National PTA’s School of Excellence program is designed to build strong partnerships between families and schools and create meaningful family engagement. This year, National PTA has recognized nine Illinois PTAs as Schools of Excellence for the 2022-2024 period, with Twin Echo Elementary PTA in Collinsville earning the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Family-School Partnership Award of Merit that places it in the top three of the 368 PTAs honored this year.

The nine Illinois PTAs recognized as Schools of Excellence are:

  • Aldrin PTA (Schaumburg)
  • Helen Keller Jr. High School PTA (Schaumburg)
  • Hoover PTA (Schaumburg)
  • Jefferson PTA (Collinsville)
  • Pleasant Hill PTA (Palatine)
  • Stevenson PTA (Elk Grove Village)
  • Twin Echo PTA (Collinsville) [Phoebe Apperson Hearst Family-School Partnership Award of Merit]
  • Whiteley PTA (Hoffman Estates)
  • Whittier PTA (Downers Grove)

The School of Excellence program is near and dear to Illinois PTA President Greg Hobbs, as he helped lead Kreitner Elementary PTA in Collinsville to become one of the first schools in Illinois recognized by the program and the first to become a two-time School of Excellence. As a result, Illinois PTA has been committed to helping Illinois PTAs that enter the program complete it and earn their recognition.

If your PTA is interested in building family engagement in your school, the School of Excellence program is an excellent way to do so. Sign up for the 2023-2024 school year runs through October 15th, but PTAs and schools benefit from starting as soon as possible, so don’t delay enrolling in the program.