New P&C at Tieri State School

Parents and Citizens (P&C) Associations are vital not-for-profit organisations that support our public schools. They typically consist of passionate parents and locals who work to promote the interests of the entire school community.

Tieri State School has recently welcomed its new P&C, so Tieri News caught up with Ashley Edler, the incoming P&C Treasurer, and Shannon Pitter, Secretary, to find out more…

What role does the P&C play for the school and wider community?
The P&C provides fundraising support to Tieri State School (TSS) by organising additional events and activities. It helps make the year even more exciting for the children, while raising much needed money for our school so our kids have the best opportunities we can give them. We also run the Tuckshop and the Uniform shop.

Who is on the incoming TSS P&C, and what are your respective roles and responsibilities?
Michael McGrath is President, Shannon (Pitter) is Secretary, and Ashley (Edler) is the Treasurer.

How does the P&C work with Kate Legge and the team at TSS?
We are still a very new committee and are all still finding our feet. Kate and the whole TSS team have been great in providing us with assistance where needed and we’re looking forward to working with them to achieve great things for the school in the year ahead.

What sort of things does the P&C do to support TSS?
Much of it is about raising funds to support the school. For example, the P&C has just been approved for a SmartyGrant from Glencore (page 14) to upgrade the facilities in the Tuckshop, which we’re excited about. We also provide financial support to help alleviate some costs for the families. For example, for the upcoming school camp, we are covering the costs of the food and travel.

Why did you personally volunteer to join the P&C?
For many reasons, but predominantly so the children (and parents) could have a Tuckshop again. What do you find so rewarding about being part of the P&C? Seeing all the little smiling faces of the children when you can do something fun for them – it’s a wonderful feeling.

Can members of the community volunteer to help the P&C?
Yes, absolutely! There are two ways to get involved. You can either become a member of the P&C, or you can simply volunteer to help on an adhoc basis. We’re always looking for volunteers, especially to help out with the Tuckshop, or at our fundraising events. As per the Working with Children Act 2000, we may require a current blue card – this is something we can help you with.

Do people have to commit to a set time period?
Not at all – we’ll take any help we can get, for as long as people are happy to provide it! From a volunteer perspective, we typically require ‘on-the-ground’ support at our events, which usually only go for a couple hours. The more volunteers we have at an event, the less time individuals would be asked to commit. With regards to P&C membership, it’s annual with the option to renew each year. So, anyone interested can join us for one year and see how they like it. There’s never any pressure to renew the following year.

What do you have coming up between now and the end of the year that the school community can look forward to?
We’ve just had our first school disco which was a great success and we’re looking to do a Colour Run later in the year when it is a little warmer.

How can people stay in touch with the P&C to find out what’s happening and to volunteer their help?
We’ve created a Facebook page to provide the community with P&C-related updates, so follow us and get in touch.