In Richmond and Columbia counties, as elsewhere, participation in parent-teacher organizations declines as pupils get older -- a trend that's not healthy for schools, and should be reversed.

Plenty of parents sign up for PTO programs at elementary schools where the organizations flourish, but by the time pupils are in high school, PTOs all but vanish. Of Columbia County's four high schools, Lakeside High is the only one with a Parent-Teacher-Student Organization. Richmond County high schools are not much better.

There are a number of reasons for the fall-off of PTO interest in the higher grade levels -- one of them being the proliferation of booster clubs. This isn't to say booster clubs aren't a major asset to high schools, but they're not the same as PTOs.

Booster-club fund drives support specific activities such as sports, band, drama or chorus, while parent-teacher organizations raise money for the entire school. For instance, says Lakeside PTSO President Don Clauson, his group has raised money for such projects as wireless Internet access, scholarship programs and an electronic sign at the school's entrance.

Another reason for the decline of PTO high-school participation is that students become more independent as they grow older, and this can sap some of the enthusiasm parents had when their kids were in elementary school.

Yet the kind of work PTOs do can be just as important for high schools as it is for elementary schools -- important not only in terms of fund-raising, but also morale, says Robin Howard, the secretary for Lakeside's group.

Similarly, parental involvement is just as necessary in high school as in elementary school. Indeed, parental involvement is often a crucial element in their kids' education, which is why educators encourage it so much.

If the high school your child attends has no parent-teacher organization, then we join with area school authorities in urging you to contact the school's principal to look into getting one started. Successful PTOs usually have at least 50 members. It's never too late to start recruiting.