PTA query

[bluebell8329]

Just a quickie….

PTA at our kids school is disbanding….. no opportunity for anyone else to take over the current trustees roles has been given. Meeting agenda details a motion to disband.

Any idea where the rest of us parents stand in trying to object and keep it running?

I guess you could volunteer and either keep it running or set up a new one. Why is it being disbanded? If it’s due to lack of volunteers then just be aware that may carry on if you take over.

Probably easier to just set up a new one. Don’t make life harder for people who have given hours and hours to your school. Let them wrap things up easily then start your own.

three current trustees are choosing to stand down from their positions (and due to previous difficulties in recruiting charity trustees and members), in order to ensure the that the school’s fundraising can continue, the school has elected to revert back to fundraising internally. PTA is currently at its biggest with more parents than ever before.

Pretty sure they have to hold an AGM and they stand then. If there are enough candidates to put their names forward and to nominate/second them in then you should be able to continue.

Look up ParentKind which is an amazing resource for PTAs and sets things out in terms of governance.

Good luck!

Someone just has to take over surely?

Thanks! The meeting is on Monday and agenda details a motion to disband.

Could you instead propose parents make a flat donation for it not to re-form? That takes the load off all the working patents and the multiple requests throughout the year

No one wants it to disband so we can all keep providing for the kids and to keep it separate from the school funds.

Is this an academy? Otherwise I don’t understand how school can fundraise internally - they cannot carry over funds above a certain level or the LA will claw back. The PTA is a separate body so can hold the funds and grant money to the school for whatever project/spend is needed.

Corner a governor and ask what scrutiny has been done.

Probably the motion to disband is intended as a wake up call to all those parents who haven't volunteered to do the hard yards - it's the existing three saying "we aren't going to be emotionally blackmailed into continuing this because none of the rest of you ever step up. We've done our time, we are out, so that's the end of the PTA."

What you need to do is volunteer yourself and find a few other like-minded parents who will do the same.

If you want the PTA to continue, then you need to go to the meeting and step forward to volunteer to take on a role. Only do this if you are 100% certain others will step forward too. The last thing you want is to be the only fool prepared to take on the responsibility formally!

@bluebell8329

But a flat donation achieves the same end without all the endless jolly jam jars, bake sales etc? A good opportunity to trial this idea and give parents time back?

I'm not understanding your role here op. Are you on the PTA? Or are you a parent that think that others should carry on volunteering?

I liked how our primary school did it. 1 hour (min) of your time or 1 hour (min) of your salary per term. Voluntary of course, you always get some bellends, but I think about 80% did it.

@arethereanyleftatall

Nice!

I am a disheartened member of the PTA.

The number of members is at its highest ever, everyone willing to help with new ideas to benefit the children. Existing three have been there years, one is chair of governorship.

Yes they’re an academy. Head of PTA is also chair of governors.