Nonprofit Spotlight: Your Local Schools’ Parent-Teacher Organizations
I think of November as a time for appreciation and gratitude. In that spirit, I want to honor a nonprofit that speaks to our time, our community, and an important impact. This month, I want to gently nudge you in the direction of your local schools’ PTOs (or equivalent*).
I have been a parent for almost 15 years, and have closely seen the workings of several parent-teacher organizations (PTOs) at various schools. Before then, I was a student in public schools with active PTOs. In theory, I should have had a comprehensive idea of the importance of these organizations prior to this year.
As a child, I will freely admit that the work of my schools’ various PTOs was completely invisible to me (I am certain I benefited from them).
As an adult, I love the many opportunities that our local PTOs afforded our children and their classmates. The Fall Festivals and Spring Carnivals at my children’s elementary schools are delightful and fun, and they remain a favorite tradition of mine. The Read-a-Thons are an annual highlight. The Artists-in-Residence produce magical events. Wolf Ridge—a treasured memory for many Minnesotans. Bookfairs! Plant Sales! Talent Shows!* The list goes on.
All of these activities are meaningful and enriching to the experience of school. They create community and connection, and provide additional, unique spaces for children to thrive.
Yet, somehow, in all of these years, I managed to miss a serious part of the real action and work that a group of volunteers in a PTO can and do provide for their community.
This year, many families suffered enormously. Parents were unable to work, and therefore unable to pay their rent or mortgage or other major bills. They were unable to obtain supplies and food for their families. In response to this crisis, many community groups sprung into action—and PTOs were some of the most effective direct-action community groups. Many PTOs acted immediately, by setting up patrols to protect children going to and from school, connecting volunteers to families directly, collecting supplies and providing them to families, setting up marketplaces within schools for children to get the supplies they needed, and branching into rental assistance. It was a fast and immediate response, in an extraordinary example of hyper-local direct-service community assistance. Our own local middle school set up a small, free “market” for students to go shopping, discreetly, for their needs, and is continuing this program into the foreseeable future.
For some PTOs, this was a change in service. However—for many PTOs, this was an extension of the work that was already being done. Many PTOs, for decades, have been providing scholarship support for students to engage in fee-based activities (like field trips), provide food assistance to families in need, often for long stretches of time, provide other meaningful financial support to families in the community, and help to provide resources and a safe space for students in schools. Importantly—much of that work is done quietly, as a simple line-item in the budget. It’s not flashy or loud, nor should it be—but that work has been done across elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools for decades.
I was aware that some of the work existed, but I was not aware of the extent and scope that many PTOs have been providing for years. PTOs often provide non-governmental direct support for families and individual students in need, including scholarship support for programs and other direct assistance. PTOs provide financial support for educators, to help teachers provide meaningful field trips, classroom supplies, and meal support during school evening activities. PTOs also run major community events (like Spring Carnivals), which help connect and create the larger, extended school community.
There are many worthy large organizations focused on addressing serious, systemic issues. Supplementing that large-scale charitable work, smaller organizations with a direct and focused impact on the needs of those in our communities make a real difference in the lives of those they touch.
If you are looking for a small, hyper-local, direct-service organization to support during this year’s Give to the Max, please consider your local schools’ PTOs. You may never know how much you contributed to the families and children of your community, but they will never forget.
*As a note, some schools have PTOs, some have PTAs, and some operate by different names. “PTA” refers to the organizations that are part of a national, dues-paying network; PTOs are local-only and independent. There are other acronyms that are used. For the purposes of this post, I’m only going to use the term “PTO”.
*If you have never attended an elementary school talent show, go to one. There is nothing funnier than elementary-age children doing stand-up comedy, I promise.
