Who’ll do PTA?
November 7th, 2008 by 
Alica
The elementary schools in Brandon are looking for PTA officers for next year. Current board members say it is become harder and harder to find officers each year. It’s becoming harder to find enough volunteers to work at PTA-sponsored events, too.
PTA officers say it doesn’t take very much time, but some parents think it does take a lot of time. As always, the more people who are involved, the easier it is on everyone.
Many parents say they are too busy to make a time commitment as an officer in any organization. Many people say they are too busy to volunteer to work at events. But what are we all so busy doing? Do you work 40 hours a week? 50? 60?
Do you spend many hours a week cleaning your house? Tending to your lawn? Caring for your vehicles or pets?
Do you attend every single meeting of every single activity that every single one of your children is involved in? Is doing that a good thing? Or is it overkill?
It seems the bigger the town gets, the more people think that someone else will do the work. In smaller towns, sometimes people understand better that if they don’t do it, no one will.
What do you think?
Posted in Uncategorized | 
November 7th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
The following was posted in response to a PTA story that was posted on brandoninfo.com recently. Since it’s on topic, I’m copying it to this blog also.
Alica P. Thiele
Fri Nov 07, 2008 9:39 am
I believe each school should have their own PTA. The PTA ask for more than they claim. They want large amounts of food or goodies donated at times for different events throughout the year. With todays economy some parents cant do that. I feel I shouldnt have to pay to be a volunteer at the school my time and the items i donate should be enough, why should I pay to volunteer through the PTA. I can volunteer at the school through my childrens teachers and I put more time in that way too. When I was on the PTA for one year once you joiin or help out with one thing you get hounded with emails and phone calls to volunteer for EVERYTHING!!!!! I think the current president is under estimating the time and money spent when your an official PTA member. I can & do help my children and others at school without being a PTA member and it doesnt cost me a dime and I dont get pressured with emails and phone calls to help with everything,everywhere, all the time!!!
Posted by:car3t3
November 7th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
I have one word to describe the Brandon PTA. “Clique”.
November 10th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
I signed up for the PTA last year — I volunteered to work at the science fair specifically, but to also be available if they needed me for other events.
2 DAYS before the science fair Colleen called me about helping out. Sorry, I need a little more lead time than that. Also, the entry forms for the science fair were sent home after the deadline printed on them. When I called the school about the deadline, they said that the PTA had finally gotten them to the school to send home.
If you want more help, maybe you need to be a little more organized yourselves.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
#3…..I apologize on behalf on the PTA for the confusion you had last year. It is VERY hard to run an organization with a limited amount of volunteers. I really wish that more parents would offer to help out at events. I believe if we had more parents helping out, the more “organization” we would have. I have some very capable, hardworking, people chairing the committees that offer your kids the chance to participate in a science fair, to be in a art contest, or to buy a book at a book fair. I say THANK YOU to all of them. But the small amount of members we have in the PTA cannot do everything ourselves. We need the help and support of all parents to run a successful PTA. I ask all parents to step up and volunteer for one event this year. Its a 1-2 hour time commitment! And with all the dual working parents in our community, who cannot get into their childs’ classroom to help, the PTA allows you to volunteer after working hours. Please consider helping out this organization that helps out your children.
November 10th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Staci –
I volunteered to help, I WANTED to help; the volunteers were there, the PTA just failed to utilize them, yet you say the lack of organization was due to a lack of volunteers. That’s circular logic — it makes no sense. I’m begging to help and the whole thing was so disorganized you couldn’t even get back to people who called and e-mailed asking what needs to be done.
I didn’t have enough lead time to help my child put together a decent project, much less help organize the thing. I’m a scientist by vocation as well as avocation. I LIVE to get kids excited about science, and I was very disappointed with the entire process.
I paid my dues this year because I know the money is generally put to good use, but I didn’t bother volunteering for anything — what’s the use? I talked to other parents who also volunteered last year, but were NEVER called upon. Most of them didn’t bother joining again this year. To get people to join and be active, you need to run the organization in a manner that makes it worthwile to participate.
November 11th, 2008 at 10:51 am
#5……Again, I apologize for the bad expierence you had last year with the science fair. I will make sure that nothing like that happens again. I would really like you to call me so we can straigten whatever problems you have with the PTA so you can be active. We need dedicated parents like you to be involved. We cannot have the same 20 people at all the events volunteering. We need new people to step up and get involved in this wonderful organization that does so many great things for our kids and teachers.
November 11th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I think people need to either put up or shut up!! If your not going to help out at events or go to meetings, you should not be complaining. I have worked at many PTA events and it seems to me that its the same people working at everything. Why is that????????? Get involved in your kids school and education!!
November 12th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
To helpful mom… Maybe if the PTA was not so SNOOTY and non welcoming to new members especially at these activities and didnt act like they know it all and their better then everyone else than maybe more parents would be opt to join the PTA!!!!! EVERYONE CAN VOLUNTEER IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER WITHOUT JOINING THE PTA AND IT DOESNT HAVE TO BE SCHOOL HOURS EITHER….helpful mom (not) SHUT UP!!!! yourself
November 13th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
Do not worry Snooty (#8)I would not want anyone who condones name calling and telling people to shut up around my children any way! Stay at home on your couch watching Jerry Springer, eating your bon-bons!
November 13th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Good Evening,
I do agree that everyone has the option to volunteer in one way or another with or without joining the PTA. ANY type of volunteering is important and makes our schools better.
BUT, I strongly believe that our schools (staff, students, and parents) benefit by having an active PTA!!!
Without officers, chairpersons, and volunteers… the PTA will not exist at each of our schools. I hate to see the end of an organization that strives to bring together the students, teachers, and parents.
Also, I like that PTA offers a variety of ways to become involved…whether it is an event to support the staff, raise funds, to expose the kids to new arts (loved Dallas Chief Eagle from last year), or get creative with science projects.
Our kids will miss out on a lot if we don’t have a PTA.
Thank you.
November 13th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
to#9 disgusted Im not the one who started the name calling I think helping mom, myself and disqusted, got upset went overboard and misunderstood on this subject!!! Thank You #11 concerned for bringing me back down to level and I could agree with you more. Thanks again