by Sharon Kahn Luttrell (a parent group volunteer at two schools in Mendon, MA)
Don’t you love September? The school year is new and full of promise. Your parent group is recharged and bubbling over with ideas. You can’t wait for your first big fundraiser. Now, if only that optimism would last. Because as surely as a flu bug will make its way through your family this winter, your group is certain to suffer a bout of fatigue and cynicism.
Maybe it will start the moment you breathlessly describe your group’s latest plan to the principal, only to have her squint back as though she were trying to remember who you are. Or perhaps it will be after hot-gluing your 150th pompon to the exact center of a construction-paper flower, when you stop to rub your aching fingers and wonder how long until your blossoms end up in the trash. Twenty-four hours after the teacher appreciation luncheon? Twelve? Two? Maybe you’ll make it through most of the year, then find yourself spitting out the word “MISS!” to the gleeful first-grader intent on drowning you in the school carnival dunk tank.
PTO fatigue happens when you throw yourself wholly into volunteering and you don’t see immediate results or when the recipient doesn’t respond with an equal amount of enthusiasm. Fortify yourself against burnout by reminding yourself that change happens slowly. Every bit of energy you expend on behalf of your child’s school is absorbed into the environment, where it nourishes and eventually enriches the culture.
PTO Today’s Parent Group of the Year is one example of this. Madison Elementary in Mount Vernon, Wash., is what’s called a “high impact” school. The majority of its students live in poverty, and half the kids leave before the year ends. The 50 percent turnover rate hurts standardized test scores, and the school suffers a poor reputation.
A couple of years ago, a handful of parents came along with abundant time and attention to give. Their work has been so creative, comprehensive, and tireless that if there were a direct cause-and-effect relationship between a PTO’s efforts and its results, Madison Elementary would be teeming with parent volunteers, standardized test scores would rocket, and the students would all grow up to be Nobel Prize-winners. That hasn’t happened, but there are signs that the efforts are working. Teachers are starting to feel better about coming to work every day. Parents who traditionally didn’t volunteer are showing up to help, and the PTO raised more money last year than it has in the past. Small improvements, but they’re there.
Nurturing a school is like raising children. How many times have you dragged yourself out of bed at 5 a.m. to bring your son to swim lessons—which you know for a fact that he loves—only to have him complain the entire way there and back? Or spent the better half of a Sunday sewing your daughter’s costume for the school play, and then find it in a heap on the floor after her big night?
We all have times when we feel unloved, unappreciated, unnoticed by our kids. But we wouldn’t step out of their lives because of it. We know that the results of our attention aren’t always immediate but rather emerge over time—both with our children and our children’s schools. The reward often doesn’t come until months, maybe even years, later. But when it does come, we realize what we knew all along. It definitely was worth it.
Source: Luttrell, Sharon. 2011. “Is it Really Worth it? PTOToday.com http://www.ptotoday.com/pto-today-articles/article/336-is-it-really-worth-it
Every volunteer is commended for their part in making North Fayette Elementary a wonderful school during the first semester. Each moment you volunteered not only increased the parental involvement level, but demonstrated a combined effort to support our students and teachers. May our commitment to our students and teachers continue in the second semester. May your holiday break be restful and enjoyable.
The Holiday Parties are on Thursday, December 15th at 1:15. Let's plan early by discussing the party letters, gift exchange ideas (if applicable), and menu with the homeroom teachers. Our party letters should include information about the party, gift exchange (if applicable), and teacher gift (if applicable). Let's try to have our letters sent home to the parents no later than the last Tuesday, November 29th. This will give us two weeks for donation collection and follow-up calls. 
It is hard to believe the Thanksgiving Holiday is just 10 days away. As I reflect on the many things I am thankful for I pause to say thank you for your willingness to serve as Room Parents at NFES. Your contributions are making a difference. Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” I am grateful for your sacrifice of time and resources to build the youth at NFES. May you have a wonderfully blessed Thanksgiving Holiday!
Let’s plan early by consulting with the teachers to seek guidance and preferences for the Valentine’s party. Second, utilize the Valentine’s Day Party letters (English & Spanish) found in the PTO/Room Parents section of the school’s website to inform parents, solicit donations and volunteers. Feel free to modify the letters…you may want to ask parents to contribute specific items rather than monetary contributions. Plan to send the letters home soon, but no later than February 2nd to give you and the parents enough time to plan. Third, you (or the teacher) will need to compile a list of the students’ names to accompany the party letter. The list is needed for the students to address their Valentine’s Day cards. Lastly, make this a fun and meaningful party by using creative learning activities, crafts, or games. In addition to the Room Parent Best Practices Guide, here are some additional resources for you to use:
As you are aware Room Parents set the standard for involvement in each classroom. This is a great time of the year for Teachers and Room Parents to promote parental involvement. In collaboration with your homeroom Teacher send a note or email message encouraging other parents to get involved. Teachers may have specific needs such as classroom supplies or need help with projects. In addition, NFES has many events on the horizon for students and parents including the following:
