Are you on the PTA/PTO/Parent Guild?

[Gena]

If you have kid(s) who are school age, are you a member of the PTA, PTO, Parent Guild or what ever they call it at your school? Are you active? Are you an officer?

(OK, for ease of writing I'm just going to call them all PTA here. I don't mean that to slight anyone whose school uses a different term. :D)

What is your PTA like? I've heard that some are very clique-ish, has that been your experience? What does the PTA do besides fund raisers? We didn't join the PTA in past years when DS was in public preschool for a couple of reasons. Now that DS is in Kindergarten and will at his current school through fifth grade, DH thinks I should join the PTA. (Note that he does not want to join himself.) I want to be involved at the school, but I don't want to do all those tedious sales of junk nobody really needs. Does the PTA do other stuff? Do they have real input into what goes on at the school?

I'd love to hear your good and bad experiences with the PTA.

[MelissaTC]

I was a committee co-chair for two years and we planned the annual spring festival (think inflatables, carnival games, etc...). Our PSO plans cultural experiences for the kids including the writer in residence and artist in residence. There are also various performances throughout the year. Another committee was in charge of staff appreciation and they handled the teacher/staff luncheons, birthdays and holidays. There are several other committees that handle community relations, fundraising, etc.. It is definitely more than fundraising at our school.

[jenmcadams]

I'm a member of our PTA. I had the same concerns you do when my daughter started K a few years ago. A couple of thoughts:

First, at our school joining PTA ($12/yr) obligates you to nothing. There's no expectation that you'll go to meetings, volunteer, etc. Basically, you give the PTA that $12 and you get a copy of the Family Directory that the PTA produces.

Second, at our school, we truly limit fundraisers. There are two major fundraisers each year -- a Silent Auction/Gala for Grown-Ups and a 5K race. Beyond that, there are a few passive fundraisers (e.g. Boxtops, printer cartridges, gift cards at Holidays, etc.), but our school generally doesn't sell stuff.

Third, our PTA puts 96% of the annual budget back (the remaining 4% goes to running the website, email program, printing, other admin) into school activities and academic support. We buy laptop carts for the school, fund $20K+ worth of teacher requests through an academic support committee, run amazing enrichment programs (art, science, writing, sports, etc.) and do several large scale community activities (Paws in the Park, 70s Dance for the whole family, Talent Show, etc.) along with smaller scale activities (after school Jamba Juice, meeting up at restaurants for school nights, etc.).

In K, I did a few things, but wasn't super involved. In 1st I took over the website and set up the email program for the school and got more involved with the 5K. In 2nd, I successfully avoided being on the PTA Board :) and I'm still doing the website, etc. My little guy has one more year until K, but I've resigned myself to taking a turn on the Board eventually. Our PTA does have a few cliquey elements, but I just ignore it. I like the fact that there's a good mix of working parents/SAHPs on our PTA and that some of the biggest committees/events are chaired by working parents. I still don't love everything about PTA, but at our school it's far more good than bad and they definitely have a tremendous impact on the school and the school community. Our teachers love our PTA (probably b/c it's the rare request to the academic support committee that doesn't get funded) and so does our principal. I've heard some grumblings from other parents about cliques/politics, but nothing major and most people are involved and happy to do so.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Yep, I am a member (well, according to our by-laws- everyone is a member, it's just a matter of how active they are :)). I am also on the executive committee and head up 2 committees.

The school is a brand new charter school that started last year. At the start of the school year I was itching to dive right in. But, then, I went to the 1st meeting and lo and behold all of the committees already had chairs. I didn't know how that was possible b/c as far as I knew it was the first meeting! I got annoyed thinking it was just a cliquish group.

However, I really wanted to be involved so I decided to really get to the bottom of things. By rule the school had been required to have a PTA in place before the school year started so people who had been active in the school's formation jumped on board. They were happy to share and even let new people take over. I was glad I didn't dismiss them. The thing is that it wouldn't have really mattered to me if they were cliquish because I want to do things at ds1's school b/c they are fun and they fit in with my SAH schedule.

The PTA becomes a clique because often the same people are the only ones to step up and help! We have 260 families at our school yet I only have about 20-40 families that ever offer to help with things. No one should go around blaming the groups for being exclusive if they aren't in there being involved, kwim?

My role is to make overall decisions for the organizations, manage the room parent program, manage volunteers. Last year I also organized several events, like our fun day, special breakfasts, movie nights... They were so much fun! I have nothing to do with fundraising.

Give it a shot. Sign up for events that interest you and just lend a hand. It's always appreciated.

Beth

[C99]

I'm the secretary of our PTA. We do fundraise, but that is not the stated purpose of the National PTA. Our fundraising efforts were actually the things that got most people involved -- and we did not peddle or have the kids peddle everything! We had 3 people at our final meeting of the year, so it's difficult to get people to show up.

[Asianmommy]

At our school, you pay a yearly fee to be a member. You receive a handbook (directory of students), but you're not obligated to volunteer or attend meetings. The money you give goes towards the programs and activities the PTA runs throughout the year.

I'm on the board. This year, I'll be working on the email newsletter and the website. People in our community are pretty friendly. I would not say clique-ish, although people do tend to talk more with the people that they know well.

We have a book fair and donate the proceeds towards more books for the school. We support the music and sports programs, school special assemblies, graduation dinners, sock hops, teacher appreciation gifts, an international lunch, career day, and more. We've donated computer equipment to the school. We have a back-to-school party, room parties for Halloween & Xmas, & a roller skating night. We don't sell wrapping paper or go door-to-door. We do sell spirit wear to our families and collect Box Tops. The purpose is to provide extra programs, activities, and materials for the students that go beyond what the school provides. Also, to build a sense of community with the families.

I wouldn't say that we have much say in what goes on at the school. For that, I think you'd have to join the school board.

[ellies mom]

The PTA becomes a clique because often the same people are the only ones to step up and help! We have 260 families at our school yet I only have about 20-40 families that ever offer to help with things. No one should go around blaming the groups for being exclusive if they aren't in there being involved, kwim?


This is a really good point.