Beacon Academy PTO

Our ongoing vision: to cultivate a community that gives

Beacon PTO is the parent-teacher organization for Beacon Academy, a public charter school now located in Crystal, MN. The school moved into its permanent home in 2017, and the PTO is excited to continue our vision with an expanded group of families.

Beacon PTO has a two-fold vision: to foster community between the families that attend Beacon Academy, and to raise money to fund projects in our school.

Beacon PTO is committed to working together with Beacon families, teachers, and administrators to foster community that supports our students and their academic and social growth. Two programs are the backbone of our community-building mission. First, we utilize Classroom Community Connectors. These contacts are parent volunteers, one per classroom, who provide opportunities for families to connect through twice-a-year classroom gatherings. They also help arrange groups gifts for our classroom teachers and serve as a direct line of communication between parents and the PTO. Second, PTO holds two or three community events through the school year. These events are designed as fun gatherings where families can enjoy a meal and activity with other school families. Our plans include a morning of “Breakfast and Bingo” and a themed family dance.

PTO also strives to financially support critical educational needs through fundraising. We hold one major fundraiser each year, dubbed the “Beacon Dash”, where students and families gather financial support and then participate in a fun day of outdoor activities such as dunking the principal in the dunk tank, playing a hot lava game and running through obstacle courses. The Beacon Dash allows us to focus our fundraising efforts in one place so we can enjoy the fruits of our labor the rest of the year. Funds from years past have provided musical instruments, books for our Spanish library, and two 3D printers for our technology classroom, along with regular grants to every teacher in our building for everyday classroom needs.

For many years, Beacon PTO has been cultivating a community of givers, through our community-building programs and fundraising efforts. Won’t you join us in furthering our vision?

The Beacon Academy PTO was originally founded as the Beacon Academy Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) in 2004 by Beacon families interested in fostering a partnership between parents and the school staff. In 2009, PAC changed its name to Beacon PTO when PAC decided unanimously to become a part of the National PTO Organization.