president agreed but never did it.

The same EXACT thing happened to me at the PTO meetings at DD's school. I keep attending, hoping that it will change, but I'm starting to get soured on the whole thing. As I am a Kindergarten parent, and the only people that are attending is the Board some past board members and a few teachers, you would think that they would try to include everone. It's very cliquey (sp?) and they don't seem open to ANY new ideas.

Then at the end of the meetings I overhear the president and the principle talk about how they need new faces and how to get more people to show up and get involved.

I don't know how to answer the pole. I attend but I wouldn't say I was involved.

 

[CamColt]

I have to agree with those who said they feel like outsiders. When we first started attneding the meetings we didnt know many people and felt sort of funny...especially since there were very few "just parents"(not PTO committee people) there.
But by volunteering and being seen around school, showing up for meetings and adding opinions, etc... we have gotten known.

As I noted in my last reply DH got drafted to head a fundraising comittee. The PTO president was mentioning forming this comittee and was looking for volunteers, while staring DH down and sort of egging him on. Now we are running a PTO event for the school, and the fundraiser, etc... Ive gotten to know some of the other people just by volunteering for stuff like working at the book fair, setting up for grandparents day, little things like that.

It seems like the same people seem to do everything for the PTO, and I think thats why it seems cliquey at times but if you are willing to do stuff, it really helps in getting to know the people. And once you get in for something and the officers know you are willing to help out, they will come to you for more(and more and more and more.... ).

 

[4greatboys]

My vote was "I'd like to but......." I have 2 small children at home that are not in school yet. Ds#3 will be 4 on Feb 28 and ds #4 will be 2 April 25 and I dont have anyone to watch them so there I cant be much help However when they have something at night when dh is home to watch the little ones I try to help out then. Of course there are always some who who down at you if you dont spend 8 hours a day at the school but I dont really care.

 

[cascadecupcake]

Ours is a total clique of primarily 40 people who want to run the school. Plus it's an absolute joke! Our PARENT TEACHER organization has their meetings at 9AM when no working parent or teacher can attend. They should probably change the name back to Mother's Club. That's what they called it when my mom attended and we were little 30 years ago!

(I do volunteer for things in my kids' classes, etc. You don't have to be a part of the PTO for that.)

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Same thing here. Ours is run primarily by moms who don't have jobs and think it's OK to meet during the school day. Since I teach in another district I cannot get to meetings at all. I am baking cookies for the winter carnival though.
I am also trying to participate in the jr. high parents organization since they meet in the evenings. The first job they gave me didn't work out though--they made me the copy mom, in charge of copy volunteers. When volunteers didn't show up the office would call me, and of course I'd be at work. The last time they were pretty surly with DH. So I resigned that position, explaining nicely that a non-working mom should do that one. I would be glad to organize the directory, do typing, chaperone dances, etc.
Robin M.

 

[kasar]

I love all these responses! Keep 'em coming.

I definately think that helping out in school, whether it's baking or being class parent or sorting box tops is being involved. Anything extra is always welcomed and appreciated around here. The whole reason I wanted to know your answers is because this seems to be a good cross-section of people with various interests (with a lot of parents, too). I love helping our school, it's a great group and I can honestly say that I thought I'd never join up because I felt like an "outsider". Now, I consider some of these people my very good friends. I'm actually proud of myself for sticking with it when, frankly, I really didn't want to.