I would like to concur with Richard on the need to look at making amendment's to
the by-laws. I also served on that board/by-law committee, and would like to add
that the only reason the second vice-pres. position came into being was to allow
a second person who was running become a member. That person being me, and
while I was grateful to be able to be on this board and later become the second President,
I have done a lot of research looking at other by-laws of schools in Metro. I have
seen several areas where the current by-laws should be looked at and evaluated.
This is a worthwhile task for members to review.
Also, please know that except for this wonderful grandmother who served on the
initial committee, most of us were first-time elementary school parents, and were doing
the best that we thought at the time.
It is healthy for an organization to review and reflect on what works for itself as
it changes over time. And I am sure if we were doing again there are items that we would
have included or worded differently.
Lastly, while I think it is vital to have a President lead this organization, who has a vision
and can implement a plan that the board helps define, it is also very important that
parents unable to serve on the board to please consider taking a leadership role in
one of the committee aspects of this organization. Lockeland is a wonderful school
and I hope that we will be lucky once again to be a part of this community in a few
years.
Cori Morris
mom to Eamon, 2009
mom to Iain, hopefully 2017
From: kost...@comcast.net <kost...@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: Urgent - LDC PTO Member Input is Needed
To: "Kaelin Cramer" <kcram...@gmail.com>, "kali williams00" <kali_wi...@bellsouth.net>, "Karl Davis" <karltd...@comcast.net>, "KATHERINE SJOBLOM" <kfsj...@hotmail.com>, "Kathie (Walker) LaRosa" <kathie...@gmail.com>, kcfri...@yahoo.com, "Keith Spadafino" <spad...@comcast.net>, "Kellie Williamson" <kellie.w...@tn.gov>, "Kelly (student directory) Tidwell" <bamat...@comcast.net>, "Kelly Searcy" <ksea...@gmail.com>, "Ken Price" <oaken...@yahoo.com>, "Kenya Kidd" <kenya...@yahoo.com>, "Kenya T Lee" <keny...@comcast.net>, "Kevin and Jodi O Hara" <kjo...@comcast.net>, "Kevin Madden" <km...@innovaus.com>, "Kimberly
Daly" <kimber...@hotmail.com>, kmcd...@comcast.net, "Kortney Wilson" <kortney...@gmail.com>, kost...@comcast.net, "Kristen Hudson" <krist...@gmail.com>, "Kym Gerlock" <kym.g...@comcast.net>, larryb...@isdn.net, "LaTresa Jobe" <bless...@hotmail.com>, "Laura McCoy" <rlm...@bellsouth.net>, "Laura Moffett" <bomo...@comcast.net>, "Laura Padgett" <ltpa...@gmail.com>, "laura klapheke" <laura.k...@mnps.org>, "Laura(lead talent show) Donohue" <laurag...@gmail.com>, "Lauren Brooks" <teambroo...@gmail.com>, ldcvol...@gmail.com, "Lea Brandon" <leal...@gmail.com>, "Leah (lead walker) Bergman" <leah.j....@vanderbilt.edu>, leand...@aol.com, "Lee Tucker" <leetu...@mac.com>, "Leigh and Michael MacMillan" <mac...@bellsouth.net>, "Lela Moore" <lelal...@yahoo.com>, ler1...@yahoo.com, lesley...@yahoo.com, "Leslie
Madden" <leslielik...@hotmail.com>, "leslie lurie" <leslie...@mnps.org>, "Linda (Lead Beautification) Kilgore" <kill...@comcast.net>, "Lisa Connor" <lisaco...@comcast.net>, "Lisa Ragan" <lisacar...@gmail.com>, "Lisa Stutz" <mst...@bellsouth.net>, lisado...@gmail.com, litt...@aol.com, lockel...@gmail.com, lockel...@googlegroups.com, "Loren Vanags" <loren....@gmail.com>, lpa...@cecinc.com, "lyndell keys" <lyndel...@mnps.org>, "Lynn Taylor" <taylor...@gmail.com>, "Maggie Reaville" <mag...@visitmusiccity.com>, mar...@marcusrowe.com, "maria patton" <maria...@att.net>, "Marilyn Haymaker" <mdhay...@yahoo.com>, "Matt King" <matt...@hotmail.com>, "matthew king" <matthe...@vanderbilt.edu>, matthew...@yahoo.com, "Meg Ashworth" <megas...@gmail.com>, "megan allen" <megan...@mnps.org>, "Meghan Carlson"
<bamca...@comcast.net>, "Melissa Cantrell" <mac...@bellsouth.net>, "Melissa(co-lead administrative) Williams" <mkei...@yahoo.com>, "Meredith Robinson" <meredith...@comcast.net>, "Merrie Thompson" <mj84th...@gmail.com>, "michael streeter" <michael....@mnps.org>, "Michele Hatch" <shatc...@yahoo.com>, "Michelle and Ben Fuqua" <fuquam...@hotmail.com>, "Michelle Wray" <chell...@hotmail.com>, "michelle denning" <michelle...@mnps.org>, "Mike Gallagher" <gallag...@bellsouth.net>, "Mike Goods" <mike...@att.net>, "Mike Holley" <holl...@gmail.com>, "Mira J Painter (MNPS)" <mira.p...@mnps.org>, mjo...@gmail.com, "Monica Garces" <monicaa...@yahoo.com>, "morris 3" <morr...@bellsouth.net>, mrsd...@yahoo.com, murd...@comcast.net
Date: Sunday, April 17, 2011, 3:51 PM
I apologize if you have received this multiple times. According to an e-mail message in my account, this failed to go through the first time.
As I could not send one e-mail to the entire PTO membership, this wonderful and insightful response only came to a small group of the membership. I am forwarding for everyone's benefit:
Lockeland PTO Members,
I was Lockeland's first PTO president. I also participated in writing our by-laws. On that original by-laws committee we had one very active grandmother, and for reasons that entirely escape me today, we decided to limit leadership to parents/guardians (however inartful we may have been in making that clear). With six-years of testing of those original by-laws, it may be clear to many that the by-laws could be improved (Are two vice-presidents useful? Do we even utilize the grade-level representative structure?).
The president position has evolved, and it now demands enormous time and energy commitments from the parent bold enough to serve (I couldn't possibly do the job, today). Thus, few parents (especially 40+hour work week parents) can see themselves serving. In light of this, perhaps it would be wise to consider opening up the presidency (and other leadership) to committed members of the PTO who are grandparents or otherwise connected to our school. Certainly nothing that the original by-laws committee wrote was divinely inspired (possibly caffeine inspired) and I would not be insulted in the least if wiser parents (with the power of 6-years experience) re-did those by-laws to address the issues of Lockeland PTO 2011-onwards.
Conversely, I don't rightly know what you can do, if there aren't parents who want to be president. Disband the PTO entirely? Force some poor person who doesn't have the time to do the job, to do it? IF there arises some parent who really wants the job, perhaps they could preside over a by-laws committee next year that could take the time to determine proper changes to the by-laws. But, if no parent steps forward, it seems almost essential to engage in a stop-gap amendment so that our most excellent grandparent could serve as president next year.
It would be a blunt but effective instrument to simply agree to amend the by-laws for 2011-2012 to (1) permit a grandparent to serve as president and (2) to create a by-laws committee to propose more comprehensive amendments for the longer term. Even this type of amendment cannot be done at the April 18 meeting. Instead, 10-days notice, +10% active member participation, +two-thirds vote is needed to formally amend the by-laws (I'm writing this from memory, but I think that is correct). Thus at Monday's meeting IF there is desire for amendment, then the powers-that-are will need to call a Special Meeting and do their darndest to get enough parents to attend the special meeting.
Though my sweet daughter Sofie has banned me from the halls of Lockeland (as she is a big girl and doesn't need to be walked to class) I still love Lockeland. It is a great school and the PTO is a very important component in its greatness. I hope that we do whatever it takes to keep the PTO strong.
Peace,
Richard Tennent
Dad of Rae, Class of 2009
Dad of Sofie, Class of 2013
Dad of Charlie and Meg, Class of 2018 (if fates are kind)
----- Original Message ----- From: kost...@comcast.netTo: "Kaelin Cramer" < kcram...@gmail.com>, "kali williams00" < kali_wi...@bellsouth.net>, "Karl Davis" < karltd...@comcast.net>, "KATHERINE SJOBLOM" < kfsj...@hotmail.com>, "Kathie (Walker) LaRosa" < kathie...@gmail.com>, kcfri...@yahoo.com, "Keith Spadafino" < spad...@comcast.net>, "Kellie Williamson" < kellie.w...@tn.gov>, "Kelly (student directory) Tidwell" < bamat...@comcast.net>, "Kelly Searcy" < ksea...@gmail.com>, "Ken Price" < oaken...@yahoo.com>, "Kenya Kidd" < kenya...@yahoo.com>, "Kenya T Lee" < keny...@comcast.net>, "Kevin and Jodi O Hara" < kjo...@comcast.net>, "Kevin Madden" < km...@innovaus.com>, "Kimberly Daly" < kimber...@hotmail.com>, kmcd...@comcast.net, "Kortney Wilson" < kortney...@gmail.com>, kost...@comcast.net, "Kristen Hudson"
< krist...@gmail.com>, "Kym Gerlock" < kym.g...@comcast.net>, larryb...@isdn.net, "LaTresa Jobe" < bless...@hotmail.com>, "Laura McCoy" < rlm...@bellsouth.net>, "Laura Moffett" < bomo...@comcast.net>, "Laura Padgett" < ltpa...@gmail.com>, "laura klapheke" < laura.k...@mnps.org>, "Laura(lead talent show) Donohue" < laurag...@gmail.com>, "Lauren Brooks" < teambroo...@gmail.com>, ldcvol...@gmail.com, "Lea Brandon" < leal...@gmail.com>, "Leah (lead walker) Bergman" < leah.j....@vanderbilt.edu>, leand...@aol.com, "Lee Tucker" < leetu...@mac.com>, "Leigh and Michael MacMillan" < mac...@bellsouth.net>, "Lela Moore" < lelal...@yahoo.com>, ler1...@yahoo.com, lesley...@yahoo.com, "Leslie Madden" < leslielik...@hotmail.com>, "leslie lurie" < leslie...@mnps.org>, "Linda (Lead Beautification) Kilgore"
< kill...@comcast.net>, "Lisa Connor" < lisaco...@comcast.net>, "Lisa Ragan" < lisacar...@gmail.com>, "Lisa Stutz" < mst...@bellsouth.net>, lisado...@gmail.com, litt...@aol.com, lockel...@gmail.com, lockel...@googlegroups.com, "Loren Vanags" < loren....@gmail.com>, lpa...@cecinc.com, "lyndell keys" < lyndel...@mnps.org>, "Lynn Taylor" < taylor...@gmail.com>, "Maggie Reaville" < mag...@visitmusiccity.com>, mar...@marcusrowe.com, "maria patton" < maria...@att.net>, "Marilyn Haymaker" < mdhay...@yahoo.com>, "Matt King" < matt...@hotmail.com>, "matthew king" < matthe...@vanderbilt.edu>, matthew...@yahoo.com, "Meg Ashworth" < megas...@gmail.com>, "megan allen" < megan...@mnps.org>, "Meghan Carlson" < bamca...@comcast.net>, "Melissa Cantrell" < mac...@bellsouth.net>, "Melissa(co-lead administrative) Williams"
< mkei...@yahoo.com>, "Meredith Robinson" < meredith...@comcast.net>, "Merrie Thompson" < mj84th...@gmail.com>, "michael streeter" < michael....@mnps.org>, "Michele Hatch" < shatc...@yahoo.com>, "Michelle and Ben Fuqua" < fuquam...@hotmail.com>, "Michelle Wray" < chell...@hotmail.com>, "michelle denning" < michelle...@mnps.org>, "Mike Gallagher" < gallag...@bellsouth.net>, "Mike Goods" < mike...@att.net>, "Mike Holley" < holl...@gmail.com>, "Mira J Painter (MNPS)" < mira.p...@mnps.org>, mjo...@gmail.com, "Monica Garces" < monicaa...@yahoo.com>, "morris 3" < morr...@bellsouth.net>, mrsd...@yahoo.com, murd...@comcast.netSent: Sunday, April 17, 2011 12:29:29 PM Subject: Urgent - LDC PTO Member Input is Needed
Hello Lockeland PTO Membership,
Many of you may not be aware that recently a very active PTO member and Grandparent to a couple of students at Lockeland enthusiastically agreed to be nominated for PTO President. She was the only nominee for the position. Unfortunately, the PTO by-laws are unclear and confusing as to who is entitled to serve on the PTO Board. At a recent Board meeting, this issue was brought up. A simple majority of the Board was present. After discussion, they voted 3 to 1 to NOT amend the by-laws, therefore not allowing this Grandparent to run for President.
We need your thoughts and voices heard. Would you like to see active participants in the school such as Grandparents serving on the PTO Board? Would you like to see the by-laws be clear about who and who cannot serve on the PTO board? Do you feel it is important that our by-laws reflect the spirit of inclusiveness that we hold so dear at Lockeland?
I would like to propose an amendment to the by-laws that reflects how YOU feel about this issue. Would you please respond to this e-mail letting me know whether you would like to allow Grandparents to serve on the PTO board and whether you would be willing to vote for an amendment to the by-laws to that effect?
Also would you please attend the board meeting being held on Monday, April 18 at 5:30. The purpose of this board meeting is to discuss the budget, which provides you the perfect opportunity to also hear how this year’s fund raising dollars have been spent. However, since no other PTO Board meeting has been set up to hear your input on this issue, it would also provide the perfect opportunity to let the entire board know how you feel about this issue as it is very important the PTO reflects the values of the entire membership.
If you could let me know your opinion before 2:00p.m. on Monday, especially if you cannot join us at Monday’s PTO meeting, it would be greatly appreciated. I would like to let the Board know your opinion at the meeting, although your presence would be even better.
If you have any questions about this, please feel free to e-mail them to me. Thank you in advance for your participation and response. Your concern and involvement is one of the things that makes our neighborhood school great.
Sincerely,
Christy Koster, Concerned PTO Member and Parent
kost...@comcast.net
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