Welcome to PTO 2020-2021
Hello fellow Barranca parents!
As we begin a new (and rather unorthodox) new school year, I want to encourage each of you to consider participating in PTO. After being forced into quasi-homeschool at the end of last year, I think we all have a new appreciation for the work that our teachers do for our children. For me, it has given me even more desire to do what I can to support our teachers as well as all of our students. I think we have all realized, after being alone with our children for months of quarantine, that it really does take a village!
As you consider how to support your child’s education, I hope that becoming involved in PTO is high on your list of ways to positively affect the school. Here are my top ten reasons why every parent in the school should be active in PTO:
Free childcare once a month during our monthly meetings (once we’re cleared to meet in person)! Who says no to free childcare?
Make new friends! It can be hard to get to know other parents at school if your only interaction is awkwardly standing there waiting to pick up kids. And now it’s even worse since you don’t even get out of your car. Nothing helps you bond with other people like planning a fundraiser!
Provide teachers with money so they don’t have to spend their own money on class supplies. The more money we earn, the more stipends and grants we can give to teachers.
Give your kids more opportunities. PTO funds pay for field trips and other activities that wouldn’t be possible without our support. If you want your kindergartner to go to the zoo, then join PTO and help us make that happen!
Be in the room where it happens. Anyone else been watching Hamilton lately? If you want to know what’s going at the school, come get the inside scoop during our monthly meetings and help decide what projects we decide to prioritize.
Get to know the teachers at the school. PTO provides opportunities to interact with teachers and the principal so that when you go to back to school night you aren’t staring at a bunch of strangers up there.
Use your strengths to benefit the whole school community. We have so many roles that we need help with—there is literally something for everyone to do. Are you good at event planning? Do love finances? Do you make a mean bowl of chili? Do you spend lots of time on Facebook and know how to write the perfect post? Your talents are probably exactly what we need.
Improve your parenting skills and learn how to best support your children’s education. Our meetings this year are going to feature a guest speaker on a relevant topic to parenting, education, and generally supporting our kids. All this and some mix and mingle social time as well!
You can avoid the “I-didn’t-help-with-PTO-this-year-and-I-swear-I-will next year” guilt!
Create a tight-knit school community. We can make Barranca Mesa a place where we all know each other and support each other.
Did that convince you? I really hope you take a minute to register for PTO and find a way that you can become actively involved in our school’s organization!
