Meet your newest PTO presidents
► Meg Kerr
PTO Council president
Meg Kerr is originally from South Carolina and earned her masters in education from Emory University. Together with her husband, David, and her four daughters — Eleanor and Libby, who attend MBHS, Lucy, who attends MBJH, and Annie, who attends Cherokee Bend — they moved to Mountain Brook six years ago.
“After spending last year as the PTO president at the junior high, I was happy to be asked to take on the role of president of the PTO Council,” she said. In this role, she is looking forward to “facilitating … collaboration between al of our schools and our superintendent,” as well as continuing the collaboration between parents, the PTO boards and the schools.
► Darcie Plowden
Brookwood Forest
205-317-6802
This is Darcie Plowden’s fifth year on the Ranger PTO board and her first as the PTO president. She and her husband, Brandon, moved to Mountain Brook 13 years ago and they have three children in the Mountain Brook school system: Lily at MBHS, Davis at MBJH, and Madeline at BWF.
This year, Plowden said the Ranger PTO will continue with major renovation and fundraising projects, as well as tackling the transformation of the outdoor play space at the school. The redesign will feature sport courts, sensory and creative spaces and traditional playground components. “It’s amazing to be involved in the behind-the-scenes of school life and see the incredible work being done day in and day out,” she said.
► Anne Cowin
Cherokee Bend
205-266-8309
“One of the primary reasons we chose to live in Cherokee Bend is because of our excellent elementary school,” Anne Cowin said. When she was asked to be PTO president of Cherokee Bend Elementary, she said she saw it as a chance to give back to the school.
This year, she hopes to support the administration, enhance the learning environment and continue the “classroom transformation” work of the past president and board. Cowin also said the new PTO members will be bringing back Boosterthon and will support “21st century learning environments,” among other aspects of the school.
► Lee Alice Estes
Crestline Elementary
205-542-9291
Lee Alice Estes, a Huntsville native, moved to Mountain Brook 17 years ago upon marrying her husband Allen. Together they have three children: Jack, an MBJH eighth-grader, and Alice and Sam who are sixth and fourth graders, respectively, at Crestline where she has worked with the school’s PTO over the years.
As PTO president this year, she said the organization will continue working to fundraise for classroom transformations, technology upgrades, professional development and curriculum enhancements. “I look forward to working with this year’s board to make our PTO as paperless as possible and improve the effectiveness of our communication with parents,” she said.
► Bragan Petrey
Mountain Brook Elementary
205-936-4688
Bragan Petrey met her husband, Banks, while in college at Vanderbilt University, before returning home to Birmingham to work as in pediatric endocrinology at Children’s Hospital of Alabama. She now stays home with their three boys, all of whom attend Mountain Brook Elementary, and loves volunteering and giving back to her community.
“Serving as PTO president is an ideal way to combine these two passions,” she said. As president this year, she’s looking forward to learning more about MBE’s and the city’s school system, as well as growing a sense of pride and involvement for the school. “I think that this is the perfect time to work on coming together as a school community and truly get everyone involved in some way,” she said.
► Adelaide Vandevelde
Mountain Brook Junior High
205-936-9639
Adelaide Vandevelde grew up in the Mountain Brook school system, and she and her husband Russell have four daughters: Delia, Liz, Ann and Frances. Delia recently graduated from MBHS, Liz and Ann are entering tenth grade and Frances is entering eighth.
After volunteering in the school system for the past 13 years, Vandevelde hopes to support the administration and serve as a liaison for parents while helping fundraising to maintain, update and enhance the MBJH facility as PTO president. “I would like to encourage junior high parents to attend the monthly PTO meetings and hear the speakers that provide valuable information and insight each month,” she said.
► Laura Hydinger
Mountain Brook High School
Laura Hydinger was born and raised in Mountain Brook and has a degree in public relations from the University of Alabama. Together with her husband Thornton, They have two children: Thornton III, who is a sophomore in college, and Sarah, who is a senior at MBHS.
Each year, the MBHS PTO funds programs for both students and families, such as the College Admission Workshop and study breaks during exams, as well as gifts contributions to teachers to enhance classroom instruction and learning experiences for the students. Hydinger said this year they will continue those programs as well as contribute towards renovating the cafeteria. “It is an honor to serve as PTO president at Mountain Brook High School this year,” she said.