The Purpose of the Parent Teacher Organization
When I was growing up, I didn't pay much attention to the PTA at my school. This stood for parent-teacher association, but most go with PTO, or parent teacher organization. Now that I have my own child in school, I realize what they can do for most schools. There have been many budget cuts across the board in a lot of the school districts in our country, and that means many of the extras are missing. The PTO in my district takes the time to make money to replace some of these things, along with many other activities.
This year, the parent teacher association bought lovely folders for all of the children. My daughter's school sends a folder home each day with each child. The work comes home in it, and whatever needs to be sent back also goes into the folder to go back the next day. These folders are actually a very good idea, and would work well in any school. The parent teacher organization paid to have these printed for each child with the school mascot on the cover. I thought that was a very nice touch. Parents could have spent money on a folder for their own child, but it might not have been as special as these folders seem to be.
The parent teacher organization in my daughter's school also makes arrangements and takes care of the students on picture day. That means that the work of organization this is taken off of the shoulders of the administration and teachers. They keep things running smoothly, and they ask for parent volunteers to help out. This school does pictures twice a year, so the parent teacher organization keeps things running smoothly without the school having to stop everything to get it done. They organize many other like activities as well.
The parent teacher organization does much more than that. They also raise money for a variety of projects. They may help with new landscaping, uniforms, or support a booster group for various sports. Each school has it's own set of needs that the parent teacher organization will step up and take care of, as long as they money holds out. That is why it is a great idea to be involved with the PTA or the PTO, even if you don't have the time. Just donating or buying what they sell for fundraisers can be a huge help and a benefit for your child.
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