Went to my first PTO meeting. I figure I should get involved in Kaitlyns school. Partially because she so desperately wanted me to volunteer last year and I was just plain too chicken to commit to trying to understand her teacher and her classmates. And partially because I figure since Im not working, I should do it. So the moms who are trying to juggle work and life dont also have tons of school duties piled on, just because they arent new.
The meeting started with everyone introducing herself. (There were two men there: one dad and the principal) And 97% of the group was the mom of a kindergartener. It sort of troubles me that the parents of older children whove been at the school a couple of years dont feel the need to participate. Hopefully they were just busy with sports or something. But I get the feeling that this is how the meetings go. New people show up at first. Then fewer and fewer. Until the organizers of different events are just begging for volunteers any way they can, since none are at the meetings offering up help. Not that I actually volunteered to do anything. The sign ups for helping out in the classrooms are tomorrow night at Back to School night. Im holding out for that. I figure helping bake cookies or buy crepe paper for a couple of classroom parties is a good way to ease into the whole volunteering at the school thing.
The meeting included a treasurers report. Which, frankly, I didnt quite follow. Ill blame the poor quality of her print out. The school counselor talked about her role with the students. We heard about a school art project/sale that they desperately need someone to take charge of. There will be a culture-fest during which I do not plan to do anything French. (I was sitting there thinking that after nearly 4 years in the country, I have sadly little to offer up. Unless I can find a raclette machine. I could make raclette. And paper fish for the kids to stick on each others backs.) Then a woman with an undefined role tried to give a demonstration of a new volunteer organizing website they want to use. And she wasted, er, spent easily ten or fifteen minutes trying to get this site to call up what she wanted to on the computer screen for us to see. I nearly stood up and yelled Just describe it! Weve got imaginations! I kept my mouth shut. So by the time they got to the part where one gives input and ideas, well, we were out of time. Suggestion for next meeting: start with that. It seems the most important.
I suppose I will keep going. And eventually I wont be able to bite my tongue and Ill end up in charge of something. Thats usually what I do.
Wish me luck getting to the sign up sheets early enough tomorrow to get to volunteer for something good!