End of an Era as PTA President

Tonight was my last PTA meeting as PTA president at my son's elementary school. Of course, I'll continue as president for another couple of months, and there's a lot left to do, but no more meetings. I'm ready for a break. I NEED a break (and honestly, they probably need a break from me after the last few years), but it still felt a little bittersweet for me.

I've loved being a cheerleader for these parents. It feels almost like a ministry to me to help these parents find their place as a volunteer and advocate for their child's education. When parents get comfortable in the school environment, they can truly be an advocate for their child. Truly, the involved parents do so much more than count money after fund-raisers and serve luncheons on teacher appreciation week. PTA parents become a part of the heartbeat of the school. They help set the tone, the environment for everyone. Most importantly, their presence sends a powerful message to their children: school is important. It's so important that I'm not only sending you, but I'm there supporting, helping, encouraging, and making sure everyone is getting what they need.

Tonight we had to vote on a few purchases (because we raised a lot of money this year--yee haw!), and since it was a family event after the brief business meeting, tons of kids where there. I explained the proposal of putting picnic tables outside the cafeteria double doors for outdoor seating at lunch, and when I got to the whole 'yay' or 'nay' part, tons of kids were shouting 'yay'. It was really cute for them to see and be involved in the process, too.

So everyone out there, if you've got kids, support the PTA. If every parent does one thing, they can make a real impact. If you don't have kids in school, volunteer! Have a great night!