Welcome to the Riverdale Parent Teacher Club!
What is the PTC?
The Riverdale Parent Teacher Club (PTC) is a not-for-profit organization that has been in existence since at least 1969. Following the high school's establishment in 1996, the PTC expanded from serving our grade school to supporting our entire district.
What does the PTC do?
The PTC strives to enrich our children’s education by enhancing curriculum and activities, encouraging parent involvement, supporting student participation, and fostering community spirit. We depend on the generosity of our district community to provide financial and volunteer support in five main areas:
- Community Building – new family liaisons, grade connectors, back-to-school activities, community directory, and social events
- Classroom Enrichment – special project and supply grants, performances/speakers
- Extracurricular – before and after school educational enrichment and support for Riverdale athletics
- Teacher Support – teacher appreciation events, room parent and volunteer support
- Schools Support – lunch service support, facilitiy and equipment improvements
Do I need to be a member?
The PTC is not a membership organization. However, the PTC's school-specific committees hold "general" meetings to which our community is invited.
How do I get information about the PTC's events and activities?
The PTC uses multiple channels to communicate with our community. The PTC emails a weekly newsletter and periodic event-specific announcements, and posts to Facebook and Instagram. Our Calendar is a great place for current information about upcoming events and activities. Room Parents also play a key role in providing information to their classes. At the Grade School, we also share information on the bulletin board adjacent to the bicycle pavilion.
If this an all-volunteer organization, who oversees its management?
Our PTC is made up of caregivers who pool their talents to provide practical support for Riverdale schools and students. Each year, a board of volunteer directors is voted in and corporate officers are selected, as provided by our articles of incorporation and bylaws.
What is the difference between the PTC and the Riverdale Foundation?
The Foundation’s dollars go directly into the District’s operating budget to help close the gap between the budget and the funds actually received by the state. The PTC funds specific programs and services that it oversees and are not in the District budget.
How does the PTC finance its events and activities?
The PTC is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and depends primarily on the generous donations of our district community. For some events and activities, the PTC will also ask families or participants to contribute toward the associated costs. Importantly, the PTC provides financial aid to ensure that students and families wishing to take part in its events and activities can do so. Because the PTC's fiscal year runs July 1 to June 30, the PTC committees for each school hold a "general" meeting at the end of the school year at which they present the next year's budgets to anyone who wishes to attend. The PTC's IRS Form 990s (i.e., tax returns) can be viewed here:
Does the PTC endorse candidates running for office?
In short, no. The Riverdale PTC, as a 501(c)(3) organization, is prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. It therefore does not endorse candidates for public office or engage in campaign activity, which means it does not express approval or disapproval for one or more candidates’ positions and/or actions or address issues raised as distinguishing candidates for a given office. While individual board members or volunteers may have personal preferences and can speak in a non-official capacity, such views do not represent the organization. The PTC commends all those in our community who wish to volunteer their time and energy to our schools.
