PTO Strategic Plan
Percy Priest Parent Teacher Organization
Strategic Plan
2009-2012
The vision of Percy Priest Elementary is to be the most highly sought educational setting, wherein elementary school students maintain highest achievement, both academically and personally.
The mission of Percy Priest Elementary is to ensure that all students possess the foundation they need to reach their highest potential and become lifelong learners who are productive, respectful, and responsible members of our society.
Through well-established volunteer commitments of time, expertise, talent, and fundraising, the PPE Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) endeavors to support the school vision and mission by working with parents, teachers and staff to accomplish strategic goals identified every three years.
Note: The strategic plan is comprised of 5 main objectives. Goals and actions are indentified for each objective.
Enhance Communication
*Enhance communication between teachers and parents, between incoming families and current PPE families, between PPE and other schools, and among all PPE families to be a model school community.
I. Communicate to parents information about PPE teachers’ professional growth opportunities such as:
• Professional development (via email, web site or flyer);
• Mentoring practices (via email, web site or flyer);
• Peer-to-peer (i.e. teacher-to-teacher or classroom-to-classroom) interaction (via email, web site or flyer).
II. Improve electronic means of sharing information about PPE on various levels.
A. Create a blog for posting information (may include forum/message board accessible for parents and faculty to post messages).
B. Create a wiki page upon which extensive descriptive information about PPE could be placed.
C. Create or make more extensive use of teacher web pages or blogs.
D. Increase room parents’ involvement in distributing classroom information via email.
III. Enhance orientation experience and increase available information for new PPE parents (keeping in mind that such families may also be new to MNPS).
A. Produce a booklet or brochure in simple form with detailed information contributed by experienced parents. This document can be made available permanently on web site, blog or wiki as well as in print.
Specific topics include: fundraising; traditional events such as Read-a-thon, Math Night, etc., Encore, teaching practices such as looping and job sharing, library rules, and school supply lists.
B. Hold nighttime informational event, parent “Q & A Night,” for incoming new families.
IV. Establish PPE-JTM communication to improve transition to 5th grade.
A. In collaboration with PPE faculty, identify skills that PPE students will need to have in order to be prepared for the rigors of 5th grade at JTM.
B. Provide parents with written expectations for rising 5th grade students at JTM.
Promote Community
*Strengthen the internal PPE community to build relationships among families and ensure all newcomers feel welcome. Promote external partnerships to utilize community resources, enhance the PPE image and promote involvement by PPE within the community.
I. Organize events to build community.
A. Hold more classroom and grade-level events for families to meet one another such as casual gatherings at homes of PPE families or other venues.
B. Host special community events to include PPE as well as the Forest Hills community at large. Consider a movie night on the playground, for example.
C. Establish technology-based forums such as blogs or facebook groups to coordinate family get-togethers and play dates.
II. Provide increased opportunities for PPE to become involved in the community.
A. Organize opportunities for families to participate in service projects with organizations such as Second Harvest Food Bank, Hands-on Nashville, Habitat for Humanity and Forest Hills Cleanup Day.
B. Coordinate pen pals for the students transferring from PPE to Carter-Lawrence Elementary.
III. Optimize recognition of PPE within the community.
A. Utilize student recognition opportunities such as the Tennessean Student of the Week and WNSL Student of the Week.
B. Utilize teacher recognition opportunities such as 107.5 The River, Channel 2, other TV and radio stations.
C. Maintain publicity in the Tennessean and other publications via a designated PR person.
D. Optimize the school website as a tool for recognition of PPE.
IV. Support new parents by proactively providing information and making them feel welcome in the PPE community.
A. Partner new families with mentor families. This will be a specific focus for the families within the newly zoned areas for PPE.
B. Organize new family orientation activities such as summer activities and play dates, including kindergartners as well as other new families.
C. Advocate for a “sneak a peek” look at new classroom for new families before school starts.
V. Utilize government and corporate relationships to increase community support and enrich PPE resources.
A. Enhance Pencil Partner relationships and seek other corporate donors.
B. Establish a marketing committee to recruit potential partners and devise ways of increasing commitment by partners.
C. Encourage Pencil Partners to become active volunteers at the school (in addition to their other contributions).
Improve Facilities
*Provide facilities and grounds that are high quality and reflect the growing needs of the school.
I. Support expansion of library space & resources.
A. Communicate stakeholders’ ideas & needs for new space with library expansion committee.
B. Develop a capital campaign to support library expansion that is a separate initiative from the PTO operating budget.
C. Collaborate with faculty to provide new multimedia resources for school-wide use such as Smart boards, student response devices, and additional projectors.
II. Improve safety and security of the school and grounds, including outdoor playgrounds/recess areas.
A. Establish a proactive facilities committee to help prioritize maintenance needs, provide advocacy to MNPS and the City of Forrest Hills for solutions, and seek outside funding or donors for projects. NOTE: These projects are not PTO-funded projects.
Examples include:
• Improve safety of walkers and bike riders with more sidewalks. Specifically: Work with Forest Hills to add/extend sidewalk from bike path to Ashland; add sidewalk from Priest Rd. parking lot to front door to eliminate walkers & bike riders going through grass, and find ways to engender community support for such public improvements.
• Improve asphalt on basketball court and improve track.
• Fill potholes & uneven areas in front circle driveway.
• Fix speed bump on circle drive.
• Resolve security issues on playground.
Specifically, solicit help from Forest Hills for security patrol checks.
• Work with MNPS to resolve security issues including installing locks on inside of doors so they can be locked from the inside, upgrading computer/phone wiring & hardware throughout building, improving HVAC systems throughout building, and replacing sound panels in gym.
B. Resolve trash & graffiti issues on playground.
Ensure regular pick up of trash from receptacles & grounds by Davidson County government once PPE is officially a “city park”, especially after weekends due to inappropriate discarded items.
C. Add trees to playground areas for shade.
III. Provide support for school cleanliness.
A. Hold special clean up days for specific projects that go beyond regular janitorial service.
B. Continue to advocate to administration for improved cleanliness of building.
Enrich Curriculum
*Assist the faculty and staff in providing high-quality, well-rounded educational opportunities for all Percy Priest students.
I. Support teacher growth and development by funding and encouraging professional development for teachers and staff.
A. Provide advocacy and funding for coherent on-going math training opportunities for all grade levels.
B. Provide advocacy and funding for professional development opportunities which include an emphasis on classroom differentiation for students of varying needs and abilities.
C. Provide advocacy and funding for professional development which will further critical thinking in the classroom.
II. Facilitate increased technology use and math instruction in the classroom.
A. Provide funding for software and for professional development to expand use of technology for instruction.
B. Expand regular use of the COW to all classrooms by further training and organizing parents in assisting teachers with execution.
C. Explore the possibility of a PTO-driven Technology Night or incorporating more technology into Math Night.
D. Increase the number of manipulatives (whether purchased, collected, or parent-made) available to teachers for the teaching of math.
E. Expand Sunshine Math/Mountain Math to appropriate classrooms utilizing parent volunteers.
F. Explore possible academic special events that the PTO could sponsor such as a Science Fair, Spelling Bee or Geography Bee.
III. Explore ways to increase Spanish instruction for all classes.
A. Determine the feasibility of offering Spanish instruction to kindergarten and first grade classes for the entire school year.
B. Seek partnerships with Spanish-speaking volunteers from the community.
Support Teachers
*Strengthen teachers’ skills and interests by continuing to fund professional development; continuing to organize volunteer classroom assistance; and by funding teaching tool needs.
I. Continue to provide professional development for teacher training and professional networking.
A. Support curriculum initiatives based on the School Improvement Planning process and perceived needs (i.e., Singapore Math, International Baccalaureate programme).
B. Prioritize professional development for school-wide and grade level initiatives that are funded by PTO.
C. Promote school-wide professional development on campus so that all teachers receive training on related topics.
II. Organize consistent opportunities for parents to volunteer in the classroom.
A. Train and place parent volunteers to work with middle and high level learners as well as with struggling students.
B. Create a database of volunteers in order to match volunteers with teachers’ needs.
C. Continue to train volunteers to help with specific subjects such as math and reading.
D. Create a parent committee with representatives from each grade level to help archive activities for use of the COW in the classroom.
E. Create a job description for Room Parents.
III. Express appreciation for teachers to enhance motivation and job satisfaction.
A. Continue to provide meals or snacks on teacher-in-service days.
B. Continue the file of teacher profiles for parents’ access to develop appreciation ideas.
C. Form Teacher Appreciation group to provide additional ways to celebrate teachers (e.g., Wonderful Wednesday, Secret Parent).
IV. Provide supplies to teachers to support innovation and materials that go “beyond” the basics of meeting standards.
A. Create an online teacher specific supply “wish” lists.
B. Encourage teachers to seek creative materials for teaching and provide appropriate funding or connection to resources in the community.
Downloads:
Quicklinks
