PTA President here. Our school just announced a week of holiday themed dress up days yesterday. As a parent, I’m quite annoyed because I agree it does create stress for the families during a stressful time of year. For the record, I think a day or two of festive dress up days would be fine, but what our school just announced is way too much.

Anyway, I’m worried that parents will think this is a PTA thing, when it is most assuredly NOT.

Stick to easy stuff like PJ day (every parents' favorite), wear XYZ color, silly accessories, etc.

Please don't have such a knee-jerk, childish response. Such spirit days are the province of the counselor in our school, not the PTA. Most of the PTA's work may be invisible to you.

I volunteered on the board of an elementary PTA for many years. Pre-Covid, we:
1. fundraised (parents just donated online or write checks)
2. paid teachers for tutoring the kids who need it,
3. had a pantry where we organize food backpacks,
4. organized a STEM fair and science activities throughout the year,
5. organized cultural arts activities where artists presented their craft and led each grade in a similar age-appropriate session (it's a play-writing and acting for the older grade that lasts a month),
6. helped out the teachers when they need it,
7. discussed long-term demographic issues (building around us is crazy, school is overcrowded, must change boundaries and build a new school), car safety around the school (getting worse), shared land use, (dog owners using the playground) etc, with the Principal and the relevant county and business reps, and actively represented the students' interests in those respects at the appropriate meetings all around the county,
8. plus many things I'm forgetting, like book fairs, etc.

We are at a wealthy school where a lot of parents know how to wield influence, so when they end up on the PTA Board, they use those skills to fight for students and teachers. The Principal is savvy and knows how to navigate MCPS rules so that the funds she receives are maximized and teachers can be hired during the hiring window at the beginning of the year, when it appears the incoming classes are too large. However, with the amount of building around us and constant influx of students, it's still very difficult to deal with overcrowding.

What you mention, OP, is such a minuscule part of a school's functioning that you come off as petty when you complain about it, regardless of whether it comes from the PTA or counselor or whoever. There are a lot of things your PTA probably does that your child has benefited from, without your even knowing about it. Please just IGNORE the multitude of activities you do not wish to participate in. My children never did the spirit days, but loved pyjama day, for example. At the high school level, there are so many activities and "days" that it's just impossible to participate in all of them!

I despise all of these dress up days. We don’t own school shirts, or shirts with polka dots, or purple shirts. I refuse to buy something just for one day, and many other families at our school cannot afford to buy shirts just to match someone or have a class theme. There inadvertently is always a kid or two left out.

We spoke to the SGA teacher leader and let her know about "twin day" and how hard that was for kids. She was very responsive, and just didn't realize and it was never repeated.

The last year we did it I was room parent, and when i sent out the newsletter, just said wear a school t shirt if you wanted to have a buddy that day and it worked.

Anonymous wrote:Match your friend day is the WORST.

Why would any adult greenlight that one? Surely it’s obvious that it’s a bad idea?

Anonymous wrote:I’m on our school’s PTO board and I think that at our school we do a lot of good work to support the school. That said, we don’t get involved in “dress up” days at all. That’s the principal and other school org’s like the student council.

I do think that “Match your friends” day seems like a social nightmare and a huge mistake. I hope they get feedback to not do it again. Something like “crazy sock day” would be a lot more benign.

Agree – at our school, theme days are 100% the student council.

Match your friend day is the WORST.

My kids love spirit days and I don't mind them in general, but agree that the matching friends or twin days are a nightmare. My kid inevitable ends up upset about it--even though she has plenty of friends she somehow always ends up feeling leftout.

I’m on our school’s PTO board and I think that at our school we do a lot of good work to support the school. That said, we don’t get involved in “dress up” days at all. That’s the principal and other school org’s like the student council.

I do think that “Match your friends” day seems like a social nightmare and a huge mistake. I hope they get feedback to not do it again. Something like “crazy sock day” would be a lot more benign.

This one isn't on the PTA, the SGA (student government association) picks the spirit days, not the PTA. The kids love it, I am sorry it is causing you and your child so much anxiety.

OP I think you're overestimating how important it is for kids to participate in celebrate week. PTA events are meant to be a nice "extra". Not everybody participates in every event.

Meltdowns in mid-Dec are normal because it's dark so they haven't gotten as much outside time and kids are wound up due to the holidays.

I absolutely hate PTA too. Completely useless group creating more headaches for parents.

This sounds like a parenting issue not a PTA issue. If you want changes on the PTA get involved.

They do nothing useful.

This week is celebrate week and the kids are supposed to wear specific outfits.

It creates more work for the parents and does not make it more fun for the kids

Today is Match Your Friends day and DD is having a total meltdown over what outfit to wear.

I hate the PTA.