My child just entered kindergarten this year. I wanted to be involved with his education, so I joined the pto. When I went to my first meeting I noticed that every topic was basically for the parents of 3rd graders to 5th. I wanted to know from parents out there. What do I have to do, so that they can have events and fundraisers for the kindergartners, and someone can be a spokes person for that grade? I would like to be the spokes person (if that is the proper word) for them, but I just do not know where to begin.

Hi, tell your concerns to the principal, PTO president and teacher. Tell them just what you said here and ask what you can do to help. If you can't get to them in person, write them a note.

Most schools do not include kindergarten as part of the PTA program. Next year when your child is a first grader you will find more things going on in the PTA to help out with.. As of now you can help your Kindergarten teacher by helping out in class, doing projects at home such as cutting patterns and such for use in class. And helping out with school parties. I know its dissapointing for you..But let me assure you that the years to follow will keep you busy, real busy!! (hint- try not to volunteer for to much to soon.)

I have a kindergartener and a 3rd grader. Our school really focuses on drawing K level parents into the PTO. I became active when my first child was in Grade K. By the time I
"graduate" from PTO, I will have been involved in some capacity for 11 years. I love new faces and ideas! We find that the parents in the older grades tend not to be as involved. Our school seems to need specific fundraisers for grades 3 and 6 due to particular supplementary activities for the curriculum. Kindergarten teachers often are focusing on basic skills and due to time constraints (especially if it is 1/2 day kindergarten) do not have time for alot of extras! Maybe you could suggest a program or item that would enrich the kindergarten in your school. Maybe an assembly, speaker,etc. that the PTO could help with.
By being involved in the PTO, you get to really know the teachers and programs in your school which will be good information for future years.

Absolutely Kindergarten parents could and should be encouraged to participate in the PTO! I currently have a first grader and a third grader at our school and i am the President Elect for the PTO this year.
Some of the things we did in the past few years to encourage parent involvement of kindergarten parents include:

Parents on Wednesdays--WOW! (POW-WOW!)
One Wednesday a month,the four kindergarten classes would come to the cafeteria for a one to one and one/half hour session. Each month would have a theme and the parents and teachers would orchestra four "centers" that the students would rotate through. Two centers were (two different) games/activities, one was a snack, and one was a craft. Each rotation lasted 15-20 minutes and the kids really had a great time and loved to see their parents/grandparents and other special persons come and participate. Some sample themes we had were: Apples, Halloween, Thanksgiving Feast (each class was responsible for a portion of the snack--fruit, breads, drinks and paper plates/napkins were our four categories), Winter Sharing/New Years celebration, Valentines, Mexico, butterflies, and some others.

The other program was Books and Beyond. We created a special mystery reader schedule for parents/special persons to sign up to come to the classroom to read a story chosen either by them or provided by the kindergarten teacher to the class.

There are so many ways for the kindergarten parents to participate in their classrooms or from home, and this really sets the stage for higher involvement in subsequent years if parents are excited about being a part of the school early on!

Good luck!

MicheleC
Connecticut


[This message has been edited by Rockne (edited 09-21-2000).]

WoW we hav the opposte problem with parents we cannot get parents to take an hour or so out of there day or month to help at there childs school I understand most parents have to work but that makes it twice as hard on the few of us who are in the PTO and want to make the childrens elementry school years memorobile Our teachers will not even help or come to our activites if they showed an interest then maybe parents would too. and also any ideas on how to get new books for our library thank you