Van Ness Elementary School

PTO

From New York to California

VAN NESS ELEMENTARY PARENT TEACHER ORGANIZATION 

We cultivate and nurture a robust school family that is unified in support of each other and in service to Van Ness Elementary School.

About the PTO

We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit open to any current Van Ness teacher, parent, or guardian.  All current families are automatically part of the PTO.

The PTO is guided by a board of elected parents/guardians and appointed teachers who work together to support our school, foster connections between families, and raise money for teacher support, field trips, and community-building events.

Our work focuses on the following:

CONNECTING: Providing community building opportunities for families to get to know each other through efforts such as  new parent outreach, community events like Fall Festival and forums such all-parent PTO meetings, newsletters, and maintaining a community google group or listserv.

SUPPORTING: Supporting Van Ness through organizing to meet the school’s volunteer needs, making sure teachers and staff know they are appreciated, and providing administrative support.

FUNDING: Supporting Van Ness through raising money at fundraising events, building partnerships with local businesses, making use of give-back opportunities, and providing families ways to support through direct financial donations.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS, 2025-2026 School YEar

View PTO Board Bios - Coming Soon

  • Kelsey Gaston (Co-President) 

  • Ashley Miller (Co-President)

  • Myya Seldon (Vice-President)

  • Scott Currie (Secretary)

  • Stephanie Nelson (Treasurer)

  • Maquita Alexander

  • Laura Patton 

  • Jessica Thompson 

  • Portia Trice 

  • Asia West 

  • Teacher Rep

  • Open Seat

Get involved!

As a parent/guardian of a Van Ness student you are automatically a member of the PTO and you don’t have to be on the Board of Directors to get involved. You will hear about different events and opportunities to participate throughout the year, but if you are interested in a specific event or task, please contact the Van Ness PTO.

But the most important thing you can do is help nurture our Otter community by coming to events and connecting other Otter families!

Meetings

Official PTO board meetings are held the second Tuesday evening of every month (subject to change). The meeting is open to all Van Ness caregivers and is held virtually via Zoom. Please email for call-in information. 

Once a year, the PTO holds all-parent meetings.  Please check our calendar for all current meeting dates and times.

View PTO Board Meeting Notes here.

Click here to view our bylaws.

LSAT, 2025-2026 School YEar

  • Jelena Leathard

  • Mike Scott

  • Lexi Barrett

  • Courtney Ryan

PTO Calendar

Embed the PTO calendar into your outlook or google calendar by clicking the + in the bottom right corner.

Please include your child's name and grade in your request.