Dear Briargrove Parents & Families,
Briargrove Elementary’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) has commenced its Annual Fund
campaign which will run through October 31st, 2023. This year’s annual fund campaign will
acknowledge and reflect on Briargrove’s legacy. This is not only a time to support your school, students, teachers and entire Briargrove school community, but it’s also a time to recognize prior Briargrove families and community members who have come before us and whose support,
dedication, hard work, and shoulders we stand upon today. This year’s annual campaign is not just about raising funds to support this school year’s programs, but also about reflecting upon the
past and looking out towards the future. The past, present, and future of Briargrove are equally important because we want the PTO and school’s foundation to be just as strong as it began in 1957, not only today, but also in another 66+ years from now. Regarding the past, you don’t have to go far to run into grandparents whose children (now grown) attended Briargrove Elementary and who love sharing their fond memories at Briargrove. Let’s not forget the Tellepsen Family (founders of Tellepsen construction- Houston’s oldest construction company) who proudly partnered with Briargrove’s PTO back in 2007 to create the wonderful green space, track and two play centers that currently exist today. Your commitment, like theirs before, is the ultimate foundation that underpins our children’s wonderful, precious school. Briargrove Elementary is truly a bespoke school and community and if you love it as much as I know you do, then please help the PTO continue to fund important programs that only the PTO’s annual fund contributions and dollars can do! As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the PTO doesn’t receive any funding from HISD to pay for several programs the PTO funds directly, of which a few crucial programs include:
- School Safety & Police Detail– The PTO funds ~$42,000 yearly to ensure HPD officers are on campus both for morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Rain or shine, 365 days a year minus summers and holidays, HISD police are on campus twice a day to keep our children safe.
- Middlebury Foreign Language– The PTO funds $8,500 per year in Middlebury language
software licensing which allows each of BGE’s ~865 students to have access to a variety of foreign language lessons during enrichment time. - Grounds Maintenance & Classroom/ Teacher Support– The PTO funds ~ $32,000 per year to cover school grounds maintenance (landscaping, gate access, gardens), classroom party
food for the entire school (twice a year), and teacher appreciation funds to ensure teachers
are fed and appreciated throughout the year.
School safety and security are a top concern of any parent. At Briargrove, there has been a four year annual drive to raise funding to help retrofit the school’s original infrastructure to make it more secure. Led by Briargrove’s PTO, private money and donations have been raised to provide more
secure and rigid infrastructure to meet security challenges that our schools face in today’s
environment. In fact, the modernization at Briargrove has become so successful that Houston ISD has used it as the leading model on how to retrofit all the district’s schools in the future. But there is much more that needs to be done, and funding these upgrades is a continuing challenge. Let’s continue the strong foundation and legacy at Briargrove Elementary. Please see funding levels and QR codes on the next page, donate today!
With gratitude for your continued support,