Two Fulton Schools Earn National PTA Excellence Honors

When the Parent Teacher Associations at Elkins Pointe Middle School and Hembree Springs Elementary School set out on the course to become PTA Schools of Excellence, they committed to a year-long process that would ultimately transform the way they engage their students’ families. As Title I schools with very diverse student bodies, strengthening connections with the communities they serve can present unique challenges, but their intentional implementation of new strategies has earned their PTAs national distinctions alongside some of the top associations in the country.

Both schools were named National PTA Schools of Excellence. They are the only two Fulton County schools with this two-year distinction for 2024-2026 and are among just 330 designees nationwide. To earn the recognition, they began working at the beginning of the 2024 school year, conducting surveys to collect feedback from parents, staff, and students on communication and inclusivity.

“At Hembree, our family engagement is part of what makes our community so special,” said Hembree Springs Principal Nancy Lahey. “Our PTA and school team work closely together to determine areas for opportunity. The program assists us in identifying needs and creating plans to address those needs.”

“The process allowed Elkins Pointe to gather authentic input from families, identify strengths and needs, and build an action plan centered on inclusion and collaboration,” said Elkins Pointe Principal AJ Smith.

The survey results were used to develop initiatives focused on increasing family participation.

At Hembree Springs, feedback from their school community led to the creation of monthly parent education meetings, a student-led learning celebration, and even the school’s first International Night. Title I parent liaison and former PTA president Lucy Gilbert, who helped lead Hembree’s school of excellence effort, has seen the positive changes happen in real time.

“Thanks to community partners and the PTA, our Title I events, inclusive of literacy night, STEM night, math night, and more, have seen attendance increase dramatically, demonstrating our strong levels of family engagement,” said Gilbert. “Our engagement nights usually have a complimentary meal, parent education presentations, interactive educational stations, take-home enrichment activities, prizes, and more,” she continued.

You can find similar efforts implemented at Elkins Pointe, such as multilingual family engagement, peer mentoring programs, academic support, and family learning workshops, along with shared decision-making to ensure parents’ voices are heard.

“This model fits perfectly with the school’s Title I focus on increasing family participation and ensuring that all families -- no matter their language, background, or circumstances -- felt welcomed, informed, and empowered,” Smith said.

After both schools implemented these initiatives, they submitted results to the National PTA from a second set of surveys that gauged improvement, and they were each officially recognized as a National PTA School of Excellence. This is Elkins Pointe’s second time earning the title. The school was first a designee in 2015. For Hembree Springs, it is their third time in a row being named. Both schools also earned the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Award of Merit.

Principals Smith and Lahey said they are looking forward to going through the process again once the current distinction ends. They encourage other schools to become active partners with the program.

“Family engagement is not a one-time project,” Smith affirmed. “It’s part of who we are as a school community. The next application cycle will focus on deepening partnerships, expanding family leadership roles, and continuing to celebrate our school’s diversity and excellence.”

Elkins Pointe Middle School

Hembree Springs Elementary School