PTO Legislative Roundtable set for Nov. 15

Since November 2004, the PTO councils of the city of Vestavia Hills and the city of Mountain Brook have joined together to help area residents be more aware of what is going on in their community.

This year, the 15th edition of the PTO Legislative Roundtable will take place on Nov. 15 at 8:30 a.m. at the Vestavia Hills City Hall council chamber room, located at 1032 Montgomery Highway.

The event has been held jointly between the two councils for 14 years and is intended to “foster greater and more transparent communication between our school leaders, parents, teachers and legislators,” Vestavia Hills High School PTO President Katherine Gorham said.

The legislators meet with school representatives from both cities to discuss issues presented over the course of the previous year.

“This forum helps the community by providing an opportunity for parents, teachers and school administrators to come together to exchange ideas and express concerns directly to their lawmakers about what education issues matter most in our area,” said Leigh Belcher, a co-chair for the event.

Hosting the forum allows community members and school officials to stay informed about new legislation pertaining to education, encouraging open lines of communication with elected officials and creating a “partnership-like approach” to legislation while bolstering relationships, Belcher said.

The speakers will be the winners of the November election, which will be held Tuesday, Nov. 6.