National School Parent Group Day, September 27 recognizes the parent volunteers who contribute to the success of schools, support staff and coaches, and enrich the lives of students. Anthony Wayne Local Schools is fortunate to have a number of parent organizations willing to go the extra mile to see that staff and students have the resources they need to be successful and events that make school a fun place to be.
To mark this occasion, we asked the leaders of the AW parent groups about their experiences, challenges, goals and the rewards of their involvement.
Meet the Leaders
Jennifer Johnson, President of Monclova Area Parents (MAPS)
Marisa McLeod, President of Waterville Parents Association (WPA)
Nikki Hartbarger, President of Whitehouse Parents Club (WPC)
Bill Anderson, President of AW Parent Teacher Association (AWPTA)
Trey Tollstam, President of Anthony Wayne Athletic Boosters (AW Boosters)
Matt Cunningham, President of AW Fullbackers
Committed to a Cause
Each of these organization presidents, although not AWHS graduates themselves, have developed a deep connection to the District and the AW Community through their children, as an employee or as a resident who wants to make a difference. From volunteering at school events to overseeing major initiatives, these parents are united by a shared goal: making a positive impact on the school experience for students.
The Inspiration to Get Involved
For many, the journey to organizational leadership began with a simple act of volunteering. Nikki Hartbarger recalls being invited to attend a few meetings by friends, Krissy Biederstedt and Laurie Dewitz, and soon realizing that she wanted to take on a leadership role within WPC.
"At the time, the current president was aging out of the school with her sons,” Nikki said. “I really enjoyed being a part of the group of parents and decided I'd give it a try!"
Similarly, Trey Tollstam was inspired by the mentorship of a fellow volunteer, Tim Barney, whose dedication to student-athletes left a lasting impression.
“What began as a coffee meeting turned into lunch, where he shared story after story of the kids he had impacted and the lives he had changed, all with remarkable humility and care,” Trey said. “Leaving that lunch, I realized that I wanted to follow in his footsteps—helping athletes and removing obstacles from their paths.”
Others, like Jennifer Johnson, found their passion during the post-pandemic reopening, when the need for parental involvement became even more evident.
"I started volunteering for every MAPS activity I could when things opened up again and never looked back," she said.
Their stories reflect the diverse paths that lead parents to become deeply involved in supporting their schools.
Community and Education: A New Perspective
Being part of a parent organization often brings a fresh understanding of the role schools play in the community. For Nikki, volunteering in WPC opened her eyes to the challenges and rewards educators face daily.
“It has opened my eyes to the daily stress and reward that our educators and school administrators face,” she said. They do so much that goes unnoticed each and every day for our kids.”
Marissa McLeod agreed, saying that volunteering has not changed her perspective, but rather reinforced a long-held belief that it is important.
“My participation has enhanced and further validated my belief that volunteering is important and building a connection between the school and home is so, so essential,” she said.
Similarly, Matthew Cunningham has gained a deeper appreciation for the impact that coaches and school staff have on shaping the future of students. "Seeing the Administration and coaching staff working daily to mold the future of America has made me want to be a bigger part and make a difference," he added.
These parent leaders recognize that their involvement sets a powerful example for their children.
"Parents' actions speak volumes,” said Jennifer. By being present, we are letting kids know just how important they are."
Overcoming Challenges
Despite the rewards, parent groups face significant challenges, particularly in recent years. Rising costs for supplies and events have made it difficult for groups like WPC to maintain the same level of support without asking for more donations from families already feeling financial pressure.
“Our biggest current challenge is trying to do more (or even the same!) with less,” said Nikki. “We are trying to bolster our fundraising efforts, but costs have gone up for our families too. It is hard to ask for more and more donations knowing everyone is feeling the increase.”
The AW Athletic Boosters has also taken on the significant challenge of covering the salaries of several coaching positions that were in danger of being cut due to the failed operational levy.
“It’s essential that the levy passes in November,” Trey said. “We have used up most of our rainy day fund to make this possible.”
Each of the groups said one of their main concerns was finding people who want to volunteer at events and step in to fill leadership positions as they come open.
“We've had a lot of the same parents be heavily involved for years chairing committees and actively participating and they are starting to age out of our building,” Marissa said. “It can be challenging to find parent volunteers who want to step up and take on their roles in order to keep all of our events going.”
Whether through Facebook pages, emails, or even flyers, each group strives to keep parents informed and involved. Nikki explained that WPC encourages parents to "bring their friends" to meetings, while Jennifer’s MAPS group offers incentives like a pizza party for the class with the most parent meeting attendance. Matt finds social media an effective way to reach people.
“The constant communication and recognition of all of our members and supporters via social media makes engagement excellent within our group,” he explained.
Trey, on the other hand, has found success in talking directly with parents and clearly explaining the request.
"It begins with building a relationship and explaining the need,” he said. “Then, people are much more willing to help.”
Successes and Accomplishments
Challenges aside, the parent organizations leaders are proud of the ways they have been able to make an impact on students and staff. Bill said that the largest impact AWPTA can make is being able to support the schools through fundraising and buying things they would not be able to otherwise.
“I feel that WPC has worked hard to be a positive 'behind the scenes' force for Whitehouse Primary,” she said. “We have worked to supply our staff with funds that hopefully take some personal burden off of their year. We strive to fund all field trips for the grade levels so our families do not have to come up with additional money for those, and we make sure that our events are free of charge and fun for our students.”
Waterville and Monclova Primary has also benefited from the opportunities for additional enrichment that are only possible through the efforts of the parent volunteers.
“We help to raise funds to enhance the educational experience by helping cover costs of things like 3D printers, and the outdoor structure near Waterville's Land Lab,” Marisa said. “The summer grant we partnered with the school to receive will have a long lasting impact on the students who participated.”
The athletics teams also benefited from donations of equipment and training that allow students to workout safely, video and sports data technology, scholarships for student-athletes and other purchases as they arise.
And of course, this generous support comes with plenty of fundraising. The groups try to host events that are fun and serve as a point of engagement between the school and families.
“We held a Pop It fundraiser last year and were able to raise enough funds to purchase new shirts for the middle school, a printer, scoreboard, banners and gaga ball pit for the playground,” Bill said.
“At the end of each school year, MAPS holds "Family Fun Night" on a Friday evening. This is a large-scale event with multiple vendors and fun activities,” said Jennifer. “It takes a village to plan and operate, but the students and families have a blast!”
“We host the Hero Workout, Lift-A-Thon, Blue & White Night, the Fullbackers and Boosters Flag Drive and numerous events on Friday nights for the whole community,” Matt said.
In addition to fundraising, the groups seek additional funding sources in the form of grants and donations.
“The WPA was able to partner with Waterville Primary to obtain a large grant from the State of Ohio,” Marisa said. “This grant made it possible for the school to offer an amazing summer learning program and experience the last three summers. It was so cool to see it all come together and how much the students and staff involved enjoyed it.”
The Future of Parent Involvement
Looking to the future, each parent leader expressed hopes for continued and even increased parent involvement.
"Come to the WPC meetings, watch for emails and flyers on events. Ask questions and provide ideas," Nikki said, emphasizing the importance of fresh ideas and extra volunteers to keep the tradition of support alive. Jennifer echoed this sentiment, stating her hope for even more families to attend MAPS meetings and get engaged.
Marisa said with so many activities and events taking place in the parent groups, it can seem a bit overwhelming at first.
“There are plenty of ways to get involved and you can do as little or as much as you would like” she said. Come to a meeting and fit in where you can!”
Trey echoed her sentiment, “Start small by joining a committee or volunteering for a single event. You don’t have to handle everything on your own. Contribute what you can, and if you enjoy it, continue to get involved.”
Group leaders reassure parents that there are no special skills or qualifications needed to participate, just a willingness to do what you can to support the schools.
“We can provide you with any tools necessary to achieve the goal and make your volunteering successful,” said Jennifer.
“There is no perfection in volunteering,” Matt said. “Everything we do is for the future of our community and we are part of a good one.”
A Sincere Thank You
On National School Parent Group Day, we celebrate not only the leaders who guide these efforts but also every parent, caregiver, and community member who gives their time to make schools a better place for students. Their dedication reminds us all of the power of collaboration and community. Thank you for making our school stronger through your support!
Representatives from the AW Band and AW Choir Boosters were not available for this story.