Friends of Serrania: Your PTO in Action

As the Parent Teacher Organization at Serrania Charter, Friends of Serrania (FOS) is dedicated to building a strong school community and raising the funds that help our students thrive. From academics and the arts to technology, social events, and campus improvements, we support the programs that make Serrania a vibrant place to learn and grow.

Because We’re All Friends of Serrania!

Upcoming 2026-2027 FOS Meeting Dates
August 20
September 17
October 15
November 19
December 17
January 21
February 18
March 18
April 15
May 20

CLICK FOR 2026/2027 MEETING MINUTES

Meet the 2026-2027 Board

  • Grace Kountzhouse

    PRESIDENT

    (Co-Chair of Back to School BBQ, Fun Fair, FOS Emails, Scholastic Book Fair, SOS)

  • Michele Kallunki

    VICE PRESIDENT

    (Co-Chair of Halloween Event & Candy Grams)

  • Neysa Ortiz

    TREASURER

    (Co-Chair of Staff Appreciation & Green Team)

  • Cindy James

    SECRETARY

    (Co-Chair of Kinder Playdate, Spirit Wear, & School Tours)

  • Kate Arney-Cimino

    BOARD MEMBER

    (Co-Chair of Corporate Sponsors, School Tours, Move-A-Thon, & Parent’s Night Out)

  • Megan Cosgrove

    BOARD MEMBER

    (Co-Chair of Candy Grams, Permits, & Room Parent Liaison

  • Mr. Patrick Grimaud

    TEACHER REPRESENTATIVE

  • Veronica Guerra

    BOARD MEMBER

    (Co-Chair of Staff Appreciation, Corporate Sponsorships, & Parent’s Night Out)

  • Quiyamma Howell

    BOARD MEMBER

    (Co-Chair of Safety Valet, Birthday Marquee, & Halloween Event)

  • Gigi Kalisky

    BOARD MEMBER

    (Co Chair of Spirit Wear & Room Parent Liaison)

  • Jessica Kourounis

    BOARD MEMBER

    (Co-Chair of Soft Fundraisers, Fun Fair, & Social Media)

  • Aracely Lopez

    BOARD MEMBER

    (Co-Chair of Staff Appreciation)

  • Jorge Ortiz

    BOARD MEMBER

    (Co-Chair of Green Team, Fun Fair, & Back to School BBQ)

  • Laura Poladian

    BOARD MEMBER

    (Co-Chair of Kinder Playdate, Back to School BBQ, & Fun Fair)

  • Ms. Esmeralda Vicente

    TEACHER REPRESENTATIVE

 FAQs

  • FOS was created as a non-profit, Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) to provide charitable assistance to Serrania CES. We’ve been supporting Serrania since 1990.

  • PTO stands for Parent Teacher Organization. This PTO is a nonprofit group comprised of parents, teachers, and staff dedicated to improving the educational experience of all students at Serrania Charter for Enriched Studies. The PTO works closely with the school administration to meet this goal.

  • Together with parents, teachers, and community members, we raise funds in order to provide enrichment classes during the school day to enhance LAUSD curriculum for ALL students. We also fund after-school events, purchase needed equipment, and in general, support Serrania’s students and community.

  • You don’t have to be a board member to help out and volunteer. We encourage everyone who wants to help out to attend a meeting (3rd Thursday of every month)!

  • If you want to be a member of our board, get nominated! At the end of the year meeting (May), you can nominate yourself or be member-nominated. We encourage you to get involved, attend meetings, and volunteer at events before the board elections. Once you have been a board member for at least 30 days, and are in good standing, you can run for an open Office position.

  • FOS meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of every month.

  • We recap recent FOS events, discuss upcoming events, and review PTO financials. The Principal and Teacher Representatives also give school updates. Child care and pizza are provided!

  • Donations and funds raised from fundraisers go towards: Enrichment Classes (Art, Computer/Coding, STEM, PE), operational expenses, FOS website, field trips, staff holiday luncheon, teacher appreciation week, campus beautification, teacher needs, and hospitality (ex. kinder playdate).

  • FOS offers community sponsorship opportunities, which include banners, flyer distributions, and targeted emails. Please contact us for more information - fos@SerraniaCharter.org

  • Please email us at FOS@SerraniaCharter.org