What does the WCE PTA do?
The WCE PTA is a volunteer-based organization that exists solely to support Westerly Creek Elementary. We provide both community support and necessary funding to keep WCE the amazing place that kids, teachers, and families all love. More specifically, we have many committees that support our school with programs such as a staff support committee that recognizes our amazing faculty, a food pantry, book fairs, an environmental Green Team, and a dedicated communications team to make sure you keep up on all of the important WCE news and events. We also run various programs throughout the year, many—but not all—with a fundraising component.
The fundraising is a critical aspect of the PTA. Like other top-rated DPS schools, WCE receives less funding than many Denver elementary schools, adding to the challenges of being in state that ranks toward the bottom of public funding in general. But our success does not mean we need less support or resources. Rather, if we want to maintain the incredible caliber of education our children receive, we need to come together as a community and provide financial support to the school. The money the PTA gives WCE every year goes towards operational costs, paraprofessional salaries to keep the student-teacher ratio as low as possible (especially in our youngest grades!), and ensuring that all kids, regardless of financial resources, get the same opportunities at WCE. The PTA for many sister schools in NE Denver raise on average $200,000 per year. WCE, as the largest elementary school in DPS, should meet that number. But we need your help.
Why should I join?
There are many reasons to join the PTA. Your membership dues give you access to PTA meetings during which we discuss school events and get important updates from the school administration. The fees also help cover PTA operational costs for things like spirit wear and yearbook sales, event supplies, our community programs like the food pantry and Green team, communications to families and our community, and more.
Visit the Join page to purchase your Membership
Staff Support
Perhaps the most appreciated aspect of our PTA is our amazing staff support committee. We make sure all staff who work in our building are recognized and appreciated through events such as our back-to-school breakfast or luncheon, recognition gifts for birthdays and holidays, Thanksgiving platters, teacher-appreciation-week events and gifts, and other events along the way. Our school can retain our amazing staff in large part to how appreciated the entire staff is. This also makes it easier on families and classrooms, knowing every teacher and professional in the classroom gets a birthday gift, holiday gift, end-of-year gift, and many other points of recognition along the way. This giving campaign is separate from other fundraising; every dollar donated to staff support goes directly to staff appreciation gifts and events.
Annual Fund
Every year the PTA is faced with raising $200,000 to maintain the exceptional learning environment for our children. While there are fundraising opportunities throughout the year, the majority of the grant comes from the direct giving of our families and sponsors. The PTA helps to fund paraprofessional salaries (in classroom teacher aides); art, drama, STEAM, music classes; technology upgrades, community events and more. Without support from the annual fund’s grant, the school budget would not support these additional resources and the school experience for our children would be very different.
Visit the Annual Fund page to learn more about the PTA’s commitment to providing critical funding to WCE.
Fundraising Events
Throughout the year, the PTA sponsors many fundraising events, all of which directly support the school. Some events, such as our annual Oktoberfest party, are parent-hosted at a private residence or location. Some are larger, community-wide events like our annual auction or color-run. We also have many business-sponsored give-back nights at local restaurants where a percentage of your bill goes back to the PTA. (Who doesn’t love an excuse for takeout?) In addition to every event being a great opportunity to connect with other families, the PTA relies on each of these individual events to supplement what we raise in our annual fund so we can meet our promised contribution to the school. We are always looking for more events, too – if you want to host one or get involved, please reach out!
Sponsorships
Finally, our Central Park community is full of amazing businesses and professionals who work for generous companies. If your company offers a gift-matching program or if your company or employer might be interested in a school sponsorship, please reach out for more information, or let our sponsorship team know and they can approach your company. We have opportunities at many different giving levels, and are always happy to have school sponsors as well as sponsors for individual events. The WCE PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, so all donations are tax-deductible.