Heavy is the crown

Heavy is the PTO crown at this moment. I may have to require one of my members to gracefully resign.

A $10,000 mishap almost occurred and she shows nearly no remorse, certainly not the amount that should be shown. If I used names this would be so much easier, however, since I won't, I can't really be specific about what happened. Let's just say that the school checking account was, in my opinion, severly compromised. When I told this person this, her response? A staggering "oh, no". Not, oh, I did this _________ (fill in the blank with ANYTHING other than nothing) to make sure nothing happened. Nope, not her.

I have been feeling like I was going to lose my cookies every time I have to tell someone about this (and higher ups have to know, that's how severe this is). She hasn't contacted me once since I asked her about this to find out any further information, apologize - nothing.

Well, I will keep you posted as to what happens.

The ride was a great one!

Remember I said I felt like I was strapped into a big ol' roller coaster last week? The carnival was days away and I was nervous? The carnival has come and gone and what a ride it was!

Very few hitches, most of which we did not have any control over. The food permit person never showed up to inspect, which caused panic in my otherwise all together carnival chair. And, the bounce house didn't show up on time, finally got there an hour late, which I'm sure he will pay for, if I know my carnival chair at all.

From all accounts, it was a success. Great (donated) food, extra drink and ticket booths helped ease congestion at the main chuckwagon and ticket booths. Auction baskets, a new addition this year, raised an extra $600 plus change. 2 tickets to last nights Mavericks game and 2 gift certificates (given at the last minute) helped with that number.

What a great group of voluteers: PTO, Dad's club, room mom's, faculty and staff all pitched in, in some capacity, and helped make this a rousing success.

Susan Depoy, most of all, with her great ideas and great leadership, made this carnival - yeah, I'll go out on this limb - THE BEST ONE EVER!!!!

Thank you to everyone, especially Susan, for this event.

Carnival - panic?

We have a carnival coming up. I don't want to overstate anything but...it is only the event that our PTO is judged by. The picnic comes in a very close second. However, the carnival is a huge event for our school and it can be a fundraiser if done correctly. Besides, everyone knows who the PTO is now. They'll have a face to put with disappointment.

I've seen it done 3 different ways now and all were good. Last year's could have used some help in the chuckwagon but for the most part was enjoyable.

This year, since I'm the President, I am extremely nervous. Not because I don't think my esteemed Vice President can handle it, I think she'll do a fantastic job and and she'll still not think it was good enough. No, I have all the faith in the world in her.

When I allow myself to feel my true feelings, instead of mushing them down into the pit, nay-nether regions - of my stomach, it's much like the feeling I get (or used to get) as I would ride the newest roller coaster at Six Flags. I'm strapped in, can't get out. I know the people who built this ride had safety in mind. I know the metal (or wood in some cases) is strong enough and that the bolts will hold. Well, at least they have up to this point. And there's where I panic. As long as I don't think about what could happen, I'm not necessarily fine but OK enough to ride the ride. As long as the mantra in my head remains "the people who built this ride had my safety in mind and would be in big trouble should they fail", I am not trying to claw my way out.

I'm in this ride and I CANNOT get off. It has started up that first huge hill, the one I can't see beyond... Yep, that's what I'm really feeling right now. Panic...sheer panic.

Too much?

When is too much too much? Is there such a thing as too much help? How about too much unsolicited help?

We have a project that should have been out weeks ago. We, mistakenly, brought it up at the Board meeting on Monday night and one of our parents said "I've got it covered, don't worry about it". Well, to me, that means "I'll take it and get it done for you". Apparently, it does not.

This morning I was greeted with "we need 4 boxes of paper" for this project. I hope they still need it, I had our "guy" go get it. I'll be most upset if it's not needed anymore. And, by the way, from the sounds of it, it may not be. We may actually pay someone to do this project which is how it should have been done in the first place.

I don't mind people doing things. I welcome it. I just don't want them taking over and then not doing it how the person who is in charge of it intended. This is the one thing this particular PTO person is in charge of and she's now very nervous. How terribly unfortunate for her that this person has decided to use this to bully her way in.

This person, while nice and well-meaning, really needs to wise up and realize she needs to be a little more delicate and careful when bulldozing her way in.

Thanks for letting me vent.
Ghtp

planning stuff

Today, I met with my VP and we got alot accomplished. We realize we are great at coming up with ideas...really great ones. We've single-handedly revamped one of our main events for the fall, giving it new life, a new look, and some new events. Now, just because we come up with all these great ideas doesn't mean they're all doable. But, we'll do our darndest to get them done. AND, not waiting until 4 weeks before the event may actually give this stuff a snowball's chance in Kentucky of getting done. (See a snowball might actually make it in Kentucky - hence my changing of the usual phrase "snowball's chance in hades - get it? oh, i crack me up)

I plan on meeting with each of my board members to get their ideas on their particular events and responsibilities. Just a little something I call one on oneism, or individual attention. And who doesn't love a little attention?

I've said it before, not on here I think but I have, I think this year is going to ROCK! We have some great people on this board and I can't wait to see them in action.

Plumbers group

Wow, a whole 5 days into the presidency and I've only made people mad when I wasn't the president. Hmmm, what am I doing wrong?

We sent out a note to let parents know what would be going on during the summer (because we, unlike any other board) actually wanted to do something in the summer. We're having 2 seperate activities for the children to participate in (I won't go into them, lest I give myself away). But, because we weren't the board "officially" we stepped on some toes doing this simple informative act. Who knew? Well, they can kiss my information.

I think I also might have mentioned that our budget meetings wouldn't last 4 hours like theirs did. Hmmm, that really ruffled feathers. Although, now, I wish I had written down who I said that to because that would give me my leak. Maybe I need a "plumbers group" to find the leak.

We have our first "unofficial discussion" time next Wednesday. How exciting. We'll see if we're all really going to get along or if it's just my delusions of grandeur that say we will.

Time will tell.

Check in later for more confessions!

The board

So, since no one ran for any position on the board other than Treasurer and President, I got to choose who I wanted on the board. I was advised to be careful, that some people may say "she chose her friends to be on the board". I immediately said "then those people should have run". Of course I am going to choose people I know to serve with me.

My VP is a hard-working, fun-loving, like-minded (with me) person and I am already enjoying working with her.

I chose the community service person first because it was so obvious to me who should do it and luckily she said yes.

Hospitality, I only knew her a little and I can't wait to get to know this person more. I think she's a great person.

Secretary, well, she just happened to be in the wrong (0r right-for me) place at a time when I really needed someone to be Secretary. But, luckily for me, she said yes. She is another one I will enjoy getting to know.

Fundraising...man, I am hoping she is as good as she says she is. She didn't say she was good at fundraising but that she gives 110% to everything she does. Let's hope so.

Volunteer Coordinator. She is one of the few people who were on the board last year and she will have valuable insight. However, because most of us agreed to do this with a vision in mind that ended with things done differently than in the past, we could butt heads every now and then.

PR person is going to be great. This is a position I wouldn't have minded doing. I believe, as does she, that our name is not in the paper nearly enough. I see that changing.

I think there is a position or two I forgot but that's ok. (I'm only the president, am I supposed to remember everything?)

This board is going to be great. I say that because so far we've gotten along. We've discussed ways to do things better. We all believe in change when appropriate (and man is it appropriate now) and we've already implemented some changes. And I don't think any of us are scared. (Well, maybe I am right now, on the eve of my ascension. But, I'll be OK.)

The other day I told someone (who had told me things may not go smoothly with the principal) that maybe he was allowing us to change so much because we did volunteer, or say yes when asked to step up, and so maybe he's willing to let things change because people with a new perspective are on board.

I realize that all PTO boards are volunteer. But, in general, there are several people who would like to run for particular offices and there's an election and so on and so forth. But these ladies, in my mind, deserve high praise and kudos for saying "yes" when asked to serve. None of them wanted to enough to run. But because there was a need, they stepped up. Thank you all, ladies, you have my eternal gratitude and I only pray that I am a worthy leader.

So, in 1 hour and 25 minutes, I will be PTO President. I'm a little excited at seeing how I do. I'm a little (alot) nervous that I may cause irrepairable damage. But I also realize that we are here to make the school a better place, to help the children learn in any way we can, to help make the teachers' jobs easier, and be uniters, not dividers. If I can keep these things in focus, I think when the year is over, I'll be proud of what we've done.