The UPark PTA is the school’s largest fundraising and volunteer body. Our mission is to “promote the welfare of children,” and “make every child’s potential a reality.” Please join the UPark PTA, attend our monthly PTA meetings on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 PM, and consider volunteering your time and talents.
2021-22 PTA Meetings
Our meetings will begin virtually in 2021 and hopefully move to a hybrid model as the year progresses. Our first meeting will be on September 14th at 6pm. We will approve the 2021-22 budget, discuss PTA plans for the year and how we can continue to support the school during the ongoing pandemic, and introduce amended PTA bylaws.
Learn More About the PTA
PTA Impact
Here are some of the commitments that the PTA made during the 2020-2021 school year:
- Provide $125,000 grant to fund 2.5 additional full-time teacher salaries each year. Without our annual grant to UPark, we would have to reduce our staff and increase our class sizes!
- Purchased nearly 200 new books for the library and teacher classrooms each year.
- Constructed a GaGa Ball Pit on the playground.
- Provided band instruments, music, accompanists and scholarships to support one of the few elementary school bands in DPS.
- Provided upgraded technology to support all classrooms and supported the specific technology requests of the Affective Needs (AN) Center.
- Supported the Great Schools Thriving Communities Ballot Initiative 93 to increase state funding for all Colorado public schools and gathering hundreds of signatures.
- Organized or assisted with school functions that were enjoyed by all, including the: Fun Run & Carnival, Halloween Costume Exchange, Spring Auction, Multicultural Night, Art Night, Field Day, and three Teacher Appreciation Luncheons.
UPark PTA Officers 2020-21
Additional Contacts
All of these committees welcome new volunteers, and several are currently seeking committee chairs:
- Apple Campaign: Jamie Lin, apple@uparkelementary.org
- Auction: Audrey DeHarty auction@uparkelementary.org
- Backpack Program: Ellen Landy, landysteward@comcast.net
- Corporate Sponsorship: Carin Wagner, carinwags@gmail.com & Scott Rathbun scottrathbun@gmail.com
- Fun Run and Carnival: Katie Riddle, hellokatieriddle@gmail.com
- Garden Committee: Chalise Kanafani, chalisemarie@gmail.com
- Grant Writing: Jennifer Nolan, jdawn@pandora.com
- Green Team: Ashleigh Ruehrdanz, ashleigh.ruehrdanz@gmail.com
- Grounds – Becky Limanni, b.limanni@comcast.net
- Legislative/Advocacy: Merrell Aspin, mwaspin@gmail.com
- Restaurant Nights/Dine Outs: Katie Riddle, hellokatieriddle@gmail.com
- Transit/Safety/Mobility: OPEN, uparkpta@gmail.com
- Yearbook: Krissy Gilhooly, photo@uparkelementary.org
For information on volunteer opportunities and general questions, email uparkpta@gmail.com.
