McKinley PTO Newsletter
Where Every Parent Is A Member
November 5, 2018
President's Update
Our Fall Scholastic Book Fair was a success! Thank you to to everyone who participated in the October Book Fair with either in-person or online purchases. Your support raised over $1800 for McKinley! This four-day, pop-up style store requires an incredible amount of time and hard work to create. All of that hard work not only raises money for McKinley programs, it earns Scholastic books for McKinley classrooms as well as a donation of 900 books benefiting several non-profit organizations. If you were able to volunteer during or attend this year's sale in person, you also had the chance to see the joy on the faces of the children as they explored the store's book selections. Thank you to Lisa Swiontek and Amanda Potter for Co-Chairing this important fundraising event. A very special thank you to Maura Riordan for recruiting this year's Co-Chairs and working hard during this transition of leadership. Thank you to everyone who volunteered to make this year's sale possible!
The new McKinley directories are in! If you ordered a copy during Forms and Fees Day in August, look for your copies coming home in your child's Tuesday folder tomorrow. A huge thank you to Heidi Engbring for her work coordinating and selling directory advertising, coordinating and proofreading the directory's content as well as helping with printing and distribution. Thank you to Sara Began for your hard work preparing all of the the McKinley family's contact information for inclusion in this year's directory. Thank you to Anna Schmidt and Maura Riordan for prepping and proofreading the directory.
Have a great week!
PTO Dates to Remember
Make sure to put the following dates on your calendar!
- November 5th-30th - Fall BoxTops Campaign/Competition
- November 6th - Election Day Bake Sale (Hoyt Park Grand Hall Polling Location)
- November 7th - Keepsake Art Night
- November 13th - Jose's Blue Sombrero Dine Out
- November 18th - McKinley Spirit Wear Order Deadline
- November 20th - City Tins Order Deadline
- November 21st-23rd - Thanksgiving; No classes
- November 26 - No School, JK-12
- December 6th - Secret Holiday Workshop
- December 13th - Ruby Tap Dine Out Fundraiser
McKinley Spirit Wear Store Reopened!
Items ordered during the Back to School McKinley Spirit Wear Campaign went home with students last week. If you didn't have the chance to place your order during the Back to School Campaign or if you've seen how fantastic the new Spirit Wear looks on the kids (and adults too) and would like to order more, now is your chance!
The store features the same fantastic spirit wear items as the Back to School Campaign and a brand new McKinley winter hat. All orders over $40 will receive a bonus gift of a McKinley car magnet. Show off your school pride while at the same time raising money for McKinley!
Order deadline is November 18th.
Check it out here: McKinley Elementary Spirit Wear Online Store
Election Day Bake Sale Tomorrow!
It's not too late to donate small packaged goodies to sell at the bake sale. The baked goods can be store bought or hand made. The bake sale will be from 7am - 8pm at the Grand Hall at Hoyt Park. We are still looking for volunteers to work the sale as well.
To sign up to volunteer for a Bake Sale shift or donate baked goods, sign up here: Election Day Bake Sale Sign Up.
Please place your goods at the table outside of the office on Monday, 11/05 or bring to the sale on 11/06. If you have any questions or concerns please contact at Rebecca Shaw at beccalazzmu@yahoo.com OR 414-510-0600
All profits raised will support the McKinley PTO. Thank you in advance for your help!
Becca Shaw
Bake Sale Chair
Support Our Schools (S.O.S.) Update
Support Our Schools – Wauwatosa has published a voter’s guide for residents of Wauwatosa and nearby communities who are served by the 13th and 14th Wisconsin Assembly districts, and the 5th Wisconsin Senate district. The election is set for Tuesday, November 6. The guide includes responses by the six candidates running for these seats to six questions about education funding.
We encourage voters interested in learning more about candidate attitudes and opinions regarding education funding to download and read the guide. It’s posted to the SOS – Wauwatosa website: http://www.soswauwatosa.org to take a look.
Only 3 out of 6 candidates replied, yet there is information in the Guide that voters may find helpful. If you are able and willing to share this Guide with friends that care about public education, a link can be found on our webpage.
We’ll see you at the polls on November 6! Or, if you’re early voting, thanks for your participation!
Sarah Lerand, S.O.S. Chair
2019 Auction & Adult Social Committee Update
For the past three years, the McKinley Adult Social has been the PTO's largest fundraising event of the year. In addition to raising money for special projects such as new playground equipment, flexible seating options and iPads for classrooms and Music & Art program needs, the Adult Social has provided a fun and casual opportunity for parents and guardians to get together.
This year's Auction & Social Committee will be made up of volunteers representing each grade (Junior Kindergarten-5th Grade). Thank you to everyone who has committed to serving on this year's Committee. As of today, we have volunteers from every grade with the exception of 3rd Grade.
The Committee will be meeting soon to start planning. If you are interested in joining this year's Committee, please contact Lindsay Stadler at lindsaystadler@gmail.com.
Keepsake Art Night Tuesday!
Join us November 7th from 5:30-7:30 in the big gym for a favorite McKinley tradition, Keepsake Art night.
As in years past, your child (and adults too if they’d like) will have the opportunity to create a piece of art which will then be transferred onto keepsake products to enjoy for years.Your masterpieces will be returned in time for the holidays, and they make great gifts! We are again using Original Works and details on product pricing can be found HERE.
Please bring your cash or checkbook the night of the event as payment is due onsite. Contact Faith O'Tool if you’re interested in volunteering at the event: faithbrawley@hotmail.com.
Becky Smale & Faith O'Tool
Keepsake Art Night Co-Chairs
Scholastic Book Fair Thank You
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
A special thank you to everyone who helped to make the Scholastic Book Fair a success! The profits will help the PTO purchase resources for our school as well as fund activities such as field trips and High Interest Day. The coin competition raised $953 to purchase books for our classrooms and Scholastic will donate over 900 books to these worthy non-profit organizations: Kids in Need Foundation, Reader to Reader, Inc., and the National Center for Families Learning.
Congratulations to Mrs. Brown’s 5th grade class, the first place winners who raised $144. They have a popcorn party coming their way! Way to go, McKinley!
A BIG thank you to all who volunteered at the fall book fair:
Katie Farwell
Lori Brandenburg
Lindsay Stadler
James Czukas
Madhulika Kherwa
Sneha Pawde
Heather Sanders
Bill Koch
Cara Schwantes
Gina Johnson
Monica Deluhery
Erin Baker
Heidi Engbring
Sharon Fuerst
Special thank you to Maura Riordan for all the help with the transition!
And thanks to Charlotte Garder, Jean Hoffman, Terri Uden and Juan Matute for their help with preparation for the fair!
Amanda Potter and Lisa Swiontek, Scholastic Book Fair Co-Chairs
McKinley's Chess Club Coach Wins Coach of the Year!
Fall BOX TOPS COMPETITION Begins November 5th!
It’s time to gather the Box Tops you have been collecting! The Fall Box Tops Classroom Competition will start November 5th and run until November 30th.
Send your neatly clipped and counted (in sets of 50) BoxTops to your child’s teacher. The classroom that collects the most will win an ice cream party!
*If you would like to volunteer to help count the Box Tops, please contact Sarah Atols at matols@wi.rr.com.
2019 City Tins Fundraiser Now Through November 20th
Just in time for the holidays, the 2019 City Tin line up is on its way to McKinley! This fundraiser offers 7 different Tin options each filled with a variety of different coasters that can each be redeemed for $10 off your bill at the restaurant featured on the coaster. There are 3 new Tins this year: Lake Country, Twin Cities, and Milwaukee heritage.
Be on the lookout for a paper order form (HERE) and in the Tuesday folders, or feel free to order online this year HERE . You will need to enter the password @fundraiser18 and select McKinley from the drop down menu.
All orders will be ready to be picked up after school at McKinley Nov 27th. Contact Becky.smale@yahoo.com with any questions.
Jose's Blue Sombrero Dine Out Next Week!
Dine out to raise money for McKinley at Jose’s Blue Sombrero in the village on November 13th. Please remember to bring in the attached flyer (or the blue paper copy that came home in the Tuesday folder) to them that day and 25% of your purchase will support McKinley. Next up will be Ruby Tap in the village on December 13th! Thanks to all the participating businesses and to McKinley families for your support of our school through these dine out events!
Dana Wurzburger
Dine Out Chair
SAVE THE DATE! The Secret Holiday Workshop is back!
DATE: Thursday, December 6th
TIME: 3:15pm-6:30pm
LOCATION: Large Gym at McKinley
The Secret Holiday Workshop is a great way to purchase one of a kind gifts for family, friends, teachers etc for the holidays, birthdays or just because. All items sold by our over 30 creative vendors are handmade and sell for $10 or less. We are very excited to have some new vendors join us this year as well. There will be something for everyone!
Students can shop by themselves or shop secretly with a 5th grader Secret Shopper to help them manage their list and money so it remains a surprise for those they buy for. You can even wrap your gifts and bring everything home all ready to go. Bring your neighbors, family and friends...everyone is welcome to attend.
The Brownies, Girl Scouts & McKinley Messengers will be hosting a bake sale with all monies going to support a family in need during the Holidays.This is really the reason we host the Workshop. Giving back to the Community is so important to teach our children. I have been part of the gift deliveries to the families we have supported in the past. It is my favorite part of the Workshop that is behind the scenes. There is nothing better than providing joy and hope to others.
Mrs. Daily and her very talented musicians will be playing Holiday tunes while you shop and has become another favorite tradition of the Workshop. The Orchestra students have a tip jar that they graciously donate to our family in need as well. It really adds such a special touch to the night. Grab a cup of hot chocolate and plate of cookies from the bake sale and enjoy the beautiful music as you take a break from all that shopping.
Every year, many of the vendors donate one item from their table for our raffle. Tickets are $1.00 a piece or 6 for $5.00. We hope you come and try your luck as all the raffle sales are also donated to our family in need. This is a huge community effort to help make a very special Holiday for our adopt a family and we couldn’t be more grateful to everyone involved.
If you have any questions please reach out to Jamie Schwake at jamieschwake@yahoo.com. We hope to see you there!
It will be my last year running the Workshop as my 5th grade will be heading off to Whitman. Amanda Mast has joined me this year to take over the organization of the Girl Scouts and Mckinley Messengers. We are looking for someone to take over organizing the vendors. It is not difficult to do and it really runs itself. We really want this tradition to continue. Please email me if you have any interest in co-chairing the Workshop next year.
Thanks for considering!
Jamie Schwake, Secret Holiday Workshop Chair
5th Grade Career Talk Speakers Needed!
Thanks for considering this opportunity!
Megan Hambrook, 5th Grade Career Day Chair
Teacher Treat Sign Up
If you'd like to show your appreciation to the McKinley teachers and staff by bringing in a treat for the teacher/staff lounge, please sign up for a day by clicking HERE.
Art Room Volunteer Sign Up
Please consider signing up to volunteer in your student’s art class by clicking HERE. K5 classes meet twice a week for 45 minutes. 1st to 5th grade classes meet once a week for an hour. It’s a fun opportunity to help kids express their creativity. If you can help mount or hang art at other times, please contact Heidi Engbring at hengbring@wi.rr.com.
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