Community Awareness
As we close out 2007, I thought I’d write a post about how the Horizons project has increased awareness in Armour of what is good about living here.
I think it is irrefutable that our Horizons work has brought us closer together as a community. I’ll single out the Parents-Teachers Together (PTT) group as a prime example of how that is true. Before Horizons it was true that parents of children in the Armour schools were concerned about their children’s education, but there was no real mechanism for them to participate, offer suggestions or ask questions. Our teachers are professionals, but for their part, too, there was no official way for them to meet with parents as a group to work on school-related issues.
Now, the PTT group meets on a monthly basis. Participation has been strong and next week when students return to school the new breakfast program will launch. That program came about as a result of the PTT meetings.
This success makes a difference in our town. When I run my errands around town throughout the week, I am frequently drawn into conversations about Horizons. People express their views about what’s going on. And many … many have told me how excited they are about the PTT group. You can’t buy enthusiasm like that.
Our school and its stability in the future was one of the primary concerns expressed by Horizons participants from the very beginning of our work as a community in this program. People see an intrinsic link between having a school in town and having a community that has a future. We definitely recognize our school as a community asset that needs to be nurtured and supported. By starting the PTT, two groups — parents and teachers — have had the opportunity to get to know each other better in a setting outside of school, away from events such as parent-teacher conferences and in place where working on shared goals draws them closer together.
Here’s your chance to comment and let me know if you agree, disagree or have suggestions on how to make things even better. What has been your personal experience with the PTT group?
January 3rd, 2008 at 6:30 am
During one act practice yesterday morning in the gym (2 January) came the unmistakable smells of breakfast!!
PTT meets again on January 9 and the tentative schedule, I understand, will address internet safety. It’s an important topic for everyone!!!
January 11th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
We have a similar program in Tyndall, called PTO. My child is out of school now, but there is a big need for this type of an organization. In the Bon Homme School District, I have read in the paper that the PTO has donated a lot of things to the classrooms that maybe a teacher would have donated from their own money.
January 30th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
I think the PTT group has done an excellent job thus far. This is just my opinion, but I think the role of our small schools is changing rapidly, and it is going to take all of us to pull together in ways like this to help our schools survive. Since open enrollment became a reality, students and parents have a choice about where to send their children. To me, it seems like more and more people are “shopping around” for the best educational options. Anything we can do to enrich our school–like building a strong PTT–helps our school as a whole. Good job PTT!!!