Riojas PTO Newsletter
April 17th, 2023
Willie's Ice House Spirit Night TONIGHT
When: ALL DAY on Monday, April 17th
How: Mention Riojas Elementary School PTO when dining in OR
Use promo code SPIRITNIGHT when ordering curbside or delivery online
Pastries with Parents - April 27 & 28
Grab a pastry and a drink outside the Riojas front entryway. Stay for breakfast in the cafeteria or main hallway.
To accommodate the large student population, Pastries with Parents will be split into two days according to grade level.
Please attend the day for your child’s grade level. If you have children on both days, please pick one day to attend with both children.
EE, Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th
Thursday Apr 27th 7:05am - 7:35am
Friday Apr 28th 7:05am - 7:35am
RSVP on the linked events above on the Riojas Elementary PTO page to ensure we have space!
We need your help with setup and serving to make this a successful event. Please check Facebook for the Pastries with Parents SignUpGenius coming soon.
Riojas Fine Arts Night - Tuesday, May 2nd
*If you would like to volunteer to help, please sign up here.
The Patriot Yearbook Has Gone To Print!
Thank you to all who submitted photos for consideration for the 2022-2023 Patriot Yearbook. The book is complete and has gone to print, expected delivery date will be mid May to classrooms.
Reserve your copy TODAY! The confirmation email from Balfour will serve as a receipt for your yearbook order. It will also come in handy in the next few months when you cannot remember if you ordered in the fall - we may be speaking from experience.
If you are not sure if you have ordered this year’s book, please email the yearbook committee at riojasyearbookphotos@gmail.com to check. Please include the student's name and adult name of who would have made the purchase.
Yearbooks are $25 each at Balfour.com
Deadline for online orders is May 21st
Volunteer Opportunity - Office Helpers
Join the PTO as a Board Member or Event Chair
Our PTO is the success that it is because of our amazing Board and Chair members. We are currently looking for motivated parents to join our PTO Leaders for the upcoming school. Please email (riojaselempto@gmail.com) or message the PTO on Facebook if you are interested in serving as a board member or chair for the 2023-2024 school year. Attend the General PTO meeting at Riojas on Wednesday, April 26 to participate in the election. You may attend in-person or virtually via Facebook.
VP of Programs
This board position is our latest addition to the board and will be charged with expanding the interactions with the school community by developing events that educate and strengthen the tie the organization has with parents, staff and students. They are required to attend all board meetings, vote on important measures and attend general PTO meetings to represent their committee chairs. He or she should also plan to meet with their committee several times a year for planning as well as attend any events. Committees under the VP of Programs are yet to be determined but would include activities such as theme weeks, box tops, hospitality, and more.
VP of Volunteering
This board position is in charge of volunteer coordination, maintaining our volunteer list, working with the VP of Communication to publicize volunteer needs through various communication channels as well as proactively find ways to increase volunteerism amongst the staff and parents through inventive contest or giveaways. They would also coordinate with local groups such as NHS at the high schools to find ways to have our volunteer sign-ups as full as they can be. This should be a person that won’t take “no” for an answer. They are required to attend all board meetings, vote on important measure and attend general PTO meetings to discuss volunteer successes and opportunities as well as attend as many events as possible.
Treasurer
The treasure upholds the budget for the organization and ensures proper accounting practices are followed. He or she would maintain an accurate ledger of all banking activities as well as track the profits or losses for each of our activities. This position pays open invoices and makes sure the organization stays in good financial standing with all vendors. They also distribute funds as appropriate by having constant communication with organization leadership to understand timing. He or she should also plan to attend committee meetings upon request.
Holiday Marketplace Chair
This event is a student favorite. This chair is responsible for purchasing gift items, pricing and tagging, and working to properly communicate and recruit volunteers. This chair will be required to be onsite during the school days on the week of the event.
Carnival Chair
The carnival chair is responsible for coordinating all the activities involved in executing this RES favorite. Examples include, but are not limited to, organizing a silent auction, reserving attractions, coordinating volunteers, recruiting food vendors, and filing all appropriate paperwork with the school district and city.
Community Events Chair
The PTO tries to plan several small events each year. This chair would plan these events throughout the year by working with the VP of Fundraising to stay in budget, get communication out on time and execute for maximum fun. Events include movie night, end of school dance, and a few other activities peppered throughout the year.
Hospitality Chair
The PTO loves to spoil our RES staff. This person would be in-charge of making sure they feel extra special all year round. This chair works with the VP of Programs to stay in budget, highlight the activities, and find volunteers.
Spirit Wear
The PTO sells Patriot pride attire at the beginning of every year. This chair would coordinate logistics of design, order collection, distributing items and correcting any order errors. Time commitment is high for the first few weeks of the year but then responsibilities are complete leaving time to help with other activities as desired.
Riojas Elementary PTO
Our mission is to bring parents and teachers together to promote a strong school community. The PTO is driven by volunteers - and you are already a member. There are no fees to join!
Why should you get involved?
- Children Benefit: Research shows participating in your child's school and showing engagement helps them perform better academically.
- The School Benefits: The PTO supports students and staff. It puts on programs and events to bring our school together as a community and enrich learning.
- Make Connections: Get to know teachers and staff. Make life-long friends with other parents.
We always need volunteers to make our programs and events successful. This does not always mean a commitment of your time - volunteering can be donating, using a special skill, providing local business contacts, or sharing words of encouragement.
Email: riojaselempto@gmail.com
Website: riojaselempto.com
Facebook: facebook.com/riojaspto