Pushy Class Reps

[caterpiller]

HELP!!

I need ideas for subtle but effective ways of putting pushy, over-zealous class reps in their place. We've got one this year who's driving us mad..

It is infuriating. Our school was one of the first in the county to get interactive whiteboards in EVERY classroom, paid for by the PTA. Books, computers, toys, all paid for by the PTA. Sensory garden, woodland enclave, trim trail, swimming pool, all maintained by money raised by the PTA.

In an ideal world only the 15 children of the 15 helpers/members would benefit from these. But between the infant and junior schools, over 600 children benefit.

Out PTA raises over £8000 a year, that is a huge amount of effort by a very few people.
Nothing to do with powertrips, all to do with wanting to make our children's school days the best they can be.
And yes, when you get excuse after excuse from hundreds of parents, it does grate after a while. If EVERY parent in our school donated just 1 hour of time per school year, we could run all the events we want and raise much more money. As it is, the same faces are doing everything, and are tired, disillusioned and worn out. (and very close to throwing in the towel )

about 300 children,maybe less - but 4 parents ?! and 2 of us have children in year 6 so we'll be leaving in the summer !

oh, and 3 of them were the committee

MAS, at the last meeting the chair was very excited as we had a 50% increase of members compared to last year. Until you worked out we had gone from 10 to 15 members, and the two schools combined have over 600 pupils.

!

lol at 'In an ideal world only the 15 children of the 15 helpers/members would benefit from these'

I was cornered by a PTA rep last week complaning that in DS2's class NO-ONE had volunteered to be class rep , so how about it. I felt rather put on the spot, but had to say, sorry I just am not the organising type - will happily pay up cash for tricycles etc, but cannot organise stuff, and the bitching and politicking cliques terrify me...

Why lol, MyEye?

what bitching ? why do you assume the PTA is bitchy and cliquey - if it's perceived as a clique then that's because there's a just a small number of people in it - believe me, we'd love other people to break into it !

I am having a wry smile at the "bitching and politicking cliques" being referred to in these terms:

"I need ideas for subtle but effective ways of putting pushy, over-zealous class reps in their place"

"let's not pretend she's not getting anything out of it"

"She is a cross we have to bear"

Oh God, being on the PTA really is a thankless task.

Well, I've had 4 great class reps and 1 awful one. there's a huge difference between the two categories. Why the controversy? Some people can't cope with a role like that. I'd certainly be rubbish at it.

re my lol: maybe I got the wrong end of the stick. "Our school was one of the first in the county to get interactive whiteboards in EVERY classroom, paid for by the PTA. Books, computers, toys, all paid for by the PTA." Did the PTA personally stump up the cash for all of these? If so, massive respect, and I take your point. However, if you raised money from other parents, surely you can't begrudge other children using the facilities (what is a trim trail, btw?)

And what about the parents who are cash-strapped, or who work school-unfriendly hours? Would you like to bar their children from the trim trail, too?

Hippo - you sound as if you are experiencing exactly what we had on our PTA. We were down to just 7 and had had 2 years of no new faces and have just held our AGM. We held a 'holloween' party at the same time so that parents could leave kids at the party and come to the meeting. Amazingly it worked! We got 4 new parents to join and we got class reps started too. It is such a relief as we were getting fed up with the same tired old excuses and the rest of us were getting jaded. The worst excuse for not doing anything is when people say they can't possibly help as they work. All of our committee (except me!) go out to work; the difference is they choose to spend their free time raising money for the benefit of their children's education whereas other choose not to do this but still they have a right to complain / sneer about those that do.

I wish we had class reps and pushy ones would be even better. We have only just got a PTA established and it has been sheer hardwork for the 15 or so of us who really want to make it work. And no, we are not doing it for ourselves. We are doing it primarily to try and make the school a happier, friendly environment for all learners, their families and staff. It would be lovely to make a bit of money too as we are in a very disadvantaged ward and the school has little to spend on 'extras'.
What a cynical view of the PTA for it to be for personal gain. I'm really interested to know how it's so good for individuals btw.

MyEye - we hold activities in weekends and evenings. We encourage members to bring their dc when helping. Are you really saying people cannot even spare 1 hour a year? You can help sell cakes whilst your ds are in school, you can help set up for a disco at 4pm in the afternoon and bring your children, you can sell sweets at the disco whilst your children are dancing, you can help on the tombola stand during the fete whilst your children roam the fete (if old enough) or whilst they help you, you can make crafts in the evening whilst watching tv when your children are in bed, the crafts are sold at the christmas fete.
Everyone can help in some small way. But most won't
Sorry, but that has nothing to do with work/family commitments, and everything to do with not caring/not being willing/not being bothered.

By the way, a trim trail is a collection of wooden climbing frames, balance beams, wobbly suspended bridges etc. Great fun

Yes, they spend money, and of course we are grateful. But without the hours and hours of work put in by a select few, there would be nowhere for the parents to spend their money, that is the point. So the PTA facilitate the fundraising. We work hours - take the last disco, 1 hour to plan disco, arrange someone to be dj, design and print flyers, distribute flyers to schools, 2 hour trip to buy sweets, lightsticks, drinks, food etc. 2 hours to set up hall, set up refreshements, fire up bbq,
3 hours attending disco
1 hour clearing up afterwards and put hall back together
1 hour putting left over stock in garage, count the money, log accounts

That is 10 hours work, for a disco. Now imagine the months and months of planning it takes to put together a Christmas fair. Honestly, we are very grateful for all that spend money there, but without weeks of hard work by the members, there would be no fair, and no money would come in at all!!

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A class rep (at our school) is the liaison between the teacher and the parents. Not relating to matters of individual children's education, but in matters of parent helper rota, organising helpers for school trips, they are the mums that help out at sports day and school trips, they are the one that organise the mums' night out, organise the class Christmas party, and in our school all the class reps get together to organise the end of term disco's, as well as termly book fairs.
So basically, they organise those things the PTA does not do, and any money raised (which is incidental, it is not a fund-raising post) goes direct into the class fund to treat the children (small gift from Santa, easter eggs at Easter etc)

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No Cod - but I do put post-it notes on their backs saying 'kick me'. And I spell it phonetically so the kids can join in.

A Class Rep, at our school, is a volunteer elected by the PTA committee who is responsible for organising children/parents to run their class stall at Christmas and Summer Fairs. Also, organise other events such as their class's Cake Sale (we have one Cake Sale each month and a different class hosts it each month, so one a year).
Class Reps do not liaise with the teachers, but directly with their fellow parents in their class. They work solely to help out with events that are directly associated with the PSA, so they are PSA volunteers without actually being committee members.

I'm on the PTA and most of us are at the point of saying f*ck the lot of you - we'll fold the PTA and see how you like losing c.£12K a year and having to pay silly prices for school trips and your children having no ICT suite.

Anyone that tells me they are too busy is likely to get a poke in the eye. Just be honest and say you can't be arsed FGS. THen you won't mind when I say I can't be fecking arsed either.

TBH those who say they're too busy don't really bother me, we all have our own priorities.

It's the ones who can't be arsed to help in any way, shape or form, then whinge about the PTA.

The clique accusation is annoying. Yes, the PTA is often a clique, but that's because no bugger else can be bothered to help!

In response to the Op, the answer is easy:

VOLUNTEER TO DO THE JOB YOURSELF INSTEAD OR SHUT UP WITH YOUR WHINING.

Oh FFS Cod, thanks

I now know why our PTA is about to fold, and yes, you will be the first to whinge when little Johnny comes home crying because his after school computer club is no longer available or he was not able to do painting because the paints have run out.

I am off this thread, I cannot be arsed with you lot any longer