Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
The Communion of Saints School Parent Teacher Organization (COS PTO) is an all volunteer, parent run organization committed to supporting, enhancing, and enriching the education of COS students and fostering a sense of community by connecting students, parents, faculty, clergy and parishioners. We seek to keep parents connected and informed by facilitating a closer relationship between school and home. At the heart of the COS PTO mission is a commitment to strengthen the Communion of Saints School’s capacity to provide the highest quality education and productive environment for all students. COS PTO does this by:
- Providing supplemental educational enrichment programs spanning all grade levels, ranging from STREAM activities, author visits, and artist performances.
- Enhancing school grounds and classrooms by purchasing equipment and fulfilling classroom needs.
- Facilitating communication and supporting COS students, faculty, and staff through PTO volunteers serving as event chairs and room parents.
- Hosting various social and community events throughout the year.
- Organizing Community Outreach drives that support local charitable organizations, while affording students an opportunity to practice social responsibility and compassion for others.
- Providing a directory of students and families.
- Hosting numerous faculty/staff appreciation events throughout the school year.
The COS PTO accomplishes this through its annual budget which is raised solely through fundraising activities and generous donations by school families, alumni, and parishioners.
Parent involvement is a fundamental part of what makes the COS school community rich and robust for our students. Because we take great pride in the mission of PTO and being an inclusive organization, no dues are required and all parents, faculty, and staff are members of the COS PTO.
All employees and volunteers who have contact with students undergo thorough screening, including background checks through the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation & Identificaton (BCI&I). For complete information on screening policies, see the revised Policy for the Safety of Children in Matters of Sexual Abuse, section 1.2 (pg.3).
A great way to learn more about COS school and the students’ school experience, is to get involved and be an active member of the COS PTO. Attend meetings which are held on the second Monday of the month (currently a virtual option for attending is provided). Volunteer to be a room parent or for an event. There are a variety of ways to volunteer – some that don’t even require you to leave your home! COS PTO recognizes the demands of modern family life, so we appreciate any amount of time you give. COS PTO is a great way to meet other families in your child’s school, faculty, and parish clergy.
PTO EVENTS
- Kindergarten Play Dates for Incoming Kindergarteners
- Welcome Picnic
- Fall and Spring Plant Sale
- Trunk-n-Treat
- Father/Daughter Dance
- Book Fair
- Thanksgiving Bread
- Holiday Pop-up Shop
- Christmas Bake Sale
- Adult Socials
- Ice Skate/Family Night
- Mother/Son Event
- Junior High Event
- COS Scavenger Hunt
- Movie Night
- Sabre Run
- Teacher Wish Lists
PTO Officers: 2022-2023
Kerry Bossard, Co-President
Phylicia Prince, Co-President
Jeanne Gordon, Treasurer
Lauren Cinadr, Secretary
Contact the PTO at:
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Room Parents
What Will You Do?
A room parent’s main task is to facilitate communication between the other parents, the teacher, and the Communion of Saints School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). What your responsibilities will be can vary from class to class and teacher to teacher, but the following is a general guideline:
- Solicit donations (paper goods, snacks, decorations, etc.) from parents for classroom parties and events (usually based on a list from the teacher),
- Collect money for Christmas, Catholic Schools Week, and end of the year teacher gifts, and
- Organize volunteers for the classroom for events or enrichment, and other tasks as decided by the teacher.
This year we are asking room parents to procure treats and party supplies for Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, and the last week of school festivities.
We encourage room parents to act as liaisons between teachers and PTO by attending PTO meetings and helping generate support or interest in PTO efforts. (For example, room parents can help the PTO promote an event by reminding their parents of an upcoming program or fundraiser.)
Meet with the Teacher
A teacher’s expectations of their room parents vary widely. Some rely heavily on volunteers to pull together all events and parties; others have specific ideas and will ask parents to coordinate only certain parts. Either way, it’s critical to find out your teacher’s preferred way of doing things early on and stick to it. And don’t limit your communication to those types of emails. It’s a good idea to check in with your teacher periodically to ask whether he or she needs anything.
Amazon Wishlist
This year PTO has asked each teacher to prepare an Amazon Wishlist and to share it with their room parents. The Amazon Wishlist is meant to provide parents with another opportunity to support our teachers in procuring the supplies they need, and to give parents who may not be able to volunteer in person with an outlet to meaningfully contribute to their child’s classroom.