About the PTA
Fairmont Elementary PTA Mission Statement
The mission of the Fairmont Elementary PTA is to build a positive and connected community among our students, teachers, school staff and caregivers. In cooperation with our school administration, we work to bridge the gap, providing volunteer and financial support for programs that enrich our diverse student population and better their educational and emotional outcomes.
How the PTA Helps
The Fairmont PTA works hard to improve the school for every student and family. With the cooperation of teachers, staff, and families, PTA volunteers work tirelessly to ensure a safe, inclusive, and welcoming learning environment for all students and families. We rely on the support of our school community to do the work we do.
The PTA provides financial support to boost educational programs, builds community by bringing families together for healthy and fun special events, and we work to improve school climate through arts & enrichment, and volunteering on campus where help is needed.
Financial Support
We fund enrichment programs like, music, arts, and science, and we fund continued support of our garden.
We support teachers by providing them allocations to pay for classroom supplies and field trips (as permitted).
We help support and coordinate the 5th grade overnight field trip to Pt. Bonita (when safety permits) and 6th grade commencement activities and events.
Building Community
We provide fun activities that also foster family involvement, such as Board Game Night, Family Fun Night, and Friendship Dances.
We provide the school with educational events such as Family Reading Night and Family Math Night, as well as assemblies.
We work to foster healthy habits among our students and families, including hosting events like Walk-to-School Day and the Spirit Race.
Improving School Climate
We coordinate volunteers on campus to help support teachers in the classroom, to provide supervision and support at lunch and recess, and to help with the garden, the library, and anywhere we see a need.
We help to improve the appearance of the school. We have transformed an unused plot of land into an edible garden.
In Spring of 2009, we sponsored the creation of a mural in the kindergarten yard, titled “Growing Minds”.
Statement on Racial Justice
Fairmont Elementary PTA stands for racial justice, equality, and supports Black Lives Matter. As we stand today in an historic Black-justice movement, the Fairmont PTA has thought about how, in these uncertain times, our goals and actions can bring us together, move us forward, and support our students to be anti-racist.
We as a PTA are committed to helping prepare our students to work toward racial justice by:
Giving families communication tools to talk about race.
Providing opportunities for both students and parents to listen and learn from African-American speakers and anti-racism leaders.
Supporting each other through kindness, tolerance and patience.
Listening to guidance from AAPAC about how the PTA can help foster change.
Gathering curriculum change suggestions to pass on to the district.
The Fairmont PTA stands in support of the African American community and Black Lives Matter. As a PTA we are making a stronger commitment to A.A. students and families, by providing resources and advocacy. In this effort, we will collaborate with campus groups such as the Fairmont’s African American Parents Advisory Council (AAPAC), outside interest/groups who have expertise, and also those who are passionate about making a difference toward improving racial equity and racial justice. Our hope is that through this commitment we will better serve our Fairmont community as a whole.
I am a Kindergarten teacher here at Fairmont. I have been a part of the Fairmont community for the last 3 years and first joined the PTA as a teacher liaison. My personal passions include bringing the arts and social emotional learning into the classroom. I look forward to helping our Fairmont community grow!
I am the dad of two amazing little ones, Ani (Kindergarten) and Arlo (preschool). I am a Bay Area native and have lived all around the Bay Area and in El Cerrito for the past 6 years. I am very passionate about public service and currently work for East Bay Municipal Utilities District (sorry I can’t give you discounts on water rates) in the Treasury Department where I do the District’s banking, investments and work on the retirement system. I am looking forward to being able to contribute to the Fairmont community.
Kelly has been on the PTA Board for five years, first serving as the Vice President, PTA President, Co-Volunteer Coordinator, and now Secretary. She has a 5th grade son and a 8th grade daughter. Building community while centering equity for our families has always been a goal for Kelly and is a central goal for Fairmont's PTA—and we need your voice to help make that happen!
I am a mom of 2; Ani (kindergarten at Fairmont) and Arlo (a Kiwi at Nomura preschool). Our experience at Fairmont thus far has been wonderful and I am excited to help build community at the school and to meet other families. This will be my first year on the PTA Board and I am excited about the opportunities to come!
Constance McCarney has lived in the East Bay since 2012 after growing up and attending college on the East Coast. She has one child at Fairmont and another one ready to join the Fairmont student body in August. Constance is dedicated to public education, a value instilled in her by the public school teachers closest to her: her mother (a reading teacher) and aunt (a math teacher). She has spent her professional career in higher education focused on improving operational systems and information resources because she is most satisfied when people spend their valuable effort on things that move us forward.
Saidah Said is a 3rd-grade teacher at Fairmont. She has a professional background in documentary filmmaking and conference production. A native of the city-state of Singapore, Saidah embraced the San Francisco Bay Area when she moved to Berkeley for graduate school some two decades ago. Recognizing the critical role parents play in education, she got started as a volunteer in her eldest son’s kindergarten classroom in 2005. Saidah has served as communications officer, treasurer, and president on both the Fairmont and Korematsu PTA boards. With eyes wide open, Saidah committed to teaching in 2017 and is loving almost every minute of it. She is blissfully married with three sons - now 14, 20, and 23 years old - who all went through Fairmont Elementary.!
Could This Be You?
Ask us how you can become involved in the PTA! We welcome all parents/guardians/community members, and teachers to participate, share ideas, and help us create a safe school environment for all Fairmont students and families.
Email us for more information: pta@fairmontschool.org
Meeting Information
PTA Board Meetings
Full PTA Board meeting calendar coming soon!
PTA General Meetings
Next PTA General Meeting, 8/28, 7 PM, Agenda and link coming soon.
Full PTA Board meeting calendar coming soon!
Ways to Get Involved
While it is not necessary to become a member to participate in our regular PTA meetings or to volunteer and help support the school, we do encourage membership as the donations we receive from our members help us to support our Fairmont students, teachers, staff, and enrichment programs. As a member, you will also have the opportunity to vote on PTA agenda items and annual budget. Membership is $20 per member per school year.
There are a variety of ways to participate in your child's experience at Fairmont. Click here to learn more.