February 13, 2005
The Value of PTA
Cheryl Thompson, Special to the Press Dispatch
Does your school have a Parent/Teacher club? If so, its roots began in 1897 when Alice McLellan Birney and Phoebe Apperson Hearst founded the Parent Teacher Association or as we know it, the PTA.
It seems fitting to write about parent teacher clubs as the PTA celebrates Founder's Day February 17th. Whether you have a PTO or PTA at your school, its beginnings come from two courageous women in Washington D.C. who decided to come together and put resources to work to enrich education for children.
The difference between PTA and PTO (or PTC, Booster Club, etc.) groups is one of membership. The PTA is a national organization that links all other PTA groups together. Many schools operate PTO groups because all of the funds raised go to the school where members' children attend. But both groups have the same goal in mind, to encourage teachers, students and parents in the education process.
Our school operates a Parent Teacher Club. In the constant battle of budgets, PTC groups are invaluable as they raise the funds that give that extra pizzazz and help to make school fun and interesting. I spoke with two of our very active PTC volunteers, Theresa Butcher and Patty Pinkstaff. These ladies have children and grandchildren at the school and have a heart for helping kids. Theresa told me, "The main purpose of the PTC is to serve the needs of the students."
And serve they do! The club is made up of a small cadre of dedicated volunteers working from early in the morning until long after students have gone home for the day. They operate a student store with healthy snacks and school supplies, a coffee shop, all of which is just a small portion of their efforts to raise funds.
Speaking of funds, our PTC club has raised money to purchase 4 digital video cameras and a video editing machine for the students in the AAE's digital film class. Mr. Orsinelli told me, "Anything I need and ask for, it's done, even when I don't ask, they just look around and see what is needed."
The PTC also raised funds for a sound system used by our performing arts students. They subsidize transportation costs for field trips, 6th grade science camp, and chaperones for the senior trip, and on and on. PTC helps create costumes for drama and films, donated a large amount of money for the library earned from book fairs, and get this, holds a wonderful staff appreciation luncheon for all of us working here.
Schools would be sadly lacking that extra touch if it were not for our parent volunteer groups. With so many parents working it is difficult to recruit members to the club. So please, support your local Parent Teacher Club. Give of your time or resources, remember to say a kind word when you see one of the members and thank them for their hard work. It is a labor of love.
We salute you Parent Teacher groups! It really does help the kids. For more information on PTA or PTO groups, check out the websites listed.
http://www.pta.org/
http://www.ptotoday.com/
Cheryl Thompson has been with the Lewis Center since 1992 and is the Corporate Relations Manger. To contact Cheryl call 760-946-5414 ext 202, or email cthompson@lcer.org.
Used with permission by Daily Press, Freedom Communication, 2005