Idea Gallery 2001

Pioneering a Unique Learning Experience

The Pioneer Elementary School PCTO of Ashwaubenon, Wis., has developed a trailblazing project to support their state's academic goals of research and independent learning. As part of the Kids Explore Boxes program, parent group members compile books, games, puzzles, and software into themed kits. Twice a week, Pioneer students visit a parent-guided classroom where they explore the boxes, research a topic they discover that appeals to them, create a project to show what they've learned, then share it with others.

Learning That Money Is a Means, Not an End

"To know how special our PTO is, you have to realize where we started from. At times, we felt like the only thing the PTO did was raise money. The only thing the teachers did was spend money. Attendance at PTO meetings was low. But through diligent effort, teacher and parent participation has increased in every area, with two family nights per year, one major fall fundraiser, parent involvement in the classroom, science fairs, Earth Day, a publishing center, and new playground equipment. A long list of volunteers now helps our school motto come to life: Parents and teachers working together, striving for excellence."

Letitia Tutkowski
President, Edgerton Elementary PTO
Greenfield, Wis.

Moms' Night Out

Trying to round up some new members or rejuvenate weary volunteers? Laura Bertolotti, vice president of PR for the Miller Place (N.Y.) PTO suggests hosting a Ladies' Night. "It gives moms a chance to unwind, take time for themselves, and meet new people," she says. "We serve cake and coffee and we chat. It's the perfect casual atmosphere for prospective members, who may be intimidated by the unfamiliar business going on at general meetings, to get a feel for your group." And a coffee house for moms isn't the only way to go. Other groups give busy mothers a break with dinner out, a fashion show, or an auction. Many provide babysitters, and some charge a small admission fee to make Ladies' Night a minor fundraiser.

Helping Kids Help Others

The Dover (Mass.) Elementary PTO sponsors the Community Outreach Program, which teaches children the value of helping others by setting up a different charitable activity each month. So far, the Dover PTO has collected stuffed animals for four children's charities, winter coats for needy Boston-area kids, food for a local food pantry, blankets for the Roaming Van Program in Boston, books for the library, coins for UNICEF, and help for local families facing hardship. And that's not the end of the story; future projects include collecting school and art supplies for children in a family crisis shelter, mobile phones for battered women, and pet food for a local animal shelter.

Making Magic

Rebecca Phelps, principal of Grandy Primary School in Camden, N.C., says, "Thank you for the opportunity to brag about my PTO. I think of them as the fairy godmothers of the school." What happens when these volunteers wave their wand? Popular family events sponsored by the Grandy PTO include Science/Pizza Night and Reading Night. During Science/Pizza Night, each class sets up experiments to teach their parents about science, and everyone enjoys a pizza dinner. For Reading Night, students dress in their PJs and snack on milk and cookies while they hear a bedtime story read by the superintendent or another special guest. And to encourage lots of at-home reading nights, the PTO provides a book for each child who attends.

Success Secrets for Parental Support

Anne Kovach, president of the St. Alphonsus School PTO in Dearborn, Mich., reveals how her group gets exceptional parental involvement:

1. Personal invitations: "We ask people face to face to join us in our activities. They can see our enthusiasm and the fact that we are a diverse group and not a clique."
2. Practicality: "We make it easy for people to say yes: free child care, refreshments, and cash door prizes at each PTO meeting."
3. Leadership: "We groom our upcoming executive board by having them in the PTO for a year. An executive board member is at every event."

Meeting and Greeting

The districtwide Crandall (Texas) PTO hosts a New Family Welcome program in September. Members call each new family in the district and personally invite them to attend. The superintendent, principals, and representatives from school groups and area churches attend to meet the new families and answer questions.

Parent Groups and Politics

While PTOs stay away from endorsing particular political candidates, they care about how the political process affects education. To help community members make informed decisions in the voting booth, the Beaver Meadow School PTO in Concord, N.H. hosts a Candidates Forum Night, broadcast on local radio, where school board candidates answer questions.

Something's Cooking in Grand Blanc

The Cook Elementary PTO in Grand Blanc, Mich., has dramatically increased parent participation by developing events such as Mother-Son Night at a Detroit Pistons game and the Daddy-Daughter Dance. Two hundred moms and sons went to last year's game, and more than 365 dads and daughters attended this year's dance. Meetings themselves now average 75 to 100 parents in attendance, a big step up from the 10 to 15 who generally showed up in years past.

Grandparents Going Back to School

Since the more family members involved in a child's education, the better, the Raritan Valley Elementary PTO in Hazlet, N.J., coordinates an activity for the parents of the parent group. Grandparents Day is a morning that helps the school's 3rd graders honor their grandparents, complete with breakfast, corsages, and photographers.

After-School Specials

Two years ago, the Ledge Street School PTO in Nashua, N.H., decided that its two after-school enrichment programs just weren't enough to keep kids learning and having fun. Since then, the PTO has worked to increase the number of programs to seven, including roller-skating, Sunshine Math, chess club, and hands-on science. The activities all take place right after school, and kids in Ledge Street's on-site after-school day care can join in.

A Sweet Treat for Teachers

Teachers and school staff always appreciate a parent group's treats and recognition, but if you really want to give them a special thank you, why not get creative? Instead of just giving teachers a bag of candy for Halloween, the Eastern Elementary PTA in Georgetown, Ky., included a note describing the significance of the contents: "A Hug because sometimes you just need one. A Kiss to remind you that you are loved. A Snickers because sometimes you just have to laugh. An extra eyeball because sometimes you need one in the back of your head. An extra Payday because everyone could use an extra one of those. A Tootsie Roll to remind you not to bite off more than you can chew. A $100 Grand because you deserve it. A Life Saver because you truly are. A Milky Way because you are one of the brightest stars in the galaxy. An Almond Joy because sometimes you feel like a nut. A Mounds because sometimes you don't. Some Reese's Pieces because sometimes you just need a little peace. One Promise that you can break. A Baby Ruth because sometimes you just want to run home. A Mars because you're out of this world. A bag to help you keep it all together."

The Personal Touch

Living up to its motto of "Today's parent informed, involved, and having fun," the St. Thomas More School Parent League in Green Bay, Wis., offers guidance for the school's new families through its Buddy Program. Parent League buddies call new families early in the school year and introduce themselves, and they are available to answer questions throughout the year.

Kids Enjoying Longer School Days?

"Why are 60 percent of the students at the Arnett C. Lines School in Barrington, Ill., staying after school every day in February?" asks PTO President Sue Hyde. Uh, oh. That doesn't sound good. But the answer does: To participate in the PTO-sponsored mini-courses program! Taught by parent volunteers, this four-week program offers classes ranging from art to creating movies, mad science, sports, and even Harry Potter trivia.

Encouraging Aspiring Authors

The Fairview (Pa.) Elementary PTO sponsors the Peacock Press. Hundreds of students each year are proud as a you-know-what to have the books they write in class or at home typed and bound by PTO volunteers.

Praise From the Principal

"At Stone-Robinson, our PTO has had a series of strong and caring parents in a variety of leadership roles over the past several years. This core group of parents has rejected the model of an influential clique that applies pressure to get decisions made their way. Instead, this group has continued to work to establish a model of inclusiveness, warmth, and partnership. PTO initiatives clearly communicate that this group cares about all children in the school, not just their own children. When I take visitors on school tours, they routinely ask how each classroom can have so many teachers. When I tell them that some of those adults are parents, they are speechless."

Dr. Laurie McCullough
Principal, Stone-Robinson Elementary
Charlottesville, Va.

Will Work for Play

For the past 10 years, the main goal of the parent-teacher group at Sanford Avenue Elementary in Eufaula, Ala., has been to revamp the school's antiquated playground. Last year, the PTO raised enough funds to begin the first phase of the project, and phase two was completed before fall break. Sanford Avenue students are finally enjoying a new, safer playground with a geodome, eight-seat seesaw, eight-seat swing set, and spider climber.

Learning From Each Other

The North Baker Elementary PTO in Baker City, Ore., understands the importance of idea-sharing. For years, the group had planned to revitalize the school's playground in gradual phases. But then, last September, the plan changed when a playground insurance specialist condemned nearly every piece of equipment on the playground. The new goal became replacing all the equipment within the school year. Luckily, during the previous year, the PTO had decided to overhaul its not-too-successful carnival fundraiser. A member set up a meeting with the principal of Idaho's New Plymouth Elementary, which consistently raises more than $12,000 during its carnival. Drawing from New Plymouth's ideas, North Baker last year saw its carnival earnings increase to $10,000 from the previous year's $2,000. The PTO set its 2001 goal at $12,000, a sizable step toward the school's new, safer playground.

Impressive Figures

"In the fourth year of the Parent Liaison Program at the Brockton (Mass.) Public School System, parent liaisons made 18,288 telephone calls, welcomed 2,438 parents to PTO/PAC/PTA meetings, collected 18,319 written responses to the Home & School Connection newsletter, gave 504 school tours, and assisted 33,776 parents and children who attended family involvement events."

Jane Feroli
Parent Information Specialist, Brockton Public Schools
Brockton, Mass.

Finding Fathers

Many parent groups struggle with the question of how to get more fathers involved. The Hunter's Green Elementary PTA in Tampa, Fla., offers a solution. The group created a Dads Club for fathers and other male role models to contribute their special skills and have fun meeting other dads. Dads are on hand to serve pizza and drinks at the Fall Festival Dance, to talk to their children's classes about their jobs during the Great American Teach-In, and to bring students a treat through Dads for Doughnuts.

Not Just Fundraisers but Friends, Too

"Highland Elementary PTSA is special. Ask any teacher, student, or family in the neighborhood, and you will hear a personal story of how the organization has helped make a difference. The young mother of a 2nd grader will tell you about the many meals and visits, the baby-sitting, and the transportation provided to her family by the PTSA during her recent struggle with breast cancer, surgery, and chemotherapy. The family of a 6th grader who lost a beloved father and husband (and PTSA board member) to suicide will speak of ongoing support given in numerous ways. Yes, we do make a difference."

Sharon Christensen
President, Highland Elementary PTSA
Billings, Mont.

Getting the Facts Straight

Talk about making a difference! When the Pointers Run Elementary PTA in Clarksville, Md., became concerned last summer that the school board's projected enrollment for its school was inaccurate, its members set out to perform their own community census through mailed surveys and door-to-door counts. Because enrollment projections determine school budgets and affect area development, the Pointers Run PTAers hoped to back up their belief that the figure assigned to their school was too low. And, after the census was completed and the numbers tallied, the results did indeed show that the school had been undercounted by several hundred students. In response, the county has admitted that its projections process is faulty and has hired a consultant to overhaul enrollment calculations. A Howard County Council member has commented that the PTA's survey has forever changed the future for the county.

Bourne Students Step Into the Spotlight

The Bourne PTA, which serves the Bourne Public Schools of southeast Massachusetts, operates in a town that is separated almost in half by the Cape Cod Canal. Yet the group manages to bridge the gap between five different schools and create programs that work for each one. One popular offering is the All Star Review, an annual variety show in which all 3rd and 4th graders are encouraged to participate. The Bourne PTA was honored by the Massachusetts State PTA with an outstanding unit award for its efforts with the show.