PTA at Secondary

[Polgara2]

Does your dc's secondary school have PTA's? If so what fundraising do they do? Or what is successful anyway!

I am on dd1's but it is not very well supported. Out of 1200 pupils there are only about 9 of us and I have only just joined. They don't seem to do a tremendous amount of fundraising though and I was just wondering if this was par for the course at secondary or if they are unusual.

I would like to be able to make some suggstions but am very aware that it is totally different to primary PTA which is all I am used to!

Thanks

Ours does have one and I was shocked to see how little money they raise compared with our very small (single form entry) primary school. I guess because parents aren't involved in the school in the same way as they are at primary it is harder to organise events, etc.

I belonged to the PTA at DS2's school and was also shocked at how little interest there was in it, compared with primary school. In the end our DCs left the school and we left the committee, so the PTA ceased to exist.

Yes you're probably right GM and am thinking when the year 9 parents who run it at present have finished with the school this may fold like yours LM.

There must be something that would generate interest and money though.

Any more for any more?

DD's secondary has a PTA but it is quite low profile. There is a Christmas fair and I think next year there is to be a ball. Nothing else as far as I know. All Y7 parents are encouraged to sing up for a monthly donation - this is quite new apparently, but it's not pushed very hard at all.

Our primary PTA is very active and brings in loads.

Now the sponsored walk thing is a BRILL idea - what an earner too!

We have no hills here (you must me oop north or way out west!) but still lovely countryside.

Now, if only the school actually PRODUCED a list of PTA cttee members or details of how to contact, I could even suggest it ...

Secondary school PTAs generally seem to have fewer volunteers and to do less than primary school PTAs.

Mine are still at primary so I'm not quite sure why this should be. Can anyone enlighten me? By the time they get to Y7, has the novelty worn off? Have you just lost interest in anything bar shoving them on the bus in the morning?

Ours is quite active and, I'm told, unusual for a secondary school.
Fundraising seems to be a mixture of social events like a quiz night or mediaeval banquet, and the standard Christmas Fair - and we're about to have a promises auction.
About nine or ten people on the comittee, but they seem to rustle up help when needed (also get the DCs involved serving drinks, playing music etc.)

Actually, SGM, I decided last night after my third PTA meeting not to go any more.
It wasn't necessarily snobby (okay, it was but I'm used to that) - it's more that they have an agenda which they follow, various people pipe up with opinions, I occasionally pipe up with an opinion and pretty much get ignored and feel a prat, and the events organisation seems to be taken on by individuals who are happy to do everything themselves.
Once the agenda has been gone through, the meeting is drawn to a close, and I'm left wondering when I can ask my questions (I'd like to make suggestions as to use of funds, and to find out if there's a hardship fund for trips, for example), and feeling that there's nothing I can actually do beyond manning the tea urn at events - which I'm happy to do, but I had hoped to get involved in the organisation of fund raising events, and in coming up with new ideas.
It just seems to be all 'boxed off' and even though people have my email and phone number they don't call on me for help (whinge).

I haven't heard any dodgy opinions, I just felt like a spare part - everyone else seemed to have a a specific role and I was just nodding in agreement and looking interested - and, as I said, there was no 'any other business,' things were just drawn to a close when the agenda had been completed, which I found frustrating.

DD's huge comprehensive asks for £15 per year school fund per child, the odd sponsored event in lower years, and have NO fairs, bazaars etc. Only things we pay for are trips & tickets to school plays.

DS's smaller Grammar school wants £100 per year, + they have loads of events. A huge SUmmer fair (raises thousands!), valentines ball, quiz nights, musical soirees etc etc. We avoid them all except summer fair (which I help at) as Parents all too posh for us at these events, and they want £20-£30 a ticket!!

Thanks all!

It would seem that most secondary schools have this fund then for fundraising purposes - that wouldn't work here I don't think.

I think it has to be events that the childen take part in rather than the parents coz they just ain't interested enough! We do have discos and the odd non-uniform day. Will look at the walk idea as well.

Nontoxic how do they do the quiz night and banquet?

We do have a 50/50 club but not many people seem interested in that either, maybe it is not broadcast well enough?

I have a feeling this may be a mountain too high

We find it difficult to engage both parents and children in events at DS's school. We've tried auctions, craft fairs, quiz nights, fashion shows etc etc and the income hasn't been worth the massive effort. The things that seem to work best, unfortunately, are the car boot sales which attract "customers" from outside the school as well as parents. Plus the 100 club which involves handing over money and no effort.Great for fund-raising but not for building a community which is partly what I think PTAs are about. Very difficult.

I think the community point is what hits it on the head

There just isn't that sense at Secondary. I don't know a single other parent in my dc's class, though 2 of my good friends have dc's in other classes. At school events parents just 'drop & run' or the handful that do turn up just speak to their old mates from primary. Nobody seems interested in forging new relationships (I don't mean deep & meaningful, I just mean being friendly). A great shame I think.

OP: I think that 9 people on a committee is OK. Any much bigger and then you face the danger of the committee splintering into subgroups or cliques.

Our PTA raises a fair amount of money, mostly from Balls but we are in competition with Rugby Club, Tennis Club and other-school Balls. The Balls are successful because they are a recurring item on peoples' social calendars; I can imagine that it might be difficult to start from scratch on such a big-ticket event.

What do you want the PTA to do? The PTA at our old school did some socials for the (younger) children and didn't raise much money. The PTA at the new school aims its socials at the parents, which helps with the sense of community amongst parents and also raises more money as they have deeper pockets! The school itself runs social events for the students and charity fundraisers.

Nontoxic: can you speak to the Secretary before the next meeting and request that Any Other Business is put on the Agenda? - it is, after all, a standard on 99.9% of committee Agenda.
I can see your problem from the other side of the fence: if someone has given their time to organise an event for years then it is tricky task to persuade them to let go of the reins and welcome newbies without upsettting their feelings and making them feel redundant and unappreciated. That's the problem with volunteers!