Welcome Families
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome each of you and your families to the West Indianola Elementary School. As the PTO President it is my responsibility to talk with you about getting involved in the school. But first, since this may be the first time at West Indianola for many of you, I think it is important to explain what the West Indianola PTO is all about.
PTO Membership
It is important to note that you will automatically become a member of the West Indianola PTO. In fact, all parents or guardians of children attending West Indianola, as well as each member of the professional staff, are members of the Parent Teacher Organization and are encouraged to participate in it’s activities.
The active members of the committee consist of both parents and teachers who volunteer their time to enhance the educational experience of every child in our school. We are an independent organization and we do not belong to any state or national affiliation, or support any political platforms Because we are a PTO we keep all of the funds that we raise for our school rather than sending money for state and/or national dues or fees. There are no dues to be a member of the PTO.
What does the PTO do?
The West Indianola PTO’s mission is to promote open communication and understanding between parents and staff of the West Indianola Elementary school. Our dedication is to enhance and maximize the education of every child while aiding them in achieving their highest potential.
To meet this extremely important goal the organization actively raises funds through various ongoing and event specific programs and activities. These funds enable us to offer many varied programs and projects, all for the betterment of the students’ education. Some examples of the types of activities we put on during the year are the Ice cream social, several skating parties, school carnival and many more. As you can imagine, to meet all of the goals that we have, we need ACTIVE participation.
This is where YOU come in…
Now I truly understand how daunting volunteering can be. Questions such as; “How much time are we talking about here?”, “Will I be required to take on event or committee responsibilities?”, or something as simple as, “What exactly is required of me?”, are all very normal.
And I am here to assure you that as long as I am the President I will never force anyone to dedicate more time than they are willing, or to be coerced into any undertaking that they are not comfortable with. ANY time that ANY individual is willing to offer is more valuable than I can relate! We also understand that in today’s world it is increasingly more difficult to be able to find time to give, even such as one to two hours once a month, which is how often the committee meets.
Parent Involvment is the Key
But that’s not the only reason to become active. When parents get involved in their children’s education, grades go up, test scores go up, children become more likely to pass and to attend better schools after high school, they have fewer discipline problems, and they’re less likely to use drugs and alcohol.
Volunteering doesn’t’ mean a huge time commitment and whatever your time schedule and interests we have need of you. e have tasks that can be performed in the evenings, during the day, or that don’t even involve coming to the school at all.
Won’t you join us? Becoming active is really easy – and it really makes a difference! If you have any questions please feel free to call or e-mail me.
James Adams
PTO President, 2009-2011
james@wipto.org
