Paint Nite - Friday, April 4

We are so excited to be having our first Adult Only event of the year and hope you will be able to join us for a fun night of painting and mixing among other Winthrop parents and friends.  You have likely received your flyer in your child's backpack, but I have attached one for you to share with your friends and family.  We are limited in the amount of painters we can accommodate so please don't wait on purchasing your desired paint session tickets, however, if painting is not your thing and you'd rather just mingle, we can help you at the door.

The proceeds from this event will be going to a Technology Grant to be used for the purchase of any new technology that will help increase our kids' academic achievement or teacher productivity.  Over the years, research has proven the benefits of technology in education and the question is no longer IF technology enhances learning, but how do we fund it?  

Here are a few ways you can help:

1)  Buy a ticket!  Invite your friends to join you.

2)  Donate a raffle prize. Do you own a business or can you provide a service?

3)  Contribute to our Snack Table.  Fruit, Cheese, Crackers, Popcorn, etc.

If you would like more information about the event or how you can help, please don't hesitate to contact us at fortbankspto@gmail.com.

Thank you, as always, for your time and efforts!

Sincerely, 

Alicyn Thompson

Co-President

Literacy Night 2014

Gorman Fort Banks PTO

Meeting Agenda for January 8, 2014 8:30am

• Welcome

• Introduction of the Board

• Christa Shea & Alicyn Thompson Co-Presidents
• Kristen Buonopane & Linda Straccia, Vice Presidents
• Gillian Texeira & Dawn Sullivan, Treasurers
• Michelle Holmes & Mariana Babine, Secretaries

• Principal’s Report (Mrs. Pearson)

• Treasurer’s Report (Dawn Sullivan)

• General Business

• Stop&Shop Principal’s Challenge (Tatiana Mendieta)
• Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities (Mariana Babine) 
• T-Shirt Pre-sale starts tomorrow 1/9
• BookFlix Renewal in April - $949 Check it Out! Vote next meeting
• User Name: gormanfb Password: bookflix

• PTO Events Update

• Upcoming Family Events Discussion (Alicyn Thompson)
• Family Skate Party  
• Need skating volunteers!
• Admission charge? - VOTE
• Paint Nite (Adults Only) 
• Committee Needed
• April dates available
• Technology grant fund? VOTE
• Literacy Night
• Lucky Bob pre-show? VOTE
• Budget $250 - VOTE
• Gorman Giving (Alyssa Sacco)
• Food Drive dates

• In School Enrichment Activities (Cara Huberman)

• December Enrichment Follow-up – Winter Puppet Show
• January Enrichment – 1/15 Keith Richards: The Bubble Guy

Blizzard Bags – A chance to recoup lost school time?

As we are all enjoying Day 2 of no school this week, has the thought crossed your mind about what would happen if go beyond our allotted number of snow days? Last year, it extended into the last week of June.

A possible solution could be “Blizzard Bags.” These are packets of grade-specific activities that must be completed and submitted to teachers upon resumption of school. They are meant to encourage learning and incorporate learning opportunities outside of the classroom. These bags are not a replacement to snow days, schools that use them intend them to forestall adding on school days after the allotted snow days have been exhausted. This is an example of one school's blizzard bag.

                                                     

Do you like this idea? A few Fort Banks and Cummings parents liked the idea too. Here is what needs to happen before we can do this:

·      Attend the Monday, January 6 School Committee meeting at 6pm and make your support known for a Blizzard Pack during the public comment period.

·      Ask the School Committee and Superintendent if Blizzard Packs would be acceptable to be used to fulfill Department of Education school year requirements if we’ve exhausted our allotted snow days.

PTO Meeting Notes 

November 13, 2013

Mr. John Macero, Superintendent came in to talk about the new school building project.

• Thanks the community for vote.
• The building project is a 2 ½ year project
• January 2017 projected opening
• Transition teams are being built in all schools
• Questions about traffic, time frames, start times, personnel, swing space etc, will be reviewed by these committees.
• Working hard so that the High school students get the “high school” experience.
• Will be going to the different middle school and high school to meet with the students and see what their needs and expectations are.
• Budget for 1.5 million dollars for swing space.
• Please contact Mr. Macero with any questions via phone, email or facebook.

Principals Report (delivered by Mrs. Oleary)

• Question: regarding the renewal of A-Z books. This is a resource the teachers use/share. Will let the PTO know of cost so that we can vote on it.
• Site council is resetting goals and is looking for an increase in science and social studies curriculum. Enrichment program or a Science night? Response: PTO has a science enrichment program coming in early next year and has also talked about having a science night (like Literature night). More will be discussed next meeting.
• Transition: A committee is being put together, and the next site council meeting will be all about the transition.

General Business

• Room parent/holiday gift guidelines- reminder that there are strict guidelines regarding teacher gifts. 
• Personal gifts for a teacher =$150.00 classroom gift=unlimited $ (edited to add that personal gift means a gift for the teacher from the class and classroom gift means a gift for the classroom [ex. Staples gift card, basket of supplies, etc. $150 is for the entire school year so keep end of year gift in mind].)
• Loop update: all is moving great, they will bring up concerns/suggestions regarding the transition next year to Mr. Macero.
• Library update: Lisa Bower asked for a $100.00 budget for library materials/decorations. APPROVED
• Tumblebooks online renewal APPROVED
• Volunteer update: Looking for parents to cover meetings. Great opportunity to be involved/get in the classroom. Please contact Mrs. Babine if you would like to receive emails regarding volunteer needs.

PTO EVENTS UPDATE

• Spooky Bingo- was great, great turnout! We even made some money.
• Upcoming events: Family skate party, paint night (adult only), literacy week. We are looking for help on all these efforts.
• T-shirt pre-orders will be going in backpacks in the next couple days.
• Yankee Candle update: We did an amazing job with the fundraising. It was a very easy fundraiser to do. We are expecting the order to come in the week of Thanksgiving. 
• Coat swap date is Dec. 5th Multipurpose room. 2nd year we are doing this. This year we will be doing it after school. 
• Gorman Giving Food Drive: Dec 19th Bring in your canned goods.

TREASURES REPORT

• After spooky bingo, enrichment, playground replacements, Ice cream social We have over $14,000.
• We have to pay for some enrichment and are also waiting for some grant money to come in.
• Stop and Shop Contest
• Please participate in the contest. The school with the most people enrolled gets a visit from a Patriot player. Even without the visit we still get money from the program. PLEASE PARTICIPATE.

PLAYGOUND UPDATE

• Benches are ready and will be coming soon. Some repairs will be done to the playground. We will be asking the Town for a barrel for the playground. Mulch is also needed so that it is safe. 

Enrichment Activities (Cara Huberman)

• October NED Show YO-YO was great and we ended up selling some Yo-yo’s
• November Magic of reading- Kids seem to like it. (we hear lots of laughter)
• December Winter Solstice puppet show/music
• Grant was approved for $5000 for the Lunch room wall art project. Artist has been chosen and Cara is looking for helpers. Will start April 2014.

Meeting Adjourned.