I'm Going to Implode...or say something really horrible..
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just don't piss me off!! I'm a very patient person. I will do anything you "ask" me to ...but "tell" me and my defenses go up. Pick a fight and I will win...not without a lot of tears and blood shed first though.
Did I mention I'm PTO President this year? Yeah, well, it never ceases to amaze me the lengths people will go to to prove their way is the right way or the best way or the only way.
For those of you who may not know. PTO stands for Parent-Teacher-Organization. We have a board of 9 people and two teacher representatives. Myself and the V.P are the only two members left from last year's board. NO ONE...not a single solitary person from last years group of parents offered to join the board this year. All our new members are Kindergarden parents. (our particular elementary school is only K-1..but that's another story). We sent out nomination sheets last year and 2 out of 220 came back. The V.P and I were those two people. So...anyone and everyone who wanted to change, bitch, support...yada...yada...yada this fine group of people, had every opportunity to do so. Did they? Nope.
Not until recently. Two parents showed up at our meeting last Monday night and brought down the house. Where is our money going? Why are we buying little candy crap for teachers when they need classroom supplies, who needs spirit wear, why are you buying things for the library when they should get that stuff from the county. They called me at 7:30 yesterday morning (holiday for me btw) to ask for a "prospectus of last years expenditures"' You wanna whosie whatis from huh?
Okay, first off. I don't do well when I can't answer things knowledgeably. Second, I was IMMEDIATELY put on the defensive which put me into a highly emotional state and fuzzed my brain so I couldn't think. I don't know the answers to half these questions and wait...everything we are doing is supposed to be helping our teachers and kids not pissing people off right.? And third, why me? It's only freakin' October this is our FIRST meeting that parents were invited to!!
Basically they want a breakdown of what we made last year, where we made it and what we spent it on. They want to boycott all fundraisers. Huh? And we are supposed to make money how?
My head is spinning...I can't help but take this personally because I'm the one leading the pack so to speak. BUT had ANYONE called me about ANY of this? No. I'm hearing this from people who care about me and are concerned that I'm going to be buried alive by this woman. She's meeting with the principal on Thursday.
As far as I'm concerned, until I hear from the principal herself, it's not my deal. I just need to find a way to become emotionally unattached. Knowing me I'll either start to scream and cry or say something really bitchy, sarcastic and mean. Both of which are not good things.
Part of me just wants to offer up the job and say "Here, if you think you can do a better job, have at it."
But you know something? I don't really think she can, nor does she want to. I have not yet heard of a single thing that might be a solution to our problem of 3 fundraisers in October.
And for those of you who want to jump on me about that...let me explain. We do all our fundraisers, except for one in the Fall, so we have all our $ up front to fund the programs and field trips for our kids. The county pays for one a year...that's it. We do a candle fundraiser where we make $2.25 on every one we sell..they are $7 a piece. We do a notecard fundraiser that comes out early so that families can have them to use as Christmas cards or gifts. Your child draws a picture on a card and they are sent away to be printed. Your end result is a set of cards with your kids artwork on them. Great gift idea. And finally this Halloween Festival, in which we have vendors, a Haunted House, a silent auction, a live auction, dinner, a concert, games and prizes. Tickets are $4 a piece, max $12 for a family. Bake sale items are for sale as well as food. Everything else is included in the price of the ticket. That's it.
We need a lot of volunteers and donations. Local businesses donate items and $ as well. It's a lot of fun and we make a ton of $.
That's it. Done until May. ALL STRICTLY VOLUNTARY!!! You don't have to buy a damn thing! You could also just write a check for a particular amount and be done!
If I thought people would write us a check for $50 and be done for the year that would be fantastic. We wouldn't have to do fundraising or all of this work. But that will never happen. I am so open to new ideas, but no one wants to be supportive at this point they just want to tear it all down. They want it THEIR way without any of the work that goes along with it.
I know this is just one parent out of many, but this is a small town and even though we're a board of many. I'm in charge and it's me they will blame when things go wrong. I just don't know what to do. I know I can't make everyone happy, but it pisses me off that one can get to me like this. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Thanks to all of you friends that have virtually and realistically listened to my rants. Your advice is taken to heart and I will do my best not to let you down.
Peace.
Did I mention I'm PTO President this year? Yeah, well, it never ceases to amaze me the lengths people will go to to prove their way is the right way or the best way or the only way.
For those of you who may not know. PTO stands for Parent-Teacher-Organization. We have a board of 9 people and two teacher representatives. Myself and the V.P are the only two members left from last year's board. NO ONE...not a single solitary person from last years group of parents offered to join the board this year. All our new members are Kindergarden parents. (our particular elementary school is only K-1..but that's another story). We sent out nomination sheets last year and 2 out of 220 came back. The V.P and I were those two people. So...anyone and everyone who wanted to change, bitch, support...yada...yada...yada this fine group of people, had every opportunity to do so. Did they? Nope.
Not until recently. Two parents showed up at our meeting last Monday night and brought down the house. Where is our money going? Why are we buying little candy crap for teachers when they need classroom supplies, who needs spirit wear, why are you buying things for the library when they should get that stuff from the county. They called me at 7:30 yesterday morning (holiday for me btw) to ask for a "prospectus of last years expenditures"' You wanna whosie whatis from huh?
Okay, first off. I don't do well when I can't answer things knowledgeably. Second, I was IMMEDIATELY put on the defensive which put me into a highly emotional state and fuzzed my brain so I couldn't think. I don't know the answers to half these questions and wait...everything we are doing is supposed to be helping our teachers and kids not pissing people off right.? And third, why me? It's only freakin' October this is our FIRST meeting that parents were invited to!!
Basically they want a breakdown of what we made last year, where we made it and what we spent it on. They want to boycott all fundraisers. Huh? And we are supposed to make money how?
My head is spinning...I can't help but take this personally because I'm the one leading the pack so to speak. BUT had ANYONE called me about ANY of this? No. I'm hearing this from people who care about me and are concerned that I'm going to be buried alive by this woman. She's meeting with the principal on Thursday.
As far as I'm concerned, until I hear from the principal herself, it's not my deal. I just need to find a way to become emotionally unattached. Knowing me I'll either start to scream and cry or say something really bitchy, sarcastic and mean. Both of which are not good things.
Part of me just wants to offer up the job and say "Here, if you think you can do a better job, have at it."
But you know something? I don't really think she can, nor does she want to. I have not yet heard of a single thing that might be a solution to our problem of 3 fundraisers in October.
And for those of you who want to jump on me about that...let me explain. We do all our fundraisers, except for one in the Fall, so we have all our $ up front to fund the programs and field trips for our kids. The county pays for one a year...that's it. We do a candle fundraiser where we make $2.25 on every one we sell..they are $7 a piece. We do a notecard fundraiser that comes out early so that families can have them to use as Christmas cards or gifts. Your child draws a picture on a card and they are sent away to be printed. Your end result is a set of cards with your kids artwork on them. Great gift idea. And finally this Halloween Festival, in which we have vendors, a Haunted House, a silent auction, a live auction, dinner, a concert, games and prizes. Tickets are $4 a piece, max $12 for a family. Bake sale items are for sale as well as food. Everything else is included in the price of the ticket. That's it.
We need a lot of volunteers and donations. Local businesses donate items and $ as well. It's a lot of fun and we make a ton of $.
That's it. Done until May. ALL STRICTLY VOLUNTARY!!! You don't have to buy a damn thing! You could also just write a check for a particular amount and be done!
If I thought people would write us a check for $50 and be done for the year that would be fantastic. We wouldn't have to do fundraising or all of this work. But that will never happen. I am so open to new ideas, but no one wants to be supportive at this point they just want to tear it all down. They want it THEIR way without any of the work that goes along with it.
I know this is just one parent out of many, but this is a small town and even though we're a board of many. I'm in charge and it's me they will blame when things go wrong. I just don't know what to do. I know I can't make everyone happy, but it pisses me off that one can get to me like this. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Thanks to all of you friends that have virtually and realistically listened to my rants. Your advice is taken to heart and I will do my best not to let you down.
Peace.
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