named programs · 10 · from sources
What they call their work
AI and Tech Committee
Collects information on AI and technology use in classrooms and advocates for best practices in collaboration with teachers and administrators
Book Fair Committee
Organizes an annual book fair and reading-related events to promote literacy among students
Education Enhancement Grants
Provides funding to teachers for classroom supplies, field trips, educational subscriptions, training, and other student-benefiting resources
Garden Committee
Coordinates year-round gardening activities including Family Gardening Saturdays, class visits, and Friday's Gardening Club to teach students about nature, sustainability, and teamwork
Movie Night Committee
Plans and hosts 2–3 movie nights annually, geared toward elementary and middle school students, with concessions and volunteer involvement
PS/IS187 Film Festival
Student film festival that provides a platform for students and families to create original short films, while raising funds for the school
School-a-Palooza
Annual parent-teacher talent show fundraiser that raises money for school programs and student needs
Sports at 187
Offers free after-school athletic programs including soccer, tennis, basketball, track, volleyball, and eSport for students
Staff Appreciation Committee
Organizes annual Thank You Lunch for teachers and holiday/end-of-year appreciation campaigns for school staff
Wellness Committee
Promotes healthy habits through initiatives like KidFit, an after-school health and fitness program
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Public School Support Fundraising 3 activities
- Conducts annual dues drives and fundraising campaignsRuns an Annual Dues Drive and organizes multiple fundraising initiatives—including Movie Nights, School-a-Palooza, Tree Sales, and concession sales—to generate financial support for PTO programs, enrichment activities, and after-school programming. Raised up to $18,000 through the Annual Holiday Tree Sale alone.
- Funds school programs and teacher resources through direct financial supportProvides funding for professional development, field trips, classroom materials, after-school programming, art and music programs, books, and faculty-led enrichment using funds raised through donations and dues. Supports hands-on STEM education and literacy events such as author visits and reading clubs.
- Seeks external grants to support school needsIdentifies and applies for external grants available to schools to expand resources and support educational programming at PS/IS 187.
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Family-School Engagement Programs 2 activities
- Operates as a parent-teacher organization supporting PS/IS 187Supports public education at PS/IS 187 through parent engagement, funding for school programs, and collaboration with teachers and administration. Automatically includes all parents and guardians of enrolled students as members of the Parent Teacher Organization.
- Supports classroom communities through parent volunteer coordinationOrganizes parent chaperones for elementary school class trips, coordinates collection of school supplies, plans classroom social events and holiday celebrations, and supports classroom gardening via the Garden Path initiative.
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Educator Training in Equity and Inclusion 1 activity
- Advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion in school curriculum and planningSubmitted a proposal for a school-wide DEI curriculum spanning Pre-K to 8th grade and successfully advocated for the inclusion of DEI as a formal goal in the school’s comprehensive education plan.
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Teacher & Classroom Innovation Grants 1 activity
- Awards Education Enhancement Grants to teachers and school stakeholdersReviews and funds proposals from teachers, school administration, and parents twice yearly through a voting process at general meetings, awarding grants for classroom supplies, field trips, educational subscriptions, training, and other student-benefiting resources.
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Organizational Governance & Leadership Development 1 activity
- Conducts organizational governance and leadership developmentConducts annual elections for PTO and School Leadership Team positions each May and provides financial oversight by reviewing financial statements, disbursements, and assets in compliance with bylaws.
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PTA/PTO Communication & Engagement Coordination 1 activity
- Facilitates communication between parents, teachers, and administrationDistributes an e-newsletter and hosts monthly meetings—both general and executive board meetings—for parents, teachers, and administrators to share updates, review agendas, provide PTO and fundraising updates, and hold open forum discussions. Also facilitates classroom-level communication through parent liaisons who attend teacher and PTO meetings.
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Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 1 activity
- Manages and expands the school garden programCoordinates year-round gardening activities including Family Gardening Saturdays, class visits, Friday's Gardening Club, koi pond maintenance, and regular upkeep before/after school and on weekends. Expanded the school garden in 2021 with GrowNYC and supports gardening classes during school hours with parent volunteers.
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School and School-Community Events 1 activity
- Organizes community-building and family engagement eventsHosts a range of school-year events including Movie Nights (fall and winter), Parent-Teacher Talent Show (School-a-Palooza), Film Festival featuring over 140 student films, Book Fair, KidFit wellness program, Kinder Garden Project, and seasonal celebrations like the Kindergarten Ice Cream Social to strengthen school and family connections.
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Teacher and Staff Appreciation Activities 1 activity
- Recognizes and supports school staff through appreciation eventsOrganizes annual staff appreciation activities including a Thank You Lunch, holiday thank you campaigns, and end-of-year card and cookie campaigns to show gratitude to faculty and staff.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$74K
Contributions & grants$27K37%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$67K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$57K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$57K
2 years on record · 2023–2024 · YoY revenue -11.1%
relationships · 11
Who they work with
- BioBus Partner — Partner organization whose program was funded by the PTO
- Box Tops for Education Partner — Collaborates on fundraising efforts through the Box Tops for Education program.
- Department of Education Government — Advocates for adequate funding from the Department of Education.
- District 6 Presidents’ Council Network — Participates in the District 6 Presidents’ Council through representation by the PTO President.
- GrowNYC Partner — Partnered with PS-IS187 Hudson Cliffs Parents Association Inc to expand the school garden in 2021.
- New York State Government — Advocates for adequate funding from New York State.
- PS/IS 187 Network — Collaborates with the school to support programs and communication between parents, teachers, and administration.
- PS/IS 187 Network — PTO operates in support of PS/IS 187, a public school in New York.
- PS/IS 187 Partner — Main public school served by the PTO
- PS/IS 187 Partner — PTO is affiliated with and supports PS/IS 187 Hudson Cliffs School
- School Leadership Team (SLT) Partner — Submitted a DEI curriculum development proposal to SLT, which was accepted.
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Equity-Focused Stopgap Fundraising with Systemic Advocacymethodology: equity-focused stopgap fundraisingBy using parent-led fundraising to fill immediate resource gaps in public education while simultaneously advocating for systemic reform, the organization addresses both short-term inequities and long-term structural change because targeted financial interventions sustain programs today without undermining demands for equitable public funding tomorrow.
- Integrated Garden-Based Educationmethodology: integrated-garden-educationBy using school gardening as an integrated educational tool across grade levels, the organization promotes wellness, life skills, and community building because hands-on, experiential learning connects academic concepts to real-world practice and fosters inter-grade collaboration.
- Parent-Teacher Collaborative Decision-Makingmethodology: parent-teacher-collaborationBy fostering joint decision-making among parents, teachers, and school administration, the organization improves student learning outcomes and strengthens school programming because shared governance increases stakeholder buy-in and leverages diverse perspectives in educational planning.