School thanks PTO with card shower

When football teams win championships, the team often showers their coach with Gatorade or another drink. When Frank Layden Elementary in Frontenac celebrated the end of the year, they showered their “coaches” with thank-you cards. Literally.
Students and teachers wrote thank-you cards to the officers and members of the parent-teacher organization and expressed their gratitude by dumping a water cooler full of thank-you cards upon them.
And Frank Layden students and faculty had plenty to be thankful for from the PTO members.
The PTO operated, funded or helped with numerous projects at the school, including the book fair, Christmas store, the jog/walkathon, the yearbook, box-top collections and the school carnival, just to name a few.
“The PTO greatly impacts this school because we get so much support throughout the entire year,” said elementary music teacher Amanda Johnson. “It’s everything they do for the kids. Not only what they do for the kids, like treats and activities, but also the things they do for the teachers. It’s the little things, like one year they put granola bars in all of our boxes. They are always showing that they appreciate us as teachers.”
Perhaps the biggest impact has been outside the classroom. Or rather, just to the north of the school.
The PTO has been behind the new playground just north of the school. The playground is moving on to phase II, which involves tearing down a nearby home to put up basketball goals and blacktop.
Not only has the PTO been instrumental outside the classroom, but they’ve also been active within the classroom.
The PTO purchased binders for second through fifth graders, bought $25 gift cards to Wal-Mart for teachers during Christmas, and bought digital cameras for teachers and office workers.
“They’re a great influence. They’re such a great support system,” said Chad Ulepich, elementary P.E. teacher. “They’re always asking what it is we want and if they can help in any way.”
PTO members said the celebration was a unique way for the school to say thanks and said their work never ends.
“If we see a need with teachers, we try to accommodate them,” said Renae Jessip, incoming PTO co-treasurer. “If there’s a need on one grade level, we try to do it for all grade levels.”
PTO officers for the 2007-2008 school year include president Tracey Eagon, vice president Brandi Hill, secretary Shelley Bernard and co-treasurers Kandi Hale and Shanna Natalini.

Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or 231-2600 ext. 132.