Fernbrook School PTO Newsletter
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Hello Fernbrook Families
Checkout the latest biweekly PTO Newsletter and learn more about all of our exciting upcoming PTO events and happenings!
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Holiday Shoppe
THE HOLIDAY SHOPPE WILL BE OPEN DECEMBER 5, 2022- DECEMBER 8, 2022 (SCHOOL HOURS ONLY)
Holiday Shoppe
We are inviting your child to participate in our upcoming Fernbrook Holiday Gift Shoppe at our school. This program makes it possible for our children to experience the joy of choosing their own special holiday gifts for family and friends.
This program will create wonderful memories for your child while teaching them to budget their money and make their own decisions. Gifts price ranges from $.50 to $16.50, but stay mostly in the $3.00 to $5.00 range.
How It Works:
Your child will attend the Holiday Shoppe during the week (December 5-8, 2022) with their class. Cash, Check (payable to Fernbrook PTO) or a Pre-paid Voucher will only be accepted.
Tax:
For the first time ever, students (or any shoppers) will have to pay NJ Sales Tax on their purchases. The current NJ Sales Tax is 6.625%. We will have signs to remind our students about the tax addition, but please make sure your children understand this added cost.
- For Example: In the past, if you gave your child a $10 bill and the item was $9.99, this amount would have covered the cost. With this new tax addition, if the item is $9.99, the total cost with sales tax will be $10.65.
*Please note that the NJ Sales Tax addition will be in place for all future Holiday Shoppe events.
Visit our Holiday Shoppe website for more information and to create a Pre-Paid Voucher for your student.
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Holiday Shoppe Volunteers Needed
The Holiday Shoppe Committee is looking for parent/guardian volunteers to assist with the holiday shoppe event during your child's class time to shop. Two volunteers are needed per session (70 minute sessions. Sign up to volunteer, today!
***Please note that in order for you to be able to volunteer, you must be a current PTO Member. If you are not one yet, sign up and become a Fernbrook PTO Member, now!
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Submit Your 50th Day of School Photos
We hope all the Kindergarteners had fun celebrating the 50th Day of School! The Yearbook Committee is currently seeking photos of your child in their 50βs outfits or costumes!
We'd love to share your memories. Submit your photo(s), today!
Questions? Email the Yearbook Committee at yearbook@fernbrookpto.org
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Amazon Smile: For the Holiday Season
AmazonSmile is a program operated by Amazon that offers all the same products, with the distinction that a portion of the price of eligible purchases goes toward the buyerβs charity of choice.
Did you know that when you shop with AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation contributes 0.5 percent of eligible purchases (thatβs $5 of every $1000 spent) to a designated charityβin this case, our very own Fernbrook Elementary School PTO? Especially for frequent Amazon users (and who isnβt?), itβs an effortless way to give back to our very own school!
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Fun Recaps: Thank You!
Outreach Committee: Thanksgiving Food Drive:
The Fernbrook Thanksgiving Food Drive was a tremendous success! The Outreach Committee would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to all of the families and teachers that contributed to the drive. We were able to providing a full Thanksgiving meal to 10 of our very own Fernbrook families in need. In addition, the monetary contributions that were received will go toward helping out Fernbrook families in need throughout the school year.
We could not have done this without the help of our wonderful school nurse, Mrs. Jennifer Cutri and the support of Dr. Bernal, Ms. Thorn and Ms. Falcon-Duran.
In addition, the PTO Executive Board would also like to send a special THANK YOU to the members of the Outreach Committee: Lisa Stokes, Teri Fitzpatrick and Melissa Zimmerman. We appreciate all of the time you put into the planning and execution for this effort.
The Outreach Committee will be hosting a Winter Drive for our Fernbrook Families during the month of December- be on the lookout for more information on how you can help and/or assist.
Cultural Arts: Hot Air Balloon Assembly:
Before Thanksgiving break, we had a super fun Hot Air Balloon Assembly come to Fernbrook School. During the event, our students learned about the different parts of a hot air balloon (the envelope, basket and burner system), various festivals in which hot air balloons participate in and we all were able to actually sit in a hot air balloon from inside! Ms. Thorn also was able to stand in the basket and pull on the burner system to show how a hot air balloon system works.
We wanted to thank Ms. Thorn, Ms. Falcon-Duran, Ms. Moran, Mrs. Branch, Mr. Patel, Lia Timpanaro and Erin Moranski for coordinating and assisting with such a fun event for our entire school to take part in.
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Become a PTO Member:
Why join the Fernbrook School PTO? Because at Fernbrook, we are all a T.E.A.M. (Together Everyone Achieves More)
For just $20, your Annual PTO Membership fee (during the academic school year) makes it possible for the PTO to fund exciting and enriching learning opportunities/ programs for all of our students as well as to contribute to school improvement projects. We hope you'll become a member of our PTO, today!
Becoming a PTO member does not require participation on a committee. Your financial support will assist us with all the fun programs and activities for the 2022-2023 school year.
For any questions, please email the Membership Committee
Birthday Book Club:
Interested in making your child's birthday extra special this school year? Want to do something to benefit Fernbrook Elementary School? You're in luck! Sign your child up for the Birthday Book Club.
The Birthday Book Club is a great way to celebrate your child's birthday and help support the Fernbrook Elementary School PTO! Sign up, for your child's Birthday Book Club order, today!
Questions? Email the Birthday Book Club Committee at: bdbookclub@fernbrookpto.org
"No Cost" Fundraisers:
The Fernbrook Elementary School PTO has many βno costβ fundraisers in which our families may participate. No cost fundraisers provide opportunities for Fernbrook families to contribute to the Fernbrook School without spending more than they currently spend. Many companies offer benefits to non-profit organizations to assist in their fundraising efforts.
Currently, The Fernbrook PTO participates in Amazon Smile and Box Tops.
To learn more, visit our website and enroll, today!
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Fernbrook School PTO Executive Board
Loren Darzano | Co-President
Nina Lifshey | Co-President
Dana Pineiro | Administrative Vice President
administrativevp@fernbrookpto.org
Marie Chahed | Treasurer
Soniya Patel | Recording Secretary
recordingsecretary@fernbrookpto.org
Melissa Issa | Corresponding Secretary