Principals and staff work closely with the PTOs in a supportive relationship to promote mutual understanding between home and school. Principals and staff representatives attend regular meetings. Each organization has an Executive Board and Standing Committees.
Parent involvement is probably strongest at the elementary level.
PTOs are very active and sponsor many fundraising activities and student and family activities. The goal of the PTO and administration is to lay the groundwork for positive open communication between home and school which will continue throughout the student's education. As students move from elementary to the middle and high school years, fundraising becomes less a function of the parents and is taken over almost exclusively by the students. As is appropriate, parents' efforts often shift from fundraising to an emphasis on educational and policy issues. The PTO acts primarily as a liaison between the parents and the school community.