PTSO/Volunteer

Parents Teachers Students Organization

Support your school - parents, teachers, and students (and grandparents!) - and become a member of the Lakeland Highlands Middle School PTSO! We need your time, even if it's only a little, and your donation, even if it's a small amount. Every bit counts and makes a difference! If you would love to be a part of all of the great things happening at Lakeland Highlands Middle School, we have a place for you. Parents/Grandparents, you need to be a Polk County approved volunteer. To learn more about becoming an approved volunteer, please click here. Once you are approved, please contact Cheryl Wiggins here at LHMS to have your picture taken for your ID badge or if you already have a badge and need to have your volunteer information transferred to LHMS.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

If you are already an approved Polk County volunteer and would like to be contacted for volunteer opportunities, please send an email to [email protected] and tell us whether you are a parent or a student.

*How we hold meetings and volunteer will look a little different for a while because of COVID-19, but don't let that hold you back. We still have ways to support our school from a distance!

PARENTS, we need your name, phone number and the type/level of volunteer opportunities you want to participate in. Please tell us one of the following:

  • Helper role
  • Leadership role

STUDENTS, we need your name, grade and home room teacher.

MAKE A DONATION

If you are unable to contribute your time, we also welcome donations to our organization. What makes our PTSO unique is that we are not part of a larger organization. That means that every dollar you donate goes directly to our school to fund technology for our classrooms, rewards and fun events for students, teacher appreciation, improvements to our school grounds and much more! We ask for $10 dues to join the PTSO, but additional donations are welcome. Please make checks payable to LHMS PTSO and mail them to LHMS, 740 Lake Miriam Drive, Lakeland, FL 33813.

How has PTSO Money Been Used Lately?

  • Purchased electric golf cart
  • Purchased gas powered golf cart
  • Fulfilled teacher requests
  • Installed digital sign in front the school
  • Placed benches in front of school for students
  • Purchased band equipment
  • Sponsored 8th grade awards
  • Sponsored school dances for all grades
  • Sponsored holiday grams

Stay in the Know:

Follow us on Remind, just text @lhmsptso to 81010

Join the conversation on the LHMS PTSO Facebook Page www.facebook.com/LakelandHighlandsPTSO/

What would volunteering as a PTSO member be like at LHMS?

as a parent…

Roles to fit every schedule

If you only have small windows of time, that's okay! We could use your help in all sorts of ways. And if you're new to our school, don't worry about being left hanging. We will always have at least two parents working together so no one is without a teammate. Besides, that's more fun anyway!

We might need your help to sell holiday grams or passes during a shift before school or during lunchtime. Are you into arts and crafts? You could create a "valentine gram" for students to purchase and have delivered to their friends for Valentine's Day. Or are you a parent who cannot get off work during the day, but could help out from home in the evenings once in a while? You could help the school by promoting BoxTops. Maybe you cannot get off work during the day, but you could make a few phone calls. The Spirit Event Coordinator roll could be for you.

Or we could ask for donations of snacks, bottles of water, or art supplies to be dropped off at the school. That's something that could fit into almost everyone's schedule. And if you love planning parties, you could organize a school dance, planning everything from the theme and decorations to the snacks that will be served. If you don't want all of that responsibility, but would enjoy helping to sell tickets or decorate, that's great too.

You could be baking (or purchasing) delicious baked goods to help host an appreciation breakfast for our teachers and administration or provide refreshments at a PTSO or SAC meeting. We could go on and on, but hopefully we have helped you understand that there's a place for everyone to help support our school!

as a teacher or administrator…

Teachers - we need you too! You could help us with school dances, fundraising events, or be a judge for a fun contest. Your involvement would help us know the programs you need to support your curriculum for the year. You can help us know what tools, technology, and equipment you need to do your job better. And the difference you make in students' lives in immense; think how much more students will know you care seeing you pitch in at extracurricular, fun events, school improvement tasks, or donation drives.

as a student…

Students we need you too! You could help us decorate for a party, or help make posters to advertise upcoming events. You could be part of team that works on a school beautification project or participate in collecting donations for a food drive. These experiences will not only be fun, but could help you develop your student resume!

About Us:

Our Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO) is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization. This organization was created to:

  • assist with the overall educational goals of LHMS
  • support and improve the school's infrastructure
  • improve students' educational development, and
  • support the welfare of students, teachers, and administration of LHMS.