Good Reasons to Join Your School's PTO
My son is entering second grade this year, and I only got involved in our school's PTO about six months ago. I don't know why I waited through all of kindergarten and half of first grade to join, but I'm glad I finally did.
I have to admit that I joined in part out of curiosity, and in part for the social aspect. I would go to birthday parties and hear about the various 'hot topics' being discussed, and started to realize that a lot of the parents I like to spend time with were going to PTO every month. Well, often the meetings are boring, but there have been some interesting heated debates, and it is nice to get together with other parents once month.
On the other hand, I've known for a long time that it can be beneficial to your child to have his or her parents involved at their school. Even when my son was in kindergarten I would find time to volunteer to help out at various school events.
Another benefit of participating in the PTO meetings is that I now have a voice in the planning of those events, as well as up-to-the-minute information on the 'who, what, when, where, and why' of the events. This information can be especially helpful if you are a parent who works outside the home, and you need advance notice to take time off for an event.
In addition, it has been very interesting to learn how decisions are made within the school regarding special programs for the students, fundraising, and budgeting. Also, attending PTO meetings is a good way to get to know the faculty and staff at your school, and to learn what to expect as your child progresses to higher grades.
For more information on how you can get involved, check out the following links, or contact your neighborhood school!
http://www.nea.org/parents/schoolinvolve.html
www.pta.org