Schools benefit from parents' helpSchools benefit from parents' helpSeptember 24, 2004
There is nothing more important than getting involved in your child's education. There is also nothing harder. Hard because no matter how much we try we can't do the work for our children. It is up to them to want to learn and make it as fun an experience as possible. That said, there is one way parents can help their children and that is by donating some of their time to their school or their school's PTA.
"This is especially important now that we are facing budget cuts," Christina Zanarini said. Zanarini is the president of the Oakley Elementary School PTA.
With state budget cuts everyone is affected, right down to the schools. There are those who believe that each year school ballots and bonds are passed and that should take care of all the help that the schools need, but that unfortunately isn't the case. While the basic education needs must be met, there are other options that make school interesting for the kids that are being cut each year.
Peggy Hill, O'Hara Park Middle School's PTSA president, says that her organization has been responsible for providing a special Renaissance Day for the eighth graders at the school and a Greek Day for the sixth graders. The group donates money that just isn't in the school budget.
"One of the things we are doing this years is helping with the Oakley School District's no-bully policy. As part of the program, the PTSA purchased a video for the kids to watch," Hill said.
As part of their program, O'Hara's PTSA invited all of the parents to come out and view the video before the kids see it, so that when they sign the permission slip for the kids to watch the video they get the chance to see what is in it first.
While education can surely be provided without special assemblies and theatrical performances to help students learn, teachers clearly see the benefits in showing these programs as an additional learning tool for kids to better understand what they are reading and being lectured about.
Hill ialso appreciates the fact that the city of Oakley has gotten involved in afterschool programs for the middle school kids at both O'Hara Park and Delta Vista middle schools. "The PTSA backed the afterschool program 100 percent," she said.
Vintage Parkway Elementary School is another example of a good PTA at work. For years the school's PTA has sponsored Family Day in the beginning of October, Harvest Carnival around Halloween and Breakfast with Santa around Christmas time. Each year they pick a project to put the money raised at these functions to good use. This year, according to PTA president Theresa Casad, the group is working on getting enough money together for a shade structure. A big portion of the fund-raising will come from Skate Night, A Night at the Jungle and collecting cereal box tops.
"There are tons of opportunities at all different times for parents to get involved," Casad said. "Some things can happen at home and any little amount of time that someone can give helps tremendously."
"Don't be shy," Zanarini said. "Oakley School parents can give an hour a week, an hour a month or whatever they feel comfortable with. It is important so all of the weight of the work doesn't fall on the shoulders of a few."
Zanarini said that some people are afraid that getting involved means coming to a lot of meetings. She said that although the PTAs would like all the help they can get, coming to a meeting isn't a top priority. Taking the time to help out on a cleanup day or during a noontime assembly is more than enough help if a lot of people get involved.
There is a PTA or a PTSA at all five elementary schools and both middle schools. For details on how you can get involved, stop by the school's main office or send a note to school with your child to give to their teacher.
Roni Gehlke's column on life in Oakley appears each week in the Brentwood News.
Distributed by the Contra Costa Times