“You know how sometimes you get a group together and it just jells?” Cristen Hoffman asked while talking about the PTA at Kenmore’s Arrowhead Elementary School, a group for which she serves as co-vice president.

Hoffman added that when she joined the school’s PTA she “knew right away this was not a status-quo group of people.”

“Every year we try to take it a step further,” added PTA co-president Janice Kutzera.

Considering how far they’ve already taken “it,” going a step further might be a bigger challenge than it sounds.

At a state PTA convention held in Sea Tac early this month, the Arrowhead PTA was handed the state organization’s biggest prize, the Outstanding Local Unit of the Year, essentially honoring the Kenmore group as the best PTA in Washington.

The local group also brought home several other awards for communications and best newsletter, among other accolades

As part of the Outstanding Unit honor, the Arrowhead PTA executive team will travel, all expenses paid, to the national PTA convention next month in Florida.

“I think we were stunned,” said treasurer Cindy Jensen of the award. “And, I mean, beyond thrilled.”

“My feeling is they looked at all our programs from beginning to end,” Jensen added in answering a question on how the PTA won the award, one for which they had no idea they were even being considered.

The programs to which Jensen referred consist of a seemingly ambitious schedule of events and involvement with the school. For example, last year marked Arrowhead’s 50th anniversary. The PTA took the celebration to the limit.

“I did stuff all year,” said co-vice president Polly Shinner, who largely headed up the anniversary efforts. Naturally, the PTA sponsored an anniversary celebration with alumni, former teachers and so on.

But the group also produced commemorative pencils, buttons, T-shirts and notepads with many of the items embossed with a brand new anniversary logo. They even put together an Arrowhead cookbook with recipe contributions from past and present members of the school community.

While the anniversary clearly was a unique, one-time celebration, not surprisingly, Arrowhead’s PTA puts together other programs and events on a regular schedule. Movie nights, a talent show, science fair, a “welcome back” coffee for parents are all among the PTA’s offerings. Jensen talked about a “Welcome New Families Night” held at the school but sponsored by a local restaurant.

All of those events are free. Hoffman said the PTA purposely plans only two fund-raisers a year, a walk-a-thon and a read-a-thon. She said the group sought out events that could generate support, but also be fun and healthy for kids and parents alike. Kutzera said money raised has supported stipends for every teacher and staff member in the school, including the building maintenance person. The PTA also has built a new playground, put a rock-climbing wall in the gym, sponsored field trips and brought in authors to talk with the students.

Kutzera figures she spends at least 10 to 15 hours a week on PTA activities. Why does Arrowhead inspire such loyalty and commitment?

“I think it’s the real sense of family and community that we have here,” Shinner said. “It’s a small school … Everybody is looking out for your kids.”

“We had some great leaders who came before us,” Hoffman added, noting Northshore School District Board of Directors member Janet Quinn was an Arrowhead PTA president. Kutzera talked about the group just having fun together.

“I think our theme this year has been work hard and play hard,” she said.