By KATIE HURST/ Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO — Next year’s back to school season might be a little easier for Montevallo Elementary families as the Parent Teacher Organization plans to provide school supplies for every child at the school.

However, the organization needs help to make it happen, said PTO president Kristy Polk.

The organization needs to raise $20,000 to purchase school supply kits for each student, Polk said. In the past, the PTO has arranged for school supply kits to be available to parents at a discounted rate. The kits are grade-specific and include all supplies needed for the year, according to the students’ teachers.

“I don’t think we had that many people buying them,” Polk said. “Parents were buying supplies on their own at Wal-Mart or not at all.”

Polk said the school has 760 students and 80 percent of those receive free or reduced lunches. The free kits would provide a much-needed financial break for parents, she said.

“We really need to do this because a lot of the teachers have students who don’t bring supplies. It’s hard on the parents and it’s hard on the teachers,” she said.

The PTO hopes to find local businesses that will donate to or sponsor the kits, Polk said. They have also asked all faculty and students’ parents to donate $5.

The PTO has planned several fundraising activities throughout the year including festivals, dances and movie nights. Polk said all fundraising events will be fun for students and cost under $10.

“If parents will just let their kids come to the activities that we have planned, it will really help us out,” she said.

For more information on the project, e-mail Polk at jewelpolk2000@yahoo.com. Donations can be sent to the school marked for MES PTO.