About the High Plains PTCO
The primary goal of the PTCO is to support the school’s educational mission and student welfare in all facets. That includes providing financial and volunteer support in the classroom, as well as coordinating events that help build a sense of community for all families at High Plains. High Plains is such a terrific place because our community comes together to support a welcoming, collaborative, and high-performing learning environment.
For classroom support, the largest part of our budget goes to fund paraprofessionals, who assist teachers in the classroom as well as provide support to the school like library support, recess duty, and lunchroom coverage. The PTCO also funds, among other things, field trips, technology, and a stipend for each teacher and grade level to spend on their classroom and students.
To build community, the PTCO Community Committee hosts a number of events throughout the year where families can come together to get to know one another. Events we have hosted include a movie night, a trunk-or-treat, a spring fling, and an end-of-year carnival. Through our room parents, the PTCO helps plan classroom parties and events. A PTCO committee called You Belong focuses on ensuring that each member of our community - students, families, and staff - feels a sense of belonging at High Plains. The PTCO and You Belong raise funds and gift cards during the holiday season to make sure members of our community in need are able to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal and holiday gifts. You Belong hosts an annual cultural event, where families have an opportunity to share and sample food and other special traditions from the many diverse cultures represented at High Plains.
How do we get the money needed to pay for everything listed above? The PTCO has three major fundraisers throughout the year. First, through our Hawk Pledge, families are asked to contribute what they can in cash to fund the PTCO’s needs throughout the year. Second, a favorite annual event is the High Plains Auction, which combines a fun themed party with an auction that raises the largest portion of our budget. Finally, in the spring, we hold our annual Hawk Dash for Cash, where students raise money based on how many laps they can run at a fun springtime event.
In addition to these large fundraisers, we have Community Partners - local businesses that sponsor our PTCO. Please return their support by offering them your patronage! We also have other smaller opportunities to raise money throughout the year: Hungry Hawks fundraisers at local restaurants and businesses, as well as other passive funding opportunities where you can make us money spending on things you buy anyway! Check out the information about all these opportunities, and all our fundraising efforts, under the “Fundraising” menu on this website.
Pulling off all these fundraisers and events requires significant time and effort, and we are always looking for volunteers to join us. Whether you can spend an hour a month, an hour a week, or even more time, we can find a role for you. Click on the “Volunteer” tab under “Our PTCO” to let us know about your interest. You can also always email us at HighPlainsPTCO@gmail.com. Please also watch for our weekly High Plains Happenings emails that come out every Sunday as well as during the week. The principal’s weekly newsletter also will contain information about PTCO events.
