Are Student Directories given only to PTA members?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

$40 for a membership!!! Well, this is not the reality of the low performing and high FARMS schools. They give more to National and MD PTA in fees than what is collected in fees from the few people who become members. There is NO VALUE whatsoever that being part of the PTA brings to these schools.

How about the MD and National PTA not take any money from these schools? Why don't you ladies sit and discuss this idea?

PTA membership is $15 at our elementary school and $20 at our middle school. Neither is low-performing or high FARMS.

[Anonymous]

does it really cost $20 to produce a single directory? That's what my school Westland MS PTA charges

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whatever happened to free choice?
I donate directly to the school and PTA - a lot more than many people do. I donate time and money to all kinds of activities within the school. I also buy generously at the book fairs and make sure that I buy and donate from the teacher's wish list.
I just don't like being part of the PTA.

But, seeing some of the bitchy remarks here - I am quite happy that I am not part of such a cliquey group. If the PTA stops being run by horribly bitchy queen bees and wannabes - more people might join.

If you are perfect and non-bitchy and not a queen bee, I guess you can run it then and everyone would want to join, right? But my guess is you are a lazy parent who always claims they are busy and justifies why she doesn't participate helping her kid's school by claiming the PTA is bitchy. And will continue to run her mouth and complain more than take action - all during your kid's school years. Kudos to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:does it really cost $20 to produce a single directory? That's what my school Westland MS PTA charges

No, the rest goes back to the PTA for school activities like dances, plays, variety shows, playground equipment, computers, etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
PTA board member here. A few MCPS schools still distribute a free directory, which they make on the cheap (sheets stapled together). I think this is an excellent idea!

However most PTAs spend a few more dollars for their directory (our PTA produces a fancy bound version which costs thousands of dollars) and want to have a net gain in their budget by selling membership with directory. Although I see that 99.9% of parents can easily afford the $40 membership in our community, I don't particularly like it.

Out of curiosity OP, why don't you want a tiny portion of your money to got to National and MD PTAs? It doesn't take away from what your school PTA can afford in terms of cultural, scientific and academic support.
It is also the way things work! There would be no school PTA if there wasn't someone to support the umbrella organization.
There are a ton of people who work VERY hard at those levels to keep local PTAs organized and educated. Have you been to a MCCPTA workshops? They offer all kinds of training (PTA treasurer for ex) and the opportunity to troubleshoot your local problems with other experienced members of other PTAs.
Not entirely sure I follow your logic here...

In this day and age, why the need for a fancy-bound-thousands-of-dollars book???
Go green!
Surely your 99.9% of community who can afford the $40 membership all have smart phones and tables.

Take the PDF and make it available to your members to use electronically and only print what is needed, if at all. Sell it to non-members.
I cannot believe it's 2014 and address lists are still being bound and printed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever happened to free choice?
I donate directly to the school and PTA - a lot more than many people do. I donate time and money to all kinds of activities within the school. I also buy generously at the book fairs and make sure that I buy and donate from the teacher's wish list.
I just don't like being part of the PTA.

But, seeing some of the bitchy remarks here - I am quite happy that I am not part of such a cliquey group. If the PTA stops being run by horribly bitchy queen bees and wannabes - more people might join.

If you are perfect and non-bitchy and not a queen bee, I guess you can run it then and everyone would want to join, right? But my guess is you are a lazy parent who always claims they are busy and justifies why she doesn't participate helping her kid's school by claiming the PTA is bitchy. And will continue to run her mouth and complain more than take action - all during your kid's school years. Kudos to you.

You can keep mouthing off and it does not affect me. It will still be my choice to contribute the way I want to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
PTA board member here. A few MCPS schools still distribute a free directory, which they make on the cheap (sheets stapled together). I think this is an excellent idea!

However most PTAs spend a few more dollars for their directory (our PTA produces a fancy bound version which costs thousands of dollars) and want to have a net gain in their budget by selling membership with directory. Although I see that 99.9% of parents can easily afford the $40 membership in our community, I don't particularly like it.

Out of curiosity OP, why don't you want a tiny portion of your money to got to National and MD PTAs? It doesn't take away from what your school PTA can afford in terms of cultural, scientific and academic support.
It is also the way things work! There would be no school PTA if there wasn't someone to support the umbrella organization.
There are a ton of people who work VERY hard at those levels to keep local PTAs organized and educated. Have you been to a MCCPTA workshops? They offer all kinds of training (PTA treasurer for ex) and the opportunity to troubleshoot your local problems with other experienced members of other PTAs.
Not entirely sure I follow your logic here...

In this day and age, why the need for a fancy-bound-thousands-of-dollars book???
Go green!
Surely your 99.9% of community who can afford the $40 membership all have smart phones and tablets.

Take the PDF and make it available to your members to use electronically and only print what is needed, if at all. Sell it to non-members.
I cannot believe it's 2014 and address lists are still being bound and printed.

I agree totally with that.

However, one concern remains that people may use unscrupulously to send mass mailing. However, that is the issue with paper directory as well.

I think a better option for most people would be to become part of the classroom listserv and email and get in touch with whosoever they want to.

[Anonymous]

Westland uses AtoZ directories. A to Z directories sell advertising and they cover the entire cost of printing the directories and PTA's even derive a small amount of money from the advertising.

I don't think the idea of giving a student directory to only PTA members is worth the time and effort required. It distances parents who may not join the PTA but might spend time volunteering to help the PTA. It goes against the mission of the National PTA to supply services and products to ALL in a school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whatever happened to free choice?
I donate directly to the school and PTA - a lot more than many people do. I donate time and money to all kinds of activities within the school. I also buy generously at the book fairs and make sure that I buy and donate from the teacher's wish list.
I just don't like being part of the PTA.

But, seeing some of the bitchy remarks here - I am quite happy that I am not part of such a cliquey group. If the PTA stops being run by horribly bitchy queen bees and wannabes - more people might join.

If you are perfect and non-bitchy and not a queen bee, I guess you can run it then and everyone would want to join, right? But my guess is you are a lazy parent who always claims they are busy and justifies why she doesn't participate helping her kid's school by claiming the PTA is bitchy. And will continue to run her mouth and complain more than take action - all during your kid's school years. Kudos to you.

This was AWESOME!!! So true. I love how people judge and say people may join if it was better, blah blah blah, but then never ever do anything about it. They like to just sit back and judge the people that are actually doing something to benefit their kid's education. So nice of them to do that.

And the OP complaining about $15 PTA dues but yet wants a free directory that the PTA spends hours putting together. Seriously?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Westland uses AtoZ directories. A to Z directories sell advertising and they cover the entire cost of printing the directories and PTA's even derive a small amount of money from the advertising.

I don't think the idea of giving a student directory to only PTA members is worth the time and effort required. It distances parents who may not join the PTA but might spend time volunteering to help the PTA. It goes against the mission of the National PTA to supply services and products to ALL in a school.

They do supply services and products to ALL in the school. The kids. The kids are in the school, remember? It is not the parent. The parents are the ones that should be helping the PTA to help ALL in the school.

And our PTA members spends about a month getting advertising for even more money back to the school and does the whole directory themselves, which takes about 25 hours total to do, not including distributing. So if you want one, fork over $15 of PTA dues to get one. If you are that against the PTA and all the help they do for the school, then don't join and don't get a directory. Simple Enough.

Oh, wait it isn't that simple. There is always someone (OP) that has to complain and whine and cry that it isn't fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does it really cost $20 to produce a single directory? That's what my school Westland MS PTA charges

No, the rest goes back to the PTA for school activities like dances, plays, variety shows, playground equipment, computers, etc...

But the OP doesn't care about that so why bother.

[Anonymous]

Somerset parent here. We have a PTA directory. It is a very nice leather bound volume with each family's name embossed in gold on the cover, delivered with white glove treatment from our school delivery service. It is printed on fine heavy stock paper. I'm glad we don't just have an old, stapled book.

[Anonymous]

And the OP complaining about $15 PTA dues but yet wants a free directory that the PTA spends hours putting together. Seriously?

The OP stated that she donates. I think if you contribute a dish for teacher appreciation, work the carnival or do any of the other endless volunteer jobs you have provided enough to get a directory. I think it's just looks cheap and manipulative to hold out the directory for membership.

PTA's pay 1.25 for Mont. Co PTA and 3.75 to Maryland and National PTA dues per every member. I can see the value in the Montgomery county PTA. but not the Maryland or National PTA organizations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And the OP complaining about $15 PTA dues but yet wants a free directory that the PTA spends hours putting together. Seriously?

The OP stated that she donates. I think if you contribute a dish for teacher appreciation, work the carnival or do any of the other endless volunteer jobs you have provided enough to get a directory. I think it's just looks cheap and manipulative to hold out the directory for membership.

PTA's pay 1.25 for Mont. Co PTA and 3.75 to Maryland and National PTA dues per every member. I can see the value in the Montgomery county PTA. but not the Maryland or National PTA organizations.

Funny, I think it looks cheap and manipulative to not pay $15 for PTA dues and get a directory as opposed to just paying the $15 and getting a nice directory the PTA worked hard on. But to each their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

And the OP complaining about $15 PTA dues but yet wants a free directory that the PTA spends hours putting together. Seriously?

The OP stated that she donates. I think if you contribute a dish for teacher appreciation, work the carnival or do any of the other endless volunteer jobs you have provided enough to get a directory. I think it's just looks cheap and manipulative to hold out the directory for membership.

PTA's pay 1.25 for Mont. Co PTA and 3.75 to Maryland and National PTA dues per every member. I can see the value in the Montgomery county PTA. but not the Maryland or National PTA organizations.

OP here. Actually I would like to pay for the directory, but not join the PTA. Infact, if the PTA charged me the same amount that a PTA membership costed (or slightly more), without making me a member, all that money would go to my school. I would prefer that.

I donate directly to the school for all kinds of things - teacher appreciation being one of them. I participate in PTA organized book fairs and have directly donated for fundraisers where children are supposed to sell things to the neighbors etc. I just do not want to be in the PTA because I feel that the PTA should be waiving any dues from poor SES schools.