Arcola Goes Back to School

Arcola Elementary students and families came to a back-to-school night on Thursday evening to meet teachers, hear about new curriculum and maybe, at least Stacy Menendez hopes, to join the PTA.

"We have about 80 parents signed up for the PTA so far, " Menendez, Arcola's PTA president said, "I'd like to double it."

Menendez and the PTA are going into fundraising overdrive, as a cut in funds from the federal government means the money for free after-school programs is gone. Last year, Arcola's PTA helped organize a homework club, games, basketball club and several other after-school activities.

"Right now we only have money for snacks," Menendez said.

The PTA also hopes to raise money for other programming, like special assemblies and a field trip for the fifth graders.

While parents stopped by the PTA table, most had attended the back-to-school night to meet teachers and learn a bit more about the curriculum.

"We're here to see what's new, " said April Revere, a parent of a 4th grader.  Her son expressed interested in playing the trumpet this year.

"He also wanted to find out about the cub scouts," Revere said, adding she didn't have extra questions for the teachers because they were already very accessible.

The cub scouts did set up a table – Pack 771 – led by Arcola parent Jon Moser and handed out flyers about the scouts. Also on hand were ESOL teachers, promoting a new English-learning program for adults – not just from Arcola – created with the help of the Montgomery County Literacy Council.

Helen Charlene Heron, a new parent at the school, said she hoped her son, Mark Antony, who was entering the fifth grade would have a "good adjustment and good grades." This will be his first year in Arcola after being homeschooled for a year and a half.

Principal Eric Wilson said the school will serve about 612 students this year, the fourth year the new building has been open.

"Our population is really booming," Wilson said, "It's a lot of factors – there's some new condos in our area, as well as a lot of shared housing, and students coming from the private schools."

It's also a population where 78 percent of the students are eligible for free and reduced lunch, one reason why the school receives extra funding from the federal government through Title I.

Once the evening's program got started, Wilson introduced each teacher and spoke a little bit about the upcoming school year. In 2010-2011, Arcola will be piloting Montgomery County's new 1st grade curriculum. The school also piloted a new kindergarten curriculum last year.

Before parents broke up into grades to learn about their child's curricula, Stacy Menendez sounded the call for the PTA one more time. She was hoping to offer the after-school programs free of charge, but in the worst-case scenario, the programs would be $10 per student.