As a parent or guardian of a child in Early Childhood Education through 8th grade, or as a member of the staff or faculty of the Pewaukee School District, you are automatically a member of the Pewaukee PTO!

What does this mean to you?

This means you no longer have to pay membership dues as in the past, for one. For another, you now have voting rights at all PTO meetings on issues such as how funds are distributed, what types of programs we sponsor for our kids, etc. But most importantly, it means that by being a part of the Pewaukee School District you are now also an important part of the PTO — an organization that is committed to enhancing the educational experience for everyone.

What exactly does the PTO do?

At the PTO, everything we do supports our Mission Statement: "To enhance the overall educational, recreational and social experience for our children, parents and staff." To this end, we sponsor quality programming and activities that benefit our children’s education, as well as host special events that encourage family involvement — what we believe is one of the single most important determinants of a child’s success in school.

Why is family involvement so important? Isn’t school success just up to the teachers?

Statistics overwhelmingly show that your involvement greatly benefits your child. According to Anne Henderson in "A New Generation of Evidence: The Family is Critical to Student Achievement," dozens of studies all scientifically support the same conclusion:

What are some of the other benefits of being involved in the PTO?

In addition to your children performing better in school, your involvement sends a very strong message to your kids: that you care about them, and you care about their education. You and the teaching staff also get to know each other better, which increases communication and fosters a better relationship between the primary people in your child’s life. You will also meet many other parents, which is a great way to build a network of friendship and support. (The Pewaukee Parenting Network was formed after Joe Katula, School Psychologist, spoke at one of our meetings!) And, importantly, being involved in school lets you truly experience one of the most personal aspects of your child’s world.

But isn’t the PTO just about fundraising?

Not at all. Fundraising, for us, is the means to an end. In order to sponsor family activities like The Sock Hop, pay for educational field trips, and provide quality programs such as PTO Education Partnerships, we do need to raise money. But we do that with a few select programs throughout the year. (Innisbrook Wrap is our main fundraising "event," and provides over 50% of the funds we use for the year.) There are many aspects of the PTO that most parents aren’t even aware of!

Mostly, we sponsor quality programming, activities and special events that benefit our children’s education. We also provide you, the parents and staff, with fresh ideas and relevant information by hosting speakers at our general meetings.

And by the way … Welcome to the PTO!