PTA-UK CASE STUDY: PORTRUSH PRIMARY SCHOOL CASE STUDY 

CASE NO. 12 - 003 PORTRUSH PRIMARY SCHOOL PTFA HUNT THE STAFF NIGHT

PORTRUSH PRIMARY SCHOOL PTFA HUNT THE STAFF NIGHT

PTAs are always looking for ways to engage with their local community to raise awareness of what they do and drive up support. The PTFA of Portrush Primary School in Northern Ireland was recently named as one of our 2012 Gold Star Award winner’s in the Working with the Local Community Category for their hugely successful Hunt the Staff Night, community project. Here’s their fascinating story:

At a PTFA meeting in December 2010, the committee members were discussing ways to further link with the already supportive local community. Coming up with something new was a challenge in itself but with a bit of brainstorming and the memories of teacher representative, Karen Maguire, Hunt the Staff Night began to take shape.

The premise for this event was a good old fashioned treasure hunt – the difference being that the staff from Portrush would be the treasure. A treasure trail was planned throughout the local town, drawing attention to local businesses and landmarks, with some history added in linking Portrush past and present. Clues were compiled, in English and Polish, so all families within the Portrush community could take part.

The Treasure Hunt started at the school, a series of clues took participants all around the town. Hidden in various key locations was the staff of Portrush who wholeheartedly entered into the spirit of the event by dressing in a variety of costumes borrowed from the local amateur dramatics society. Two staff members hid on the beach, one surfing and the other lifeguarding, two teachers, in wedding dresses, hid in the window of the local bridal shop, two dinner ladies dressed as traditional Irish colleens in the draper shop window, two teachers became hippies outside the florist's, another three teachers dressed as the rock band ZZTop and sat at the Harbour Bar, the Principal hid in the harbour and became Pirate Black Tavish and another dinner lady dressed as a bunch of grapes and sat outside the fruit shop! Local shops and businesses willingly joined in the fun. The PTFA committee with help from the school governors, parents, teachers, pupils and members of the local community raised an amazing £960 - but the money raised was not nearly as important as the joy on the children's faces and the school and local community working so effectively together.

8 PTA-UK Magazine November 2012