New Group: Unity the Key for New PTA
PTO Today's 2007 Outstanding New Parent Group got a head start, launching family activities before its school officially opened.
As a school formed from three other schools—and a PTA formed from three separate parent groups—unity was the key concept when Philander Lee Elementary opened in Canby, Ore., last fall. The new PTA began the previous spring by encouraging families to each decorate a tile. The tiles were then used to grace the entrance of the school as a symbol of cohesiveness and ownership. Once the year began, the PTA launched an array of activities, including after-school and art literacy sessions (both taught by parents), a series of school assemblies, and a family fitness night with an around-the-world travel theme. The group reached out to Spanish-speaking parents, and among its most successful events was a Mexican cultural fair organized by Hispanic parents.
What the judges loved: This group hit the ground running, successfully building a sense of community in a school that could have been divided. They organized an impressive number of programs and events, and they did a great job of reaching out to Spanish-speaking parents.
Cool fact: On average, the parent group’s family events drew 600 attendees.
