Message from the President

Dear Prestonwood Pup Families,

What a wonderful start to the school year! It’s been a joy to meet new families and reconnect with returning ones—we’re grateful you’re part of our community.

We’ve already shared some great moments—from Game Night and Pups @ the Playground to our first Mah Jong Mom’s Night Out. Last week’s Family Literacy Event was another highlight, with parents/caregivers and children reading together in the classroom—a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do. 🎉 Read below to learn more about the exciting events we have planned ahead, like La Harencia Latina, Trunk or Treat, and more!

Our Read-A-Thon Fundraiser is in full swing, and we need your help to reach 100% participation and our $50,000 goal! 💫 Please share your child’s pledge link with friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. We are raising funds to provide every child two field trips, expand enrichment opportunities, improve outdoor spaces, and continue offering free events for the entire school community!

Thank you for being such an important part of the Prestonwood family. Together, we’re creating memories and opportunities that enrich our students’ lives every day.

One Pack! One Goal!
Sheri Axe
PTO President

Join the PTO

📢 Your Voice Matters

Become a PTO Member

What is a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), anyway? Think of us as the school's hype squad. We're a group of parents/caregivers, teachers, and staff who roll up our sleeves (and sometimes roll out the merch tables) to make sure PWM students have the best experience possible. From fundraising to family fun nights, enrichment programs to school-wide events—we're the bridge between home and school.

Why join the PTO? Because kids do better when their grown-ups get involved. Research shows that parent/caregiver involvement boosts grades, social skills, and behavior. Translation: when you show up, your kid shines a little brighter.

The fine print (spoiler: it's good news). Membership is free and open to all! We do suggest a $10 donation per member to help us hit our fundraising goals, but it’s totally optional—think of it as “pay what you can.”

Read-A-Thon Fundraiser

🌎 Join our Pups as they Read Around the World—growing their love of reading while we raise $50,000 for enrichment programs, improved outdoor spaces, field trips, free events for the entire school, and more!

PWM PTO Read-A-Thon Homepage

🎉 We are less than 3 days away from the finish line of our Read-A-Thon!

We need your help to reach 100% participation and our $50,000 goal to fund enrichment programs, outdoor improvements, field trips, free events for the entire school, and more! No selling cookie dough or wrapping paper—just kids diving into books while raising funds for our school. Parents/caregivers, family, and friends can pledge support for their readers, and every page and minute read makes a difference.

$1 = participation. $5 = wristband.

100% participation = 30 extra minutes of Enhanced Recess—bubbles, chalk, music, games, and popsicles.

🐾 Let’s do this, Pups!

Use the 99 Pledges PWM PTO Read-A-Thon button and instructions below to grab your child's unique donation link or send cash in a donation envelope directly to school. Share it with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers—it's quick, easy, and every pledge helps inspire our kids to read, read, read!

Each evening, check the PWM PTO Read-A-Thon Homepage for a pre-recorded video featuring a surprise guest reader and the "country of the day." After the video, chat with your child about the story, jot down their reading in their Passport Folder, and the next morning when they show it to their teacher, they'll get a new stamp in their Passport for their "journey" to that country.

📚 Together, we’ll turn the joy of reading into enrichment programs, improved outdoor spaces, field trips, and more opportunities for our kids to thrive!

Donate!

99 Pledges PWM Read-A-Thon Webpage

Click the 99 Pledges button above.
Search for your child's name. (Include their middle initial if needed.)
On your child's page, scroll to "Share Fundraiser", click the drop-down arrow, then copy their unique link.
Collect pledges and cheer on your reader!
BONUS! Many employers match donations! Check here or ask your employer directly: https://tinyurl.com/PWMcorporatematching. Submit the info to your company, and then email Fundraising@prestonwoodparents.org so the match counts toward your reader's total.

Volunteer!

Car-Line Squad

September 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18 or 19

7:15-8:15am or 3:00-3:45pm

Sticker Crew

September 11, 15, or 18

2:30-3:00pm or 3:30-4:00pm

Read-In Support

September 19

8am-3pm, 1 hour shifts available

🎉 Spirit Days: Monday 9/15 - Friday 9/19

🏆 Incentives and Rewards

Half Price Books + our Prestonwood Pups = a perfect story. 🐾📚

Thank you for sponsoring our Read-A-Thon!

Want to keep the reading momentum going? Swing by the Half Price Books closest to PWM—less than 2 miles away at 13388 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75240.

Stay in the Know

Would you like to receive the PTO Newsletter to your email?

📧 Email PTO Communications to add or update your email address.

Email PTO Communications

New Communication Option

📱 Opt-In to PTO updates straight to your phone with Remind (via App or Text).

Think of this as bonus from the PTO! Be sure to keep checking the Pupdate and Dojo so you don’t miss a beat.

PWM PTO Announcements (announcements only)

PWM PTO Forum (open forum)

Couldn’t make the September 2nd PTO Meeting?

No worries—the slides and minutes are now available!

PTO September Meeting Presentation

PTO September Meeting Minutes

Lend a Helping Paw

💫 Share your ideas, skills, time, and resources to support our Pups and the entire school community!

Being part of the PTO doesn't have to mean a huge time commitment—every little bit helps. Whether it's an hour here and there or stepping into a Board role for the year, there's a place (and a need!) for you.

Volunteer Interest Form

Email the PTO President About Volunteering

Donate to the PWM PTO

Ways to Get Involved

Show Up & Support

Attend events
Volunteer for events (assemble materials, set up, break down, or pitch in during the fun)
Take photos for the PTO at events
Organize supplies, swag, uniform resale, or PTO storage

Get Creative

Decorate for events
Graphic design or digital content

Fundraising & Resources

Donate supplies
Donate funds on behalf of your family and/or business
Ask your employer about corporate matching
Join the fundraising team
Partner with our Fundraising Director to reach out to businesses for donations or sponsorships

Plan & Lead

Help plan events
Coordinate or chair an event or committee
Serve on the General Board or Executive Board

Open Board Positions

Executive Board

VP of Outreach & Inclusion

General Board

Angel Tree Chair
Bridging Ceremonies Chair
Business, Corporate, In-Kind Donation & Sponsorship Chair
Can & Coats Drive Coordinator
Charitable Giving Chair
Community Engagement Chair
Diaper Drive Coordinator
Parliamentarian
Room Parent Coordinator
Spring Fundraiser Chair
Sunshine Committee Co-Chair
Teacher Appreciation Week Chair
Thanksgiving Meals Coordinator
Trunk or Treat Chair
Wheelie Fun Night Chair
Winter Market Chair

Got a skill or idea we haven’t listed? Email the PTO President—we’ll find the perfect spot for you!

🏫 Want to Volunteer On Campus?

Step one is getting VOLY approved through Dallas ISD for the 2025-2026 school year. (It's quick, easy, and has to be done each year!) Start here: dallasisd.voly.org.

Upcoming Events

🍂 September

9/11-9/19 ReadA-Thon Fundraiser - Volunteer Opportunity!

9/15-9/19 Read-A-Thon Spirit Week

9/17 BFAM Meeting @ 7pm (Virtual)

9/19 Pups at the Playground @ 3:30pm (Jamestown Park)

9/19 W. T. White Feeder Pattern Night @ 7pm (Loos Stadium) Sign-up in advance for the Tunnel Run!

9/25 Parent Resource Workshop @ 8:15-9:15am

9/26 La Harencia Latina @ 8am-2pm - Volunteer Opportunity!

9/26 Parents Night Out @ 6-9pm (At Fault)

🎃 October

10/1 Spirit Night & Giveback @ 11am-10pm (Shake Shack)

10/1 Parent STAAR Workshop @ 4:30-5:30pm

10/3 W.T. White Homecoming

10/7 Dads & Doors - Volunteer Opportunity!

10/7 SBDM Meeting @ 6pm (In Person)

10/15 BFAM Meeting @ 7pm (Virtual)

10/16 Coffee with the Principal @ TBD

10/17 Pups at the Playground @ 3:30pm (Jamestown Park)

10/20-10/24 Family Conferences

10/25 Trunk or Treat @ 3-5pm

10/27-10/30 Red Ribbon Week

10/31 Book Character Day

Finances

The Executive Board met on August 19, 2025 to review the budget line-by-line. The PTO budget was voted on and approved at September 2nd Meeting.

💰 Beginning of the Year Forecast

Beginning of year balance = $66,264.17

Planned income = $79,700.00

Planned expenses = $125,747.92

Projected end of year balance = $20,216.25

Allocation of Funds

Montessori Moment

🏠 Practical Life at Home

A core Montessori principle is practical life—real, everyday activities that help children gain confidence, independence, and valuable skills. Here’s how you can weave it into home routines:

Primary (Pre-K 3, Pre-K 4, Kinder)
Pour water into cups 💧, help set the table 🍽️, water plants 🌱, or fold small towels 🧺. These simple tasks build coordination and concentration.

Lower Elementary (1st–3rd)
Cooking projects are a hit 🍳—measuring, stirring, safely chopping soft foods 🥕, or packing lunches 🥪. Kids can also help care for pets 🐶 or organize bookshelves 📚.

Upper Elementary (4th–6th)
Older children can take on more responsibility: plan meals 📝, write grocery lists 🛒, practice simple budgeting 💵, or manage a family chore chart ✅. They can even prepare a meal from start to finish! 🍲

Montessori reminds us that children want to contribute. Trusting them with meaningful work at home helps them feel capable, connected, and proud of their role in the family.

Affinity Groups

BFAM

BFAM GroupMe

BIPOC Family Alliance for Montessori (BFAM) – Centering the voices and experiences of Black, Indigenous, and Families of Color. This group works to create a more inclusive community for our children and to celebrate cultural pride and identity.

Dad's Club

Dad's Club GroupMe

A place for dads, grandfathers, and father figures to connect with each other, get more involved in school life, and create fun opportunities for our kids both inside and outside the classroom.

Familias Hispanas

Familias Hispanas GroupMe

A community for Hispanic and Latino families to celebrate language, heritage, and culture. This group also serves as a support system for parents/caregivers and a way to create culturally rich experiences for our children at PWM.