Spicewood PTO ‘selling’ parking spaces, hosting community garage sale

DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR

SPICEWOOD — When Spicewood Elementary School needed a new basketball court for its playground, officials didn’t have the funds in the budget. Despite the lack of money, the campus is getting the much-needed court.

“Our (parent-teacher organization) has done incredible by our campus,” Principal Leslie Baty said. “One of their big projects this year is putting in the basketball court. If we had to go to the campus budget for it, we either wouldn’t get one or it would take quite awhile.”

The Spicewood PTO relies on local and parental support to provide the added amenities and items for the campus. On March 2 from 7 a.m. to noon, the organization is hosting a community-wide garage sale in the campus parking lot, 1005 Spur 191.

“What we’re doing is ‘selling’ two parking spaces for $25 that people can come, set up and sell their items from,” PTO President Tracy Knight said. “The (sellers) are responsible for sorting, pricing and selling their items. And they get to keep all the money from what they sell. (The PTO) just gets money from ‘selling’ the spaces.”

After the sale, a truck from the Medina Children’s Home will collect any items sellers don’t want to cart home, Knight said.

While the basketball court is one of the most visible projects the PTO has coordinated and supported, the members’ impact is felt throughout the halls, classes and offices on the Marble Falls Independent School District campus.

“This year, another one of their focuses has been on the special areas such as art, P.E., the counselor and reading specialist,” Baty said. “We always tend to focus on the classroom teachers and their needs, which is great, but our specials teachers and counselor, they also make a tremendous difference in our students’ lives.”

Knight said the PTO also anted up for seven iPads to make sure each class had one. Other donations included $2,000 for library books and $1,500 for library furniture.

Without the PTO’s help, Baty said such purchases would either not happen or take several years if left to the campus budget.

“It’s a great group,” the principal said. “They’ll put treats in the teachers’ boxes. And, every other month, they provide a luncheon for the teachers and staff, just to show them that they’re appreciated.”

People interested in participating in the garage sale may email the PTO at spicewoodPTO@gmail.com for more information.

daniel@thepicayune.com