Weston’s PTO is an 811 member organization tasked with proposing ideas that benefit the school district, along with promoting cooperation and a sense of community between schools and parents.
“The PTO plays a vital role in supporting activities that benefit every high schooler,” said PTO president Daina Selvig. “From teacher appreciation to supporting activities put on by the high school classes to graduation, the PTO’s work enhances the experience for all students.”
The PTO’s role at WHS mainly involves planning and hosting events like the annual holiday cookie grab for teachers, holding school fundraisers, and helping prepare the weekly PTO newsletter. A major goal of the organization is to take over some responsibilities that might otherwise be put on teachers and administrators, and to help promote cooperation between parents and staff.
“I think they’re pretty amazing, actually. I think what they do, like hiring speakers, organizing special occasions, and giving out coffee and gifts to teachers is awesome,” said building substitute Howard Cohen. “It’s super great what they’re doing and I hope they keep going.”
The Weston PTO Board is a 40 person group made up of the executive team – president, vice president, etc., school chairs for each of the district’s schools, and “teams” or subcommittees that focus on topics such as communication, parent education, and more. The majority of the PTO members who are not on this Board work as volunteers in classes or otherwise support the overall work of the organization.
“Every member is a volunteer and they do tremendous work in our district,” said WHS principal Susan Bairstow. “I love the PTO since they help me show how amazing Weston High School is.”
One PTO team that has an impact that extends beyond Weston is the “community outreach team.” They are responsible for identifying charities that may be recipients of school fundraisers.
“The Community Outreach team exists as the throughline between the PTO and our shared community both inside and far beyond Weston,” said team member Aravinda Rao Souza. “In doing meaningful community service work we educate our students on the importance of giving back, being strong advocates for those who are struggling, and proactively leading with empathy, kindness, and self-awareness.”
While the PTO works closely with the Weston Education Enrichment Fund Committee (WEEFC) to improve the school district, they both go about doing that very differently. WEEFC is responsible for raising funds for the district and helping support programs and resources that the school would otherwise not be able to afford. The PTO, however, is responsible for promoting a sense of community, along with providing volunteers to help direct and sometimes staff the initiatives that WEEFC funds.
One such event that has required collaboration between WEEFC and the PTO was the recent Level Up Game Night, meant to nurture a sense of community between grades 8 and 9.
While PTO at WHS undertakes a wide range of activities, it also has a relatively low membership rate among parents as compared to the rest of the district’s schools, a fact that is disappointing to some members.
“If I could change one thing, it would be ensuring that even more families, especially at the high school level, feel connected to the PTO,” said Selvig. “The high school receives a significant amount of PTO funding, but it also has the lowest rate of membership compared to other schools.”
Within the PTO, its members are extremely proud of their work and are very committed to the school.
“I think the Weston PTO is a tremendous asset to our schools,” said Selvig. “Weston is incredibly fortunate to have such high levels of family and community volunteerism, and it’s inspiring to see so many families committed to supporting our schools in meaningful ways.”
The WHS administration is appreciative of the PTO’s efforts to better the lives of both students and staff.
“I have had nothing but good experiences concerning the PTO,” said assistant principal Todd Whitten. “They really are a great help and I’m thankful for their existence.”
With such a high level of praise, the PTO is extremely proud of its work and is always looking for new members to help it grow its mission.
The PTO aims to promote cooperation between schools and parents by hosting events and getting togethers with students from different schools, such as the upcoming Level Up Game Night for 8th and 9th grade students.
“The PTO is about building a strong, connected and vibrant school community,” said Selvig. “We truly believe that every family benefits from the PTO’s efforts, and we’d love to see all families involved in whatever way works for them.”
