PTO/PTA Meetings ???

[ChrisAlli]

Are the PTO/PTA meetings at your childrens school open to the public? Our's are during the day and not open to the public.

I have no idea why, just wondering how everyone else does it. Some friends have commented that their schools are at night and are open.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Ours aren't but DD attends a small Catholic school. I was on the board for 2 years and never figured out why they weren't open. I don't understand how people can complain that there is no parental involvement if the board doesn't do the most basic thing to involve them.

 

[diznygirl]

There are board meetings that are held once a month during the day, so nobody but the board usually goes to those. And then there are meetings for the entire membership that are held at night in the cafeteria. Dinner is served. Everyone eats dinner and leaves before the meeting begins.

 

[disykat]

Board meetings are always open, but aren't necessarily advertised. I'm involved in 3 PTA's and all have those during the day or in the late afternoon simply because that's when the majority of the board voted to do so. The board consists of the elected officers and committee chairs. (I'm not on the board of any of them this year - yeah! - so I only go if there is something specific I'm involved in needs my input.)

General membership meetings are specifically for everyone, are advertised and are held in the evening hooked to another event hoping to get more attendance.

 

[mumom95]

Ours are during the evening and open to all parents. One year it was during the school day because that was what worked best for the majority of the board. They were still open to anyone that wanted to come.

Are you sure these are the PTA/O meetings and not just board meetings? I've never heard of PTA meetings not being open to the public.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

I'm on the PTA Board at our school and it's in our state PTA/PTO bylaws that all meetings MUST be open to the entire membership. Board meetings are usually just the board but anyone may attend if they wish. We have general meetings every other month.

 

[dawson5]

Last year, three kids, three different schools. This year down to two schools

Grade school had the board meetings in the morning, open to public.
General PTO meeting set once a month, usually in the morning.

Middle school, every third Friday @ 1pm. Open to the public.

High school, varies but always in the evening. Open to the public.

All of our PTO's are always encouraging people to show up, take part and interact. We've been lucky to actually have a few dads take part in the meetings and actually take head up a position.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Our parents' group has 2 meetings a month - one board meeting, and one general meeting. The general meeting is advertized and open to all parents/guardians with children at the school...but sadly, is usually a duplicate of the board meeting (with the addition of the principal and vice principal). We ocasionally get 1 or 2 extra parents if we're really lucky. Both are scheduled in the evenings.

 

[Kae]

Ours are monthly open to anyone & after school at 3. we have tried to do evening meetings but no one extra ever comes. We also have alot of people who do not attend meeting but help in other ways.

Kae

 

[ChrisAlli]

I did find out that they have board meetings once a month, closed and a general membership meeting in May.

 

[Ohiodislover]

Ours are open to everyone. However they are during the school day which excludes any 2 working parent families.

 

[dislaney]

Board meetings no. General membership meetings yes. Usually the general membership meeting was held right after the board meeting and was basically a rehashing of the board meeting but with a few more people. They were almost always held at night so more could attend.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I have been on my dds school PTA board for the past few years. The last two have been served as President.

PTA Board meetings are generally reserved for the board. Ours have not been open to the public. They are usually short and are primarily planning meetings - where we sort through all the information to be presented at the general meetings.

PTA General meetings are open to the public which includes each part of the school community regardless of membership status. When an issue comes to a vote only paid members may actually vote.

This year in order to accomadate the various family situations we alternate our meetings. One month they are at 3:30pm and the next month they are at 6pm.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

I don't get it, do they check enrollments/memberships against IDs? Why would they care if an "outsider" came to a meeting? In our schools, anyone can join the PTA, family, friends, etc. The membership meetings are at night, usually combined with a Science night, or other presentation.

Does that mean that if you are not a member, but have a child in the school, you cannot attend?

 

[castleview]

Ours are at night and open to everyone. You have to be a member to vote though.

 

[aprilgail2]

We have meetings at night- they tried a few during the day and most parents work so no one showed up for hte daytime meetings. We have the board part at 7pm (we meet for that in the teachers lounge) and then the general meeting is at 730 and everyone and anyone is invited to come to that.

 

[JVL1018]

We don't have a PTA/PTO, we just have a Parents' Association. Everyone who has a child in school is automatically a member.
We send out the reminders for each month's meetings, everyone is welcome and we would LOVE to have everyone show up, but we're lucky if we get 10 people (400 students in school).
We alternate a morning meeting with an evening meeting, so that even if you work at night, you can make it to a meeting every other month and vice versa.
I am on the board and if we have board stuff to talk about we meet 1/2 an hour prior to the start of the meeting.

 

[disykat]

I don't get it, do they check enrollments/memberships against IDs? Why would they care if an "outsider" came to a meeting? In our schools, anyone can join the PTA, family, friends, etc. The membership meetings are at night, usually combined with a Science night, or other presentation.

Does that mean that if you are not a member, but have a child in the school, you cannot attend?

I bet you anything the meetings you have been to are general membership meetings. I really think the the people who are saying board meetings are "closed" are mispeaking and probably mean the board meetings are generally attended only by board members. There's a big difference between outright refusing entrance to a meeting and just holding a meeting where generally only the board attends.

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

I bet you anything the meetings you have been to are general membership meetings. I really think the the people who are saying board meetings are "closed" are mispeaking and probably mean the board meetings are generally attended only by board members. There's a big difference between outright refusing entrance to a meeting and just holding a meeting where generally only the board attends.

Actually our PTA board meeting are for board members only. This consists of President, 3 VPS, Secratary, Treasurer, school Prinicipal and any ongoing committee chairs. These are not advertised to the general public. Should any one other than board not want to attend they would most likely be turned away - that has not happened to date.

However - no voting can happen at these meetings. The board cannot vote to do something. That has to be done at the General meeting. We normally meet for about an hour two weeks before our general meeting (we have to do it this ways as our bylaws state this).

These are generally meetings where we set the agenda. review what has gone on at the district level, talk with the Prinicpal about current school issues/needs - from that info we focus on where to go and what/how to present all the information.

As for the school that has board meetings every month but only one membership meeting? That seems off to me. I cannot spend money or make a PTA commitment without the buy in the of the PTA as a whole.

 

[tommya60]

Ive been in two PTA"s and now in one PTO as DD progresses through school. In each case the monthly general meeting was open to everyone, voting limited to members. We tried evening meetings, but the same people showed up as the daytime meetings so we just do those--it's easier. The board meetings generally included board members and committee chairs. They didn't include votes, just a lot of planning.