National PTA Recognizes Excellence in Family-School Partnerships

The top honors, known as the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Awards, were presented to three standout institutions. Burton Elementary School PTA in Huntington Woods, Michigan, received the Outstanding Family-School Partnership Award. Meanwhile, Will Rogers Elementary School PTA in Santa Monica, California, and Redding Elementary School PTA in Redding, Connecticut, earned the Award of Merit for their contributions.

Beyond general excellence, the association is tackling student mental health through the Middle Ground Program Grant. With $3,500 in funding per school provided by the New York Life Foundation, these grants establish dedicated spaces for middle schoolers to process grief and loss. Using resources from the initiative 'Lost in the Middle,' these schools are evolving into 'Grief-Sensitive Schools' that prioritize peer connection and creative expression. Dr. Bill Datema, president of the National PTA, emphasized that these partnerships are foundational to academic and social success as the new school year begins.