As my oldest son was getting ready to enter Elementary School I knew my time would become divided between my work there and with the Moms Club. I let them know it would be my last term as President and due to low availability I offered to stay on as a board member in another position. We held elections sat a new president and moved forward with club business. Sometime later (a few months?) things for me started taking a busier turn at home. My Mom got a date for a open heart surgery we had known was going to need to happen just didn't know when. I was spending more and more time at my sons school volunteering, only as a member not President at this time.
I then made the fastest craziest choice in my life late fall of 2011. I was going to go back to school to become a teacher. It really wasn't all that crazy of an idea to me. I had originally started college back in....ahhemmmm um right out of high school. ;) to become a teacher. Life took me in different paths however, photography at school, Property Management for a career, being a Mom of two boys and being extremely lucky and blessed to be able to stay home with them.
So I started school Winter of this year and full time none the less, during this time I also let the club know I would not be participating any longer. Long story short I was ready to be free of that drama. Some ask was it all bad? NO! I loved 99.9% of it and made some friends I will have for life. I also get asked wasn't I just trading one drama for another. Because shortly after that I also became President of my sons PTO at his Elementary school. My answer to this....kindof! Its not the same drama thats for sure and to be honest since we are a PTO vrs a PTA we are relatively drama free....knock on wood.
PTO vs. PTA: What’s the Difference?
The technical differences between a PTA and a PTO are fairly simple. The National PTA is a formal membership organization headquartered in Chicago with a 105-year history of working for children. Local groups that choose to belong to the PTA must pay dues to the state and national organizations and abide by state and national group rules. In return, they get member benefits, and they get a voice in the operations of the larger organization. The National PTA maintains a Washington, D.C., lobbying office, and most state PTAs advocate at their respective state capitals, as well. The PTA carefully protects its name, so that in theory only dues-paying members of the group can call themselves a PTA.
PTO, on the other hand, is a more generic term. It generally represents the thousands of groups that choose to remain independent of the PTA. The acronym PTO is the most popular name, but other common monikers include PCC, PTG, and HSA. These are most often single-school groups that operate under their own bylaws and by and large concern themselves with the goings-on at their building or in their town only.
So there you have the low down on PTO vrs PTA....Im sure you all wanted....needed to know that but its a question I get so thought I would share.I do miss Moms club especially as the summer is coming but I am happy in my new spot and looking back now I gave and got what I needed to out of it. I would like to think I left it in better shape than when I found it but it likely didn't stay that way to long and thats up for debate, but to be honest I really dont care about the behind the scenes politics of it anymore. It is what it is. I really am happy where I am and thats what matters now.
PTO is fun, hands on in the school experience working with kids K-6 which is great. Its harder to get volunteers but its easier to get money to do things haha. If that makes sense, Its where I will be for a while I plan to stay on one more year as President and then depending on my working situation we will see what happens I may have to drop to a different position if I am working IN the school. Wishful thinking though ;)
I'm taking anywhere from 13-16 credits a quarter and am on track to be able to work as a teachers assistant fall 2013. I could take a test WA state has to become a assistant right away but Nash is still home with me until then and I think having this schooling gives me a leg up. I think working then as a Teachers Assistant while finishing my BA is going to be a good networking thing and hands on experience which at my age is something I have a bonus of if I am going to keep up with the younger students pouring out of school right now to be teachers.
~ Kristen
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