Lancer Ledger

PTO members showing their support and dedication to LRHS during the intermission of “Mean Girls.” Come join the PTO!

After the pandemic, Lakeland Regional High School’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) dissolved; over the course of 2023-2024 school year the PTO is restarting with a lot of goals in mind.

Over quarantine, it was challenging to hold meetings and fundraisers when everyone had to stay at home. However, with life returning to “normal,” the PTO has restarted and set out with three main goals to achieve by the end of the 2025 school year in order to better our school community: they hope to restart the PTO Student Scholarship for seniors, they are in works of restarting mini-grants for teacher’s various classroom needs, and they plan to continue the teacher’s appreciation lunch in May 2024.

The administrative team has been very supportive of restarting the PTO thus far, and the LRHS staff has typically joined at close to 100% membership. There are approximately 30 parents who have helped to restart the organization, and many that have taken leadership roles for 2023-2025 to help bring the PTO back to life and reach its full potential: President Tonia Kelley, Vice President Lisa Sebilia, Treasurer Jennifer Fitzgerald, Secretary Maria Tortorello-Roth, and Membership Chair Cory Harrington.

Ms. Jessica Geyer, teacher of business and head of the teacher end of the PTO, told the Ledger, “I was formerly fortunate enough to have been an executive member of the PTO for over 5 years, and I got the chance to meet parents and connect with them in a different capacity. It’s a great way for parents to gain some insight into the incredible work that our students are doing, and make more connections with the staff at Lakeland.”

The PTO is an integral part of the school community, as they help connect parents to their students’ lives within the school, allow parents and teachers to form relationships, as well as conducting fundraisers to better the lives of the students and improve the school.

The PTO’s first official fundraiser is a Yoga Night for all levels of ability. Community members over 16 are welcome to come out to enjoy an hour of yoga on March 26 at 7 p.m. For the future, many events are still in the works including: dine to donates, paint nights, staff jeans days, and more. There will be more information on the PTO Facebook page as events are scheduled.

The PTO is always looking for new members and hopes to see new faces at their next meeting on March 19 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 406.