Desert Vista PTO
Desert Vista Elementary School PTO is excited for the school year to start! Although the kids have had the summer off from school, the PTO has been active this planning and preparing for this new year!
Our goals this year are to provide fun and educational events for the children at Desert Vista but in addition to events, this PTO is determined to change the face of Desert Vista by making technology a reality!
Our Parent Teacher Organization is focused on raising funds to supply the best educational tools for our children. This equipment includes smartboards, projectors, document cameras, audio etc..
Elementary schools are the foundation of our children's education. Children between kindergarten and 6th grade respond enthusiastically when they are provided with interactive instructional tools. Through interactive learning, our children constantly want to be challenged. This modern classroom equipment will also help our children prepare for high school and college. Children that learn with technology will never fall behind as teaching aides continue to evolve.
Desert Vista's PTO making classroom technology a reality
| Desert Vista's PTO making classroom technology a reality Jill Adair; Independent Newspapers Published: August 3, 2011 Working hard with the support of parents, teachers and the community has paid off for Desert Vista Elementary School's PTO and of course, the school's 600 students. Fundraisers have brought in more than $35,000 that has been used to bring SMART board technology into the school's classrooms at 3701 E. Broadway Ave. in Apache Junction. | |
Sixteen rooms have already been equipped with SMART boards, projectors and audio surround sound (speakers in the ceiling), with two more scheduled to be ready by the start of school Aug. 9. Five classrooms remain to be outfitted. "Without our PTO we wouldn't have these," says sixth-grade teacher Elisa Hansen, whose room was equipped in December last year. "Since then I haven't gone a day without using it multiple times. Not only can I direct the lesson but the students can have a complete, hands-on interactive experience." |
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What is a SMART board? Ms. Hansen says it's an interactive, electronic whiteboard that enhances instruction and learning. There are three components: the teacher's computer, the projector and the SMART board. The SMART board allows the teacher and students to interact with the lesson material on the board, much like a touch screen. In her third year as PTO president, Dena Kimble is the driving force behind the fundraisers that have provided these classroom upgrades. |
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"Our kids deserve the same education as other districts, why shouldn't they have all this great technology and be taught on SMART boards," asks Dena Kimble, PTO president. "We're the only school in the district that has been able to do this," she says. "I wish I could do it for all the schools - I would love to, but I'm only one person." |
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She credits the success of the fundraisers to the support of PTO members, teachers, parents and the community. The PTO keeps busy, putting on a back-to-school picnic in September, a Halloween event, Secret Santa Shop, Valentine's Dance for parents/children, carnival in April and a spaghetti night for parents. These are in addition to ongoing popcorn sales and $1 raffle for Disneyland tickets. Last year school family and friends participated in the city's walk-a-thon in December, winning first place and $1,500. |
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| Ms. Kimble said she was able to gain nonprofit status for the PTO and has received many donations from local businesses, including Chris Adams, manager of the local Fry's Food Stores, who donates the food for the picnic and Boar's Head that donates hot dogs for the carnival. |  |
"To get this stuff donated to us for free is how we are able to make the money," she says. "Without them we wouldn't be able to do it." "They've seen what we're doing and they're happy to see it," she adds. She said those who she wants to thank include Apache Junction Parks and Recreation Department, which helped out at the spring carnival and put together dodgeball for the kids as well as donating a gift basket. Companies include Holsum Bakery, Blue Bell Ice Cream (Kyle McBride), Casanova Brothers Pizza, Starbucks, Paisley's Princess Palace, Ace Hardware, Filly's Roadhouse (Bob and Lynette Fusaro), As You Wish Pottery, Disney, Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, Queen Valley Golf Course, Wet 'n' Wild water park, Staples and Office Max. Ms. Kimble, who has a daughter at the school, says she plans on serving a total of four years as PTO president and doesn't plan to fall short of her key goal to bring technology to all the classrooms. "We've gone this far," she says. "Our kids deserve it." "These (PTO) women are amazing," says Wendy Jordan, school registrar. "There's nothing they don't do." DVES PTO has set up a PayPal account on the website at wwwdvespto.com and can be reached by e-mail to dvespto@yahoo.com. Editor's note: News Service Editor Jill Adair can be reached at 480-982-7799 or jadair@newszap.com. Independent Newspapers/Jill Adair Desert Vista sixth-grade teacher Elisa Hansen demonstrates SMART board technology with Lucia Kimble, 10. Independent Newspapers/Jill Adair Dena Kimble, left, PTO president, and Donna Javinett, PTO secretary, Copyright 2011 Apache Junction-Gold Canyon Independent, All Rights Reserved. |
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