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Community Corner

Puckett's Mill PTA President Working to Enrich Lives of Students

Susan Larence oversees PTA programs and serves as a liaison between parents, teachers and administrators.

PTA president Susan Larence spends her busy days overseeing all of the many programs the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) helps provide to enrich the lives of students at (PMES).

“I love knowing that what we do directly benefits our children,” Larence said.

Larence serves as a liaison between the parents, teachers, and administrators. She energetically takes on this important role and considers it a privilege.

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“I enjoy being able to assist in providing quality programs, events and services that help benefit our teachers and students,” she explained.  

One of the biggest challenges Larence faces is not having access to the parents all the time.

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“I want people to know why we make the decisions we make and to ask me about it,” she said. “I believe in everything that we are trying to do, and I try to consider all individuals before making that decision.”

As the new 2011 PTA president, Larence has big plans. One of her major goals this year is to consider the time and financial situations of every PMES family. One way she is tackling this goal is by combining the fall fundraiser, Sparky Trot, with field day.

“Our parents typically attend the field day events and it made sense to combine the two so that parents did not have to take off another day from work or have it interfere with weekend activities,” Larence said. “Plus all students could participate by having the event at our school.”

To further alleviate time demands on PMES families, Larence is making changes to this year’s spring carnival as well.

“The carnival will be held on a Friday night instead of a Saturday so that it does not interfere with weekend activities,” she said.

To address additional financial stress on families, Larence and the PTA have also decided to take over staff appreciation week.

“In past years, parents would be asked to provide a specific gift Monday – Wednesday of that week (i.e. flowers on Monday, homemade card on Tuesday, etc.) and staff would receive a PTA sponsored gift on Thursday and luncheon on Friday,” Larence explained. “Our PTA has recognized the burden this process created for some families, particularly at the end of the year, and has worked to alleviate extra responsibilities for parents. By doing so, we hope to simplify Staff Appreciation Week efforts and allow parents the opportunity to recognize their teacher with a personal end of the year gift two weeks later if they choose.”

Larence’s role as president is not just contained within the walls of PMES. She feels her role extends out into our Dacula community as well.

“I believe I have a voice for the school,” she said proudly. “When I go out into the community, I am able to talk with businesses about what we are doing for the school and the students to get their support. We have amazing business partners that help us throughout the year and we are able to do more because of their contributions.”

Larence’s family background and the support of friends and family lead her to accept her position as PTA president. As a child, her mom worked at her school, and was heavily involved in their community. This made a positive impact on Larence's life, and she hopes to do the same for her own girls. When the opportunity to serve as PTA president came along, it seemed like the perfect way to get involved.

“My current co-president, Kelly Brannock, and our then current president, Kim Walton, approached me about this role,” Larence said. “After much thought, and the blessing of my husband, I decided that this was the right time for me to take on this important role in our school and community.”

Larence has a masters degree in exercise physiology. She has worked in a variety of settings including cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, physical and occupational therapy, sport specific training, and corporate wellness. While working at Scientific-Atlanta (now Cisco), she was introduced to corporate fundraising, and she developed the passion for serving the community.

“I learned that you can achieve anything if you believe in what you are doing,” Larence said. “I have continued with that philosophy and have successfully helped fundraise for Relay for Life, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the United Way in Gwinnett.”

Larence and her husband Alex, moved to Georgia in 2001 and have two daughters at Puckett's Mill. Larence said she loves living and serving in our Dacula community. 

“I couldn’t be happier with the community,” she said. “We have great neighbors and friends.”

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