PTA dilemma

[policywonk]

The PTA at DS1's infant school is on the verge of collapse at the moment - the Chair (our second in 12 months) has just announced that she's standing down, and no-one is very enthusiastic about replacing her. I've been told that no Chair = no PTA (for Charity Commission reasons - would be interested to hear from anyone who knows more about the legal position). We're also struggling to fill the other committee posts, and as for getting parents to help out at events... ha ha ha

I've discussed taking on the role of Chair, and possibly sharing it with my friend who does the bulk of the organisation work already. However, if I did this, i think I'd want to send out a fairly dramatic letter to the parents first, saying 'The PTA will be disbanded if we don't have more parental support and fill more committee posts; if you don't want this to happen then we need you to either attend the AGM [in a couple of weeks], the first PTA meeting of term, or contact us with specific offers of help. If this PTA is disbanded it will mean no Bonfire Night display, no Christmas or summer fairs, etc. etc. - and of course no further new equipment for the playground or the classrooms.'

Is this worth doing or is it me being a drama queen arse?

BTW, if you're a PTA sneerer, feel free to post but I probably won't reply

We had similar issue and at last meeting before end of year the outgoing committee (yes all finishing 3 years at same time!) made us with strongly worded threats, volunteer for committee positions for this year.

We have shared the chair role and secretary roles as we feel it is too much for one person per role. We are also hoping to use class-reps.

The new committee is very concerned that they don't want to come across as "for goodness sake you've been useless" because they haven't by any stretch of the imagination and thye have done a fantastic job with on occasions, only the committee themselves turning up for meetings. We do, on the other hand, want to make some changes.

Tell me more about the ice rink please??

Have only read page 1 of this thread but I strongly urge you to send that letter you've drafted. It sets out clearly what the position is and what they stand to lose if there's no PTA.

We had this situation at our school a few years ago. There were about 6 of us doing all the work in a school with more than 400 pupils. We were successful (a similar amount raised each year as yourselves) but all exhausted as a result of it. We have a rule that committee members can only do 3 years in a post and then someone else has to take it on. We sent out a letter explaining that unless more people came forward and were happy to take on committee rules then there would be no more PTA.

We fully expected it not to work and for it to be just ourselves at the AGM but turned up to find standing room only! A new group of people took up the reins enabling us old timers to take more of a backward step and help out when we wanted to rather than having to do everything. It's been great - hope it works for you too!

Thanks nikki, that's very interesting! Basically I've been outgunned on the letter I think (the rest of the committee are a cautious lot), but if the lethergy continues throughout the rest of this term I think I'll bring up the idea again.

flatmouse, the 'ice' rink is actually synthetic (plastic). A firm called i-sk8 (tel. 01582 536960) come to the school, install the rink in the school hall or other large space (it takes them a day or so to install), and then you throw it open after school for five hours or so. We're going to have ten half-hour slots (max 50 people on the rink at any one time) and sell tickets for about £3 or £4 each - the total cost of installation and so on is £1100, so it should be a healthy profit. Apparently it ALWAYS sells out.

Thanks also ecoworrier and seeker - it's interesting to see how other people approach these things.

Supercollider (aren't you supposed to be going live soon?!) does the rink have to be inside, do you know?

DD's school has a Friends of... They look for one parent from every class in school to be the class rep. This can be same person year on year, or can change if others want to be involved.

I think a letter explaining what will happen if it stops is a good idea.

the PTA is so difficult... I think it's practically impossible to stop it becoming cliquey and therefore outsiders happily use that as an excuse not to get involved. That letter sounds good to me Policywonk, I probably make it even more dramatic
our new school has a male chair of the PTA,... very impressed he seems to run it with military precision.

Have arrived rather late at this discussion but ....

I would send the letter but might a tactical delay be advantageous? Have you got a new parents event (sorry if I've missed this) at which you could nab people while they're still interested and keen? Our PFA is tiny - committee of about five and then some occasional helpers who dip in and out - but it's noticeable that the most active are parents of children in the infants. By the time their children reach the juniors, most parents seem to think they've done their bit.

Also, where are you? What are the demographics of the school? For reasons of language/culture/tradition, a lot of the parents at our school just don't respond to letters of any sort. Personal approaches in the playground work much better for us.

I sent one out to all the parents of years 6,7 and 8 at ds's school, saying if there were no volunteers for the YC committee, YC would stop immediately after the June meeting. I only got 5 responses, but I do have a committee now, and we will be going for another year.

I hated being so draconian, but it worked. Go for it.

seeker - yes I'm a bit busy atm Don't know the answer to that off-hand but I can ask around for you.

Thanks hula - we already do the class rep thing. Some are brilliant and some are a bit shocked at the amount of work involved (I mean, it's not that onerous but you do have to be a bit brazen about demanding help on the stalls at school fairs and so on).

I think that's very true about the clique thing ingles. Let's face it, a clique is just a group of friends you haven't met yet

madbad..., yes the rest of the committee have told me to wait until after the AGM (next month) so that we can assess how many people are going to be active this year. I'm probably going to be co-Chair after the AGM (unless funnypeculiar is power-mad and launches a counter-nomination...) so then I will be in a position of GREAT INFLUENCE and will be able to do exactly as I please, mwah ha ha

Our local community is extremely homogenous - I don't think many of them could claim that cultural differences prevent them getting involved (unless you count 'I'd rather stay in and watch EastEnders' as a cultural difference).

What is 'YC', scary? It's interesting to see that there are so many PTAs out there who have sent out similar letters.

here you are seeker and anyone else interested in the ice-skating idea. It says you can put them outside.

Do I look like the sort of fool who would take on a supercollider with over - inflated ideas of power?
I will vote for anyone who looks like the want to be co-chair with gay abandon

I have also been spreading rumours of PTA chaos and desperate need amoungst my fellow Reception mums, so will hopefully manage to drag a couple along down with me. If they're not busy watching 'stneders, of course.

Youth Club - we have 168 kids+ once a month and have been running it for a year with a committee of 3 adults and the help of 12 sixth formers - this is at an international secondary school. All the mums who have come forward to help are Brits and have kids who have just gone into year 7.