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PTAs Are Separate Organizations from HCS

It has been brought to my attention that Huntsville City Schools central office (read: Wardynski) has decided to ask that individual schools’ PTAs submit their monthly financial reports to Mr. Jason Taylor the CSFO for Huntsville City Schools for review.

If this is happening at your school, you should encourage your PTA leadership to respectfully but firmly decline.

The PTA is a completely separate organization. It is not a part of the school nor the school system. There are absolutely no financial ties between a school’s PTA and the school; thus, there are absolutely no financial ties between a school’s PTA and the district the school is located in.

HCS is not responsible for the finances of the PTA. And frankly, HCS has no right to ask to review the finances of the PTA. (I cannot even begin to imagine why they would WANT to do this. Reviewing the individual schools’ PTA’s financials would make them responsible for those financials.)

Please, PTA leadership keep the following ideas in mind from the National PTA’s Finance Quick Reference Guide.

“Note: All PTA monies and other assets, including checking accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit, are the property of the PTA” (7).

And this:

“Since the PTA is an independent, private association, all monies raised from the local per-capita portion of dues and through additional efforts and other assets, including checking accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit, are the property of the local PTA” (10).

The PTA is a completely separate organization from Huntsville City Schools. The district has no right nor responsibility to review the PTAs financial statements. That is the sole right and responsibility of the PTA itself.

Please tell the district leadership that we thank them for their interest and support, but if they wish to review the PTA’s financials they can do so at the National PTA site. Here’s the link to the PTA’s audits for the past eight years.

If the Huntsville Council of PTAs wishes to remain a separate viable voice for Parents and Teachers, they will openly and directly decline this request on behalf of the city’s PTAs. If they do not do so, well, that makes it abundantly clear who they actually represent.

Russell
"Children see magic because they look for it." --Christopher Moore, Lamb: The Gospel according to Biff, Jesus' childhood pal.

9 Comments

  1. … and after financials, they will need a complete membership list with contact info and SSN, then they will need a complete list of all program speakers and presenters and subjects presented, past and future, then they will need info regarding PTSA leadership (elected officers) and election details, then they will need …

    You can never have to much information and personal data …

  2. Using accidental financial mistakes of all volunteer PTA boards as a method of removing PTA officers who disagree with Wardynski is a possible motive.

      1. Russell, why don’t you ask Kathie Rooker. She is the Treasurer of the AL State PTA. The State PTA is responsible for oversight of local PTAs. The organizational structure of the PTAs does not allow the Huntsville Council of PTAs any oversight authority of local units (as far as I know and I may be mistaken).

    1. The “justification” the central office is using to request this reporting doesn’t matter. Let’s suppose that there had, in fact, been financial malfeasance on the part of a PTA. I don’t believe that has happened, but let’s suppose that it had. Even then, Huntsville City Schools is still a completely separate organization with absolutely zero oversight over the PTAs.

      This is like some stranger coming up to me in the produce section, examining what I have put in my cart to feed my kids, and telling me that I shouldn’t buy organic bananas.

      The financial business of the PTA is the business of the PTA. It is not the business of Huntsville City Schools. One would think they would have far more than enough to be getting on with in keeping their own house in order.

  3. Am I missing something here? Doesn’t P-T-A stand for Parent-Teacher Association? The premise of this association is to encourage parents involvement with their teachers in support of their students. Fundraisers and other activities sponsored by the PTA is strictly agreed to by the teacher and parent representatives, of course staying within the guidelines of school policy. Under NO circumstance do school officials have any authority or oversight of the financial records of the PTA. If Wardynski wants information on what’s going on, he should attend a PTA meeting. However, first he must submit in writing to the PTA what he wants to talk about, then he will be allowed 3 minutes to speak, after which his microphone will be turned off!

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