I've been reading quite a few blogs lately and it's clear we are all ready for sunny warm weather minus the snow. It's comforting to know so many of us are feeling the same and have the same concerns, a connection of sorts.

I've been trying to keep my head down around here lately. It all started when we moved into the school district a few years back. Many parents seen us as the outsiders, crazy liberals from out west. I attended our schools PTO meetings with enjoyment. Volunteered not only ideas but my time beyond what the board had seen before.

I soon began to hear rumblings from the PTO board. Perhaps having a parent volunteering for so many things was uncomfortable to them? I was hearing things like I was doing too much. My ideas were big 'out west liberal' ideas, 'we were only a small school therefore they wouldn't work'. End of discussion.

What they didn't know: I grew up in this very area. Our move was a move back to my roots, our family homestead. I indeed did know many of the less active parents because we attended school together. The school district we moved from was a small school district within a small farming community much like the one here. My ideas were not from a over populated misconception of CA they had seen on reality TV. They were ideas from other small schools around the nation.

Many parents outside of the PTO circle watched what was happening and stated they 'had my back', 'supported the small group of parents who were trying to make small changes'. However, when the time came those same parents were no longer there. They had become frustrated in the status quo. They were done. I volunteered to end my involvement with the PTO and focused on my kids education inside the classroom as well as extra curricular items not offered in the school.

Fast forward four years later. The PTO is on the verge of shutting down due to lack of parent involvement. The current board claims they are ready to walk away. I have parents calling me to discuss the previous nights meetings. How they and their ideas were treated. They ask of my past experience dealing with the PTO as well as my personal and professional advice on how to handle what is happening.

I'm keeping my head down. It doesn't mean I don't sympathize with what is happening or don't applaud the parents who are trying to make changes despite repeatedly being shut down. It just means I'm keeping my head down and holding my heart a little closer these days.

I'm concentrating on ensuring my kids classrooms are all they need to be, the teachers are focused on ensuring my children get the education they need and involving my kids in extra curricular actives no longer deemed important according to the schools budget. I'm keeping my heart a little closer these days.

Thanks for listening.