Parent Involvement and PTA

Contrary to the opinion at BISD, PTA is not part of their administration.  They sure do seem to think so and I don't understand it at all.

This morning I received an email from Vicki Kibbles, the BISD Parent Involvement Coordinator, regarding a PTA General Meeting that is to be held in the BISD board room.  I received this because I am the PTA President at Odom Academy and I was being invited to attend the meeting.  I get that.  The flyer attached was generated by the president of the Beaumont Metropolitan Council of PTA's.  What I don't get is why Ms. Kibbles was the one to distribute it.

BISD is not in the PTA business.  But in recent years the Parent Involvement Coordinator has been getting more and more involved in PTA matters.  Is that her job?  Is that her mission?  I thought the mission of the PIC was to supervise the parent involvement people on the campus in their effort to get parents more involved in their childrens' education.  Am I wrong?

I can see where these two things can go hand in hand.  The Parent Teacher's Association and the Parent Involvement Department.....but should Ms. Kibbles be the one distributing flyers for the PTA?  I really don't think so.  But I think she has gotten this directive from Dr. Thomas.  He is at every one of the PTA meetings that are held at the board room.  So are Ms. Kibbles and Ms. Haynes.

Earlier in the school year, when we were in the swing of membership, I was at West Brook waiting in the band hall to travel with the band to a football game.  I started receiving phone calls first from Odom, then from board members, then from Ms. Kibbles about the membership roster that hadn't been turned in.  The dates for turning in membership names are October 15 for early bird and October 31 for deadline.  The calls were on October 15th.  Early bird only means that your PTA will receive a certificate stating that you got 25 names turned in by that date.  It isn't a big deal.  Oh, but it was that day.  No matter how many times I stated that I couldn't do anything about it right that minute, I was asked repeatedly to do something.  It wasn't the end of the world, but it was to Ms. Kibbles.

That next Monday, I called Texas PTA to ask whether we were still going to have a PTA since we didn't get the names in I was told yes because the 15th was only early bird and to just make sure we had names in by October 31st.  I let Ms. Kibbles know I had spoken to them and what they said.  I just don't understand her involvement.  She isn't my boss.  She isn't my supervisor.  She isn't anything in relation to the PTA.

Maybe this wasn't the correct forum for this, but it was on my mind.  I replied to her email today with just those questions.  Why is she involved in PTA?  I have not received an answer from her.  I really don't think I will.

What is your opinion on this matter?  Are other school administrations involved in PTA business or is it just BISD?  Tell me what you think.