PTO Calendar of Events

What is the PSI PTO?
The PSI Parent Teacher Organization is dedicated to giving parents an opportunity to become involved in their child’s education. The PTO is open to all families and staff at PSI. It is a non-profit organization and there is no membership fee and no obligation to participate.

How does the PTO benefit our school?
There are 3 main ways: First, the PTO supports and enhances the family/school connection by organizing events such as the Spring Picnic, book fairs, Imagination and Inventor’s Fair, PTO presentations, and family fun nights. Second, the PTO reaches out to the community with food and book drives. And third, the PTO organizes fundraising. The main fundraisers are: the Leer (Read)-A-thon, which is child-centered, and Carnival, a new event for the whole family. Carnival will be held on March 15, 2008 and include food, fun, games and a silent auction. Both events support learning at our school by funding the Amity Program and much more.

What are Amity Interns?
Amity interns are native spanish speaking young adults who assist in the classrooms. They are vital to the success of the immersion program; enriching and enhancing the experience for all students. Each amity intern lives with a PSI host family, providing an unforgettable cultural experience for those host families. Over the years, the amities have been from Uruguay, Colombia, Peru, Spain, Mexico, Chile, Paraguay, and Argentina. The cost to bring the amity interns to PSI is supported entirely by funds raised by the PTO.

Who makes the decisions for the PTO?
The PTO has an elected board that consists of a chair and vice chair (or two co chairs), treasurer, marketing/communication representative, amity coordinators, volunteer coordinators, room parent liaison, and teacher representative. The Board meets on a monthly basis and works very closely with the principal and school staff. Any parent is eligible for election to the board.

How do parents get involved?
Whether you work in or outside the home, there are many ways to be involved: attending monthly meetings, hosting an Amity Intern, volunteering at school, helping in your child’s classroom, or assisting with the Leerathon or Carnival. These are just a few examples. There are many other opportunities open to you.
At the start of the school year, the PTO volunteer coordinator sends parents a Volunteer Interest Form listing all opportunities. (DOWNLOAD THE FORM)You indicate your interests and the volunteer coordinator will contact you with more information. You do not need to speak Spanish to participate. Volunteering is a great way to get involved with the dynamic, fun group of parents making PSI a great place for our kids to learn and grow. You will never regret the time you spend contributing to your child’s education experience.

When are the PTO presentations and events and what will I learn?
PTO meetings/events are generally held monthly on Tuesdays from 6:30pm-8:00pm. For some events, childcare is provided by our Amity Interns for a small fee.
The presentations and events are either family fun events or educational presentations for the parents. Both offer great networking and social opportunities to meet other families and PSI teachers. This past year our family events included: International Night, Family and Fitness, Community Outreach (students presented!), and How to start a Book Club. Our parent events included presentations on standardized testing (the MCA and NWEA) and overscheduled families.

2007-08 PTO Board