Head O’ Meadow Elementary School PTA ‘Adopts’ A Louisiana School

Students, parents, and staff at Head O’ Meadow Elementary School in Newtown have decided to “adopt” an elementary school in Livingston Parish in Louisiana.

After witnessing Hurricane Katrina’s devastation and destruction on TV, a group of PTA members decided that it was time to help. Upon researching and speaking to people in the Gulf Coast, the Head O’ Meadow PTA realized how big the need is to help the students in this damaged area of Louisiana.

When the committee consulted with the administration, it was determined that Head O’ Meadow Elementary School would “adopt” Southside Elementary School. The K–5 elementary school in Denham Springs has been taking in evacuees from surrounding areas. Due to the influx of evacuees, the population has doubled in the town, and yet most of its own homes have been badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina.

According to the Southside Elementary School guidance counselor, the school incurred limited damage and the children are able to attend school. However, the students are not functioning the best they can. Their homes have been destroyed. They are now sharing homes with 10–12 other people. Their homes have been destroyed and they have none of their basic necessities to function as they did prior to Hurricane Katrina. They are going “home” with nothing that is familiar to them.

Beginning this week, Head O’ Meadow plans to collect and send items that children usually take for granted, such as socks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, underwear, so they can get back to some sense of normalcy.

“We saw a need, and knew we could help,” says Amy Schmidt, president of Head O’ Meadow PTA. “We encourage our children to look outside of their own world, and give back to the community whenever they can,” she continues. “Everyone needs a helping hand now and then, and the students at Southside Elementary School definitely need many helping, caring hands right now. We’re here to help and teach a life lesson of giving to our children. We live in an area that is very fortunate, and we have a lot to give.”

The Adopt-a-School committee thought it was a perfect tie-in to help out and adopt a particular elementary school. Many of the students from Southside Elementary come from homes that have been damaged or destroyed. The “Adopt-a-School” Hurricane Relief Drive aims to help these students, teachers, and parents.

The Head O’ Meadow PTA is now forming a Katrina Relief committee to involve as many Head O’ Meadow teachers, students, and families in helping their adopted school in the Gulf Coast. “We hope to establish a real relationship with the school and find ways to meet their needs now and in the future. Recovery from this disaster will certainly be a long-term effort,” says committee member Kristin Larson. The teachers at Head O’ Meadow are so excited about this initiative and are planning and willing to supplement the current curriculum with information related to the hurricane relief effort.

“Thank you for adopting our school. I can’t wait to see the faces of the children when they find out that school children in Connecticut want to help them,” says Guidance Counselor Pasha Sceroler.

The Head O’ Meadow PTA has allocated an initial sum of money to meet immediate needs at Southside Elementary with more things planned throughout coming months to foster a long-term relationship with Southside Elementary. The Head O’ Meadow students are kicking off this initiative by sending handwritten notes attached to pencils with words of encouragement. The first collection effort will focus on personal care and toiletry items, but subsequent drives may include children’s books and art supplies.

“We will be keeping in close contact with the school administration in Livingston Parish as to their needs throughout the year,” says Amy Schmidt.

PTA member Jennifer Kennedy is very excited about another aspect of the efforts — a wristband fundraiser. Rubber wristbands with the words “Head O’ Meadow” and “Katrina Relief” will be sold, and all the proceeds of the sale will go directly to help the adopted school.

Anyone wishing to donate to this effort can send a check payable to “Head O’ Meadow PTA Hurricane Relief” to: Amy Schmidt, c/o Head O’ Meadow PTA Hurricane Katrina Relief Drive, 94 Boggs Hill Road, Newtown CT 06470.