Mansfield News

Award winning PTAs help make MISD strong

September 05, 2017 09:17 AM

Parent-Teacher Associations, better known as PTAs, have been a vital part of school success for many years. It is not uncommon to find that the stronger the PTA the better the school district.

Case in point: the Mansfield Independent School District (MISD).

The MISD is one of the few school districts of its size with a PTA represented on 100 percent of school campuses. This is done with the support and guidance of the MISD Council of PTAs.

Mansfield has eight high schools, six middle schools, six intermediate, and 23 elementary schools.

The MISD Council of PTAs was formed in May of 1990 to help provide guidance and support to the Local PTA units. When the organization launched, Mansfield ISD had 11 schools and 10 PTAs. Now the district has 43 PTAs, which includes the Mansfield Early Childhood PTA and Mansfield Special Education PTA.

The MISD Council of PTAs is a 501(c)3 nonpartisan association.

"PTAs are the backbone of the district. Parental involvement is critical in the success of any school, and PTAs are a large part of this," said MISD Board President Raul Gonzalez.

The Council of PTAs also runs the Mansfield ISD PTA Clothes Closet, which assists families in need with clothing for their students. Families can help the Clothes Closet by donating outgrown school-appropriate clothing and participating in various drives for such items as socks, underwear and dental supplies.

Mansfield PTAs have also won their share of honors. Recently, Cora Spencer Elementary was named a National PTA School of Excellence, an honor won the previous year by Brooks Wester Middle School and Mary Lillard Intermediate.

The honor for Cora Spencer is one of only 18 awarded to schools in Texas and one of only 149 awarded nationally. It is given to PTAs that have demonstrated a strong dedication and family engagement, and PTAs chosen have made a year-long commitment in identifying and implementing an action plan for school improvement based on the national standards for family-school partnerships.

Those standards include welcoming all families into the school community, communicating effectively, supporting student success, speaking up for every child, and collaborating with the community.

"PTA is a vital part of educating our children. PTA builds strong working relationships with parents, teachers and schools, all with the goal of supporting students in education," said first-year Cora Spencer Principal Georgie Swize. "From fundraising to volunteering to involving families in school activities, the PTA truly makes a difference in our students’ lives."

Gonzalez noted that at the high school level PTAs have student members, which actually makes them PTSAs.

"PTA membership is also important at the high school level where S is added for student members," he said. "Many parents who have actively participated in PTA when their children were younger become band, athletic, theater or choir parents when they get to high school. I encourage high school families to continue their service in PTSA as they are the glue that brings each of these individual booster clubs together."

High School PTSAs work to earn scholarship money for students and assist with campus needs of all sorts that are not covered by the district.

Gonzalez also noted that PTAs in the district are currently in their recruiting and registration process.

"I encourage each person in MISD to join their PTA or PTSA, and now is the time to do that," he said. "Even if you cannot give your time, your membership fee goes to help your school.

"Mansfield ISD prides ourselves on the participation of our families and believe that PTA involvement is critical for success. PTA parents are selfless in their service and help not only their student, but classmates as well."