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PTA explains move from "class parents" to schoolwide parties to ensure equity
Summary
A PTA representative told the board the group replaced traditional class parents with buildingwide parties because some classrooms had many volunteers while others had none, and fingerprinting/background checks and uneven fundraising created unequal experiences for students.
A PTA representative addressed the board to explain why the association moved from a traditional 'class parent' model to two schoolwide class parties for PreK–6. The PTA said the change was prompted by unequal volunteer participation across classrooms, the administrative burden and safety requirements of fingerprinting and background checks, last‑minute volunteer cancellations and uneven fundraising that produced unequal student experiences.
"We found that all classrooms were not equally supported, that some classes had multiple volunteers while others had none at all," the PTA representative said, explaining the rationale for pooling funds buildingwide so every classroom receives the same party items. The PTA described recent winter and end‑of‑year events where students in all classrooms received the same treat and said the model still offers other parent engagement opportunities — book fair, holiday boutique, field day, chaperone roles and end‑of‑year classroom events.
A resident, Melissa Cruz, also raised questions earlier about the kindergarten fundraiser, asking whether funds were restricted to the stated purpose (paying for kindergarten T‑shirts) and seeking assurance about transparency and communication. The administration and board responded by describing the fundraiser as intended to cover shirt costs and noting the PTA and administration had discussed those details.
PTA leaders said they made the change after consultation with administration and surveyed families; they said they remain open to engagement and will continue to hold monthly executive meetings and invite parent conversations.
