PTSO enables opportunities for students

A small cadre of people inspire, create and support many of the activities that benefit West Milford High School students in a big way.

They are volunteers who stage programs, raise funds, work concession stands and continually seek new ideas that enable young people to grow and succeed in school and life while having fun.

The WMHS Parent-Teacher-Student Organization (PTSO) generates vital financial support and provides resources for supplemental school-based educational and safety programs, cultural and environmental awareness events, substance abuse awareness and prevention programs, and positive social-emotional experiences through engaging group activities that more often than not involve the community.

Among those activities are homecoming, semi-formal dances, activity nights, holiday events, community service projects and food drives, cleanups of school buildings and grounds, beautification projects, monetary and equipment donations for specific school needs, and scholarships for graduating students.

“Our role as PTSO is to support our staff and students and to bring them new opportunities, programs and activities,” said Nicole Petrosillo, the group’s president. “Our goal is to bring positive experiences to students - things that they want to do, that are beneficial for them personally, and enable them to engage, grow and succeed. We help make it happen.”

A board of five

The PTSO is a small organization that needs more members and volunteers.

Petrosillo, who is in her third year as president, teaches English and psychology at the high school. She has four children: a son who is an ROTC cadet at Syracuse University, a daughter who is a sophomore at the high school and twin boys in the eighth grade at Macopin Middle School.

She has taught in West Milford for 20 years. She advises several clubs at the high school, including the school newspaper, literary magazine and poetry club and is co-adviser to the National Honor Society and Student Council.

She was a Cub Scouts leader for years and now is her daughter’s Girl Scouts leader.

Petrosillo and her husband, Frank, who volunteers as a Boy Scouts leader for Troops 114 and 44G, are longtime residents of West Milford.

Along with Petrosillo, the PTSO board includes Holly Lighty, vice president; Kirsten Coppola, secretary; Lisa McDowell, treasurer; and Alison Scully, parliamentarian.

“Our programs benefit the high school and our students,” Petrosillo said. “We are in desperate need of volunteers and would love to have more PTSO members. Some of the bigger activities require more hands than we have available.

“Often people don’t realize the work that goes into these activities, and it’s only possible through members and volunteers. We’d love to have folks join us, both parents and teachers.”

A PTSO Family Membership costs $20 a year, with all contributions funding senior scholarships. The group typically awards about four scholarships for $500 each to graduating seniors via a random raffle drawing held annually. For each year of PTSO Family Membership, the high school student’s name is entered into the raffle for his or her graduation year.

Upcoming events

On Friday, April 5, the PTSO hosted the annual Macopin Semi-Formal Dance. It took over the event, which had been sponsored by the town CASA organization.

The dance has grown, with more than 400 students attending this year.

The PTSO will host a Car Show, Food Truck and Vendor Fair from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 4 at the high school. It will bring together vintage car owners, local businesses and philanthropic groups.

The event is open to the public, and Petrosillo invites residents to attend.

“We want to build on last year’s event,” she said. “We already have over 30 vendors and are looking for more. We’ll have food trucks with hot dogs, tacos, burgers, waffles and ice cream, and more along with handmade crafts and goods for purchase. Of course, we want folks to show off their exquisite cars, trucks and even motorcycles.”

The organization’s biggest event is the Senior Celebration on Friday, June 14. It is an opportunity for high school seniors, as well as teachers and staff, to be together a final time as a class before graduation. There will be free food, ice cream and non-alcoholic beverages; games and inflatables; caricaturists; henna artists; Tarot card readers; a DJ and a photo booth.

Popular Trivia Night

“One of the most important things is having students interact with one another again - laughing, engaging, having a great time, doing positive thing they haven’t done before,” Petrosillo said. “The four years of high school go by so fast. Memories are made individually and together. It’s irreplaceable.”

The PTSO has brought back Homecoming and introduced a Movie Night, Murder Mystery Dinner for parents, senior parking lot spot painting, and more.

A wildly successful new event was Trivia Night, an idea suggested by a staff member with the help of a student. About 80 people gathered for a battle of wits, and students are asking for more similar events.

The PTSO also hosts a Teacher Conference Dinner in November and a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon during Teacher Appreciation Week in May.

“We continually seek input from our parents, teachers and students to see what they would like to do and to partner with them on programs that they envision,” Petrosillo said. “We want to offer fun, entertaining and culturally beneficial activities, all of which depend on raising funds to cover costs and volunteers to make things happen.”

Those attending the recent All-District Arts Festival at the high school March 27 found the PTSO board manning the concession stand, serving hot dogs, chips and beverages.

Tickets are for sale for the Yeti raffle, which is filled with adult beverage prizes. The winner will be drawn at the car show.

Also on sale for 50/50 tickets; the winner of that will be chosen June 7.

For information, contact Petrosillo.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly said CASA was disbanded. It became the West Milford Municipal Alliance. We regret the error.