A familiar volunteer face has graced the halls of Hartwood Elementary School for more than a decade.
PTO member Kristen Gulakowski of Indiana Township is in her 10th year of volunteering almost daily to make student life for more than 400 children more enriching, fun and festive.
“My kids keep me coming back and all of the kids I get to meet. I meet a lot of fun kids and families, and I’ve made a lot of good friends,” said Gulakowski on why she volunteers.
Her previous PTO posts have included president, vice president, committee chair and web designer — all while juggling two part-time jobs.
She works as a preschool teacher at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church and an office manager at Jewart’s Gymnastics in Allison Park.
Additionally, Gulakowski previously taught French for seven years at Bishop Canevin High School.
Hartwood’s top school official praised Gulakowski as a kind, efficient leader and noted the PTO’s value in assisting the faculty and staff with events and everyday needs.
“They never, ever say no. They are very careful how they allocate the funding and focus on the students,” Hartwood Principal Rachel Fischbaugh said. “Kristen can collaborate, delegate and (stands out for), in particular, her ability to bring people together. During her tenure here and as she continues to volunteer, we’ve had the highest number of parent volunteers.”
Gulakowski, who grew up in Forest Hills, has three children in the Fox Chapel Area School District.
During her stint as president, Gulakowski was instrumental in acquiring a campus amenity valued at $10,000.
“We had a surplus so we bought these huge building blocks for the kids to play with,” Gulakowski said. “We wanted something that would bring all the kids together and give them the opportunity to use their STEM abilities.”
The blue, oversize Imagination Playground pieces can be assembled like Lincoln Logs or Legos.
“PTO does more than classroom parties,” Gulakowski said.
The annual Fall Festival is organized by the PTO and provides a full day of fun for each grade. It takes many volunteers to pull off the crafts, bouncy houses and crazy hat day.
Other school events sponsored by the PTO include the Thanksgiving staff appreciation breakfast and teacher appreciation luncheon in the spring.
Heather Echard, the current PTO president, lauded Gulakowski’s steadfast commitment to the students and entire school community.
“I can’t say enough kind things about Kristen. She is overall an amazing woman. Watching her interact with the teachers and children here at school is a very positive influence,” Echard said.
The PTO has about 50 members on its roster, with a dedicated group of about a dozen parents handling core volunteer duties.
Echard used three adjectives to describe Gulakowski: vocal (never mean, she can command the room), caring and organized.
“She is a volunteer you know you can go to with any situation, and with her experience she can guide anyone,” Echard said.
Gulakowski reflected on her decade of helping what is now thousands of students who have gone through the school.
She was recognized by a Hartwood student during an outing to Kennywood and said it’s rewarding to realize her positive impact on the youngsters.
“They might not know my name, but they know my face. That’s the lady from PTO,” she said. “For me, you are a celebrity to them because they know you do something for them and that makes them feel good and me feel good.”
Gulakowski said she requires little sleep, but during her free time she enjoys traveling with her family to quirky roadside attractions and digital scrapbooking.