McKinley PTO Newsletter
Where Every Parent Is A Member
May 3, 2021
Presidents' Update
It's National Teacher Appreciation Week! We are grateful for McKinley's teachers and staff because of their hard work, dedication and extra effort that they put into their classroom, whether it's virtually or in person.
Consider showing your appreciation by submitting a video. Take 30 seconds and have your family (kids and/or adults!) share a quick message of appreciation to McKinley teachers! You can easily upload a video, picture or message. Be creative! Deadline May 4th. The video will be shared on May 5th. Go here: https://share.vidday.com/t-007m7y
Thank you so much to Erin Kell and Jacki Rynish-Knapp for making High Interest Day possible. Your flexibility, planning and execution is much appreciated by the entire McKinley community. Many thanks to Kelly Rifelj for coordinating the breakfast, desserts and beverages for our teachers.
Last week we invited you to participate in a survey regarding having the Adult Social and Auction outside in June. We have come to the decision to push the event to Spring of 2022. If you would be interested in being the committee chair, please reach out directly to Mike Hansen.
In this edition of the PTO newsletter look for more information about:
- Plant Sale
- Make Your Mark on McKinley
- New Family Mentor Program
- Last Two Dine Out Dates
- Order Your School Supplies Today
- Bike to School Day
Have a Great Week!
Kayla Merker and Mike Hansen
Important Dates to Remember
May 5 - Bike to School Day
Plant Sale
In place of an in-person plant sale, the McKinley PTO is partnering with Shady Lane Greenhouses in Menomonee Falls to offer a fundraising option for 2021:
- Visit Shady Lane Greenhouse to make your plant and garden purchases
- When checking out, tell the cashier you are with McKinley Elementary
- The McKinley PTO will receive 25% from all in-store purchases of regularly priced merchandise
- Program runs April through June 30, 2021
Click HERE for Shady Lane's location and current hours.
Questions? Email or text Terri Holzen (tmholzen@yahoo.com; 303-523-5391)
Make Your Mark on the New McKInley School!
The bricks will be installed near the Peace Garden on the southeast corner of the building. The bricks purchased will be added to the current bricks purchased in recent years.
Click HERE to purchase your brick.
Past and present families are all welcome, so share with the community or anyone you may think would be interested.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Kayla Merker.
New Family Mentor Program Volunteers Needed
In order to make this program successful, we are in need of veteran McKinley families to volunteer to be mentor families this year. The time commitment is minimal and the impact is lasting. Please consider becoming a Mentor Family by contacting Paige Brown at brownpa@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us.
Last Two Dine Out Dates
Thank you for all who participated in the Real Good Life Dine Out fundraiser event on Friday! Please mark your calendars for the last two Dine Out fundraisers for this school year below. Thank you! -Dana Wurzburger
On Thursday, May 13th, 4:00 - 8:00 PM we will team up with Firehouse Subs on Mayfair Road for a Dine Out fundraiser. Firehouse Subs will donate 20% of proceeds to McKinley. Click HERE for the flyer that needs to be presented at check out.
Finally, we are doing one more fundraiser with Chipotle this year to benefit McKinley Elementary PTO at the 2711 N Mayfair Rd Ste A, Wauwatosa location. On Tuesday, May 18th between 4:00pm and 8:00pm when you either bring in the attached flyer, show it on your phone or tell the cashier you’re supporting the cause, 33% of the proceeds will be donated to McKinley Elementary PTO. NEW! ORDER ONLINE FOR PICKUP Use code ZC7NVAN before checkout in the ‘promo’ field. Orders placed on Chipotle.com or through the Chipotle app for pickup using this unique code will be counted towards the fundraiser! Pick up is in store (sorry, doesn't apply to delivery).
Order Your School Supplies Today!
Go to www.shopttkits.com use account #94632.
Deadline to order is May 21st.
Bike to School Day is Wednesday, May 5th
Riding your bike to school is a great way to exercise, save money, clear your mind, reduce your carbon footprint, make new friends, and see your town from a fresh perspective.
Sometimes getting started can be overwhelming, but if you follow these tips, it won’t be.
- Parents, if you’re teaching a new bicyclist to ride, check out this instructional video for beginners from REI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADkm4qkXAj8
- Before you ride to school, find the safest route to ride your bike. Take a test ride to your school with your family. Bikes don’t have to follow the same route as cars. Get a local bicycle map or see alternative routes by clicking the bike icon on google maps. https://www.wauwatosa.net/discover-tosa/bike-walk-tosa
- Before getting on your bike, perform the ABC check, Air, Breaks and Check the tire pressure to make sure they have enough air. Squeeze the breaks to make sure they work because you want to be able to stop quickly if needed. Basic Bike Check
- Bicyclists, just like car drivers, need to follow rules of the road. Use the bike lanes, stop at the stop signs and use hand signals for turning. https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/education/bike/rules.aspx
- Register your bicycle at any police station. If your bike gets stolen, you will be able to report it easily. To register your bike, you need to know your bike’s serial number - most serial numbers are located on the underside of the bike. https://www.wauwatosa.net/government/departments/police/community-programs/bike-safety-registration
- Dress for success. When you ride, white and reflective clothing are the easiest to see. Check the fit of your helmet and teach others in your family how to properly fit their helmets: Bike Helmets. Since 2012, McKinley SRTS has provided helmets to almost 500 students and family members. If your student (or anyone in your family) needs a bike helmet, email riordanmaura@yahoo.com with the required sizes.
- Lights are also important for visibility. Install a red light on the back of your bike and a white light on the front.
- Lock your bike. Make sure you lock the frame and both tires to the bike rack using a cable with a combination lock or a metal U lock. If your U lock has a key, share it with someone you trust. That way you always have an extra in case you lose one.
- Bring a friend with you! Safety comes in numbers and so does fun.
- Give yourself some extra time to enjoy your town. Experiencing your community by bike is an opportunity to take in the fresh air and the scenery. Walking and Hiking in Wauwatosa
Safety is number one, but fun is always second. Be a part of something important. One less person in a car is one more person caring for the planet. And remember to post photos on social media using the tag #McKinleySRTS #BiketoSchoolDay to continue the strong sense of community that makes Bike to School Day so powerful.
Looking for more to do? Check out these links:
Coloring Page -
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OUslXrBQ9wpFI4-ddrjQPc8yAf3GjKI1/view?usp=sharing
Crossword Puzzle https://drive.google.com/file/d/16ccvpABFCdgxLvx5xzYhSfr4cKWVHmYw/view?usp=sharing
Word Find
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WTjUZ4Trcd1PJd6soqIN5S1eUDcljFEI/view?usp=sharing
Mileage Tracker
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.
Please plan to attend the PTO Meetings at 6:30 p.m. on the followings date:
May 13th
For more information about how you can become involved in PTO efforts, contact Kayla Merker at kaylamerker@gmail.com or Mike Hansen at academymike@gmail.com