EAST FALMOUTH PTO NEWSLETTER
eastfalmouthpto@falmouth.k12.ma.us
Megan Faulkner, Co-President Nancy Thrasher, Co-President
Kerry Munroe, Vice-President Saramaria Allenby, Secretary
Vanessa Bradley, Co-Treasurer Janet Pratt, Co-Treasurer
April 2012
We hope you all are looking forward to your April vacation and maybe our warm weather will continue! We’re rapidly approaching the end of the school year and we have a lot of activities and events coming up.
The SmartBoard installation is on track for the 4th grade classrooms and we are very excited with the progress. This is one of the biggest projects that the PTO has undertaken and thank you to Dr. Dale and Megan Faulkner for seeing it through. We look forward to adding some more boards each year, but the cost is quite high. We are grateful for your continued support and participation in our events as the SmartBoards are a direct example of what your participation can do!
UPDATES, REMINDERS and NEWS:
v Congratulations to SELENA SHAW, winner of the iPad2 raffle. The winning ticket was sold by Heather Harper and special thanks to Megan, Mike, Hannah and Grace Faulkner, Kerry and Emma Munroe and Nancy, Sam and Will Thrasher for their final sales push at Kenyon’s Plaza. We netted $2,000 from the iPad ticket sales and the funds will be used for the SmartBoard installation.
v Game Night had a lower than expected turn out, but was still a fun night. Thank you to Michelle Deutschmann & her staff at Kaleidoscope Toys for sponsoring a great night out!
v BookFair/Ice Cream Social/Art Show- Mark your calendar for the book fair, ice cream social and art show on April 11th. Ice cream sundaes will be available for $2 each and donation letters went home last week for sundae supplies. Help is needed for the book fair hours (day and evening) and also for our various tables that evening. Mrs. Peterson also needs help getting the art matted and ready for the show. Contact the PTO or Tracy Chorches (tchorches@falmouth.k12.ma.us) if you can volunteer.
v Yankee Candle orders will be available for pick up on April 11th. If you submitted a candle order, please plan on picking up your order on the 11th.
v Our Teacher Appreciation Luncheon will be held on May 24th and we will have details in the May newsletter for how you can help.
v The Dance: We have submitted a reservation form for the Band Shell by Falmouth Harbor for a dance/picnic on the last day of school. Sister Spin will be the DJ and we hope that Smitty will be available with his concession truck for food/ice cream. So pack a picnic and plan on an End-of-School celebration downtown!! Details to follow next month.
v Our Cat’s Meow Collectible piece is available at Celebrations for $20- a sample is in the display case by the gym.
v We are looking for a volunteer to be a Co-Treasurer for the 2012-2013 PTO year. Janet Pratt will need to step down at the end of the 2013 school year and having a co-treasurer would ensure a smooth transition. Ideally, we are looking for a PreK-2nd grade parent.
UPDATES, REMINDERS and NEWS (cont.):
v East Falmouth Elementary Spiritwear and Accessories are available for purchase. Please get your requests in early for Field Day t-shirts. Cash or Check only, payable to EF PTO.
v East Falmouth Village Association is planning a carnival for June with the Playground committee. We would encourage you to join EFVA and their new website is located at: http://www.eastfalmouthvillageassociation.com/default.html
v We send our condolences to Sam Slarsky on the loss of his wife earlier this month. Mr. Slarsky, the former EFES principal, was instrumental in starting our playground renovation and we are keeping him in our thoughts.
PLAYGROUND NEWS:
- Beach Photo Session Opportunity: The East Falmouth Elementary School PTO in partnership with Lisa Hart Photography is offering you a chance to capture family memories in a beach photo shoot at Menauhant Beach this summer. Lisa is offering a reduced sitting fee (only $30) of which she is generously donating 100% to the Playground Renovation Committee. There are a limited number of 30-minute sessions available from 9am-4pm on June 2nd & June 3rd and again on July 7th & July 8th. Her work is wonderful and her products are very reasonable. Visit Lisa’s website to see her work and to schedule your session. Don’t miss this great opportunity- the slots are filling up fast! www.lisahartphotography.com (Fliers will be coming home soon or visit the site).
- Visit the Playground Renovation Committee at the Art Show & Ice Cream Social. Members of the EFES PTO Playground Renovation Committee will be on hand providing information on the latest happenings on fundraising events and playground designs as well as offering easy ways for you to help us out! If you haven’t already, you can sign up to Flock-a-Friend or reserve a slot for a Beach Photo shoot by Lisa Hart Photography. We will also have computers ready for you to log on to your Facebook page and vote for us in the Paine’s Patio and Nautical & Nice Anniversary Giveback Contest to help us win $900. If you want to vote from home, simply log on to Facebook, go to the Paine’s Patio and Nautical & Nice Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/painespatio and “Like” the page; then go to Photos/Anniversary Giveback Album and “Like” our black & white EFES playground logo. If you want to volunteer, donate or have any questions related to the playground efforts, please email us at eastfalmouthplayground@gmail.com. As always, thank you for all the support you give us!
- Don’t forget to LIKE the FB pages for EF Elem PTO and EF Playground or contact us to be added to our email list.
Top Ten Reasons to join the PTO:
10. It’s a great way to meet other families with children the same age as your own!
9. You will become a great part of your child’s early learning experience!
8. Help raise money for a great cause… your child’s education!
7. Get to know the Teachers and Staff at East Falmouth Elementary School (EFES) and understand their needs and ideas.
6. Hear Dr. Dale’s monthly update about what’s happening at EFES.
5. Help create, plan and execute fun events for the whole family!
4. It’s an hour or so off from your hectic household routine.
3. Camaraderie.
2. Experience the great feeling you get from volunteering and seeing your efforts pay off in the smile of your child and their friends.
And the # 1 reason…… WE NEED YOU!
Did you know that the majority of the PTO's fundraising is to pay for student field trips?
The field trips are a lot of fun, are educational, and provide our children with experiences that they will remember forever. In the past, we have been able to fund trips to the New England Aquarium, Boston’s Museum of Science, Plimoth Plantation, and others. Due to extremely tight budgets, many schools can no longer offer these wonderful trips to their students. At East Falmouth Elementary School, our students continue to be able to participate in field trips solely due to the fundraising of the PTO.
Also, the PTO receives requests from teachers who have a need for something that they feel would be significantly beneficial for their students. During these lean budget times, the PTO often can and will help with these requests. Each year, we ask the teachers to submit their “Wish Lists” and we do our best to provide them with these much needed items.
Here are a few easy ways to help support the PTO:
Have you ever heard the phrase “CASH FOR TRASH”???
The East Falmouth PTO is working to turn your trash into cash for our school by simply turning something you’d normally toss into the trash into money or merchandise!!!
We made almost $800 last year in free money!
BoxTops for Education: You can find BoxTops on hundreds of your favorite products. Just look for the BoxTop, clip it, and send it in to school. Each BoxTop is worth 10 cents. http://www.boxtops4education.com/
Labels for Education: You can find points on your favorite Campbells, Pepperidge Farm, Spaghettios, V8, and Swanson products. New this year: Bic products and Pop Secret popcorn! Clip the UPC points and send them in to school. We will use those points to purchase items from the Campbell’s catalog. http://www.labelsforeducation.com/. Please note: In order to be counted, we must submit the entire UPC code. Just the Labels for Education symbol or partial UPCs are not eligible for submission, so please clip carefully!
Before you Toss it….Check it! If it’s one of the above mentioned items, send it in to school with your child.
Stop & Shop A+ School Rewards Program: From October 7,2011 through March 24, 2012, we made over $1,000. Thank you for all those who participated.
Target Take Charge of Education Program: Register your Target REDcard and Target will donate 1% of your purchases at Target or Target.com to our school.
1. Log on to www.target.com
2. Click on Redcards at the top right of your screen
3. Click on Take Charge of Education on left menu
4. Click on Enroll
5. East Falmouth Elementary’s Target School ID # 59197
Other Fundraisers: October’s Spooky Spaghetti Supper, the Fall & Spring Book Fairs, the Ice Cream Social & Art Show, Color Me Mine Night, the 100th Day Fitness Challenge and more!
Perhaps you have an idea for a Fundraiser. Please come to the next PTO meeting, or send us an email, and tell us about it!!
Another way you can help? Volunteer! The PTO is always in need of volunteers to work during our Fundraisers.
Last modified on May 02, 2012 by Cheryl Worley