This letter was sent in response to the policy the district is writing. We look forward to what the future will bring. To read the policy click HERE
To: the Policy Committee, Superintendent Briscoe, Daniel Harper, Jeff Christensen, and Board Members
We have been following this process closely. From the beginning, our goals have been the following:
• To have a choice about which parent organization is best for our school.
• To educate the school community (with full support of the school) about the differences/similarities between parent organizations. In order to do this, we must be granted the same avenues of communication as the current parent organization. All parents in the school community should be given equal opportunity to know what is going on.
• To empower parents to get involved in their school by choosing which parent organization would best fit their school and benefit their children, and then to support their choice through volunteerism.
• To provide equal opportunity for all interested parents to actively participate in the school, regardless of monetary contribution. One should not have to fund political action/advocacy in order to be a part of a school parent group. Contributions for a political campaign should be separate from dues for a parent organization. Current PTA bylaws do not allow for this. To volunteer at certain levels in the PTA, one is required to be a paid member.
• To support and enhance the education of school children by fostering relationships between the school, parents, and teachers.
• To provide much needed transparency to the school community.
• To improve communication between the school community, it’s parent organization, and school staff.
We are passionate about wanting what is best for the kids and our school. We have spent a lot of time and effort in pursuing an alternate parent organization. We too want to minimize disruptions that naturally result from this process. We have spent many hours in researching PTOs and developing a proposed organization that would best serve the kids and our school. What good will all the time and effort spent be, if we are not able to inform all parents of their choices through equal lines of communication? We feel this is a David vs. Goliath-type scenerio. We do not have the same resources or funding as a national organization. This is a grassroots effort. Many people don't even know that an alternative exists. How can we create positive change if we cannot disseminate information using the same lines of communication as the current parent organization? Our intent is not to tell people how to vote. We merely want to present an alternative, educate parents about the differences/similarities between organizations, and give parents the opportunity to choose for themselves.
We feel the current policy creates divisiveness. A simpler policy with fewer steps could accomplish the same goal. In our minds, an ideal policy would include step #1 with the NOI. That step in and of itself would show that an alternate parent group has enough interest and leadership to carry forward with the process. We would delete step 2. What is the purpose of the petition? All we want is a vote. Why should we have to petition for a choice that is rightfully ours? Also, no “campaigning” needs to happen. Simply inform parents that a vote will be taking place; organize a friendly meeting/debate, representing both sides, and allow a time to ask questions. Then send the ballots and give parents the opportunity to do research on their own and ask questions of representatives from both groups over a period of time (say, 2 weeks) before the ballots are due. Count the ballots. This entire process could take less than 4 weeks, rather than 6 months! Dragging out the process takes the time of parents who would prefer to be volunteering at the school or helping their kids with homework. Why must we jump through so many hoops to get a vote?
We believe the school board is viewing this process from a political campaign point of view. What is misunderstood, is that we aren't trying to "win". Our goal is simply to inform and then let the parents decide what they want, and then support it. We aren't running for election. It's about allowing parents to have the power to create/join a group they feel best represents their interests. Informing through email is sufficient.
We would like the board to reconsider requiring that parents “opt-in” to their parent organization. The whole premise behind PTO is that ALL parents are members of the parent group. Nothing is required of a PTO member by way of money or time; however, being a member gives one voting rights and the opportunity to represent their chid’s interests. We believe parents will be more invested if they are automatically included. After all, it is the parents’ organization. Why exclude them? If privacy is the issue, all contact information could be kept confidential, and all communication could be handled by the principal or secretary, with the option to opt-out.
In summary, all parents should be given the opportunity to hear about their choices. We believe a shorter process to get to a vote will benefit all parties. All parents should automatically be considered members of their organization. Focusing our resources locally for the benefit of our kids unites parents in a common purpose.
Sincerely,
Holly Hendrickson
Lynne Burns
Carrie Tuttle
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