By Dan Coggins

Special to the Post

Rowan-Salisbury’s Parent-Teacher Associations seek ways to involve parents, staff, students, and the community. The associations have proven again and again that they are the driving force behind our parents and staffs to provide for our schools.

For the 2014-2015 school year the district’s Parent-Teacher Associations’ have directed or supported a number of projects.

Enochville Elementary ­– Teacher workday luncheons, parent nights, discount card fundraiser, cookie dough fundraisers, Relay for Life

Southeast Middle – Raised nearly $18,000 to renovate the media center with collaborative spaces

Faith Elementary – Held a Great Wolf Lodge raffle to raise funds to improve the media center and began the process of an outdoor classroom

West Rowan High – Received the Blue Key and Bronze Key awards from the North Carolina Parent Teacher Association; recognized staff with goodie bags, notes and treats monthly; raised funds to purchase a large motorized projector screen for the media center and provided five $2,500 scholarships to graduating seniors Mathew Langford, Mino Panchit, Parker Williams Audra Benson Daniel Winecoff

Millbridge Elementary – Purchase tables with benches and umbrellas, balls and bags for each grade by holding movie nights, the fall festival, a 5K run, fun runs, book fairs, a canned goods drive and tee shirt sales; purchased a drying rack was for the art room; maintained the teacher supply closet; supplied iPads, TVs, library renovation funds and Lego Intellectual Kits; hosted spirit nights at Chick-Fil-A, Texas Roadhouse, Chuck E. Cheese, Skateland Skate Night and Sweet Frog and held monthly teacher and staff appreciation events a duty-free lunch was provided

China Grove Middle – Received the Bronze Acorn Award; hosted three school dances and two book fairs; sold spirit wear; initiated the “Invest in a Child” fundraiser; sponsored teacher appreciation week and provided free lunches, including a week of gifts; held monthly drawings for Staples gift cards for teacher members of the Parent-Teacher Association and donated items for the sixth grade orientation scavenger hunt

Bostian Elementary – Hosted spirit nights at Sweet Frog, Sonic, Chick-fil-A, Extreme Play and an Intimidators game Day; sponsored a talent show for students, the Fall Festival and a movie night; raised more than $10,000 to support various projects for the school; provided $200 mini-grants for teachers to spend in their classrooms; hosted a teacher appreciation week

Granite Quarry Elementary – Launched Granite Quarry Elementary School Spirit Gear; hosted the most profitable fall festival and other fund raisers; held three Friday Fun Days; hosted a talent show; purchased playground mulch and landscaping materials, new furniture for the media center, new projector and screen, tables for the Summer Lunch program and $8,000 towards new tile; will cover the adult supervision needed on Mondays throughout the summer; hosted three honor roll receptions; collected more than $2,700 in Box Tops; provided a back to school lunch for the entire staff; hosted teacher appreciation week and provided snacks each month for Star Student Recognition program.

North Rowan High – provided $2,500 in scholarships for seniors based on academic accomplishment; hosted Parent-Teacher Association kickoff, freshman orientation and back to school night; hosted clean up day and breakfast for teachers’ first day back; provided a candy cart for open house, volleyball games and for teachers; held three honor roll reception breakfasts; monthly recognized two academic students of the month; provided deserts for the holiday luncheon and snacks in teacher’s boxes the entire week before the winter holiday; supplied waters and snacks for senior field day and teacher appreciation week

Morgan Elementary – Held a fall festival that raised more than $16,000 and an Invest in Child fundraiser that raised $10,000; used money earned to build a new science lab and a new media center at the school

Rowan Early College – Awarded scholarships to Jessica Graham, Daphne Bradshaw, Jennifer Plakyda and Gabby D’Amato

 

Coggins is president of the Rowan-Salisbury PTA Council.