Marie Hosterman is in her second year as President of the Lincoln Elementary Parent Teacher Association (PTA). She became an active member of the PTA in 2018. In this article, she details her experience as a PTA leader and emphasizes the importance of these organizations to the school district and community.
Being a member of the Lincoln Elementary PTA has been a wonderful experience. Not only have I met amazing parents and caregivers, but I have also been able to meet and help with different aspects of the school as well. I joined the PTA when my son went into kindergarten. I didn’t know anyone there, and I will admit I was nervous, but I went to every meeting and volunteered for lots of events, and by the end of the school year, I was voted in as secretary of the PTA.
The main role of the PTA is to have an open line of communication between parents, teachers, and the school’s district leaders. Lincoln Elementary has the only PTA left in the Cuyahoga Falls district, but the other schools have a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). The main difference between the two is that the PTA is connected to the National PTA organization. We pay dues to this organization, and in turn we can use any resources they have. A PTO is its own entity with its own bylaws and organization. Both PTAs and PTOs are wonderful to have in the schools, as they allow members the opportunity become more aware of the community. Cuyahoga Falls has a lot of businesses that want to help—big or small, these companies contribute when asked. The Lincoln PTA relies on donations and fundraising as the only way of collecting money for the organization.
Along with the fun stuff—events, fundraisers, etc.—the PTA helps teachers as well. Thanks to our fundraising efforts, we can help the schools in different ways. Our school offers grants to any teacher that may need something for their classroom. Whether it’s a website that they want to use for educational purposes or accessories to help with overstimulated students, these grants are important for helping our teachers. We also give back to the staff, supplying dinner for the school during parent/teacher conferences, holding a weeklong teacher/staff appreciation event every year, and doing really anything we can to show how important they are to us.
For students past and present, there are many ways we give back. For instance, we offer scholarships for seniors who went to our school. We also help our fourth graders by sponsoring them as they learn entrepreneurship skills on Lemonade Day, and supply meals for families, donation drives for canned goods, and even clothing. We also offer family-oriented events throughout the school year.
At Lincoln, we are lucky to have a lot of parents who volunteer in many ways to help the PTA thrive. Many people are unaware not only how fun it is, but how different people have qualities that help in different ways. Whether it’s collecting donations for an event, helping at the school library, or being a carpool parent, so many things go into helping the school, and we can always use more volunteers. Every school is different, and anyone who has children in the school can help.
Not only are parent-teacher associations and organizations a huge advocate for the schools, but we are also a tremendous part of our community, helping other schools, businesses, students, and families. I have personally met so many wonderful people in our community, from business owners and family members to school faculty and staff. My voice doesn’t go unheard, and I am honored to be a part of the wonderful organization we have at Lincoln Elementary.
If you are interested in helping your local school, please reach out to see how you can help keep Cuyahoga Falls full of Black Tiger Pride!
