Bedford Hills has an active and supportive parent-teacher organization (PTO). There is no fee to be part of the PTO and all parents/guardians of BHS students are automatically members of the PTO. We are committed to promoting the welfare of our school’s students, teachers and families. We do this by supporting and creating instructional, social and cultural activities for the students, enhancing the environment of the school and underwriting special development opportunities for our teachers. It is an exciting and worthwhile venture! Join us in our mission to support and encourage this vibrant place of learning.
We would love to see every parent involved in some way, and we encourage you to contact the PTO ([email protected]) to find out how your contributions of time and talent can help make BHS an even better place for your child.
All volunteers must have an approved background check prior to volunteering. This must be renewed each school year. The process is free, follow the link below to complete the simple form. The background check must be submitted at the beginning of EVERY school year and is separate from the online registration for your student(s): School Volunteer Application
Do you want to know more about what the PTO does? Please click on the links to the right to find out about all the exciting, fun ways the BHS PTO is involved here at the school. The PTO supports the students at Bedford Hills in so many ways that we are sure you can find an activity that interests you.
Bedford Hills PTO Mission Statement
The mission of the Bedford Hills PTO is as follows:
- To promote the general and physical welfare of the school's students, teachers, families and community.
- To support the instructional, social and cultural activities for students attending Bedford Hills Elementary School and their teachers, parents and families.
- To promote activities that will enhance the skills of parenting and teaching.
- To support activities which will encourage relationships and mutual respect between parents and teachers.
The Bedford Hills PTO is structured exclusively for the charitable, scientific, literary or education purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding Section of any future tax code (hereinafter "Internal Revenue Code").
PTO Meetings
Meetings are held virtually on the first Monday of the month at 7pm (if school is canceled on the first Monday of the month, the meeting is automatically scheduled for the 2nd Monday). The link to the meeting is sent out in the weekly Howler. Anyone is welcome to attend and we hope to see you there!
FAQ
What is the Bedford Hills Elementary PTO?
The Bedford Hills Elementary School (BHES) PTO is a group of dedicated parents and friends who support BHES students, staff, and families. We raise funds to provide programs and services which enrich our school. These funds go towards efforts such as our free t-shirt program, annual teacher allowances for school supplies, and equipment for our brand-new gym. We encourage parents to be involved, support our school, and to volunteer when possible. We work closely with teachers and staff to ensure that our students have what they need to succeed. Here is a quick overview of our mission, members, and activities: Bedford Hills PTO Info Presentation
Visitors are always welcome at the PTO Board meetings on the 1st Monday of each month. Meetings will be held virtually until further notice. We are always looking for fresh faces and fresh ideas, so please see below for how you and your family can get involved!
What is the “Husky Howler”?
In order to cut down on email clutter, the Bedford Hills Elementary School PTO puts together a single, weekly email summary of PTO news, upcoming events, and general school announcements in what is known as the “Husky Howler.” The Howler is sent as an email every Wednesday throughout the school year. We encourage you to read it every week to keep on school happenings!
What fundraising events are done to support the school?
The Bedford Hills PTO fundraising model is “one ask per year.” That is, we host one big fundraising event each year to support our annual budget and long-range projects. For many years the main event was the Carnival, held every October. In 2021, due to the pandemic, we began hosting a “Read-A-Thon” week where students ask for support from family and friends to support their reading goals. The Read-A-Thon culminates with a school-wide celebration and awards to the top classroom at each grade. We are also thankful to our generous community sponsors who support our Read-A-Thon and prizes. In addition, there are other easy ways we receive funds from BHS families throughout the year such as Box Tops for Education and our Scholastic Book Fair.
What does fundraising go towards?
In the recent past the monies raised from the Read-A-Thon and Carnival have helped fund:
- teacher and grade level allowances to purchase supplies for their classrooms
- hands-on and problem based learning activities from Kindergarten to 5th grade
- field trip and violin trip transportation fees
- flexible seating for classrooms
- guest speakers and live theater productions
- equipment for our new school gymnasium
- the purchase of classroom carpets, Chromebooks, and iPads
- enrichment experiences and additional resource materials for the school classrooms.
- new playground equipment
- In 2022, the PTO voted to allocate $10,000 towards the Garden Improvement Project and $5,000 towards the Idea Lab in the library.
Where else can I find school updates?
We regularly post announcements and photos on our Facebook (Bedford Hills Elementary School PTO) and Instagram (@bedfordhillselementarypto) platforms. Please follow us there and feel free to tag us in your own school-related posts with #bhshuskiesathome
How can I get involved?
We are a completely volunteer-run organization and are always seeking extra hands and hearts to support our school. Much of what we do each year could not be done without volunteers and our volunteer force has been reduced in recent years. We would LOVE to have you help in any way you can! Please contact our PTO to learn about ways you can get involved: [email protected]