MINNIEVILLE PTO
PTO President GWEN MITCHELL
Welcome to the new school year!!
PTO has a lot of fun things going on this year and some great fundraising projects to raise funds for our school!!! If you have not joined our PTO yet, please fill out the green form and send it back with your child, every little bit helps toward your school!!!!
Starting September 19th we will be reopening our school store which was a huge hit with our students last year. We ask that Kindergarten and 1st grade students you send their money in a bag and label it for school store. We want to make sure the money is being used where it is supposed to.
Also remember to collect your box tops and bring them in we are setting a goal to raise $1000 for our school with them this year.
WHAT ARE OUR GOALS???
TO CREATE EVENTS THAT BRING OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
TO INCREASE OUR PARENT VOLUNTEER HOURS TO (4,500) EACH YEAR.
TO RAISE $15,000 TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.
MINNIEVILLE PTO EVENTS
We look forward to a great year help your school soar!!!!
September
1st-30th Spirit wear is on sale
Collecting for PTO membership all month
21st Ice cream social and bounce house 5pm-7pm
21st Believe Fundraiser Kickoff
October
12th Believe Fundraiser ends
5th Spirit Night Cici’s Sponsored by 4th grade
24th Monster Mash
November
Spirit night Sweet Frog Sponsored by 3rd grade date TBD
December
9th Winter Wonderland and Silent Auction 6pm-8pm
January
Spirit night Sponsored by 4th grade date TBD
February
Flower sale 6th-14th
Sweetheart Dance 10th
March
Spirit night Sponsored by 5th grade date TBD
Spirit night Sponsored by Kindergarten grade date TBD
April
Spirit night Sponsored by 1st grade date TBD
May
Spirit night Sponsored by 2nd grade date TBD
Flower sale 8th – 12th
6 QUALITIES OF AN EFFECTIVE PTO
TO BE OUTGOING, APPROACHABLE AND FUN
TO HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATION
TO BE CONNECTED TO THE PRINCIPAL AND TEACHERS
TO BE WELL-ORGANIZED
TO CREATE ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY
TO BE FOCUSED ON APPRECIATION
Start Strong With Teachers
Experienced parent group leaders know that teachers can be some of their best friends at school and that schools work best when parents, teachers, and administrators work together. When teachers are on your side, they can improve your programs, make fundraising more successful, help build support among parents and administrators, and more.
Try these tips for building good relationships with your teachers from the start—and continuing that goodwill throughout the year.
Start with some appreciation. Taking time at the beginning of the school year to show teachers you care and value their work can go a long way toward setting a good note for the entire year. “Back-to-School Teacher Appreciation Ideas” highlights some sweet, low-cost shows of thanks; alternatively, consider ateacher appreciation breakfast—it’s easy to organize and can be done simply or elaborately.
Be as welcoming as you are to parents. When a teacher attends a meeting, go out of your way to say hello. Let her know how much you appreciate her efforts to be involved with the parent group.
Be inclusive. Teachers appreciate being looped in on matters ranging from scheduling events to deciding how to allocate funds. Try to include them when making such decisions.
Ask them what they need. Your parent group may be able to lighten teachers’ loads by making photocopies or helping with special projects. As well, offering academic support, like making flash cards for students to use at home, can help support teachers in their efforts to focus on teaching rather than on gathering and creating resources.
Don’t overstep. Avoid asking teachers to do a lot of paperwork or organizational tasks that take away from their teaching time. And don’t be pushy about spending time in the classroom. Some teachers may welcome efforts like in-class tutoring, for example, but others might not. Ask, and respect their boundaries.
Create a teacher grant program. Tight school budgets mean that teachers often have to cut corners or go without activities that would enhance learning. In addition, surveys consistently show that the typical teacher spends $500 or more of her own income each year to purchase classroom supplies. A PTO teacher grant program can fill those gaps and encourage teachers to find creative ways to reach students.
BOXTOPS FOR KIDS HELPS RAISE MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOL PTO!
MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR PTO
CONTINUES TO BRING TOGETHER THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY THROUGH EVENTS AND FUNDRAISING
ASSISTS WITH THE PURCHASE OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR EACH CHILD
SUPPORTS TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
PROVIDES SCHOOLWIDE TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS AND UPDATES
SPONSORS OUR SCHOOL SPELLING BEE
HELPS OFFSET THE COST OF FIELD TRIPS
ASSISTS FAMILIES WITH LUNCH ACCOUNTS
PROVIDES UPDATES TO PLAYGROUNDS
PROVIDES FOR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS AND ASSEMBLIES
Dads in School – Tips for Getting Involved in Your Child’s Education
It can seem like school involvement is the realm of the mom, which probably springs from the days when it was almost invariably the mom who was home during the day. Things are different now, though, and many moms work. Even moms who don’t work outside the home might like to see their kids’ dad get involved in the kids’ school.
Benefits to Paternal Involvement
Regardless of where Mom and Dad are during the day, and whether or not Mom and Dad are divorced, there are distinct benefits to paternal involvement in kids’ education. Here are some of them.
* Better academic performance – Did you know that educators have found a positive academic trend among students whose dads are involved in their education? Kids with involved dads do better academically.
* Extracurricular activities – Research shows that kids with involved dads participate more in extracurricular activities.
* Better behavior and emotional health – Kids whose dads are involved in school tend to be emotionally healthier, have fewer problems with behavior, and enjoy school more.
How Dads Can Get Involved
You may be wondering how dads can get involved in school. Here are some tips.
* The child’s mom – Regardless of your relationship with your child’s mom, keeping it civil with her is just one less stress for your child to have to deal with. Your child might feel awkward, embarrassed, stressed, anxious, and a host of other negative emotions when you and your ex have a bad relationship. This is not conducive to your child’s academic success. Try to get along with your child’s mom and agree to attend school events, even if you both have to attend at the same time.
* Attend meetings and events – When there are parent-teacher conferences, go. The same is true for any meetings and conferences that are held at your child’s school, whether it’s about special education or the upcoming school year. Make your presence known, and your name and face will be associated with your child.
Events vary throughout the year, from school plays to after-school activities on the school’s campus. Try to attend as many as you can, and maybe suggest some of your own (like Lunch with Dad Day or some such).
* Meet the teacher – Get to know your child’s teacher and show him/her that you are involved and want to stay engaged. The teacher will then be more likely to give you information and contact you about relevant school matters.
* Be aware – As you get more involved and plan more involvement in your child’s school, remember that other kids may not be so lucky. Be careful that you don’t leave any kids out as you plan for dad-child events, and be ready to “fill in” for kids who need an adult male to support them.