Graham Middle School in Mountain View has been named a National PTA School of Excellence, recognizing the school community’s efforts to strengthen partnerships among families, teachers, staff, school leaders and the PTA.
The designation follows a yearlong improvement process led by parent volunteers Cherylle Goebel, Peggy Prendergast and Kerry Klein. Focusing on National PTA’s “Welcome All Families” standard, the team surveyed families, identified priorities and developed initiatives to improve communication, accessibility and connections within the Graham community.
Among the efforts was a one-page resource guide designed to help new families navigate Graham and find key school and PTA information. The team also established a multilingual parent support network, connecting families with volunteers who speak Spanish, German, Hindi, Mandarin and Russian.
Follow-up survey results showed measurable progress. The percentage of families who said they felt welcome in the PTA and parent community increased from 83% to 93%, while the percentage who said school information was available in their preferred language rose from 90% to 99%.
The two-year designation reflects the broader contributions of Graham families, educators, administrators, PTA leaders and volunteers. The parent team hopes the recognition will inspire other schools in the Mountain View Whisman School District to pursue similar family-engagement efforts.
