District 113A School Board Recognizes New PTO

Parent volunteers from Lemont-Bromberek School District 113A celebrated Monday night after the Board of Education officially recognized the newly founded Parent Teacher Organization.

The school board voted 6-1 at their monthly meeting to approve the PTO, which formed in August after parents decided to dissolve the district's affiliation with the Parent Teacher Association.

"There's just a sense of relief," said Cindy Kelly, PTO President for Old Quarry Middle School. "We're excited to be able to move forward and help our district."

As an independent nonprofit organization, the PTO will focus more on specific issues facing Lemont schools, Kelly said. Unlike PTA, which requires dues to be paid at the state and national level, PTO is free and inclusive of all District 113A parents.

"We really wanted everyone to be able to participate and to be able to keep the money in Lemont," Kelly said.

Casting the sole dissenting vote was school board member Janet Hughes, who criticized the group for scheduling their meeting to dissolve the PTA at the same time as the board's special meeting Aug 16.

Kelly, along with PTO presidents from the other three District 113A schools, said the group was operating within a specific time frame and that the meeting was scheduled before the announcement of the school board's special meeting.

Despite the lack of support from Hughes, the organization was met with a round of a applause from the audience and encouraging words from board members.

"I really respect and admire that you are willing to change," said board member and former PTA supporter Sue Murphy. "I applaud your efforts."

Oakwood PTO president Michelle Tauer said the organization had "moved on" and was ready to get to work.

"We're just here to help," she said. "We're trying to do the best for our children."

Other highlights from the meeting:

• River Valley principal Debra Lynch presented the school's Alemelu Award to 2009-2010 winner Kevin Tuscher. Each year, the award is given to the fifth-grader who best exemplifies the characteristics embodied by Alemeli Sevugan, an Oakwood student killed several years ago in a tragic accident.
• Superintendent Tim Ricker announced a donation from a local organization that would reinstate the DARE program and the district's school liaison officer. Both programs were originally suspended for the 2010-2011 school year due to budgetary concerns. Additional information will be provided in a formal press release from the village of Lemont and District 113A.