Did you all miss the comment further up where the PTO said they wanted to pay for the space and created an agreement to do so? Probably would have been better received if they just agreed to a set amount to contribute to the school each year and not connected the contribution to rental of the school space. Either way, the school doesn't have to cover the activity out of limited education funds. My school doesn't charge parents for space but parents give money for other items. If parents gave us money for space, we would still use it for those other items.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Charging the PTO is more than fair if:

- The PTO is a separate non-profit, AND
- The building/space is rented by the charter school with a specific lease/use agreement, AND
- The PTO meetings are held outside of normal business hours, requiring paid overtime to hourly employees security, custodial, or administrator supervision to provide building access during these hours.

Carry on.

The PTO is better off using the meeting room at the closest library. It's crazy to pay the school to use their space while raising money for THE SCHOOL.

It's not "their space". The space is rented by the school from a private owner to be used during certain hours. Anything outside of that is not just "free time". Security guards and custodians don't volunteer to be there, and shouldn't be asked to. There are also liability and insurance issues for gatherings and events.

Even DCPL libraries require room reservations, and in some cases charge fees.

Perhaps SSMA should scale back Dr. R's $150k salary instead of charging the parent association to use their raggedy facilities.
I

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Charging the PTO is more than fair if:

- The PTO is a separate non-profit, AND
- The building/space is rented by the charter school with a specific lease/use agreement, AND
- The PTO meetings are held outside of normal business hours, requiring paid overtime to hourly employees security, custodial, or administrator supervision to provide building access during these hours.

Carry on.

The PTO is better off using the meeting room at the closest library. It's crazy to pay the school to use their space while raising money for THE SCHOOL.

It's not "their space". The space is rented by the school from a private owner to be used during certain hours. Anything outside of that is not just "free time". Security guards and custodians don't volunteer to be there, and shouldn't be asked to. There are also liability and insurance issues for gatherings and events.

Even DCPL libraries require room reservations, and in some cases charge fees.

Anonymous wrote:All the problems at SSMA and "Dr" R spends her time extracting rent from the community association. What a joke. SSMA's board needs to grow a spine and remove her.

Sounds like extortion - if the parent association pays, she'll play nice this year.

All the problems at SSMA and "Dr" R spends her time extracting rent from the community association. What a joke. SSMA's board needs to grow a spine and remove her.

Anonymous wrote:Charging the PTO is more than fair if:

- The PTO is a separate non-profit, AND
- The building/space is rented by the charter school with a specific lease/use agreement, AND
- The PTO meetings are held outside of normal business hours, requiring paid overtime to hourly employees security, custodial, or administrator supervision to provide building access during these hours.

Carry on.

The PTO is better off using the meeting room at the closest library. It's crazy to pay the school to use their space while raising money for THE SCHOOL.

Charging the PTO is more than fair if:

- The PTO is a separate non-profit, AND
- The building/space is rented by the charter school with a specific lease/use agreement, AND
- The PTO meetings are held outside of normal business hours, requiring paid overtime to hourly employees security, custodial, or administrator supervision to provide building access during these hours.

Carry on.

Anonymous wrote:If the PTA was a truly armslength organization with tons of cash, sure. But PTOs are often shoestring operations with few people who do everything and the schools should be happy to get whatever they earn and offer, not charge them rent. That’s the sign of a terrible working relationship.

PTA or PTO? PTA (Parent Teacher Association) pays the national organization a fee so has an upfront cost to bear. PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) is the common name used in lieu of PTA, which has no national organization that collects a membership fee.

My PCS does not charge our PTO for anything space related (storage of supplies, room for meetings, multipurpose room for school-related events, etc.) and accommodates a reasonable amount of photocopying. They provide an important community benefit that the school is more than happy support.

As a parent of children who have attended DCPCS, if I know my donations went to pay for rent for PTA space at the school, I would NOT be donating.

PTO rent sounds right up there with TB tests for field trip chaperones as a win for bureaucracy over sanity.

So glad we left SSMA

Anonymous wrote:Ya'll need to leave SSMA alone and stop airing their school business on here.

Tell that to their PTO president. Responding here only stoked the fire.

Anonymous wrote:Ya'll need to leave SSMA alone and stop airing their school business on here.

School quality is everyone's business. And shutdowns are for all failing schools, not just those serving low-income kids.

Ya'll need to leave SSMA alone and stop airing their school business on here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here: DCPS lists "reduced rate" qualifiers
https://dcps.dc.gov/page/use-school-facilities-and-grounds

https://dcps.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dcps/publication/attachments/DCPS%20Fee%20Schedule%20for%20Space%209-4-1990.pdf

So in DCPS PTOs are supposed to pay something. Not sure if ours actually does.

But this is a Public Charter School - the core of independence is they do not need to file DCPS regulations [they do need to follow OSSE]

Yes, but its good to compare.