PTAextra Magazine Autumn 2023 | Page 29

Running your PTA

Our school staff seem reluctant to get involved in our events and it ’ s getting really frustrating . While it ’ s us parents making the effort , they ’ re always happy to take the money !

We aren ’ t a faith-based school , yet our Head has told us not to arrange anything Halloween related this year . We ’ re a bit perplexed , as we ’ ve had a successful Halloween disco the past few years and are trying to think of ways to try and change his mind ...

Have you tried talking to the Head to see what the objections are ? A straightforward no is hard to take , but there might be a compromise to be found , such as not calling it ‘ Halloween ’ and instead just linking it to pumpkins or autumn in general . The alternative is to hold an event off the school site - maybe a village hall ? You would have to pay a hire fee of course , but as the event is a PTA-run event not on school property , the Head won ’ t have the authority to tell you not to do it . What you have to weigh up is whether it ’ s worth causing any potential animosity – but you won ’ t know if that ’ s a possibility until you know what the objection is .

Any role on a PTA is voluntary for both parents and staff . Your committee should discuss what contribution you would like from the teachers and then arrange a meeting with them , with the aim of reaching some sort of compromise . Try not to have big expectations of each other – instead , break down what you need from them into small chunks of time . Quite often , the teachers feel they spend enough time at the school without giving up their free time too . It ’ s worth reminding them that for a PTA to be effective , you need to have good communication between the PTA committee and the school . You could suggest that a staff member come along to your meetings as a representative who can then feed back to the school – or ask your Headteacher to be the President of the Association . Neither a staff representative nor a Headteacher in the role of President carries voting rights , which manages any potential conflict of interest . Alternatively , you could have a meeting with the Head to feed back on what ’ s happened at the committee meeting . And make sure your spending decisions are made in consultation with the school , so the PTA are funding something the school wants and needs .

Got an issue you need advice on ? Contact Clare and her team :

PARENTKIND . ORG AUTUMN 2023 15