Helen Keller Middle Schools turns 60 this year, and the school’s Parent Teacher Organization is seeking community support to celebrate its past by investing in its future.
The PTO, which represents Helen Keller Middle School and Samuel Staples Elementary School, is leading an effort to help fund innovative projects at the school. They’ve reached out to families of school children and graduates.
“Our motto is to celebrate the past and invest in the future,” said Niki Kaldawy, who chairs the PTO along with Selectman Kristi Sogofsky.
The money raised from the fundraising will be used to help pay for the PTO budget. It includes initiatives such as grants for each grade level, individual classroom grants, funds to offset field trip costs, parent chats and events, after-school socials and recess equipment.
The grants will help teachers stock their classroom libraries, provide flexible seating, give the students fun activities during lunch, help reduce parents’ costs for field trips, provide snack and stress breaks during testing periods and much more.
One of the special stages of planning is creating a broadcast recording studio in the middle school. This would provide opportunities for students to compose and create pieces for their music classes, provide studio space to record the school’s morning announcement videos.
Another project underway in the planning stages is the installation of sunshades over the patio so the students can eat their lunch and have an occasional class outside.
Sogofsky said the PTO decided to hold a donation drive to make it easy on families and donors.
“There’s nothing to sell,” she said. “You don’t need to attend an event. You don’t need to collect items. Simply donate, large or small, and show your support for our school.”
To donate to the fundraiser visit the PTO website.
