Redding Elementary School And PTA Awarded National Honors

REDDING, CT — The National Parent Teacher Association has recognized Redding Elementary School and the RES PTA as a 2020-2022 School of Excellence.

Redding Elementary School and the RES PTA are one of only four schools in Connecticut and one of 351 PTAs and schools nationwide to receive the honor "for their accomplishments in building a strong, effective family-school partnership that is enriching the educational experience and overall well-being for all students."

"We are thrilled to honor the accomplishments of Redding Elementary School and the RES PTA," said Anna King, president of National PTA. "Their efforts have made a positive impact for all students, families and their school, which has been and continues to be more important than ever, especially given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic."

National PTA’s School of Excellence program is a year-long commitment intended to improve family-school partnerships. Throughout the year, PTAs and schools collect feedback from their communities to create and implement plans of action to make a difference for every child. Through the School of Excellence program, PTAs and families become key partners in decision-making and school improvement efforts. The program opens the lines of communication and critical thinking within school communities to make data-driven decisions that yield positive, long-term results.

RES PTA co-presidents Meredith Schuchard and Angela Caes released a statement Friday saying they were honored "to accept this prestigious award on behalf of the more than 100-plus staff members and 300-plus families of Redding Elementary School who worked tirelessly to bring our community together when we felt so far apart. Our goal was to develop effective COVID-safe communication strategies with an eye toward inclusivity in order to support, grow and strengthen our community, and thereby increase our impact on student success."

As a result, the RES PTA increased the number of touchpoints with families, teachers and administration driving higher engagement with an average of 50 percent greater meeting attendance and 10 percent increase in membership.

"It has been especially critical to have open lines of communication, strong family-school partnerships and families as key partners in the decision-making process during the COVID-19 pandemic. We must continue to keep these practices going in the new school year to address learning gaps experienced during the pandemic and support students’ social and emotional needs," said Nathan R. Monell, National PTA executive director. "National PTA’s School of Excellence program can help strengthen or rebuild family-school partnerships while we continue to recover from the effects of COVID-19 and ensure students, families and schools have what they need to thrive."