a note from our PTA President

Hello! My name is Taten Shirley, and I am so honored to serve as the PTA president for the 2024-2025 school year. I have been a parent at Forest Avenue for six years, and I love this school and its teachers.

I am married to Allen Shirley, and we have two children: Cole, who will begin his first year at Baldwin this year, and who did kindergarten-5th grade at FAAM, and Collins, who will be in the 4th grade this year.

I am an associate professor of humanities at Faulkner University, and in my free time I love to read, watch movies with my family, and watch my kids play baseball and softball.

I truly believe Forest Avenue is a special school and that my kids are fortunate to receive an education there. I want to do everything I can to support the students, teachers, and employees at the school.

If you have any questions or would like to offer your help, please contact me anytime! I'd love your help making Forest Avenue the best possible school it can be.

FAAM PTA OFFICERS & BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PTA OFFICERS 2024 -2025

President: Taten Shirley

Executive Vice President: Virginia Lacy

Co-Vice Presidents of Fundraising: Anshu Aggarwal and Meagan Jones

Treasurer: Keyarrow Moore

Secretary: Allison Prillaman

Principal: Brandi Moody

PTA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2024 -2025

Auditor: Rayla Black

Communications/FAAM PR: Arceneas Mitchum

Copy Room Coordinator: Christy Lievens

Dad’s Club Chair: Hari Garapati

Diversity Chair: Michelle Patterson

Grandparents’ Day Coordinator: Detra Whiting

Grant writer: Bethany Garth

Hospitality Committee Coordinator: Laura Crook

Italian Ice and Popcorn Coordinator: Brittany Batrez

Kindergarten Open House Coordinator: OPEN

PTA County Representative: Jerusha Adams

PTA Reflections/Awards Coordinators: Angela Woo

Room Parent Coordinator: Dominique Gibson

Spirit Night Coordinator: Jill Wyrosdick

Spirit Store Coordinator: Allison Prillaman

Teacher Representative: Jennifer Rodopoulos

Volunteer Coordinator: Leslie Pitman

Website Coordinator: Jenn Nash

Yearbook Coordinator: Jessica Echols

PTA documents

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    FAQs

    • PTA offers all parents and caregivers the opportunity to be engaged in their child’s potential. Being a member of PTA means that you are part of a powerful association and action plan that is focused on programs and initiatives that strengthen your child’s education.

      PTA membership and dues support your child by funding essential educational and curriculum needs; advocating on behalf of children and educators at the local, state and national levels; and building an inclusive school community for all families. Join PTA for your child because increasing our membership, even by one, makes it possible to provide important educational resources, speak up on important issues and create a stronger school community. 

    • PTA dues directly support your child. PTA dues help fund essential school resources and curriculum needs, including things like VR Headsets. PTA dues support advocacy efforts at the local, state and national levels, impacting decisions affecting your child’s health, safety and quality of education. PTA dues support our work to strengthen connections between your family, your child’s classmates and their families, and teachers to build a thriving and inclusive community for everyone.

    • The only thing required of you to be a member of PTA is to pay the annual membership dues. Beyond that, however you choose to PTA is up to you. PTA offers all parents and caregivers the opportunity to be engaged in their child’s potential. From volunteering at school events to participating in local, state and national advocacy efforts to holding PTA leadership roles – the level of involvement is up to you. There is no wrong way to PTA! 

    • Membership in PTA can involve as much or as little time as you have to offer. There is no wrong or right way to be involved – anything you can give, whether it’s time or money, will support your child’s potential.  

    • First and foremost, PTA is for every family who has a child at the school. PTA is for moms, dads, caregivers, grandparents, teachers and the broader community!

      While some of the work done by PTA may appear purely social – including family events like Drive-In movie night & Grandparents' Day that are organized to strengthen the school community – much of PTA’s work focuses on funding essential school resources and curriculum needs, as well as advocating at the local, state and national levels, impacting decisions affecting your child’s health, safety and quality of education.

    • We encourage every family in the school to become a PTA member to support the success of their child. We want a diverse membership base that reflects all of the families and needs of students at the school. PTA strengthens connections between your family, your child’s classmates and their families and teachers to build a thriving and inclusive community for everyone.

    • ·      PTA provides funds to all teachers to supplement their supply needs

      ·       PTA provides schools access to experts, resources, trainings and dozens of nationally recognized educational enrichment programs that impact a child’s education such as the Family Reading Experience, in partnership with the Reading is Fundamental.

      ·       PTA funds the nation's largest and longest running student arts program, Reflections®, which provides students access to arts, music, literature, dance, drama and visual arts.

      ·       PTA’s national advocacy efforts have helped establish universal kindergarten and the National School Lunch Program, the juvenile justice system and anti-child labor laws.

    • Alabama PTA is active at the local, state and national levels, impacting decisions affecting your child’s health, safety and quality of education. During the past 120 years, PTA’s national advocacy efforts have helped establish universal kindergarten and the National School Lunch Program, the juvenile justice system, and anti-child labor laws.

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