Former PTO President Accused Of Embezzling Funds

Fairacres Elementary School Principal Kathy Norris said she is deeply saddened and shocked that the former president of the Parent Teacher Organization is accused of embezzling almost $3,000 from its funds.

“You trust those people who are in charge, and when that doesn’t happen, it’s a surprise,” Norris said.

Norris said teachers focus on building character, and students take pride in making their school the best it can be.

“You get students all excited about raising money so that they could improve the school, and when that money isn’t available for them, they kinda look at you like, ‘Well, we raised all that money; where did it go?'” Norris said.

Where the money went is still a looming question. Investigators suspect Shelly Storie, an Herbalife distributor in Las Cruces who used to be the president of the school’s PTO, withdrew the money. The PTO account had a balance of $2,935.35 since 2008, and recently, investigators said, another PTO member noticed the balance showed a cash withdrawal of $2,900.

“She wasn’t active in the organization, but she was still a valid signer on the account,” said Kelly Jameson, Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman. “However, the PTO at Fairacres has a policy in place that prohibits any kind of withdrawals from the account without a vote, and that didn’t take place.”

ABC-7 stopped by Storie’s home several times Thursday to ask her about the embezzlement charge. No one answered the door.

“When that money disappears, it really impacts a whole community,” Norris said. “If we don’t get it back it’ll be really sad. I mean, we’ll do without it, but it makes it hard for students to understand. Where did the money go?”

Fairacres is limited to only two fundraisers a year, so there is no telling how long it may take to raise the money back, Norris said.

The PTO funds are primarily set aside for after-school programs for the students, Norris said.