Wednesday, October 18, 2006

As it turns out, I'm still figuring out this whole PTA Secretary thing.

I had a lunch meeting today with a couple women from the PTA, including the PTA President, so that we could discuss the creation of a monthly newsletter. The idea is that we'd put minutes from the PTA meetings, and other meeting announcements into this letter, which would be handed to each child once a month so that they could bring it home to their parents. The school already takes a similar approach with their weekly bulletin.

"I have an idea!" I offered, double checking the date on my watch. "It's 2006. How about we dispense with the printed copies and just email the newsletter?"

They chuckled at my date humor. 2006, ho, ho ho. Then they assured me that email would be a bad way to reach the parents. Some parents, they explained, don't have email.

No email? No email?!?!? Anyone who can get to the Internet can get email. So, what percentage of people in this part of the world don't have Internet access? Let's take an informal poll right now. If you can't get to the Internet, please post a comment on this blog.

Later I lamented that the PTA minutes that I've been writing don't get saved anywhere that people can see them. Perhaps, I suggested, after we send out the minutes on dead trees via Pony Express, maybe I could post them to a school blog. It was then explained to me that someone was already working on a school website and we should wait for that. This is something that I've been hearing for many months now.

"Oh, websites are so 2003. I could post these babies to a blog TONIGHT!" I exclaimed.

2003. Ho ho ho. We moved on.

After we were done discussing the merits of the Gutenberg printing press, the PTA Prez changed the topic.

"Would you guys be interested in attending an adult motel party?" she asked very matter of factly.

This question threw me for a loop. I've heard of adult motels and their parties, but I've never been invited to one. I pondered the notion.

"You mean like a sex party?" I asked?

Her eyes bugged out of her head a bit.

"What?? NO! Not a sex party. A dancing party! With Motown music!" she replied, aghast.

"Ohhhh! MoTOWN. I thought you said moTEL. I thought you were referring to an adult moTEL party. Sorry," I apologized.

"Well, I guess we learned something about our PTA Secretary today," she retorted.

"Hey! I didn't say I'd go to your sex party. I just misheard you."

"Well, would you be interested in attending a MoTOWN party for school parents?" she re-asked.

"MoTOWN? No."

I'll get the hang of this.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

No adult moTEL party eh.

That's so 2006, don't you think?

--Pablo

Mike said...

Pablo! Maybe mid-2006.

carey said...

LOL! Ya can't blame people for being intimidated by all those internets tubes. And nothing says fun quite like an adult moTOWN party. Ugh.

Mike said...

Yeah, but how awkward would a sex party be with the rest of the PTA?

carey said...

not so much for you, since you'd just be sitting there taking minutes. ;)

Mike said...

Carey, I LOL'ed.

Tasty said...

Carey, I lol'ed, too!

zelda1 said...

You are in the world of status quo. It has worked liked this for fifty years, we won't mess with it then. Yep, that's the PTA. Same ole same ole. Do the blog, make them move forward. It's time.

Mike said...

Zelda1, I officially nominate you for President of the PTA. Please move to San Francisco for the inauguration ceremony.

Linda@VS said...

I say let the school have their website in their own good time...and let the PTA have a blog now, even though they don't realize that they really want one. As the official secretary, you could set up a blog for those who want their information in a timely manner. Then, once a month, one of those PTA naysayers could print your blog and make a bunch of copies for the kids to crumple up in their backpacks along with their books, power bars and sweaty gym socks.

Kat Campbell said...

What's shocking to me is that you're getting this attitude in CALIFORNIA? Sheesh, our dinky little midwestern town on the rim of appalachia has had a website for years and e-mails the newsletter. They aren't quite up to a blog yet, but some of the teachers do use one to provide homework assignments, etc. Remind these biddys that they live mere miles from Silicon Valley! This was very funny by the way.

Mike said...

VS, as it turns out, I need the principal's approval to create a school blog. :(

Kat! Yeah, it kills me that in my day job, EVERYTHING is on the web, but suddenly I'm transported back to the Industrial age when it comes to school stuff.