Have you ever had a joke turn in to a reality? Well that is what happened to me yesterday. At Leon Elementary's PTO meeting I said, "I should write a blog about Harper Valley PTA, I mean Leon PTO." I was just kidding of course. Then I got to thinking about it. I have been in PTO or PTA for 10 years now. I have had a kid in the public education system for 10 years, well really 11, but who is counting.
When Thomas was young I knew right away he had a problem with his speech. Since I was from Huntsville I knew Sam Houston State University offered a great speech program and we started that for Thomas when he was three. When we moved to Bastrop he started going to public school and had speech therapy twice a week. Landon was just a few weeks old and he and I would sit in the office and while we waited on Thomas. We didn't know anyone in Bastrop and this 30 minutes twice a week became my lifeline.
The first day of kindergarten Thomas was so excited to stay a whole day at school. When I picked him up I just knew he would be filled with so much excitement. When I saw him I knew immediately something was wrong. His pale face was red and his nose was huge. As soon as he saw he started crying uncontrollably. I couldn't understand a word he was saying. Thomas stuttered really bad but, after what seemed like forever, I finally understood he had hit a post on the play ground chasing kids. He didn't want to be embarrassed by trying to talk on the first day of school so he went and hid till he could get the blood to stop and never said a word. If someone, anyone would have looked at his face they would have known there was a problem. We went to the emergency room where it was confirmed that Thomas had broken his nose. Thank God I had all evening and night to hide my crazy and act like a lady the next morning.
It was at that moment that I knew I was going to join the PTA. A situation like Thomas' was never going to happen to another kid!! My one job I gave myself was to always look each child in the face and look down at their shoes and make sure they were tied. Every day for years no matter what office I held or didn't hold in PTA/PTO one thing was always important. I wanted to make sure no kid felt like they were just a number and that every teacher knew they were loved. Bastrop teachers were spoiled, but they were always so grateful.
Landon was always my side kick on campus so four years later when he started school, the school was truly his second home. I can't tell you how many times that boy got in trouble for going to see Mrs. Taylor. When Payce started school we were at Emile more then we were at our house. I always felt they needed us as much as we needed them. I miss that feeling.
So we decided to move to Leon. In my mind I'm thinking what are we going to do at this podunk school in the middle of no where. I can't do it. I'm not going to do it. We are going to drive back and forth to Bryan. I felt that way until we went to meet the teacher night before school started. Boy does Leon ISD know how to put a whole new meaning to don't judge a book by its cover. The school inside was beautiful, the bulletin boards were current and up to date, the teachers were very friendly and what I noticed right away is a lot of the teachers made it a priority to touch the students. They would either put their hand on the student's shoulder or shake their hand or even give them a hug. I just love that!! This school also did theme Fridays and the school had a theme for the whole year. I love THEMES!!! I was sold on Leon Elementary right there. The first day of school came and went and the kids loved it. It's three years later and they still love going to school everyday. I believe they would go year round and not think twice about it.
Landon was always my side kick on campus so four years later when he started school, the school was truly his second home. I can't tell you how many times that boy got in trouble for going to see Mrs. Taylor. When Payce started school we were at Emile more then we were at our house. I always felt they needed us as much as we needed them. I miss that feeling.
So we decided to move to Leon. In my mind I'm thinking what are we going to do at this podunk school in the middle of no where. I can't do it. I'm not going to do it. We are going to drive back and forth to Bryan. I felt that way until we went to meet the teacher night before school started. Boy does Leon ISD know how to put a whole new meaning to don't judge a book by its cover. The school inside was beautiful, the bulletin boards were current and up to date, the teachers were very friendly and what I noticed right away is a lot of the teachers made it a priority to touch the students. They would either put their hand on the student's shoulder or shake their hand or even give them a hug. I just love that!! This school also did theme Fridays and the school had a theme for the whole year. I love THEMES!!! I was sold on Leon Elementary right there. The first day of school came and went and the kids loved it. It's three years later and they still love going to school everyday. I believe they would go year round and not think twice about it.
For me, I still struggle from time to time. I will never forget when we first moved here getting stopped at the double doors one morning. I was going to volunteer and I couldn't go in. I had to wait for someone to come get me. I turned around and left and cried two hours because I couldn't go in my own kids school. When Matt got home and I swallowed my pride I was thankful that this small school had such great security. They didn't know me and now I know my kids are safe and to tell you the truth my kids are so glad I'm not up there all the time.
They were so spoiled at Emile. I truly didn't notice how bad till I was having teacher conferences that first year at Leon and they were behind on basic skills. I have really seen them grow in the last three years but still to this day I don't know my role at Leon.
The first year I wasn't really involved. I people watched. The second year I was very involved. I joined PTO and was elected Box Top Coordinator. I witnessed activities and events and realized this school didn't need me. They had a system. I also realized I was truly tired of either saying or thinking this isn't how Bastrop does it. So I stepped back in 2016. but do I miss it everyday. I want to do so much at the school and have skills I think sometimes they could use but the truth is the school administrative and teachers do a great job. They do things different but that isn't a bad thing.
So I guess now you want the true low down on the PTO. Are you are wondering the difference in PTO and PTA if your still reading. One is an organization, one is an association. One has different bylaws, insurance, nonprofit status, blah blah blah.
So lets Harper Valley PTA it right now. Who am I kidding. No offense Leon PTO ladies but you are not Harper Valley PTO at all. And, that's a good thing! The president is the one and only Julie Noey. Everyone gives her 100%. The staff respects her and loves her. I would sum her up as the Godmother of the school. She never seems to panic, she is fair, honest and always hears both sides of the story. I admire that the most about her. Our Vice President has a calendar. I call it her Bible. She is very efficient in her job. Her mother and sister work at the school so she always has her ear to the ground to what PTO can do to help. Our secretary is a preachers wife. She is mighty but very soft spoken. She is very thorough and detailed with her reports. She has tiny features but every time I see her I think "Though she be little, she is fierce" by William Shakespeare. Our Treasurer is DeRonda. I love to push her buttons. I could tell you I'm to grown for that but, I'm not. She is really tight with the purse strings. Whenever you mention PTO money she starts twitching! I laugh and say, "It ain't your money." She gets all red faced and then she gets all flustered. Even though I give her a hard time about the money I know she just wants to make sure we do everything exactly right and is super supportive of all things Leon.
Also on the PTO Board is Winter. She took my position as Box Top Coordinator from last year. She does things last minute and is the shopper for the group. She can make and do anything. She is a very talented and I still think she can do more then what she does decorating wise. Winter and I run a nonprofit together so I will blog more about her later. You can guess I love her a little. Then you have Wende she loves the school so much. She is so passionate about making sure the kids and teachers get what they want and need. For the last two years she has been a board member and doesn't even have a kid in elementary! That is love and to be honest I think she is amazing. Leon ISD is lucky to have her.
I know we have other board members and a great group of ladies that come to the meeting. In fact we had one lady giving away eggs yesterday. They were brown, white and even duck eggs. Sometimes I'm still shocked at how country we are. Like where else does this happen?? I love we are a bunch of ladies trying to do right by the school, our kids, and the teachers while running ranches and farms. No I didn't take any eggs I'm not ready for the co-op just yet.
They were so spoiled at Emile. I truly didn't notice how bad till I was having teacher conferences that first year at Leon and they were behind on basic skills. I have really seen them grow in the last three years but still to this day I don't know my role at Leon.
The first year I wasn't really involved. I people watched. The second year I was very involved. I joined PTO and was elected Box Top Coordinator. I witnessed activities and events and realized this school didn't need me. They had a system. I also realized I was truly tired of either saying or thinking this isn't how Bastrop does it. So I stepped back in 2016. but do I miss it everyday. I want to do so much at the school and have skills I think sometimes they could use but the truth is the school administrative and teachers do a great job. They do things different but that isn't a bad thing.
So I guess now you want the true low down on the PTO. Are you are wondering the difference in PTO and PTA if your still reading. One is an organization, one is an association. One has different bylaws, insurance, nonprofit status, blah blah blah.
So lets Harper Valley PTA it right now. Who am I kidding. No offense Leon PTO ladies but you are not Harper Valley PTO at all. And, that's a good thing! The president is the one and only Julie Noey. Everyone gives her 100%. The staff respects her and loves her. I would sum her up as the Godmother of the school. She never seems to panic, she is fair, honest and always hears both sides of the story. I admire that the most about her. Our Vice President has a calendar. I call it her Bible. She is very efficient in her job. Her mother and sister work at the school so she always has her ear to the ground to what PTO can do to help. Our secretary is a preachers wife. She is mighty but very soft spoken. She is very thorough and detailed with her reports. She has tiny features but every time I see her I think "Though she be little, she is fierce" by William Shakespeare. Our Treasurer is DeRonda. I love to push her buttons. I could tell you I'm to grown for that but, I'm not. She is really tight with the purse strings. Whenever you mention PTO money she starts twitching! I laugh and say, "It ain't your money." She gets all red faced and then she gets all flustered. Even though I give her a hard time about the money I know she just wants to make sure we do everything exactly right and is super supportive of all things Leon.
Also on the PTO Board is Winter. She took my position as Box Top Coordinator from last year. She does things last minute and is the shopper for the group. She can make and do anything. She is a very talented and I still think she can do more then what she does decorating wise. Winter and I run a nonprofit together so I will blog more about her later. You can guess I love her a little. Then you have Wende she loves the school so much. She is so passionate about making sure the kids and teachers get what they want and need. For the last two years she has been a board member and doesn't even have a kid in elementary! That is love and to be honest I think she is amazing. Leon ISD is lucky to have her.
I know we have other board members and a great group of ladies that come to the meeting. In fact we had one lady giving away eggs yesterday. They were brown, white and even duck eggs. Sometimes I'm still shocked at how country we are. Like where else does this happen?? I love we are a bunch of ladies trying to do right by the school, our kids, and the teachers while running ranches and farms. No I didn't take any eggs I'm not ready for the co-op just yet.
On a serious note I would like to say many moons ago I decided I would run for School Board. Nobody panic I'm not saying I'm going to do it at Leon, but one day I will run somewhere. I love public schools and only want it to be the best and I feel I can help by being on the board. Until then I have sit back and find other organizations to fill my time and know my kids are safe, loved and being taken care of by the best teachers. They don't need my help as a mother as I'm crying now saying that is a great feeling to know Leon's Got This!! It is just hard to let go of such a big piece of me.
Good one!! Harper Valley....laughing!!!
ReplyDeleteGood one!! Harper Valley....laughing!!!
ReplyDelete