Hoping To Bolster Attendance —

NHS PTSA Brings More Focus To Its Schedule This Year

By Jeff White

Newtown High School Parent, Teacher, and Student Association’s (PTSA) Monica DeSeo is looking for a more focused schedule for the upcoming school year, one that will make a greater effort to highlight issues relevant to both students and parents. It is an effort that reflects the association’s desire to attract more participants.

“I want to make sure that parents are aware of the meetings we are having,” Mrs DeSeo said this week. “I think there needs to be more of an involvement, and this is an opportunity for parents to get involved in the school.”

PTSA is a support group for the high school which, among other things, makes suggestions to Principal Bill Manfredonia on timely topics and sponsors the annual college fair. Meetings are on the first Wednesday of every month. Although many parents, teachers, and students join the association by paying $5 in dues, Mrs DeSeo admits that attendance at the meetings is usually pretty low.

This is something that active members would like to see change.

Mrs DeSeo realizes that by the time their children get to high school, most parents are almost burned out of school participation in elementary and middle school. But it is in high school, she insists, that parents are needed to participate more than ever.

“Basically, a lot of information is given out at the meetings, but now we need to reach more of the general public.”

To that end, Mrs DeSeo and other PTSA members have drafted a schedule for the approaching school year that highlights monthly meetings with themes such as college entrance requirements, parenting during the teenage years, and the school’s guidance program.

“Once a month we are going to try and have a program that addresses an issue, whether it is the athletic department, or maybe the guidance department and things pertaining to academics.”

Already scheduled for PTSA’s September 6 meeting, high school Athletic Director Greg Simon will give a talk about athletics at the high school and policies involving coaches and players. He plans to go over what the responsibilities are for student athletes and their coaches, as well as to highlight his specific roles at the high school.

The PTSA’s October meeting will kick off college month, and will include discussions on issues relating to college entrance requirements, SATs, what a college application entails, and basic information on what colleges are looking for in their students. On October 17, the high school will play host to its annual College Fair.

During its November meeting, the PTSA will welcome Jane McEvoy. Mrs McEvoy, who coordinates the high school’s career center, will discuss mentorship opportunities open to students, what the Senior Project entails, and the general services available to students in the career center.

Although specific meetings during the second half of the year have not been planned as yet, Mrs DeSeo said that PTSA members hope to offer a “night of the arts,” as well as a night dedicated to the different elective programs offered at the high school. Moreover, guest speakers are planned to participate, discussing issues related to parenting in the teen years, alcohol, peer pressure, and drug abuse.

With meetings having more of a thematic focus, Mrs DeSeo and other PTSA members hope more parents will see fit to get involved. 

“One of the big things is getting the information out, and this is one avenue,” Mrs DeSeo explained. She is currently developing a Web site for the PTSA, which will include meeting minutes, upcoming programs, the current newsletter, and general information. She hopes to have it up and running by the end of September.

“There is so much information that the high school needs to give. Parents need to realize that they need to prep and plan through the years at the high school. We want to simply build awareness and network with parents, so they know what the high school is about.”