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The Hopkinton PTA: An Overview of the Organization and its Role

The Hopkinton Parent Teacher Association (HPTA) is a non-profit organization comprised of parents, teachers, administrators and other community members. It is chartered as part of the Massachusetts and national PTAs, and it follows their bylaws. The HPTA’s mission is to support the enrichment and betterment of the Hopkinton Public Schools through direct volunteer work, advocacy and donations. In addition, it provides a forum for communication among parents, teachers, administrators and the community.

The HPTA supports all of Hopkinton’s schools, making it a unique structure compared to other towns that have several individual school PTAs. This helps the HPTA better align resources to meet its goals, as evidenced by its budgeting of more than $2 million for the Hopkinton School System since the organization’s inception in 1993. To support this structure, the HPTA is comprised of a town-wide board as well as school-based boards headed by co-vice presidents, who are town-wide board members. The town-wide board is responsible for system-wide fundraising, parent education, communication, and teacher support. Meanwhile, school-based boards provide school enrichment programs, extracurricular programs, and facilitate volunteer needs.

Fundraising proceeds are designated to the general HPTA budget, from which funds are allocated based upon input from the HPTA Board, the Superintendent of Schools, and School Principals. The HPTA believes funds should support ALL Hopkinton students. For the 2010-11 school year, individual school boards received 45% of the budget, while the remaining 55% was utilized for system-wide activities such as technology, professional development, scholarships and parent programs. You can read in more detail about the HPTA's activities last year in the 2009-10 HPTA Annual Report at http://hptaonline.com/pdf/HPTA_Annual_Report_2009-10_Final.pdf.

Supporting the Mission: 2010-11 Theme
The HPTA is proud to announce that “Connecting our Community through Education” will be its 2010-11 theme. We hope to build a stronger relationship with our teachers this year by having our School Co-VP's attend more teacher meetings. And in return, have more teachers become HPTA members. By making the communication lines stronger with our teachers and community, we hope to strengthen our children’s educational system. In the spring of 2010 the HPTA launched HPTAConnect, an online discussion forum and classifieds network, to allow members to communicate and share ideas freely with other members. Members can share tips, ask questions, get advice and even hand down gently-used school items or sports equipment when their children outgrown them.

The organization continues to move forward with its ambitious goal of becoming greener:
Online Registration: Last year the HPTA successfully implemented an online registration and payment system which allows parents to sign up for HPTA Membership, Extracurricular Classes and even to sign up to volunteer in their child's class, all online! Tickets to HPTA family fun events and fundraisers may also be purchased online now.
The Source Book: Our dynamic online Source Book will be offered online ONLY for the first time this year. The Source Book calendar feeds directly into the home pages of all the schools' websites, as well as the HPS district website and HPTA website. Parents and community members can even sync the Source Book calendar with any iCal compliant calendar and also with many types of smartphones. See Source Book Tips above for more details.
The Runner: For the second year our newsletter, The Runner, will be published soley online at http://hptaonline.blogspot.com/. Most families subscribe to receive The Runner by email. Free monthly, weekly and daily email subscription options are available.

Membership
Last year, the HPTA had 609 members, a 19% increase from the previous year and an all time high for Hopkinton. Your membership dues not only support HPTA programs, they also show your support in the HPTA’s efforts to enhance our children’s educational experience. Becoming a member is easy. For more information or to join or renew your membership, please visit http://www.hptaonline.com/membership.htm.

HPTA Communication
The HPTA is committed to keeping school families current on important school information. Be sure to look for updates through the following sources: this Source Book; online at the HPTA’s website (www.hptaonline.com) and in The Runner blog (http://hptaonline.blogspot.com); at the State of the Schools Forum broadcast on HCAM; at Back-to-School Nights; during Principal Coffee Hours; and at HPTA general meetings.

The HPTA will continue using electronic channels such as weekly membership emails, the online Source Book, E-Flyers via the Hopkinton Public School System’s Listserv, the HPTA website (www.hptaonline.com), The Runner blog (http://hptaonline.blogspot.com) and Facebook to communicate information about fundraising, enrichment activities, HPTA membership, and other news.

To better serve you, please ensure that your school contact information is current on the Listserv by checking the Hopkinton Public School System’s website at www.hopkinton.k12.ma.us. Also, please bookmark www.hptaonline.com, and check regularly for important updates about HPTA programs.

2010-2011 Hopkinton Parent Teacher Association Budget

The 2010-2011 budget will be paid for by fundraising efforts that occured in the prior school year. The budget was approved at the May 17, 2010 HPTA General Meeting.

2010-11 HPTA Budget - Approved 5/17/10

HPTA Enrichment Programs

For the 2010-11 School Year, the HPTA has budgeted $50,000 for enrichment programs at the schools. For a list of programs, as well as articles and photos of the programs, please visit:
http://www.hptaonline.com/enrichment.html

Artwork by Helen Gao, Hopkinton High School, 2010-11 PTA Reflections National Award of Excellence Winner and 1st Place State Winner - Read more about the Reflections Program
Hopkinton Public Schools www.hopkinton.k12.ma.us	*Teaming Up For Education*	HPTA www.hptaonline.com
Non-Discrimination Notice The Hopkinton Public School System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, genetics, sexual orientation, or disability in admission to, access to, employment in, or treatment in its programs and activities. The Hopkinton Public School System is committed to maintaining a school environment free of harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. Harassment by administrators, certified and support personnel, students, vendors and other individuals at school or at school-sponsored events is unlawful and is strictly prohibited. The Hopkinton Public School System requires all employees and students to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner with respect to their fellow employees, students and all members of the school community. Also see the HPS Public Notices section of the Source Book.