Just who is the PTO? In a nutshell, it’s you! Whether you are a teacher, a parent, or both, just by being at this school, YOU ARE a part of the PTO ~ Parent-Teacher Organization.
Now, how can you be involved? It’s really quite simple and requires very little time commitment. The PTO (that’s you, remember?) meets once a month for about 1 1/2 hours - with free babysitting provided! We’re trying something new this year and holding our meetings on alternating nights to accommodate more parents’ schedules. Please take a look at the schedule and mark a few (or all) the dates on your calendar. Make it a family night! Moms and dads are encouraged to attend together, and kids are welcome in the meeting or can have adult-supervised fun in the gym. And, three times during the year, our meeting will take place during a Family Fun Night, including free dinner and a family activity for the whole family! In these meetings, we. . . discuss things like what types of fund raisers to hold, when to hold them, and how to use the money raised (like the catalog sales & jog-a-thon); plan special events (like the family movie nights, community events, & the carnival); learn about innovative curriculum (like ‘new math’) and school-wide changes (like the report card revisions); express our views on administrative decisions (like Kindergarten hour changes); host visitors from the school, the school district, the legislature, and the community; and much, much more. You can express your opinion on whether or not you want things to happen, what things you want to happen, how they happen, and how they’re paid for! The meetings are a very casual, open forum. At every meeting you can look for: a Spanish translator; snacks; a prize drawing; and free adult-supervised activities for your children! The meetings are facilitated by the Board elected last spring, consisting of the PTO President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary, as well as two teacher representatives. The principal is always an honored guest. And, for those interested, a meeting will be hosted on the night following the traditional PTO meeting in Spanish! Spanish-speaking parents will have the opportunity to learn first-hand what is happening at school, place their votes on important topics, and make their choices known ~ in their own language! This year’s PTO Board (that’s us) has a few goals for the PTO (that’s you). Our theme is “Voices Expressing Choices.” We want every parent ~ moms and dads ~ in the school attend at least one PTO meeting during the 2006/07 school year. And, we also want to make the meetings as interesting, informative, comfortable, and short as possible! We are planning special guest speakers, performances by students, educational topics, and more. Check our meeting schedule for detailed information about when and where the meetings will take place!
So, come on! They’re your kids. It’s your community, your neighborhood, and your school! Be involved. Have a voice. Express a choice. Come to the PTO meetings. I dare you!