People around town hear it all the time. “We moved to the Mahomet Seymour area for the schools.” With two elementary schools and an early childhood center boasting close to 1,350 students this year, it is safe to say more and more kids are attending school here.
But in an era of reduced State funding, unfunded Federal mandates and a demand for more technology, how is a school district to make up the shortfalls in funding and in staff?
That’s where the Mahomet-Seymour Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) helps. The 2014-15 school year continues with PTO’s new philosophy of fiscal responsibility.
Two years ago, a new PTO board was elected. With the change in leadership came a change in philosophy. It is a change that teachers and administrators like. It is a change, according to Penny Moisson, PTO president, that sends more money back into the schools where it can have the greatest impact. The PTO also strives to be visible within the community.
“Our focus this year is to continue to build relationships within the community and support the young families that are new to our district,” said Moisson.
PTO members staffed a booth at this year’s Riverfest, giving information and selling spirit wear. They also participated in the Sangamon River Music Festival parade and hope to participate in the upcoming homecoming parade on September 19.
‘We want to be in touch with the community. We want to bridge the gap between families and the school,” Moisson said.
“We couldn’t do it without the support of the community,” said Meghan Hennessy, PTO treasurer and chair of this year’s Dawgwalk fundraiser. “This community is so supportive and so generous. It’s amazing.”
“In the past, there was a disconnect between teachers and the PTO,” Moisson recalled. “Now, I think the teachers feel listened to. We ask the teacher representatives on the board for their feedback. We are partnering with the teachers.”
“Teachers are excited about the change,” commented first grade teacher Cheryl Mitchell, teacher representative from Sangamon Elementary. “PTO asked the teachers ‘is this the best way’?”
“The theme this year is about being more purposeful and intentional about how to serve the schools as an organization, “Mitchell said.
But who is the PTO and what do they do?
The PTO is comprised of all parents with students in Mahomet-Seymour’s three lower grade buildings (Middletown Prairie Early Childhood Center, Sangamon Elementary and Lincoln Trail Elementary), and all the staff of those buildings.
“The PTO adds a whole support structure to the schools,” said Moisson. “We want to make a more positive impact on the schools. We want to see families get involved in the schools and participate.”
Mitchell, agrees. “Everyone is part of PTO whether you go to the meetings or not. PTO is both seen and unseen in our schools. As teachers, we count on the support of PTO. They support us through room parents to plan class parties and help us with reading incentives. It is a great feeling. The PTO does things automatically to make sure our school runs smoothly.”
PTO facilitates family participation in the schools. One way this happens is through parent volunteers.
Carol Shallenberger, principal at Middletown Prairie, finds the PTO volunteers to be invaluable to her building. PTO “makes it easy to find volunteers,” Shallenberger said. “Volunteers help create displays, they helped parents and students find their classrooms on the first day, they put together writing books for us.”
Each of the three buildings has a committee executive, and each grade level, kindergarten through fifth grade, has a grade level coordinator, according to PTO’s web site. Those coordinators work to make sure volunteers are in place to help the school function. Additionally, special events, such as the Dawgwalk or Middletown’s Science day, relies on volunteers to make the events happen.
“On our website is a link to volunteer opportunities in the schools,” said Moisson. “Parents can sign up to help at our events anytime.”
The other way PTO facilitates family participation is through fund raising.
The Dawgwalk is the PTO’s only fund raiser. Students raise money by knocking on neighbor’s doors, and the majority of that money goes back into the schools to fund projects.
Last year’s Dawgwalk raised more than $80,000 for the schools, according to Hennessy. Money was divided up to the three buildings based on the number of students in that building. So Lincoln Trail, with more than 600 students, received a larger percentage of Dawgwalk money than Middletown Prairie, with a bit more than 200 students, according to Moisson.
Last school year, the PTO helped fund playground projects at Sangamon and Middletown Prairie, and a living garden project at Lincoln Trail. Other items funded by PTO include author visits, technology, teacher incentives, and online subscriptions to educational websites to aid in instruction.
One thing mentioned by Moisson, Mitchell, and Shallenberger, is the desire to have more parents attend PTO’s monthly meetings.
“We want people to come to the meetings,” said Mitchell. For that reason, the meetings have changed format this year. “We will still do the business part of the meeting, such as the budget,” she said. “But we also want to make the meetings more fun.”
This year there will be a game show format to liven up the meetings. October’s budget meeting will take the form of “The Price is Right.” November’s meeting may take on the game show “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader,” and discuss learning styles and multiple intelligences, according to Mitchell.
This year, Mahomet Seymour families can expect some of the old favorite events sponsored by PTO. Lincoln Trail students will have Hands Around the World, an interactive event where students learn about life in other countries. They will also have the annual Talent show.
There is a family movie night being planned for the winter, and another family event for the spring. Other long standing PTO sponsored events include Book Fairs, reading incentives, and spirit wear sales.
There are also several items of new Bulldog spirit wear, noted Moisson. “This year, in addition to the clothing items such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, long sleeve t-shirts, bling shirts and Sparkle t’s, we have fleece blankets, coffee tumblers, baseball hats, clip/magnets, tattoos, and mesh cinch bags – all with the Paw Print or Bulldog logos,” she stated.
But some events will be changing because of PTO’s new focus. “Science Day is a good example,” Moisson said. “Teachers in the older grades wanted to better use that money to supplement what they are already teaching.” So this year, instead of having a whole day devoted to science topics, teachers can use PTO funds to call in individual experts to supplement their class.
For example, third grade has a science unit on rocks and minerals. Teachers can bring an expert on that subject in to help reinforce what students are learning in the classroom, Moisson said. And while Lincoln Trail and Sangamon wanted Science Day funds to go toward bringing in outside resources, Middletown Prairie staff wanted to keep the Science Day format for their students.
How the PTO handles staff appreciation will also change. PTO listened to teacher feedback about the “Teacher Appreciation Luncheon” traditionally held in early May.
“It was a lovely event and teachers really appreciated it,” Mitchell recalled. But teachers and PTO committee members agreed by the time teachers got to the off site location for their luncheon, they only had a few minutes to enjoy the food and fellowship.
Moisson said she and members of the PTO board welcome feedback. “We appreciate the support of the community and we are wide open to feedback,” she stated.
To contact a PTO committee member, find out more information on an event, or volunteer in the elementary schools, go to the PTO’s website at www.m-spto.com. The M-S PTO will host its first meeting of the 2014-2015 school year on September 11 at 6:30 p.m in the Lincoln Trail Library.
