PTA Membership

Kindergarten Round Up PTA

To sign up to join Grady Elementary PTA, click here on the Membership Form. It only costs $10 for one member to join and $18 for two members.

Grady Elementary PTA's mission is to enhance every child's educational experience and help ensure that Grady Elementary is an inclusive, caring place for all students and their families.

What we do: Our PTA administers Grady's After School Enrichment Program, which offers clubs like Robotics, Spanish, Basketball, Soccer, Cooking, Lego and Art. We promote arts in education by administering the Reflections Art Contest and Doodads Art Contest. We support science in education by funding materials our teachers need for Science Olympics and other science projects. We support writing by funding the 4th grade Paestries and Poetry Event. We support teachers by providing them with teaching supplies and $8,000 in mini-grants for technology, curriculum, or even to pay the honorarium for a popular children's author to speak at the school.

Our projects: In 2019, we started construction of our track, which will offer a safe place for our students to exercise during tiger walk, and recess. In 2018, we replaced the 60 year marquee for a digital marquee, which will improve communication and save staff time. In 2017, we completed the replacement of the Grady perimeter fence with an aluminum fence that is more secure and attractive than the fence it replaced. Grady's administration is committed to keeping the school clean, safe and well maintained.

We also directly have improved children's classroom experiences. In 2019, we funded $12,000 in classroom projectors, one color printer for art classroom, 5 iPads for the media center and one 3D printer. In 2018, we funded $8,000 in classroom projectors. In 2017, we funded $8,000 in classroom projectors and teachers laptops and iPads. In 2016, we funded $10,000 in classroom laptop replacements and software upgrades. Additionally, each year we fund sums toward teacher salaries to administer a free after school tutoring program called ELP.

How we raise money: Grady Elementary PTA has two large fundraisers a year: the Tiger Trek Walkathon to be held in late September and an adult only Auction to be held in February. We hold many events during the year including Tiger Tears (first day boo-hoo breakfast), Fall Movie Night, Walk to School Wednesday, Reflections Art Competition, Clean Up Days, the Winter Concert and the Spring Concert.

About our membership: Our PTA is a 100% Membership PTA, and has been for years. Parents and Teachers are expected to join and participate in our PTA. Notably, every single employee of Grady Elementary, whether a teacher or not, is a member of the PTA. Grady's employees care greatly about our PTA.

Awards & Recognition: Our PTA has won numerous awards for volunteering and participation. In 2021, Hillsborough County PTA awarded Norma Maiz the PTA President of the Year and Grady PTA won Best Virtual Program for Walk to School Wednesday led by Jannine Neward. In 2020, Grady won the Hillsborough County PTA Arts in Education Award, with the Doodad Program led by Debonique Grigsby (Grady Teacher) and Margarita Rivas (Grady PTA) and the Health and Safety Award, with the Walk to School Wednesday Program, led by Jannine Neward. In 2019, Norma Maiz won the Hillsborough County PTA Volunteer of the Year Award. In 2018, Ellen Lyons won the Hillsborough County PTA Volunteer of the Year Award. In 2017, PTA dad, Michael Gaines, won the Hillsborough County Superman Award for volunteering. In 2015, our PTA won the Hillsborough County Superintendent's Award for parent involvement. Our school has won an award for PTA Teacher of the Year, Hilary Trupp in 2018 and best Instructor, Media Specialist Nicholas Tsourakis in 2016. Principal Kristine Dosal was awarded County-wide Principal of the Year by the Hillsborough County Council PTA in 2014. Our PTA has also won awards multiple years for Volunteer Involvement, Grandparent Involvement, Member Participation and Overall Membership Numbers.

Communication: Grady Elementary PTA communicates to its members through the Tiger Talk email system and paper flyers that come home in backpacks. There are always opportunities to volunteer. Please check current volunteer opportunities on our website by clicking on Volunteer Opportunities or contact our VP of Volunteers at [email protected].

Volunteering: Volunteering is not required, but it is strongly encouraged. Whether you volunteer in your child's classroom, serve as homeroom parent, make copies for teacher in the Copy Center, set up chairs for an event, or bring treats for a classroom party, your contributions are both expected and greatly appreciated. Collectively, our contributions yield great results for our school.

Please join today! To join Grady Elementary PTA, please click on the PTA Membership Form link under the Related links on the right side of the page.