A couple of weeks ago, the Owlmobile pulled up in front of the high school (yeah, bus lateness trauma still affects the Owlets) to be met by PTO President Nancy Trodden and Vice President Gail Palmer. They were talking with each driver to see if they were current members of the PTO. Happily, I was able to answer in the affirmative, and if you’re a parent of a Weston student, I hope you can too. Last year there was quite a dip in membership, in large part due to the lack of in-person engagement opportunities for families.

“So far we have 790 active members, which fortunately is up from last year, ” said Gail Palmer. “We still want and need more people to join to help support the ongoing work the PTO does. The PTO is all about enriching the educational programming for all kids across the district, enhancing the sense of community within and between our schools/parents/teachers/staff, and supporting communication between those groups. ” 

The PTO is an amazing group of volunteers–I was part of the organization when my kids were in elementary school–first as a room parent, then in membership, and finally in Creative Arts. You cannot imagine how many hours these folks put in to make our kids’ school experience the very best. And I cannot imagine why 100% of our families are not members: it’s only $50! Let me get mathy on you: If you give up one Venti Starbucks Latte a month ($4.15), you have paid your membership (12 x $4.15= $49.80, close enough). Just do it. Note that you do not have to volunteer time in order to be a member–the PTO would welcome more volunteers, but it is not required.

Since the research intern is still un-hired, I was unable to discover the membership percentages across schools. As I recall from my time as a PTO Board Member, the elementary school parents were pretty well-represented in dues payment, with a drop-off into Middle School and then a sheer drop at High School. Maybe everyone is saving up for their kids’ college? I don’t know, but it’s really silly not to chuck in $50. Yes, I said it–and “silly” may or may not be the word I am thinking. Personally, I would run a competition between classes in each school–since the class of 2025 is a bubble class and a very participatory one, I wish to challenge 2024, 2023, and 2022 on straight numbers. Bring it.

The PTO is supported entirely by membership dues. Membership gives you access to the Membership Toolkit online directory and calendar. My favorite toy is the paper directory, which you can order separately. It is a fantastic cheat sheet when you have a memory like I do–what’s the name of Mary’s mom? Is Joey in second grade or third? It’s all in there. To join, or to buy a paper directory, please click here. 

You can also sign up to volunteer here:   https://westonpto.membershiptoolkit.com/ sign_ups

The Weston Public Schools Parent Teacher Organization (Weston PTO) is an all-volunteer, parent-run, non-profit organization committed to enhancing and enriching the education of our children and fostering a sense of community within our schools.