Greathouse/Shryock Traditional Elementary School has officially been designated as a 2025–2027 National PTA School of Excellence, a prestigious national honor recognizing schools and local PTAs that commit to building strong, effective family-school partnerships.
This recognition reflects the strong partnership and active collaboration shared between Greathouse and its families, said Assistant Principal Mike Ice.
“We are very thankful to our PTA and volunteers for all the time, energy, and care they give to Greathouse every day,” Ice said. “They listen to families, stand up for students, support our staff, and always look for ways to make our school community better. This recognition means so much because it celebrates what we have achieved together to make sure families and students feel supported, connected, and able to succeed.”
For families, the partnership represents more than just school events—it creates a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
When he first became involved at Greathouse/Shryock, past PTA President Vinay Kumar said he was just a parent trying to understand a new school system. He never imagined how much this community would eventually mean to his family, he said.
“What I learned along the way is that an active PTA is not really about a handful of people running programs or events,” Kumar said. “It is about creating a community where a good idea for kids can find the people willing to make it real.
Whenever a new initiative arose, the entire community stepped up, Kumar said. Parents volunteered, staff embraced fresh ideas, and administrators gave them the space to innovate.
Ultimately, seeing the joy on the students' faces continuously energized everyone to keep pushing forward and reaching for higher goals, he said.
“To me, this award recognizes that spirit,” Kumar said. “It represents what can happen when an entire school community believes every child deserves opportunities, experiences, smiles, and joy. Somewhere along the way, Greathouse became more than just the school my child attended. It became home."