Two parents at TLS Central are spearheading an effort to form a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) at The Learning Spectrum.

Melonie Smith and Beth Churchill both independently expressed an interest to director Jill Medley about organizing a PTO to support TLS’s parents, teachers and students.

They are now working together to carry out their vision.

The first PTO meeting was held at TLS Central on October 29, and had 7 people in attendance, including TLS’s new social worker, Marty Harrison.

Melonie said the paperwork is being filed to become a non-profit organization. Based on the feedback from October’s meeting, TLS Central’s PTO would have the following goals:

  • Parent Unity. Since many parents travel far to bring their child to TLS, they don’t have a built-in community based on proximity. A PTO will give TLS parents an opportunity to get to know each other, get involved and support the school.
  • Community Outreach. The PTO will help TLS become more prominent in the community by supporting local events, increasing name recognition and connecting with future families.
  • Teacher Support. Melonie said the parents are so grateful to have found the school, teachers and administrators, and want to give back. Through the PTO, parents can help teachers with tasks such as making copies, preparing crafts or reading to students in the classrooms. The PTO is working on a survey to determine what the teachers’ needs are.
  • TLS Events. The PTO will help organize and volunteer at already-established TLS events, such as Autism Awareness Week and the annual golf outing, as well as help develop new ones. They’d like to take a large role in teacher appreciation weeks.
  • Fundraising. The PTO’s fundraising dollars will be used to support TLS, special projects for teachers, and scholarships for students.
  • Welcome Wagon. A representative from the PTO will contact new families to help them feel welcome and connected from the beginning.

The PTO next meeting will be held on November 19 at 9:30 a.m. at TLS Central.