What is the current impression of PTA at your school? Within BSD, every building except 2 high schools have a PTA unit. And yes, some are more effective than others, yet they represent over 100 years of history, results-driven projects on a local, state and national level and the one parent group that has consistently looked at academics along with overall parent involvement in a school building.
Sidenote: For those 2 high schools that don't have PTA units, they also don't have an organized group of parents that are focused on academic success of the student body. Trust me, I've tried to find a parent network to tap within those buildings. It's a variety of booster clubs focused on extra curricular topics. So when it comes to discussing SSP (Student Success Plans) or CCSS (Common Core State Standards), I've struggled with finding an inroad. At all other buildings, the conversation can at least start with the PTA leaders of that school and what is happening across the building.
Beyond fundraising, I believe that PTA can re-identify itself within BSD by being the academic voice for all students and identifying some of the difficult topics within 21st Century educational reform and holding our administration accountable. PTA is not just fundraising -- yet too many of our units within BSD are only focused on that element. Has this "turned off" a larger parent presents and limited our opportunities as parents to have a place at the decision-making table?
Here is what PTAs could do to support 21st Century public education:
And as parents, we need to stay connected to the PTA network. That is not necessarily attending every meeting, but it is making sure the minutes are consistently provided, a consistent treasurer's report is also included monthly out to the entire membership, and that a strong, 2-way communication effort is established that keeps everyone up-to-date on important matters. That'll help all of our parents stay connected.
That's what I'd like to see as next steps for our PTAs across the district. What would you like to see in your PTA leadership?
Sidenote: For those 2 high schools that don't have PTA units, they also don't have an organized group of parents that are focused on academic success of the student body. Trust me, I've tried to find a parent network to tap within those buildings. It's a variety of booster clubs focused on extra curricular topics. So when it comes to discussing SSP (Student Success Plans) or CCSS (Common Core State Standards), I've struggled with finding an inroad. At all other buildings, the conversation can at least start with the PTA leaders of that school and what is happening across the building.
Beyond fundraising, I believe that PTA can re-identify itself within BSD by being the academic voice for all students and identifying some of the difficult topics within 21st Century educational reform and holding our administration accountable. PTA is not just fundraising -- yet too many of our units within BSD are only focused on that element. Has this "turned off" a larger parent presents and limited our opportunities as parents to have a place at the decision-making table?
Here is what PTAs could do to support 21st Century public education:
- Work to have their membership match the demographics of its student body: We live in a global society -- from our neighborhoods to our local economies to our national leaders. Our parent voices at the local level need to acknowledge that as well and work to grow its membership to be more representative. (No more little "niche" leadership teams.)
- Educate our parents as to the important elements of academic success: It starts with understanding the Common Core State Standards (which the State PTA has training for) and then it gets into what BSD is doing in the classrooms, with the curriculum, how our teachers are adopting the standards and the vision for STEM for all of our students, and then how assessments really work.
- Get us the tools from the district/state - and make sure the local buildings use them -- that help us as parents be informed partners in our students' academic success: There are a variety of tools available to parents from Home Access to Compass Learning to Student Success Plans in the secondary levels that can help us as parent support our student's learning and also understand their progress. Not only do these tools need to be consistently offered, but we as parents need to know that they exist and how to use them.
- Identify an issue that a greater body of parents can identify and advocate for: Whether this is better testing (and dropping DCAS sooner or making sure all parents understand the next test Smarter Balance before it comes online in our schools) OR organizing better overall nutrion and exercise programs in all of our buildings including the status of our playgrounds OR support state legislation around anti-bullying measures and making sure that they are implemented in our school buildings.
And as parents, we need to stay connected to the PTA network. That is not necessarily attending every meeting, but it is making sure the minutes are consistently provided, a consistent treasurer's report is also included monthly out to the entire membership, and that a strong, 2-way communication effort is established that keeps everyone up-to-date on important matters. That'll help all of our parents stay connected.
That's what I'd like to see as next steps for our PTAs across the district. What would you like to see in your PTA leadership?
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