About Us
The GEMS PTO plays a very active role in our children’s school life. The PTO is a non-profit organization whose primary purpose is to enrich the welfare of all students at Garlough Environmental Magnet School. All parents, grandparents, staff and teachers are welcome to participate!
How We Help Garlough Environmental Magnet School
Funding
Providing additional funding for field trips, assemblies, classroom pets, school supplies, parent education, and many other services enhances the educational experience for our students at Garlough.
Volunteering
Hundreds of volunteer hours spent at school give our students meaningful, additional support to help them achieve their educational goals. It could be helping out in the library, your student’s classroom, a school-wide event, gym class, or a field trip.
iNature
Supporting Garlough’s environmental focus through its unique iNature class and curriculum allows students to have a learning experience not found in any other school in District 197.
Enhancing education
Partnering and listening to teachers and staff enables the PTO to directly engage with specific needs at the school that allow our funding to have a direct impact on what’s happening in the classroom environment.
Join Us
PTO meetings are held once every month and are open to all Garlough parents, grandparents, teachers and staff. Please mark these dates on your calendar and come join us! Meetings typically last about 90 minutes.
PTO Meeting Schedule 2026 – 2027
| PTO Board Meeting | Tuesday, September 15, 6:30pm | Location: Garlough Library |
| PTO Board Meeting | Tuesday, October 13, 6:30pm | Location: Garlough Library |
| PTO Board Meeting | Tuesday, November 10, 6:30pm | Location: Garlough Library |
| PTO Board Meeting | Tuesday, December 8, 6:30pm | Location: Garlough Library |
| PTO Board Meeting | Tuesday, January 19, 6:30pm | Location: Garlough Library |
| PTO Board Meeting | Tuesday, February 9, 6:30pm | Location: Garlough Library |
| PTO Board Meeting | Tuesday, March 9, 6:30pm | Location: Garlough Library |
| PTO Board Meeting | Tuesday, April 13, 6:30pm | Location: Garlough Library |
| PTO Board Meeting | Tuesday, May 11, 6:30pm | Location: Garlough Library |