The electronic sign at Butterfield Elementary is the culmination of four years of fund-raising by the PTO. Photo by Adam Wolfe

After years of fund-raising, the Butterfield Elementary School’s Parent/Teacher Organization was able to raise funds for an electronic sign to welcome students and parents to the campus.

The electronic sign has been a goal for the Butterfield PTO for years. The installation of the sign over winter break was the culmination of many PTO members’ hard work.

“It took the PTO over four years to save for this sign,” Butterfield PTO Vice President Chris Eldridge said. “It was identified years ago from parents that the school needed to better work on communication to parents. The idea was put as a goal for the PTO to provide the sign. We wanted a digital sign so that the communications from the school would be eye catching for parents, and easy for the staff to update.”

The Maricopa Unified School District also updated signs at Maricopa and Saddleback elementary schools last school year. “Readerboards” were brought in at a cost of approximately $6,000 each.

“The district’s goal is to have a readerboard at each school to improve communication with parents and the community,” MUSD superintendent Steve Chestnut said. “Maricopa High School, Pima Butte Elementary and Santa Rosa Elementary had readerboards installed when they were built as part of the original construction cost.”

The district hopes the signs will help parents, students and faculty stay better informed throughout the district.