The Last Meeting Is Bittersweet

I have been a PTA member since my son started Kindergarten. I remember filling out my first membership form, writing my first check out to the PTA for membership dues, voting for the first time (for playground equipment that years later when the school was remodeled/rebuilt, got trashed as unsafe!).

When my daughter started Kindergarten two years later, I started a new phase as a PTA member. I was vice president. I remember being asked to run and saying, "Sure!" then having a thousand million reasons why I should have said no. First and foremost, I had no idea what a vice president for the PTA did, or actually, any idea what the whole board was doing besides giving the membership choices on playground equipment.

I was sick with worry all that summer, but in September I stepped into a role that I had no idea I would love so much. Since that worrisome first step, I have sat on a PTA board every year for nine years. I went all the way through elementary school going from VP to Treasurer to President, back to Treasurer (my favorite job!) and then headed over to the middle school where I was secretary and this final year, President.

I have loved my years with the PTA, not because of the state and national works, but because at my school level I could see the good we did. I helped raise the funds to purchase an entire new playground to go with our new school. I ran concessions for movie nights, family fun nights, pumpkin carving nights. I had a hand in getting a new book to every student who attended our book reading night. I saw first hand how much a new shredder or a new laminator were appreciated by the staff. I sat in the library year after year and saw the shelves filling up with books I helped bring in with our twice yearly book fairs.

And last night I sat in that library and adjourned the last meeting I will attend for PTA.

It was bittersweet. It doesn't seem possible that I am done, but at the same time I am ready for a break. It's been a great, wonderful journey and I've loved almost every minute of it. I'm going to miss it, except for the nights I'm scrambling to get my agenda together and the meeting starts in 30 minutes. I won't miss that!

Next year I will have two kids in high school, no PTA, but there is a Booster Club........

I've got all summer to recharge and think about joining that!