by Jane Davidson (Posted on April 20, 2026 @ 8:54 a.m.)

You may not know, but behind the scenes a lot happens at the Junior School. The PTO is a big part of AHJS, and they do a lot of things to help the school and make AHJS a better place. The PTO plays a vital role in building a strong school community.

You may be wondering what the PTO is. It is a group of people that help raise money for the school and our teachers. The PTO board is voted on by other parents who are not on the board. The President is Ellen Hasslocher, the President-Elect is Lindie Murphy, the Vice President of Communications and Literacy is Carrie Lane, the Vice President of Fundraising is Kate Olsen, the Vice President of Student Services is Emily King, the Vice President of Support Projects is Julie Bruton, the Secretary is Lauren Ludwick, the Treasurer is Kristin Stanley, the Assistant Treasurer is Amanda Sykes, and the Parliamentarian is Tonya Embrey.

You may be wondering what the PTO does to support the teachers and staff. The PTO President Ellen Hasslocher gave me input on how the PTO organization benefits the teachers at AHJS. One way that the PTO helps the teachers is by bringing them snacks. You may have seen the carts being pushed around the school. That is the PTO brightening up the teachers’ day with some snacks.
The PTO also surprises the teachers and staff with lunch and fun treats from time to time. For example, when the school’s internet went out, the PTO surprised them with a cake to make their day better. The hope was to make them smile and to make them feel appreciated.

The PTO also helps teachers through CNE. CNE is a curriculum and enrichment grant. Twice a year, teachers are invited to submit requests for things that would better their classrooms. Then they put in their requests and say, for example, “I would really love it if we could have new tripods for the media.” The PTO reads the grants and looks them over. The PTO decides if this item will affect a large group of students or a small group. Then they take it into consideration. Finally, it goes to Dr. Guthrie, Dean Alexander, and then to Dr. Bashara’s office, and a final decision is made.

This shows how much the PTO truly benefits the teachers and staff here at AHJS. Through support, appreciation, and thoughtful efforts, they help make the teachers’ and staff’s jobs easier. The PTO plays an important role in creating a positive and supportive school environment.