Debbie Ritchie, 49, of Pasadena, was elected the new Maryland PTA president at the Maryland PTA?s recent annual fall conference in Towson.
She is the parent of a 12th-grader at Chesapeake High School in Anne Arundel and joined the local PTA in 1997 when her daughter was in third grade.
She?s also served as president of the Anne Arundel County Council of PTAs from 2001 to 2005.
She spoke to The Examiner about parents? role in education and her job. She will serve a two-year term.
How has education changed in the 10 years since you first became involved with the PTA?
It all comes down to parent involvement.
We now know that students who?ve become successful have had parents who?ve played a role in that success. …
It?s more about getting parents to come to conferences.
It?s about getting them involved in the decision-making process.
What?s the most important role parents can play to ensure their child can get a quality education?
Society sometimes believes parents have to come into the school building to be effective.
But having your child come to school ready to learn is the No. 1 way to be involved.
Parents can do that by improving communication with schools and ensuring that everybody knows about programs, such as free and reduced meals.
Parents can set up programs to learn about tests and why it?s important to succeed.
And make sure kids are doing their homework.
A lot think it?s busy work, but it really reinforces what they learn in the classroom.
What will be some of your duties as president of the Maryland PTA?
Basically, it?s to facilitate. …
We help to provide education to the councils, so they can provide it to the locals. …
And also, we serve as an ambassador and tell people about who we are.
