LAYTON — For the past 10 years, North Layton Junior High School has run its extra programs like recognizing honor students on a parent-teacher organization rather than through the parent-teacher association, which means the school gets to keep more of its funds and operate without politics.

North Layton was the first school in the Davis School District to dissolve its PTA and go with a PTO instead. If a school’s parents pay a $5 PTA fee, all that money goes toward the national association instead of staying at the school.

A PTO is locally run and thinking about the school it represents.

“I would like to see more schools change over because (the PTO) focuses on the school,” said North Layton Junior High School PTO president Laura Dyreng.

The North Layton Junior High School PTO raises funds for teacher and student appreciation dinners, small dances, honor student recognitions and other activities to keep the school together as a community.

This year, Dyreng focused on keeping students active during lunch and other down times.

A Dance, Dance Revolution game system has been set up at the junior high school to help keep kids active during lunch. It is a dance pad that is hooked up to a PlayStation, Wii or XBox system. Music is played through the system, and arrows come up on a screen to show students where to step next.

“We wanted to focus on getting the kids excited about something and this really worked out,” said Dyreng. She said North Layton Junior High School principal David Turner said some students get up in the morning to come dance.

Other benefits Dyreng has seen through the PTO are not having to deal with the politics of a national association. “We’re just not tied to all the politics the PTA has,” said Dyreng. She also said the national organization makes it difficult at times for schools to leave.

Currently, East Layton Elementary is trying to establish its own PTO but keep the funds the school has raised through the PTA at the school itself. The PTA is calling for documentation of how the funds are used at the school.

Dyreng said that at North Layton Junior, parents and teachers typically raise up to $3,000 a year to pay for special events. Now, all that money will stay at the school.

sroberts@davisclipper.com