I get emails from our schools’ PTSAs pretty much all summer. But this time of year, in the short weeks before the school year starts, they start coming in fast and furious.
And with good reason. School PTSAs could really use the support of every single family, but typically fall short of getting that.
Long gone are the days when I was a child, when the only things parents (mostly stay-at-home moms) were asked to do was bring in cupcakes for parties and cut out stars for bulletin boards. As classroom needs and teacher responsibilities have expanded, so has the need for an active and engaged parent/teacher organization.
Present-day PTSAs try to support classroom teachers and administrators in their jobs as much as possible, while also providing enrichment opportunities for students and their families. They’ll run after-school clubs and school-wide activities like festivals and dances; they help within-school events, help coordinate class pictures, create the school yearbook and purchase school supplies, and a hundred other support activities.
This all takes people and money. Most PTSAs rely on a core group of parents who do the bulk of the work. They’d love to have more join the effort, even giving an hour or two (or even a half hour) every once in a while for a special event.
But as a PTSA member, you don’t even have to commit ANY time if you don’t want to. Simply showing your support by purchasing a PTSA membership is plenty helpful. You can even sign up online. And in addition to helping your school, you’ll get a membership card with discounts printed on the back (like 10% off at local businesses, a free Blizzard at DQ, 50% off at Color Me Mine), and will be entered into three prize drawings:
- Oct. 1 – Four tickets to Webster Theatre Guild’s October production of South Pacific and a $200 gift card to Hedges
- Nov. 1 – A one-year family membership to the Webster Aquatic Center
- Dec. 1 – A one-year family membership to the Bay View Family YMCA (includes access to area YMCA facilities!)
So next time you get one of those emails, don’t trash it. Consider joining your school’s PTSA. You’ll be doing a lot to support your kids, their teachers and administrators this school year.
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