Last week was all about getting that new listing on the
market. Getting a listing out is a bit like preparing for any event and the
closer you get to “the” moment, the crazier things tend to be, and finally with
a “poof” it’s gone. No, the listing is still there but all the hustle is gone,
and besides marketing and coordinating showings and open houses, we are now at
the point where it’s the buyer’s agents catch the ball for a while. I have
suddenly had time and that time was filled with our new school and the PTSA.
Stuffing back to school packets, board meetings and all the fun that happens
behind the scenes to welcome families back to school.
When I tell people that I’m on the PTSA board for our new
school, I tend to get a look, the look asking; if I don’t have enough to do in
your life with a full-time job, three kids and a dog. I guess I do, but it’s
our new school, it’s my kids’ school, it’s the beautiful new school in our
community and I feel like I both want and need to be a part of it. The new school and the
PTSA has taken a slice of my life since early spring, not anywhere even close
as big of a slice as it’s been for the school staff, or those PTSA parents that
are more involved, but it’s been there, my slice of the pie. My involvement has
been in creating the documents needed to start a PTSA. My involvement has been
in answering questions from parents and my involvement has been in being
present and helping where I can.
Yesterday was another moment, the open house of the new
school that everyone has been dying to see for months. The open house for the
new school that everyone has been waiting to open its doors with a mixture of
excitement and anxiety. I told my kids it really wouldn’t matter who they
teachers were as we didn’t know any of them and as far as I know they have been
all equally awesome. Yes, I had my tiny little parent hopes for my 5th
Grader that were completely opposite from the silent wish of my daughter’s. And
of course, she happened to be one of the handful of kids that never got their
email. The boys got their teacher emails at 10 AM, just like we were told but
she never got hers. She was in sheer panic and I kept telling her that she would
for sure have a teacher, likely one of the two 5th grade teachers
and that everything would be okay. We would find out when we would be at the
school, and we would be at the school way before the event was starting as we
had to get ready with the PTSA.
I cannot tell you guys enough how wonderful it was to meet
everyone yesterday whether it was the open house during the day or kindergarten
orientation in the evening. How awesome it was to hear over and over again from
parents that they have seen my posts, and that they read my blog. At times I
feel like I’m the monkey in the saying; “everyone knows the monkey, but the
monkey doesn’t know anyone.” I post a lot. I’m involved in our little community
as well as in the school community. When someone approaches me to tell me they
read my blog, I don’t think they have any idea on how happy that makes me, it
really is the biggest and fattest compliment one can get. I do like the
compliments on my ever-changing hair color as well, but if someone enjoys my
writing and finds value in it, well, that’s just over the top. So, a special
thank you for everyone whom approached me yesterday to say hi! I’m looking
forward to really getting to know you and not just you knowing who I am, you
know, the realtor with the pink hair. I truly hope I was able to answer your
questions about the PTSA too.
When my children started in LWSD I had zero understanding in
what the PTSA was about. It seemed as it was merely an organization sticking
things all over the school and asking for money for stuff that I didn’t
necessarily see the value in. My children were fine without spirit wear, an
expensive t-shirt that would be forgotten in the depths of their walk-in closets.
I didn’t feel like I should pay hundreds of dollars for a carnival or for
enrichment programs that didn’t fit my schedule or wallet. I had three kids. I
was a stay at home mom, and writing a check for hundreds of dollars wasn’t really
even an option for me. So, I didn’t. I didn’t because I didn’t understand that
the PTSA is way greater than before school Spanish classes or the school carnival.
PTSA funding includes things like Safety Patrol, art
supplies or the STEAM curriculum for our school. It means books for the school
library, assemblies throughout the school year and playground equipment. The
school district can only fund these to a certain degree or some of them, not at
all. On top of all these things, that I once thought came
from the district wallet, the PTSA also funds community events like carnivals
and the enrichment programs before and after school. Beginning of the year donations through Ella Baker Build The Bear and The Fun Run as well other fundraising events are there to help us in building an amazing school for our kids.
So, when you look at your child’s
classroom, and think that those wiggle seats would be really cool to have in the classroom,
think about the PTSA as we will, most likely, have to make those seats happen together as a
community through our Parent Teacher Student Association.
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| The largest two slices are Enrichment: assemblies, academic enrichment, field trips, art program, STEAM curriculum, etc. and School Services: playground, safety patrol, scholarships, staff appreciation, etc |
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