Parent teacher groups fund school spirit, but lack volunteers

CEDAR RAPIDS — Funding transportation for field trips, providing meals for teachers during parent-teacher conferences and hosting school carnivals are just a few of the ways “small but mighty” parent teacher groups support their schools.

Parent teacher groups at schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District raise thousands annually, spending it by funding schoolwide celebrations, classroom materials and more in an effort to foster community for students and staff.

Finding volunteers to organize events, however, is increasingly challenging. Some parent teacher groups had to be resuscitated after the pandemic.

“The more energy you give into a school, they turn around and give toward students and families,” said Kellie Sauter, president of the parent teacher organization at Erskine Elementary School.

Erskine’s biggest fundraising event each year is the Walk N Rock in October. If their goal of raising $15,000 is met, the school’s principal Alexis Pieper has agreed to work from the roof of the school for a day — possibly in an Erskine Eagles mascot costume.

Sauter said it’s “important” to spend the money the parent teacher groups raise and invest it back into the schools.

“It’s not our job to hoard the money, but we want to be fiscally responsible too,” she said.

Last year, the parent teacher group organized and funded a party at Washington High School — where students at Erskine will eventually attend. They even got to use the swimming pool.

“It creates community pride and helps keep kids and families in the system. It’s important for people not to fear these bigger schools,” Sauter said.

A spring fling every year with a DJ and pizza, a fun run, schoolwide celebrations for academic achievement, school T-shirts for every student, and snacks for the teacher’s lounge are just a few of the things the parent teacher group does annually.

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“It builds morale and school pride and goes beyond purchasing items. They’re willing to volunteer. Any ideas I throw at them, they put it to life,” Pieper said.

“My favorite event might be the spring fling,” Pieper said. “It’s almost like a carnival. From that event, there was a raffle where one student got to be my assistant principal for the day.”

‘Small but mighty’

Kathy Lynott, a fourth grade teacher at Erskine, said the parent teacher group is “small but mighty,”

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“They have gone above and beyond to spoil us as teachers,” Lynott said. “A treat cart once in awhile will cruise through the halls with cold drinks or sweet treats. On conference nights, they usually provide one meal. The teachers joke that we’re likely eating better at school than our families are at home. We’re being treated like royalty in the teacher’s lounge.”

Sauter joined Erskine’s parent teacher group in 2021, and said it was rebuilding after the pandemic. There are about five members today.

One volunteer is a professional grant writer. While she can’t always attend monthly meetings, she does spend time writing grants that fund equipment for the school, Sauter said.

“People aren’t necessarily able to make a meeting, but they can donate $5 or a pack of marshmallows for a cocoa bar for the teachers,” Sauter said.

“Small contributions can make a big difference,” she said.

Corporate sponsorship, individual donations and fundraisers with local restaurants donating a percentage of their profits to the school and Hy-Vee’s Cash 4 Students program that allows schools to earn money by collecting customer receipts are the primary ways parent teacher groups raise funds.

Donations collected by Erskine and other school parent teacher groups are managed by the Cedar Rapids Community Schools Foundation’s fiscal agent program.

When funds come in, they are earmarked for the affiliated school or club. This reduces much of the administrative burden of managing funds and risk of error on parent teacher groups.

‘We try to say yes’

When Audrey McGrath’s son began at Harding Middle School in the fall of 2023, she realized there was no parent teacher group to join.

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“I was really thrown off by that. I realized I have four kids. I’m going to be at Harding for nine years total. I went to Harding as well. This was my middle school,” said McGrath, now president of the parent teacher group at Harding.

Today, there are about four people who consistently volunteer with the Harding parent teacher group.

“I’m in a privileged position of being a stay at home parent. I’m having a blast. I think it’s so fun to do fun things at a school, and I’m happy to provide it. I also want others to feel like they can contribute,” McGrath said.

“We try to create an environment where we can celebrate all parents who can get involved any way they can. If you can’t coordinate fundraisers, you can show up for one. We have one every month. If you can’t show up for the fundraiser, we take donations through Venmo. If you don’t have cash to donate, shop at Hy-Vee and save your receipts. We try to find avenues where every parent at Harding can somehow contribute back to the school,” McGrath said.

McGrath said she hopes the parent teacher group can help foster a reputation that Harding is a place where teachers, students and families are happy.

“I think that all starts with the teachers,” she said. “It trickles down to how they interact with students and creates happy kids that go home at the end of the day.”

Harding’s parent teacher group purchases incentives for teachers to give students for positive behavior, meals for teachers during parent-teacher conferences, some classroom supplies and snacks for students in the nurses office.

They spend about $2,000 a year.

One year when a class was reading a book with a papaya in it, the parent teacher group purchased papayas for the students to try for an “immersive experience,” McGrath said.

“We try to say ‘yes’ to everything,” she said. “It’s a tough three years for the kids, for the teachers. If we can do anything to show up for them, support them and let them know we are grateful for them, we’ll find ways to make that happen.”

‘Our goal is to support the school’

Ashley Baird, vice president of McKinley STEAM Academy’s parent teacher group, said they have a goal of spending $12,000 this year to support teachers and students. There are about 25 members, “but we would like more volunteers,” she said.

The parent teacher group helps fund the annual eighth grade graduation party and school dance, snacks for students during standardized testing, field trips, conference and holiday meals for teachers and snacks for the teacher’s lounge.

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“First and foremost, our goal is to support the school in whatever way we can and help grow a sense of community in the building,” Baird said.

Baird said a part of the reason she’s involved in the parent teacher group is to share the “good things happening” in the school.

“You don’t understand how great it is. We’ve had an incredible experience,” said Baird.

This year her son is an anchor for the school’s Bear News Network, which he gets to write, record and edit to be televised to the student body.

Ashley Kohlmann, president of the parent teacher group at Van Buren Elementary School, is continuing to volunteer even though her daughter is now in middle school.

One of the ways the parent teacher group recently supported the school was by hosting a walk-a-thon to raise money for the school’s therapy dog expenses, including veterinary care, food and training.

Kohlmann’s niece and nephew still attend the school, but she hopes soon to “pass the baton.” There are about 10 members of the parent teacher group.

“There are things we would like to do, but we don’t have the volunteers,” she said.

“I really believe that having parents involved strengthens a school’s culture. It’s a good way to stay informed, connect with other families and strengthen engagement between parents and teachers,” Kohlmann said.

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