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Many middle level schools struggle with the issue of parent involvement. Parent volunteerism is stressed due to family, economic, and social concerns within many communities. Today, it is more important than ever that schools develop alliances with all families, welcome and encourage active participation of all families, celebrate and utilize the diversity of the local culture, engage the community in meaningful partnerships, and include families and the community members in setting its trajectory toward higher performance.
This article shares some of the ideas and practices that help make the Mechanicsburg Middle School Parent Teacher Organization effective and successful for the entire school community.
The Mechanicsburg Middle School PTO’s mission is to provide a forum for the cooperative efforts of parents, teachers, administration, and community to strengthen the learning environment for the benefit and welfare of our students. To this end, the M.M.S. PTO strives:
Æ To promote open, regular, and timely communications between home and school. Æ To offer opportunities to enhance parenting skills. Æ To support parents' integral role in student learning. Æ To provide assistance and support for curricular and extra-curricular programs through parent involvement. Æ To advocate parents' role as partners in district and school decisions that affect students and families. Æ To provide a link to community resources for the mutual benefit of our students and community.
Every parent or guardian of a student at M.M.S. is an honored member of the PTO because his/her child is part of the learning community; there are no dues to pay to join the PTO. Parents and guardians are encouraged to get involved in the PTO as just one way for them to be involved in their child’s education. There is a place for everyone in the PTO: serve as an officer, become a committee chairperson, volunteer on a committee, attend PTO meetings, or just take part in |
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any of the activities and events.
The PTO has an executive board comprised of a president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. There are also 24 committees, chaired by parents and staff members: Book Fair, Career Day, Communications, Environmental Challenge, Fundraising, MMS Scrapbook, Main Event, Market Day, Mentoring, MLK Day, MOYA Breakfast, Nominations, Promotions, Red Ribbon Week, Refreshments, School Board Liaison, Social Chaperones, Student Directory, Step Up to High School, Teacher Appreciation, Turkey Trot, Volunteers, Welcome Committee, and Wildcat Fall Festival.
The PTO also has 4 Sixth Grade Representatives from the 4 elementary schools that feed into the middle school to help provide a link and connection for the incoming 6th grader parents.
The PTO provides varied support for these committees. Some of the committees are PTO committees only for budgeting purposes – the PTO provides financial support to the activity. Other committees need volunteer so the PTO recruits people for the committees. Some committees have no volunteers but are run solely by the chairperson.
Since the PTO charges no dues, fundraisers provide the bulk of the funds for its budget. The PTO holds one fall fundraiser, as well as participating in a monthly food service (Market Day). The PTO also raises money through sale of calendars and collects box tops, Campbell labels, and grocery receipts. Just like there are various ways for parents to be involved in the PTO, there are various ways they can support the school and the PTO financially.
The bulk of the funds raised by the PTO goes back to the students in various forms. One of the biggest items in the PTO budget is the funding of a day long Career Day. The other large item in the PTO budget is the academic teams fund. The purpose of this fund is to help the teams defray the cost for students of one |
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Effective Parent Teacher Organizations
Contributed by: Leslie Collins, MMS PTO, President Paul A. Meck, PMSA Eastern Region, President |
