About the PTA
Did you know that the PTA organization has been around for 119 years? It was founded in 1897, back when women did not have the right to vote, and social activism was unpopular. Wanting to advocate for the safety of their children, two women came together to create PTA. It was immediately succesful! On February 17, 1897, more than 2,000 people attended the first meeting in Washington, D.C. Now, almost 120 years later, it is the largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the nation. PTA has been responsible for many programs and legislation that are now standard in our children's lives, such as:
- Creation of Kindergarten classes
- Child labor laws
- Public health service
- Hot and healthy lunch programs
- Juvenile justice system
- Mandatory immunization
- Arts in Education
- School Safety
Who knew that the reason we have Kindergarten and hot lunches in schools were because of PTA?
Why is the PTA important?
Our local PTA also provides our school and community with so much. Here is a short list of what Cherry Valley PTA does in our community.
Provides Educational Programs such as:
- After School Enrichment
- Pacific Science Center Van Visits
- Classroom Enrichment Grants
- Cedarcrest Scholarships
- Read-A-Thon Medals
- National PTA Reflections Program
- Classroom Art Docents
- Arts Alive
- New Library Books
- Field Trip Scholarships
Events that bring our community together and provide opportunities to meet your neighbors and other school families:
- Dance Dude classes for a week
- Dance Dude Dance Event
- Student Directory
- Family Movie Nights
- Family Bingo Nights
- Yearbooks
- Jump-a-thon
- Cheetah Walk
- Popcorn Fridays
By enriching your child’s school experience with:
- Playground Equipment
- Track & Field Maintenance
- School Flag
- Laptops & Laptop Carts
- Ipad Mini’s
- Defibrillator & CPR training for teachers
- School Wide Sound System
And lastly, Child Advocacy:
- Power Packs for students who need additional nutritional needs to be filled at home.
Additionally, each year our PTA chooses to gift something larger to the school with the money raised from our two fundraisers during the year. Here are a few things we've provided in the past:
- A Buddy Bench for the playground (This is a Buddy Bench)
- A new set of Guided Reading Books for the teachers & students. These books have not been replaced in over ten years, and many are missing or damaged. Guided Reading
- Blackout Shades for the Gym so that slideshows during assemblies can be seen.
- Outdoor water fountains for the playground
- Climbing wall for the gym
As you can see, the funds from our yearly fundraisers are very important! We aren't just spending funds on silly parties and meetings. We truly are enriching our children's school experience in many ways. This year, when you see that fundraiser form come home, we hope that you'll allow your child to get excited about raising money for their school. And as always, if you'd like to get involved in PTA we would love to have you!
Our Mission
The mission of the Cherry Valley PTA is to positively impact the lives of all students by partnering with staff, families, and the local community to foster a culture of fun, kindness, and acceptance through programs that support and advocate for the growth of all students, both academically and socially.
Our Core Values:
- We as the Cherry Valley PTA strive to support the mission of partnering with staff, families, and the local community by providing an inviting and comfortable environment for all families; by encouraging PTA membership; by encouraging volunteerism; and by collaborating with students, staff, families, and the local community to run the programs we provide throughout the year for Cherry Valley Elementary.
- We as the Cherry Valley PTA aim to foster a culture of fun, kindness, and acceptance by hosting inclusive family events throughout the year; by choosing themes that support our mission; and by providing scholarships to families in need.
- We as the Cherry Valley PTA prioritize programs that support and advocate for students both academically and socially through continued WSPTA advocacy education; through classroom and grade grants; through club and enrichment program support; through gifts to the school; and through a variety of fun, educational events throughout the year.
