The last four years, I've found myself becoming increasingly more involved at SuperAwesome School. When she was in Kindergarten I volunteered for a 2 hour shift at a Book Fair & for a couple days during Faculty/Staff Appreciation Week. Oh, and I helped out in Sunshine's classroom a few times.
First grade was the year it all went down hill. It started innocently enough with being a Room Mom. Our teacher lost her para pro so another mom and I would go in to help out in the classroom or to make copies.
Then it came. The phone call where I was asked to help co-chair the two remaining book fairs for the rest of the year.
I'm going to tell you a secret----once you prove yourself doing something big. Like a Book Fair, and you do it well, people realize that you're honest (important when handling money), capable, reliable and a glutton for punishment.
And it's at that point you find yourself saying yes to a position on an executive board for your school's parent/teacher group.
So after 2 years of Treasurer (truly the hardest of all of the positions) I thought I'd slide into Secretary for the next 2 years. It wasn't to be and I find myself finishing up my first year as President.
Honestly, President isn't nearly as bad as it seems to be. You need to be visible. You need to be personable. You need to enjoy people you've never met coming up to you to introduce themselves and to ask why are you so involved at the school and did your child receive special favors as a direct result. (Yeah, got that one earlier this year). You need to be able to delegate and manage without micromanaging. Having been micromanaged by a PTA President as well as an old boss, I can honestly say that it's my least favorite part about dealing with people.
The downside of being President is well, the negative stuff. Ticked off parents. The parents who never get involved for whatever reason but love to do nothing but criticize how things are run. Yet if you ask them to get involved (to shut them up), they're too busy.
Because none of us on the board are ever busy. Real life doesn't exist for us.
So this year there was a sliver of hope that I would finally slide into the low key world of PTO Secretary. You know, take some meeting notes, prepare the monthly calendar. Let the big decisions fall on someone else's shoulders.
Yeah, no such luck. I'll end Sunshine's time at SuperAwesome school as PTO President. The plus side of this is that I'll have a major say in what happens at school and will be in a position to MAKE it happen. School district say no to the 5th grade trip? PTO President comes to rally the parents to make phone calls to the district. And I'll get to be at school for her last year of elementary school.
I'll continue to be one of those people who make it happen. Glutton for punishment or not.
Good for you!! They're lucky to have you.
ReplyDelete