Bethel Public Schools

Email – BethelCentralPTO@yahoo.com

Bethel is lucky to have extremely active and successful PTOs. There are 7 total - one for each of our 5 schools, one for Special Education, and one under which they are all united - Bethel Central PTO.

• BHS PTSO 9-12 (Bethel High School)
• MS PTO 6-8 (Bethel Middle School)
• Johnson PTO 4-5 (Johnson School)
• Bethel Central PTO K-12 (Central Office)
• Berry PTO K-3 (Berry School)
• Septo K-12 (Special Education PTO)
• Rockwell PTO K-3 (Rockwell School)

Each building PTO raises money to support the students and staff of their particular school. Through fundraising efforts we are able to hold socials; provide teacher grants; present cultural events; support field trips; fulfill teacher requests; stock classroom libraries; finance an all-night Post Prom Party – a safe haven for our children; and this is just the tip of the iceberg!

We encourage families to select the fund-raisers that work best for them – participation is never mandatory and should accommodate the ability and desire of each individual family. We welcome all family members to volunteer at whatever level is comfortable for them. The more volunteers we have, the greater support we can provide for the children. We cannot succeed without the volunteerism of our families.

The Bethel PTOs collect membership dues by family – regardless of the number of children you have, or how many different schools they attend. It is for this reason that Bethel Central runs the annual PTO Membership Drive each fall (on behalf of all schools). We strongly welcome and encourage membership by all of the staff members of the Bethel School District.

With the proceeds from family and staff membership dues, we are able to produce a 5-school student directory (a complementary copy is included with your PTO membership); maintain a district-wide calendar of events; sponsor a bus driver appreciation breakfast; present a Board of Education Candidate Forum in election years; provide three $1000 scholarships for graduating seniors; provide $2000 in funding for Special Education; and set aside $1000 per referendum in support of education funding during budget season.

Bethel Central PTO holds only 1 fund-raising event per year. We sell tickets community-wide for a Bridgeport Bluefish Baseball Game. The proceeds from this fund-raiser provide us with our start-up money for the following year.

As a 5-school community, run through Bethel Central, we have held two incredibly successful Community Auctions, earning upwards of $50,000! The proceeds from the auctions were divided evenly among the schools and used for large items (i.e. Video carts and equipment) that enhance education – items that we otherwise may have had to do without.

The concept of PTO in Bethel is simple. Our families and staff members work hard to enrich the educational lives of our students. We strive to enhance student achievement and build a strong sense of pride within our community. Our activities serve to support and improve our schools. We work to connect with the overall community of Bethel in ways that are beneficial to all. We will continue to pursue a strong relationship between home and school, continually working to encourage parent involvement.

If you should have any questions regarding PTO, we encourage you to send us an email @: BethelCentralPTO@yahoo.com. We look forward to meeting and working with you in the coming year!