PTA....wish I never started.

[blinkywinky]

I am on the PTA committee in school. I joined last year full of excitement and plans and buoyed by a group of mums who were really excited to be involved. I got voted on for a 3 yr stint. I'm one year in, all the other feckers have disappeared and now there are 3 of us busting our balls to raise money. School have had their budget seriously cut and now need our money to pay for basics. It's more important than ever that we raise money and I'm just dreading another year of begging people to help and dreading ppl avoiding me in case I'm asking for something. I really wish I hadn't bothered. Any advice?

Recruit some more parents, ask the school to give you some dates you can hold events.

I am on the PTA, there are 8 of us in a school with over 400 pupils. So not exactly busting a door to join us.

Last year we did two discos (for two year groups), had several film nights, sold strawberries and cream at sports day and cold drinks, we do tuck shop every Friday, we have a school lottery and have the usual Christmas fayre and run a big social event in the summer. We did a barn dance one year with a live band and last year had a beach party in the grounds complete with foam pit and DJ.

It's hard. You need to be on top of everything all the time. We are also running our annual fireworks show for the entire village, the proceeds split between our school (middle school) and the first school. The planning for this is incredible, we have over 3000 people attend.

Ask the school to send an email/text/letter asking for volunteers.

Don't stress yourself about this, do your best with what you have so parties for classes won't be every term but how about Halloween for lower school, something for middle school at Easter and a day out/leavers trip for upper school.

Look for funding from supermarkets/government or contact local MPs asking for their support with x, y and z.

If you make a Facebook page, ask for suggestions of what people would like to have done and those that comment, ask them to look into it some more and take it from there.

Events aren't the issue. We have a timetable set out with the principle every Sept and we raise about 10 grand every year. It's just soo much hard work.three of us in a school of about 200 pupils. Very few parents want or can help out. We have a wealthy bunch of parents. No free school meals in school and we found lots of them.want to pay up and shut up. So we devised a monthly donation system for parents to pay by DD. Principle stopped that idea in its tracks as he said it would damage the school Community. The looming year ahead is daunting now that's all. Maybe our new parents will be a gullible as I was and join us.

Our principle is very old school and we aren't allowed to use any social media at all.

I’d tell the principal that if he’s so desperate for funds he can put up and shut up about the direct debit option.

I would tell the principle that if he wants it to work and he wants volunteers then you are going to do what is easier for you- so DDs and Social Media.

If he disagrees - resign.

Yes the school needs money but you shouldn’t shouldering all the responsibility for this.

@blinkywinky does your school not do the voluntary donation? Mine does and then pta stuff is on top. If you are in an affluent area people will do both.

My school has a pta rep in every class. They then harass the parents in that class to volunteer , organise the class cake sale etc. Sometime 2 do it jointly. Totally separate to committee. You need to delegate. The head needs to help you organise that so that emails can come out from the school office and pta can speak at school events to ask for volunteers. There is not much to do if everyone does a little and people need to be shamed into helping. I work full time in a demanding job and have 4 primary aged children (2 in infants). I wouldn't dream of not helping out because that's not the culture in my very middle class school. I'm not on the committee though so pat on the back to you for that!

Much is organised on Facebook these days. Or class WhatsApp groups. The school can't stop you from having them.

Grant applications are really important too. You prob have a parent that is used to doing them in a professional context. I'm always shocked re the amount of money that is raised that way.

I also think parents in middle class schools need to be aware of how low the funding is per child if the cohort is predominantly wealthy.

So the head is the problem?

The head needs to be told the level of PTA involvement is unrealistic for three people, the culture of the school has ALREADY changed and no one wants to muck about with PTA events. They would rather pay via DD.

Get PTA reps for each class.

Reduce the # of events to something manageable for the # of people you have (so like, 2 events maximum) and start afresh getting more people and a lighter workload.

If it is too big a task no one else will ever join!

Try and get the school organise a pupil council.

Make the Facebook page.

He’s basically turning away money for the school by refusing the DD option. Most schools do this, especially in wealthy areas.

We have a school Facebook page then a page for the parents of each year group? I don’t think he can stop you from the year group stuff.

I feel for you. I was the treasurer one year. It took up so much of my time and was so very stressful. If not enough people volunteer then there can’t be a PTA. Simple.
You may have to threaten to cancel events if you don’t have the help.

I've never heard of being voted in on a 3 year year stint. That's pretty full on. Surely anyone can resign when they want to.

Your Head sounds like a dinosaur and he's not doing the school any favours.

I would love a DD or even £1 a week option.
I detest the whole go get family to sponsor you thing. I put in a donation instead. Then I hate it even more when DBIL wants us to sponsor his kid at a different school.

£1 a week doesn't sound much but in a school of 400 kids thats about £1200 per month assuming 75% take part.

I'm sure when I was in primary we gave 10p/ small change for the school funds.

Everyone uses WhatsApp to communicate. A message will flash through the school in seconds that way and it's a really good way of There are probably loads of willing helpers.guilting getting people to volunteer. Your head is shooting himself in the foot not allowing Soc Med.

Ooh that got all mixed up! Hope it makes some sense anyway.

Drop the mike & walk away. It isn't worth the hassle & the Principal will just have to reinstate the direct debit, which is obviously what the majority of parents want - so why not do it?

We have nearly 600 kids and there are 6 of us (two unreliable).

Those saying "recruit more people" - how exactly do you do that? Our school send a message out on the app and we post on our FB/twitter about meetings etc but there's never any new faces.

@CrochetBelle don't you talk to each other.? We need you posters around the school? Sounds like you have a culture of no engagement. That's bad for the kids to be honest. Children of involved families (regardless of wealth) have better outcomes. Not you obviously it sounds like you are involved.

I sort of get not wanting just a direct debit option. The first year most parents would contribute. As time goes on the community will be lost and fewer and fewer will contribute as it will be seen as optional (which it is of course). And there will be no pta events which is a massive loss to the kids. Our summer fare is a massive event for the whole community, as is the circus, Christmas fare, weekly cake sales, lolly sales, mufty days, quiz nights, drinks sales at any parent curriculum evening etc etc. The more that is put on the bigger the community becomes and the more involved others become. My school is not unusual but because it's expected that you will be involved in the pta (comes from the head I think) they raise over £25k most years. Voluntary donation on top.

Families that are struggling financially shouldn't be expected to contribute money but most people could donate an hour of their time here and there - even if younger siblings have to come along too.

Our PTA is always asking for help but always at short notice and during the day. As a full time working lone parent I won't do stuff during the day but would be more than happy to sign up to carrying out tasks of an evening. And absolutely to DD.

Our school does lots of ad hoc non uniform days for a pound and that sort of thing. I'm afraid someone needs to get the principal to get with the new century or face no PTA..

I have been our PTA Chair for a year, there are 3 of us in a school of just over 600 pupils. I won't lie, at the end of term we were all sick of it but as September hits we're slowly getting back on the Bus.

Our Key is a very, very involved School Staff (without their support we would be unable to do anything). This has been crucial to us, the Head & Deputy being so enthusiastic has really smoothed the way for us to get loads done! We get a wish list from them, detailing things they need, so we can let parents know what their Donations are used for which has helped raise our profile in school.

We also have a Facebook page - it's set up and run by us (nothing to do with the School) and helps all parents feel involved even if they can't physically attend meetings. It also helps spread the word about dates, events etc and is a bit more relaxed for Parents to check when they feel able.

It is a bloody tough slog though, the frustrating thing is that we could do so much more with a little more help but I think the impression of a PTA puts people off. The last Friends Association died due to the Head at the time being so unreasonable and obstructive - I think outside is so engaged because it's seen as a positive for Ofsted which might be an angle to try and go to your Head with?

Good luck!

Outside = Our Head (!)

I would call an emergency meeting & invite all parents to attend. Someone needs to stand up and explain what the money is spent on, how it's raised, what they miss out on if PTA is disbanded, exactly where & how parents can help either by getting mini committees set up for specific events or just more members, vote on whether events should ahead or not etc. If you don't get any more volunteers you can then hold your head high knowing you tried your best and write a letter to all parents regretting the end of PTA and insisting the head set up the DD scheme again. It's. Bloody thankless task and after 1 year I was done and that was with a 12 strong team!