“When enough people come together, then change will come and we can achieve almost anything, so instead of looking for hope – start creating it.” – Greta Thunberg
Amador Valley High School PTSA Rallies Together to Bring College Board Testing to their Campus (Peralta District)
This month, we are thrilled to highlight Amador Valley High School PTSA (AVHS) and their remarkable efforts that helped make College Board testing more accessible for their students. For many years, AVHS students experienced a difficult challenge when it came to preparing for their college journey, which was finding a College Board testing site within the East Bay region.
Amador Valley High School PTSA leader Sangeetha Krishnamoorthy said the issue had been affecting their high school community for several years. With the nearest test site being many miles away, students and families would sacrifice hours of sleep to drive the long distance or spend additional money on hotel stays to be near the testing site.
“Students were forced to choose test venues up to 200 miles away, which hindered their ability to take the test successfully. There may be various reasons, such as staff availability, budget constraints, or the issue being considered a low priority, that have contributed to the delay in addressing this matter,” Sangeetha said. Members of the AVHS PTSA recognized the lack of testing resources, so they decided to take action and advocate on this issue.
On August 28, 2024, Amador Valley High School PTSA held a general association meeting that welcomed parents to share their voices. Although the school district was already looking into this issue, the PTSA helped bring the urgency of the issue to the school district and successfully brought a solution that quickly provided students with a nearby testing site.
“Amador Valley High students can now register for the SAT at our school site, with the district ensuring that budget is allocated to have the test proctored here,” said Sangeetha. This success was a significant turning point for parents and students since this issue had been unresolved for many years.
California State PTA is incredibly proud of the AVHS PTSA community for advocating for their students’ needs. Thank you to Amador Valley High School PTSA for providing a platform for parents to engage and raise awareness about concerns affecting their children and other students.
Marguerite Hahn Elementary PTA Brings Holiday Joy with Hahn-A-Days (14th District PTA)
This past winter, Marguerite Hahn Elementary PTA started a gift fund called Hahn-A-Days! With Hahn-A-Days, their PTA’s goal was to bring a
one-of-a-kind holiday experience for 11 Hahn Elementary families in need. The PTA started by creating a big wooden ornament board where they pinned the wish list items of each family throughout December.
After weeks of planning and collecting gifts, the PTA organizers drove through the streets of Rohnert Park with their principal, spreading holiday cheer from house to house on a decorated trailer playing festive music. With the help of the PTA members and community, they delivered Christmas trees, decorations, and a bag filled with gifts for each of the 11 families.
“The smiles and happiness from the families were priceless! It was incredible to see our community come together to help others in need,” said Zoe Aquino, a Marguerite Hahn Elementary PTA leader.
Thanks to the dedication and generosity of Marguerite Hahn Elementary PTA members for joining together to positively impact the lives of children and families in their community!
Ready to spotlight the work of your PTA? Submit a PTA Success Story Submission Form to share your PTA’s highlight so you can be included in our next PTA Highlights of the Month.