Press release:A ceremony and reception were held at Brentwood Elementary School yesterday for the presentation of a banner to mark their selection as a National PTA School of Excellence.
Brentwood’s Principal Lisa Arnold said that at the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year with a team of people – their PTA board members, their parent liaison, and Assistant Principal Kristin Cain, and they decided to select improving parent involvement as a common goal. Yesterday, Cindy Gerhardt, President Elect for the Florida State PTA presented the school with a banner to represent their selection as a National PTA School of Excellence.
“I am proud to say,” said Arnold to the crowd gathered at the school, “we achieved that goal. But we didn’t do it alone. It took all of our faculty and staff, our PTA, our volunteers, community partners, and the parents.”
The National PTA’s web site explains that the designation National PTA School of Excellence is “a recognition program that supports and celebrates partnerships between PTAs and schools to enrich the educational experience and overall well-being for all students.” Brentwood Elementary School is one of 124 schools selected nation-wide this year and one of only 18 schools selected in FLA.
Cindy Gerhardt, Florida PTA President Elect greeted the attendees and praised Brentwood’s PTA and the school’s staff for meeting the National PTA’s goal of making families feel welcome and empowered. When families are involved in their student’s school, Gerhardt explained, student success increases. She also shared her own memories of attending Brentwood as a child and how she still remembers her mom being involved in the PTA and how important it was to her to see her mom on campus.
Gerhardt presented the school with an award banner and lapel pins to the members of Brentwood’s PTA Board.
Superintendent Malcolm Thomas praised the school and their PTA for this accomplishment.
　
“Schools of Excellence do not happen by accident. It takes people developing a relationship with a common goal and cause. That shared cause is the education of the boys and girls who go to Brentwood. That partnership makes them stand out in a way few others have accomplished.”