Bedford Hills Elementary School (BHES) has an active and supportive parent-teacher organization (PTO). There is no fee to be part of the PTO and all parents/guardians of BHES students are automatically members of the PTO. We are committed to promoting the welfare of our school’s students, teachers and families. It is an exciting and worthwhile venture! Join us in our mission to support and encourage this vibrant place of learning.

We would love to see every parent involved in some way, and we encourage you to contact the PTO ([email protected]) to find out how your contributions of time and talent can help make BHES an even better place for your child.

All individuals must have an approved Lynchburg City background check before they can volunteer at the school. This step must be completed before working with students. The process is free for completing the simple form. The background check must be submitted at the beginning of EVERY school year and is separate from the online registration for your student(s):

School Volunteer Application

The PTO provides amazing support to the students and teachers at Bedford Hills, and we are excited to have your involvement.

Bedford Hills PTO Mission Statement

The mission of the Bedford Hills PTO is as follows:

1. To promote the general and physical welfare of the school's students, staff, families and community.
2. To support the instructional, social and cultural activities for students attending Bedford Hills Elementary School and their staff, parents and families.
3. To promote activities that will enhance the skills of parenting and teaching.
4. To support activities which will build a strong partnership between home and school.

The Bedford Hills PTO is structured exclusively for the charitable and education purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or corresponding Section of any future tax code (hereinafter "Internal Revenue Code").

What is the Bedford Hills Elementary PTO?

The Bedford Hills Elementary School (BHES) PTO is a group of dedicated parents and friends who support BHES students, staff, and families. We raise funds to provide programs and services which enrich our school. These funds go towards efforts such as our free t-shirt program, annual teacher allowances for school supplies, and enhancements to the school. We encourage parents to be involved, support our school, and to volunteer. We work closely with teachers and staff to ensure that our students have what they need to succeed. Here is a quick overview of our mission, members, and activities.

All parents are invited and welcome at the PTO Monthly meetings. These meetings are not just for the PTO Board and they occur on the first Monday of each month. Meetings are held virtually. We are always seeking new faces and innovative ideas to create exciting experiences for Bedford Hills.

What is the “Husky Howler”?

In order to cut down on email clutter, the Bedford Hills PTO puts together a single, recurring email summary of PTO news, upcoming events, and general school announcements in what is known as the “Husky Howler.” The Howler is sent as an email throughout the school year. We encourage parents to read it to stay in tune with school happenings!

What fundraising events are done to support the school?

The Bedford Hills PTO fundraising model is “one ask per year.” That is, we host one big fundraising event each year to support our annual budget and long-range projects. For many years the main event was the Carnival, held every October. In 2021, due to the pandemic, we began hosting a “Read-A-Thon” week where students ask for support from family and friends to support their reading goals. The Read-A-Thon culminates with a school-wide celebration and awards to the top classroom at each grade. We are also thankful to our generous community sponsors who support our Read-A-Thon and prizes. In addition, there are other great ways we receive funds from BHES families throughout the year such as Box Tops for Education, Kroger Community Rewards, and our Book Fair.

What does fundraising go towards?

In the recent past, the monies raised from fundraisers have helped fund:

• teacher and grade level allowances to purchase supplies for their classrooms
• hands-on and problem based learning activities from Kindergarten to 5th grade
• field trip and violin trip transportation fees
• flexible seating for classrooms
• guest speakers and live theater productions
• equipment for the school gymnasium
• the purchase of classroom carpets, Chromebooks, and iPads
• enrichment experiences and additional resource materials for the school classrooms.
• new playground equipment
• school enhancement projects

Where else can I find school updates?

We regularly post announcements and photos on our Facebook (“Bedford Hills Elementary School PTO”) and Instagram (@bedfordhillselementarypto) platforms. Please follow us there and feel free to tag us in your own school-related posts with #bhshuskiesathome

How can I get involved?

We are a completely volunteer-run organization and are always seeking extra hands and hearts to support our school. Much of what we do each year could not be done without volunteers and our volunteer force has been reduced in recent years. We would LOVE to have you help in any way you can! Please contact our PTO to learn about ways you can get involved: [email protected]