Dawson School Earns National PTA School of Excellence Award

Did you know that the National PTA has a program called the School of Excellence Self Assessment Tool ?  Dawson Elementary School is the second school in Massachusetts and one of 250 nationwide to receive the honor of being awarded the School of Excellence Title in the spring of 2003.  The self-assessment tool requires a team of evaluators from the school to assess the standards of Communicating, Parenting, Student Learning, Volunteering, School Decision Making and Advocacy and Collaborating with the Community. Outgoing PTA President Mrs. Lori St.Germain highlighted two areas of strength that she felt the PTA did to make the school stand out.  These are the PTA volunteering efforts and a new system of communicating with parents helped make a difference in their school. 

At Dawson , each classroom has a room parent assigned.  If the teacher needs volunteers for an event or an activity, the room parent is contacted who is then responsible for finding volunteers for the teacher. Mrs. St.Germain also initiated each family receiving a name and a description of each activity that the PTA sponsors, the time required to complete the project, whether it could be done at home or at school and what time of the year the project takes place. Through this effort, she was able to place a Chairperson in more than 30 committees.

 Mrs. St.Germain was interviewed by the Massachusetts PTA Newsletter to discuss the successful partnership between the PTA and the school. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette and the local regional publication the Landmark also interviewed Mrs. St.Germain,  incoming PTA co-president Mrs.Kristen Diggins and assistant principal Mrs. Barbara Diamond who were part of the group who did the self-evaluation. Others who assisted with the task were fourth grade teacher Mrs. Geraldine Bak and former school secretary Mrs. Deann Seeley.  The Wachusett Regional School District gives special recognition to Principal Charles Gruszka and the Dawson staff who have recognized the value of making parents active members and participants in the educational process for the children at Dawson .