Our Stratton PTO

Stratton PTO Introduction

Our PTO is made up of hard-working parents & teachers who pool their talents to provide practical support for our school. Those listed below volunteered to provide leadership this year. Get to know their names and faces, and feel free to ask them if you have questions. Here at Stratton, everyone is a member of the PTO, we look forward to seeing you at events and meetings!

The PTO meets once a month. Join us for a meeting! 

What the PTO Does:

  • Write a Bi-monthly newsletter & organize Stratton's social media -- Follow Us on Stratton PTO Facebook or Stratton PTO Instagram

  • Organize In-Person events like Back-To-School bash, Stratton Spooktacular, book fair, and End-of-year Kickball game!

  • Organize virtual events like the Gingerbread House competition

  • Fund teacher grants and school field trips

  • Produce Stratton t-shirts and end-of-year teacher gifts

  • Much much more!

Our PTO Executive Board 2022-2023:

  • Co-Presidents -- Chris Owens & Kristina Konnath

  • Treasurer --  Rose Waichigo

  • Secretary --  Joyce Spadafora

  • Fundraising Chair -- Danielle Brody

  • Enrichment Chair --  Karen Kuhn & Wendy Wong

  • Events Chair -- Maggie Masui & Rob Cope

  • Stratton Admin/Faculty Members -- Principal Amy Kelly, Asst. Principal Taylor O'Brien

  • Communications Co-Chairs -- Jackie Lee & Beth Arinsburg

  • Room Representative Liaisons -- Candice Campbell & Anna Papantonakis

PTO Newsletter

  • When is the PTO Newsletter published?

    • Every Wednesday morning, every other week

  • Want to Submit Content?

    • Please provide content to info@strattonpto.org via email the Monday prior

    • Be sure to have "Newsletter Submission" in your subject line

    Please note, that she can take certain items the Tuesday before, if you can get it to us by noon. However, this can be challenging. The newsletter takes time to develop so getting content the night before is not ideal. We are happy to be as flexible as she can, but no promises. :)

Chris Owens: PTO Co-President

I'm Chris Owens. I've got 2 kids at Stratton; Ben (4th grade) and June (2nd Grade). In the real world, I work as an Optician, sometimes Musician, occasional Substitute Teacher, and Stay-At-Home-Dad.

I wanted my kids to know that their school was important to me, so I signed up to help with the Halloween event Ben's Kindergarten year. My wife and I tried to help out with events as we could. When my daughter came into Stratton it was September 2020, the first year of pandemic schooling. I knew it was going to be a tough year so I signed up to be a room parent, and grade-level enrichment coordinator. That year we organized virtual field trips to the Aquarium, acquired Stem Kits for the kids to make at home, and tried to keep people connected through the disconnect of Covid. I was able to attend virtual PTO meetings and saw the work that went into all the extras the PTO facilitates.

Last year I was asked to join as an Enrichment chair. I had a lot of questions about how things are done, and worries if I would be able to commit the time to the PTO, but the enrichment position was really fulfilling. I brainstormed in-person programming, virtual programming, field trips, etc... All the stuff the kids get really excited about. After a few months helping where I could, I noticed that fundraising had a vacancy. Having been in the Enrichment role, I knew that fundraising was crucial to making those programs happen, so I volunteered to swap positions and dove right into the PTO Camp Auction.

By being a part of the PTO I feel intricately connected to the school. When I was young I struggled in school and it wasn't until my parents got involved with school organizations that I was able to find success. Their commitment reinforced my own. Today I want to pay the work they did forward, and so I try to volunteer my time to my kids school.

Even if you only have a small window of time to help, it's worthwhile.The PTO can use you for 30 minutes of set-up for an event table, or as a room parent to help your child's teacher, or chaperoning a field trip. My grandmother always said "many hands make light work" an adage I can see come to life every day at Stratton School.