Donate/Dues

News/Email

Meetings

Events

Volunteer

Fundraising

Governance

Contact

UPDATE, APRIL 2013: PLEASE SEE SPRING PLANT SALE FUNDRAISER DETAILS, including a downloadable order form (click here and scroll to bottom of page).

Welcome to the 2012-2013 school year at Slauson Middle School! The Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) is where parents, teachers, and students come together to enrich Slauson. The PTSO funds and organizes activities and resources beyond the district's budget, discusses and advocates for issues that affect education at Slauson, and promotes a positive climate throughout the school.

[Current News (as of Jan. 2013): If you would like to learn more about a parents' group formed to analyze testing in AAPS schools, see here.]

All parents and guardians with children currently attending Slauson are automatically members, and are encouraged to attend meetings and participate. The PTSO spends about $35,000 a year to provide the service level it does today, which comes out to about $50 per family. Therefore, each family is asked to contribute a membership donation of $50 if they are able, and/or help out with the PTSO's various fundraisers. The more supportive parents are, the more PTSO can accomplish. Click an icon above to get started, or read on to learn about PTSO's activities.

Typical activities that PTSO sponsors each year include:

• Subsidizing the 7th grade Camp Howell overnight experience as well as other class's trips and outings
• Financing and hosting Family Fun Nights - evenings of pizza, swimming, basketball, volleyball, floor hockey, and dancing
• Purchasing certain equipment requested by teachers and coaches, like team uniforms, books, instruments, and classroom supplies
• Subsidizing Slauson t-shirts for all students
• Providing lanyards and pins for Slauson Honor Society
• Funding mini-grants -- teachers may request monies for specific items or activities to enrich their classrooms (Teachers: download mini-grant application and expense reimbursement forms here).
• (for more details, peruse a typical budget, or ask us)

PTSO organizes many activities:

• Publishing the MORE Slauson Newsletter 
• Publishing and distributing the Student Directory 
• Organizing the 8th grade graduation party
• Recruiting parent volunteers to assist with student organizations and clubs
• Helping plan end-of-year activities (picnics, Rolling Hills trip, etc.)
• Chaperoning parties and dances
• Arranging for parents to serve as members of the School Improvement Team
• Supporting parent-led after school activities
• Forming committees for hospitality, media center upgrading, and other initiatives

The vitality of the PTSO depends on volunteers. There are many ways parents can become involved (see a comprehensive list here), including the PTSO, helping individual teachers, tutoring, enrichment activities (including sponsoring after school clubs and academic opportunities, e.g., Chess Club), Family Fun Nights, and chaperoning field trips and dances. The PTSO distributes volunteer forms at the beginning of the year to be returned to your student's advisory teacher, or you may contact a member of the PTSO or the secretary in your child's House Office.

Of the PTSO's four major fundraising activities, the annual magazine sale is still the most important. For two weeks in September, students and parents sell magazine subscriptions to help fund all the activities above. It takes everyone pitching in to make the sale a success. We've done very well in the past, and we need to continue to have everyone help with this extraordinary effort. We often run other sales, like books or spring plants, and appreciate everyone's help in making them successful. Fundraisers like these allow us to provide the many extras that make Slauson the wonderful experience it is for our children.

Last update: 10/18/2012