McKinley PTO Newsletter
Where Every Parent Is A Member
September 25, 2017
President's Update
Happy Monday!
We have two exciting events taking place this week:
Our first Dine Out Fundraiser of the year is tonight!
Treat your family to dinner from Noodles & Company on State Street in downtown Wauwatosa today from 4-8 p.m. Mention McKinley Elementary when ordering and 25% of sales (gift cards sales are included), both dine in and take out, will be donated to McKinley. With each purchase, submit your child's name, grade & teacher name in the McKinley fishbowl located in the restaurant and the class with the most participants will win a popcorn party!
McKinley Mile 2017 is THIS THURSDAY!
Volunteers are still needed to help out with this year's event. (Thanks to all who have signed up already!)
Have a great week!
PTO Dates to Remember
Make sure to put the following dates on your calendar!
- September 25th - Noodles Dine Out Fundraiser, 4- 8 p.m.
- September 28th - McKinley Mile
- October 3rd - Photo Retake Day
- October 4th - Walk to School Day
- October 11th-25th Scholastic Book Fair Classroom Coin Competition
- October 12th - PTO Meeting, 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Library
- October 12th - Ray's Wine & Spirits and Growler Gallery Dine Out Fundraiser
- October 18th - Jason's Deli Dine Out Fundraiser, 5-9 p.m.
- October 20th - No School
- October 23rd - JK Conferences
- October 24th-27th - Scholastic Book Fair
- October 26th - Costume Parade
- October 27th - No School
- October 26th & 30th - Elementary Conferences
- November 1st - Keepsake Art Night
McKinley Mile This Thursday!
REMINDER!
McKinley Mile 2017 is THIS THURSDAY! Volunteers are still needed to help out with this year's event. (Thanks to all who have signed up already!)
To sign up for an open slot, please go to the McKinley Mile SignUpGenius page (http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090f44adae2faaf85-mckinley1) and pick a slot that works for you. Help is especially needed for corner marshals (need to be 18+), set up for the post-event meal and clean up. Any assistance you can provide for this McKinley Elementary institution is greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance for helping make this a great event!
Dave Farwell
Chair - McKinley Mile
Adult Social - Vote for a Theme
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LGH8L9R
For those of you new to McKinley, the Adult Social is a great opportunity to meet other McKinley parents, socialize and raise money for our school. If you have items or experiences you would like to donate for the silent auction or raffle, please contact Erin Kell at febz99@hotmail.com.
Fall 2017 Scholastic Book Fair - Save the Dates
Tuesday Oct. 24th 3:00-8:00
Wednesday Oct. 25th 11:00-4:00
Thursday Oct. 26th 3:00-8:00
Friday Oct. 27th 8:30-12:00
Come join us after school or during parent-teacher conferences and see what the Scholastic book fair has to offer! Check out the teacher wish list board and donate a book to your child’s classroom.
Don’t forget that anyone (generous loved ones can purchase gifts from your child’s wish list) can also shop the online book fair (scholastic.com/fair) from 10/19 – 11/1. There are many titles to choose from and shipping is free to school. And, best of all, purchases benefit our school.
CLASSROOM COIN COMPETITION OCT 11th -25th
Students can bring in spare change to purchase books for our McKinley classroom libraries. In addition, Scholastic will match dollar for dollar to purchase books for Kids in Need Foundation, Reader to Reader, Inc., and the National Center for Families Learning. The classroom to raise the most money wins a popcorn/movie party! Good luck!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid #12 The Getaway is available to pre-order for $8.99 this week. This is a specially priced paperback edition (hardcover $13.95 elsewhere). Order forms are located in office and can be returned to the office or the fair. Books will be delivered to classrooms the second week of November.
Thanks to those who have signed up to help with the fair, but many volunteers are still needed, especially right after school. No experience necessary and shopping on the job is encouraged! Please contact Maura Riordan (riordanmaura@yahoo.com or 414-704-1263) with your availability.
McKinley Chess Club
The McKinley Elementary Chess Club is back for its 2nd year! The Club will continue to be headed by volunteer coach Mr. Mark Seghers, and this year he is assisted by WI state high school champ Kyle Jain. Mr. Seghers is an accomplished chess coach who has led a number of champion teams over the years. Last year, Mr. Seghers coached our team to a number of trophy wins (you can see the collection in the library!). There is a one-time fee of $50 which covers all sessions and materials.
There will be 15 WEDNESDAY classes during the year, divided into two sections*:
- Session 1: October 4, 11, 18, 25 and November 1, 8, and 15 & 29.
- Session 2: January 10, 17, 24 and February 7, 14, 21, and 28.
*The Chess Club would like to announce that their flyer, which went out with the Tuesday folder last week, listed incorrect dates. The correct dates for the Chess Club meetings are listed above.
Remember, you can always register on the website as well: tosachess.com.
Destination Imagination Registration Deadline This Friday
Deadline to sign up for Destination Imagination is fast approaching. Sign up ends on September 29.
If your 3rd-5th grade son/daughter is interested in participating in DI, please complete the following survey with them https://goo.gl/forms/qlEozIaiWaxHOUIo1. This will help with placement on a team. A brief description of each challenge can be found here -https://www.destinationimagination.org/challenge-program/2017-18-challenge-previews/
Registration fees are $50 for a Rising Star (1st-2nd grader) student and $85 for 3rd-5th graders on a competitive team. Please send in a check with your child to school written to McKinley PTO with DI and your child's name written in the memo. If you have already sent in a check, please disregard.
These fees help pay for T-shirts and other program expenses. Team managers have the option of collecting an additional fee of $10 to $30 per student, depending on the needs of the team, to pay for snacks, materials, and supplies. Full and partial scholarships may be available based upon need - please contact Monica Deluhery for more information.
We are still in desperate need for parents to step up and volunteer to be a team manager, each team needs one (ideally two). See the link for more info https://www.destinationimagination.org/blog/so-you-re-a-newbie-team-manager/
If you or your student is interested please contact contact Monica Deluhery at Monica.Deluhery@gmail.com by September 29.
Safe Routes to School
Thank you to the 5th grade McKinley Messengers and their parents for greeting students the first week of school- Jane and Ellie Scholtus, Sarah and Olivia Dupee, Jenni and Abigail Tank, Ellen Mack and Xavier Crum, Angela and Isabella Miller, Ava Schwantes, Nora O’Toole, Addison Scharlau, Chloe Standal, Kate and Peter Neugent, Jenny Jablonsky and Ben Wozniak, Milo Hagopian, and Niamh Wick.
Families who filled out interest forms in the Walking School Bus program have been contacted. We look forward to our 5th year of the walking school bus program. We have 4 walking school buses this year.
Wednesday, October 4th is Walk to School Day! McKinley has been celebrating Walk to School Day for 8 years. We are looking for 9 guest walking school bus leaders. Please contact Sarah Lerand, sjlerand@yahoo.com if you have any ideas or contacts with local dignitaries.
Look in the Tuesday folder this week for the Walk to School day walking school bus routes, walk to School day information and a Stop sign that can be decorated in support of walking to school.
We are excited to have apples, provided by McKinley parents Dan Ludwig and Amy Standal of Firefly Real Estate for all students, and families. Families are invited to the school assembly by the large playground featuring the McKinley Students performance of the Pedestrian Safety Dance at 8:15 a.m.
Help needed to set up, pass out apples at Walk to School Day- Sign up here. http://signup.com/go/bVboGwk
Did you know that McKinley SRTS won the national bike to school day raffle? McKinley received n 10 new bikes and 20 helmets. GE volunteers built the bikes this summer. The bikes will be used for programs for the younger elementary students. Please consider signing up to be a part of the committee developing a biking program for younger students. http://signup.com/go/hKSZfpZ
Community Happenings
The EFW is looking for you...WAUWATOSA DISTRICT PARENTS to support the EFW.
Consider organizing a team and attending EFW BOWL for EDUCATION.
What is it? - a fun filled fundraiser consisting of bowling, raffles, and fun / Adults only
Locate your group (up to six people) and sign up on attached form.
When is it? Saturday, September 30th - Check in at 4:30
Where is it? AMF Bowlero - 117th & Burleigh
Details and registration form are attached.
Questions can be directed to Kristin at info@tosaefw.org.
Office Max / Office Depot Fundraising
This year Office Max/Office Depot stores are offering local schools the opportunity to partner in a fundraising activity. 5% of all qualifying purchases made by parents or teachers for the entire year will be donated to the school in the form of a merchandise credit. McKinley's master ID # is 70113794. For more information, visit http://www.officedepot.com/a/content/back-to-school/5percent/
How Do I Become a Member of the PTO?
You already are! If you are a parent, guardian or teacher at McKinley Elementary School, you are a member of the PTO.
Interested in becoming more involved? The PTO is always looking for help. Volunteer opportunities in areas of marketing, communication, social media coordination, event coordination, website design, merchandising and more! There are volunteer opportunities that fit everyone's schedule - during school hours, after school hours, work from home hours and one time event hours.
For more information about how you can become involved in PTO efforts, contact Lindsay Stadler lindsaystadler@gmail.com