The PTA’s mission is “to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.” Back to school time is full of potential and possibilities. Your child will encounter new teachers and new friends. For some families, back to school means new schools – whether your family is new to the area, your child is just starting school or your family has students transitioning from elementary to middle school or middle school to high school. The beginning of the school year is a blank slate waiting to be filled with your student’s potential.
How does PTA make every child’s potential a reality? Your school’s PTA/PTSA offers many programs that bring additional value to your children’s education. Your student can explore his or her creative side by participating in National PTA’s Reflections program – a contest that encourages exploration of the arts in the areas of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts. ECCC PTA hosts an essay contest each year called “Honoring our Heroes” in which students are encouraged to write about their everyday heroes. Your school’s PTA/PTSA also hosts many opportunities to enhance your child’s classroom education – All Pro Dads, STEM night, International Festivals and Book Fairs are just a few programs that can be regularly found in many of our East Cobb schools.
Joining your local PTA/PTSA gives you the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programming, communication tools, family fun activities and events to thank our teachers and school staff. Additionally, your local school’s PTA/ PTSA is part of a much bigger organization than just the group of parents at your school. The East Cobb County Council is a group of PTAs and PTSAs from 35 schools in East Cobb – we represent the PTAs at Kell, Lassiter, Pope, Sprayberry, Walton and Wheeler High Schools and all of their feeder elementary and middle schools. By working together we can do so much more for our schools and our children.
PTA also advocates for all children through legislative efforts. One of PTA’s primary responsibilities is to inform our parents of legislative issues affecting public education. During this election year, remember to vote so that your voice can be heard. Research the candidates’ stances on public education and be an informed voter. Check out our website (www.ecccpta.org) for information about upcoming candidate forums and other legislative issues affecting our students and our schools.
Kimberly Webb is serving her second year as the President of the East Cobb County Council of PTAs. She and her husband Trey have three children and live in Mallard Lake Subdivision.
PTA also works to make every child’s potential a reality by collaborating with community businesses to support our teachers, administrators, our families and our students. We’re thankful for our Partners in Education and other community businesses that invest time and energy into our schools to help our students reach their potential as future employees in our workforce.
As your family enters the new school year full of unleashed potential and possibility, I encourage you to become a member of your local PTA/PTSA and join us in making every child’s potential a reality.
This article was written by Kimberly Webb and originally appeared in the August issue of the EAST COBBER magazine, on page 15. Click here to view the digital edition.
