Colchester Middle School Parent Teacher Oganization (PTO)

Mission Statement:

The PTO is a non-profit volunteer parent/staff partnership focused on supporting school sponsored clubs, sports and activities that encourage community collaboration for an enriching engaging education.

What is the PTO?

The CMS PTO - is a group of parents, teachers and school administrators who are working together to

1. facilitate parent and family involvement in the CMS community and
2. help support a positive school climate at CMS.

What are PTO grants?

Grant applications are available to CMS faculty/staff and students for the award of small grants. Grant applications should be submitted diretly to Dawn Gruss, Principal, and are awarded based on need, resources and benefit to the CMS community. It’s best to submit your application as soon in the school year as possible as there are limited funds from which to award grants. Past grant awards have included state and national flags for the lobby, outdoor classroom/garden space, and AV equipment for reporting CMS student news.

What about Fundraising?

The PTO is committed to carrying out the goals and activities listed above with minimal fundraising. At present we have two main funding sources. These are a CMS dance and parents helping out in the snack bar for a few hours at the annual Holiday Craft Show at CHS.

How can I get involved?

There are several ways to be involved with the PTO. You can:

• Attend the administrative meetings that occur monthly. Our first meeting is Tuesday, August 21 at 4:00 p.m. at CMS. The rest of the meeting schedule will be determined at the beginning of the school year. Please join us if you can.
• Attend a parent presentation
• Work a few hours in the snack bar at the craft show in December
• Chaperone the dance we sponsor